Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Yogāḥ citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ — Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.

So begins Patanjali's foundational text on the philosophy and practice of yoga, composed as a series of 196 terse aphorisms (sūtras). Far from being merely a manual of physical postures, the Yoga Sutras present a complete psychological and spiritual framework for stilling the mind and realising the true Self (puruṣa) as distinct from the fluctuating mental field (citta).

The Eight Limbs

The text is best known for articulating Ashtanga Yoga — the eight limbs of practice: yama (ethical restraint), niyama (observances), asana (posture), pranayama (breath control), pratyahara (withdrawal of senses), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (absorption).

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