The Yoga-Sutra of Pata?jali: A New Translation and Commentary [Paperback]

Georg Feuerstein Ph.D. (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 1, 1989

Approximately two thousand years old, The Yoga-Sutra of Pata񪡬i is the landmark scripture on classical yoga. The translation and commentary provided here by Georg Feuerstein are outstanding for their accessibility and their insight into the essential meaning of this ancient and complex text.

A scholar of international renown who has studied and practiced yoga since the age of fourteen, Feuerstein also brings to The Yoga-Sutra of Pata񪡬i his experience as a professional indologist. His faithful and informed rendering of the aphorisms (sutras) is based on extensive personal research into the Sanscrit sources. Each word is explained so that the entire text becomes readily available to the western reader and student of yoga.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Georg Feuerstein is a scholar with a heart and a spiritual explorer with a keen intellect." (

John White, author of The Highest State of Consciousness

)

"This is certainly one of the most profound and original contributions to the understanding of classical yoga."
(Professor Mircea Eliade, University of Chicago, author of Yoga: Immortality and Freedom )

"The great value of this youthful work is in its thoroughness of approach." (
Dennis Littrell, reviewer, Feb 2008
)

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 196 pages
• Publisher: Inner Traditions (December 1, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892812621
• ISBN-13: 978-0892812622
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #222,562 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #8 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Hinduism > Sutras

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A clear translation and worthwhile quide., December 6, 1999

By 

John Hughes (Culver City, California) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Yoga-Sutra of Pata?jali: A New Translation and Commentary (Paperback)

I am presently studying Pantanjali's Yoga Sutras with about sixteen other students. The fact that Patanjali's sutras are, by there very nature, brief to the extreme (sometimes only sentence fragments) presents a real challenge and a dilemma for the student. What is the real meaning of these sutras as intended by Patanjali and how is this meaning to be understood in the larger context of yoga philosophy and practice? One has only to see the large number of translations available in the market, all differing on key points of philosophy and understanding, to experience this dilemma. In Georg Feurstein's book "The Yoga-Sutra of Patanjali" I found the translation and commentary to be straight to the point and very useful. In his book,, Feurstein first examines and exposes the philosophical ground of Yoga philosophy thus helping the student to build a basis on which to understand Patanjali's sutras. Then Feurstein, prior to beginning the translation of the sutras, presents an overview of the topics discussed by Patanjali. And then, in translating and commenting on the sutras, Feurstein first presents the sutra in transliterated Roman script and then gives a word by word translation along with the Sanskrit breakdown and derivation, if important. He then translates the sutra and offers a detailed commentary. At the end of the book he offers two appendices which I found quite useful; "Continuous translation" of the sutras; and Word Index of the Yoga-Sutra. Feursteins understanding of the "language of yoga" is apparent. With confidence, Feurstein easily guides us through bumpy and difficult terrain which are the Yoga Sutras. His translations of the sutras were perceptive and understandable and his commentary was illumined. I continue to find this book to be very helpful in my yoga studies and I highly recommend it to anyone who is interesting in understanding Patanjali's Yoga Sutras.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A lucid, approachable commentary, November 22, 1999

By 

Prem Prakash - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Yoga-Sutra of Pata?jali: A New Translation and Commentary (Paperback)

Georg Feuerstein is one of the great scholar/practitioners of our generation, and he has done tremendous service in the transmission of authentic yoga from India to the West. In the "Yoga Sutra of Patanjali" He shines the sun of his intellect and the moon of his devotion on one of the principle yogic texts. This light has produced an important book which I highly recommend. It is obvious that Feuerstein has studied Patanjali's work extensively, and he shares the results of his labors in a lucid, approachable manner. He reviews the history of the Yoga Sutra and the significant commentaries that have shaped the structure of Classical Yoga. Feuerstein's translation is penetrating and rings with the honesty of a scholar, while his commentary is infused with the insight of a yogi who has struggled with the labors of spiritual growth. I think anyone wishing to deepen his or her knowledge of the yogic tradition will enjoy this book.

23 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Among the best - still missing somethings, November 21, 2000

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This review is from: The Yoga-Sutra of Pata?jali: A New Translation and Commentary (Paperback)

I have looked at atleast 8 translations of Patanjali. Dr. Feurstein's is among the best. Particularly appealing is his defining Sanskrit roots, however, I wish he would have had the text in Sanskrit as well as transliteration. At times he gets overly pedantic and I believe misses the meaning of the sutra. It is the problem with all the available translations. Some of his translations don't make sense. Once again a common problem. At times he comes forth with very astute observations. It is not easy to get to Kaivalya from here.