Yoga Philosophy of Patanjali: Containing His Yoga Aphorisms with Vyasa's Commentary in Sanskrit and a Translation with Annotations Including Many Suggestions for the Practice of Yoga Paperback – June 30, 1984

I would not recommend this book for a beginner student; it is really heavy to read and grasp all the details given in Vyasa's commentary. For a beginner, I would recommend Iyengar's Light on Yoga Sutras.For the more dedicated student, this book is very good, and certainly will enrich the meanings of each sutra, as well, it has a very good translation and interpretation of Vyasa's commentary.

This is perhaps one of the best if not the best translation of the sutras available in English. Hariharananda actually spent much time in meditation/samadhi and is more qualified to comment on this text than other more glorified versions like BKS Iyengar's or other modern commentators that just use a Sanskrit dictionary to draw up their own personal meanings which confuses the hell out of this text. This one even includes simple tips and practices making it invaluable for those with a teacher or some background. While I don't think it is that hard of a read like other reviewers, I would recommend Swami Vivekananda's freely available version if you want something more simple without losing the essence and teaching of Patanjali. Hariharananda has also written other texts as well on the likes of Samkhya. Check out the site below for more of what he has left behind for seekers.http://www.samkhyayoga-darshana.com/

I have been using B.K.S. Iyengar's and Barbara Stoler Miller's translations/guides to Patanjali for a dozen years so far. Though I just received this book a few days ago, it has already been tremendously helpful to my practice of yoga (Iyengar and Ashtanga) and my meditation practice (Soto/Rinzai Zen and Shangpa Kagyu, 40+ years all told). It is a study guide meant to be patiently absorbed, not speedily read. I hear the voices of the teachers who created this and of those who led me to it. May it be so for you as well.

Vyasa's commentary is very good. However, after reading it, I have many questions. We're using this book in a study group along with Edwin F. Bryant's edition "The Yoga Sutura's of Pantanjali" and Swami Pravhavananda's "How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali." The combination plus discussion is excellent.

I checked this book out from the library. And then had to buy a copy because it is so interesting. Vyasa's commentary is first recorded and hence the "go to" commentary on the Yoga Sutras. There is a school of thought that Patanjali and Vyasa were actually one in the same. Irregardless, this book flushes out the Sutras and explains much more about the Samkhyan philosophy behind them. This book has the sutras and Vyasa's commentary in Devanagari/Sanskrit for the purists (and in English translation of course). Many other commentaries reference Vyasa. It is great to read it first hand.

There are some printing issues and there seem to errors in printing. But content-wise it was exactly what I was looking for.The Sanskrit Vyasa commentary followed by line-by-line translation of the commentary and there is an exposition given for each Sutra.Lot of supplemental material as well to put everything in the right context as to where the Patanjali 's Yoga Sutras fall wrt other Vedic Darshanas.So, it's an excellent resource if you are looking to read the original source and not the interpretations which most translations tend to be.

No conflicts here, especially since so many Patanjali authors conflict with each other. Swami Hariharananda is the real deal, no faking, no puffery, no pretending, not a new age guru who just learns the words, like so so so many. Truly and inspiration. No conflicts with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, also Self-realized. You just cant fake this stuff, and SHH authors the strongest Patanjali book in the world. For very similar information, and the Sutras taken from gross to subtle, from creation to pure consciousness, using SHH's book, please also see The Meditation Manual for Seekers.

I revere Vyasya's Yoga Philosophy of Patanjali above any other I've read. This is the best exposition on Patanjali's sutras. Vyasya obviously practiced what he reveals in this volume on the subject.