Patanjali
Maharishi Patanjali
c. 2nd century BCE • Indian
Compiler of the Yoga Sutras — the foundational text of classical yoga. In 196 terse aphorisms he mapped the structure of the mind, the eight limbs of practice, and the path to samadhi. His work has shaped two millennia of yogic practice.
Key Works
- Yoga Sutras (trans. Vivekananda 1896)
- Yoga Sutras (trans. Woods 1914)
116
quotes in library
Quotes by Patanjali
116 quotes“From austerity, impurities are destroyed and special powers are gained.”
austerityYoga Sutras 2.43
“From self-study, communion with the chosen deity is gained.”
studyYoga Sutras 2.44
“From surrender to the divine, samadhi is attained.”
surrenderYoga Sutras 2.45
“Posture should be steady and comfortable.”
asanaYoga Sutras 2.46
“By relaxation of effort and meditation on the infinite, posture is mastered.”
asanaYoga Sutras 2.47
“Then one is no longer disturbed by dualities.”
equanimityYoga Sutras 2.48
“Pranayama is the regulation of the breath after asana is mastered.”
breathYoga Sutras 2.49
“By this, the veil over the inner light is destroyed.”
breathYoga Sutras 2.52
“And the mind becomes fit for concentration.”
concentrationYoga Sutras 2.53
“Pratyahara is the withdrawal of the senses from their objects.”
withdrawalYoga Sutras 2.54
“From this comes mastery of the senses.”
masteryYoga Sutras 2.55
“Dharana is the binding of the mind to a single place.”
concentrationYoga Sutras 3.1
“Uninterrupted flow of attention to that place is dhyana.”
meditationYoga Sutras 3.2
“When the object alone shines forth, devoid of self-consciousness — that is samadhi.”
samadhiYoga Sutras 3.3
“These three together — dharana, dhyana, samadhi — constitute samyama.”
samyamaYoga Sutras 3.4
“From mastery of samyama comes the light of wisdom.”
wisdomYoga Sutras 3.5
“By samyama on the present moment, knowledge of past and future arises.”
presenceYoga Sutras 3.16
“By samyama on friendliness, that quality is strengthened.”
friendlinessYoga Sutras 3.23
“By samyama on the strength of an elephant, that strength is gained.”
strengthYoga Sutras 3.24
Explore More Teachers
Discover wisdom from 500+ spiritual teachers across all traditions.
Browse All Teachers