How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali [Paperback]

Swami Prabhavananda (Author), Christopher Isherwood (Author), Patanjali (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 12, 2007

The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali is a major work on the practice of yoga and meditation. Through these ancient aphorisms you will learn how to control your mind and achieve inner peace and freedom. Although these methods were taught over 2,000 years ago, they are as alive and effective today as they have ever been. The 2008 edition has been reset and now has an extensive index for reference.

Editorial Reviews

Review

A rendering at once lively and profoundly instructive of a world classic which ... remains as vividly topical, as realistically to the point, as when it first saw the light. --- Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World --Letter from the Author

A beautiful translation, and our personal favorite by far. --Books for Inner Development

The Soul does not love; It is Love Itself. It Does not Exist; It is Existence Itself. It does not Know; It is Knowledge Itself.--- Patanjali --Quoted by George Harrison in his final album

About the Author

The translators have written numerous books on Indian philosophy that speak directly to the western audience. Swami Prabhavananda founded the Vedanta Society of Southern California

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Vedanta Press & Bookshop (December 12, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0874810418
• ISBN-13: 978-0874810417
• Product Dimensions: 0.4 x 0.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,805 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #29 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Hinduism

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

82 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars How to know yourself., March 18, 2003

By 

G. Merritt (Boulder, CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali (Paperback)

Although this book is a study of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, it will appeal to devotees of any religion--Hindu, Christian, or Buddhism--or to anyone interested in living a spiritual life. It is not so much a "how-to" guide in knowing God--for "there are innumerable approaches to him" (p. 66), as an examination of knowing one's real Self.

Patanjali's Sutras are dated sometime between the fourth century B.C. and the fourth century A.D. (p. 7), and they offer methods for gaining insights through our own experience into "the Godhead, the Reality which underlies this apparent, ephemeral universe" (p. 15). He observes that in order to know God, one must first cease identifying himself with the mind (p. 213). Our liberation, he tells us, is "retarded" by our past karmas, our fears and desires, our lack of energy (p. 52), our egotism, ignorance, and blind clinging (p. 55), and by such obstacles as sickness, mental laziness, sloth, doubts and despair (p. 64). However, the good news is that no effort to know God, however small, is wasted (p. 52), for God draws us to himself (p. 54). With a little exploration, it is possible to know God everywhere, "both within and without, instantly present and infinitely elsewhere, the dweller in the atom and the abode of all things" (p. 33).

Although I am not qualified to comment on their translation of Patanjali, Christopher Isherwood and Swami Prabhavananda's Vendantist commentary offers worthwhile insights into Patanjali's Sutras.

G. Merritt

36 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent translation, fair commentary, January 27, 2003

By 

U. G. Desai (Denver, Colorado United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali (Paperback)

Swami Prabhavananda has done an excellent job of translating the sutras into understandable sentences - something that surpasses 90% of all other translators, and for this reason alone the book should be in everyone's library. The commentary however reaches neither the depth of of Satchidananda's "Sutras" nor the the burning insights of McAfee's "Beyond the Siddhis". It is obscure and sometimes confusing. All in all, however, an excellent book to add to the true seeker's bag of tricks.

34 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ancient but ever new, always true, September 1, 2002

By 

Orva Schrock "Author of "Worthless Boy"" (goshen, in United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali (Paperback)

over 1500 years ago the great indian sage, Patanjali, compiled these yoga aphorisms as a help and guide to his fellow humans. in the cosmic scheme of things 1500 years is the blink of an eye, and so it is these wise sayings remain fresh and workable for the modern lover of spiritual wisdom. the aphorisms stand on their own as originally given to the world. succint, vital, the feel of eternal truth is in them. to read and meditate on these sayings is to go another step closer to your own realization that indeed, it is only ignorance which stops us from seeing the reality of the Atman as One with eternal Brahman, the "satchitananda" or existance, conciousness, bliss, the eternal ground of all that is or ever could be. this beautiful classic is further enhanced by the translation and commentaries of the dynamic duo, swami prabhavananda and christopher isherwood. modern ideas about god and truth come and go, this book has stood the test of time and remains ever new because it's true. i highly recommend this little book to anyone interested in the light that comes when Truth is seen.