The Yoga-Sutra of Patanjali: A New Translation with Commentary [Paperback]

A classic work of Indian philosophy that succinctly spells out how the mind works and what is needed to attain liberation.

In 196 short aphorisms, this classic work of Indian philosophy succinctly spells out how the mind works and how it is possible to use the mind to attain liberation. The Yoga-Sūtra is a road map of human consciousness and a helpful guide to the mental states that one encounters in meditation, yoga, and other spiritual practices. Chip Hartranft’s translation and extensive, lucid commentary bring the text beautifully to life. He also provides useful auxiliary materials, including an afterword on the legacy of the Yoga-Sūtra and its enduring relevance for us today."Extraordinarily clear. . . . Hartranft makes Patañjali's complications seem somehow obvious."—Shambhala Sun



"A Yoga Sutra for the twenty-first century . . . translated into plain (but not boring) accessible language. . . . If there's a more succinct explanation of the enduring value of Patañjali's work, I'd sure like to hear it."—Yoga Journal

"Chip Hartranft has given us a fresh, authoritative, and brilliant new translation of and commentary on the Yoga-Sutra, and an entire generation of American yogis should be deeply grateful. His work successfully combines intellectual precision with emotional accessibility—a powerful marriage seldom even attempted with this notoriously difficult text. Hartranft is careful always to leave Patañjali's own genius in the foreground, and as a result the astounding intellectual architecture of the Yoga-Sutra shines through. Bravo!"—Stephen Cope, author of Yoga and the Quest for the Truelã,