It is believed that Patanjali was an incarnation of Adi Sesha. The story unfolds as Lord Vishnu reclining on Adi Sesha and Lord Shiva performing the Thandavam dance to please Lord Vishnu. While this was in progress, Adi Sesha experienced Lord Vishnu becoming too heavy at times to the point of suffocating him and at other times becoming as light as a feather. This created the desire in Adi Sesha also to please the Lord and thus happened the incarnation of Patanjali. The name Patanjali came from the circumstances of his birth: he fell (Pata) into his mother’s palms (Anjali) while she was praying.
Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra draws its inspiration from Bhagawat Gita. This treatise has 196 Sutras categorized into 4 sections:
- Samadhi Pada (Yoga and its aims.)
- Sadhana Pada (How to practice yoga?)
- Vibhuti Pada (Sidhis that can be achieved by practicing Yoga.)
- Kaivalya Pada (How to attain liberation?)
We will see each Sutra under a unique light in forthcoming articles.
- Sutra #1: अथ योगानुशासनम् (Atha yogānuśāsanam)
- Sutra #2: योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः (Yogaścittavṛttinirodhaḥ)
