The Yoga Sutras of Maharishi Patanjali: Simple contemplative translation of Yoga Sutras

The Yoga Sutras of Maharishi PatanjaliThe Yoga Sutras are important for all serious Yoga Aspirants to study these sutras (verses) contain timeless wisdom that can help us to navigate our way through samsara (our experience of the world) and ultimately find some inner peace. I hope these pages can encourage us to keep reflecting on the true meaning of our life and the many paths of yoga sadhana (disciplined practice) that Yogamaharishi Patanajli reveals to us as a way to Moksha (ultimate freedom).This work on Yoga Sutras of Maharishi Patanjali is my simple contemplative translation in my own understanding. There are many translations and commentaries on Yoga Sutras. Some of them are beautiful linguistic translations while others are scholarly work. The Yoga Sutras are considered to serve as the foundation of all yogic techniques. Maharishi Patanjali also widely known as the father of Yoga compiled 195 sutras which serve as a framework for integrating Yoga into a daily routine and leading an ethical life. The exact date of the compilation of the Yoga Sutras is not known. However it is believed that they were written somewhere around 2000 BC. The core of Patanjalis teachings lie in the Ashta-anga or eight-fold limbs of yoga. The path shows the way to live a better life through yoga. This practical system attempts to understand the nature of the mind; its different states of being the impediments to spiritual growth its afflictions and the methods of refining and stilling the mind in order to attain Samādhi which means absolute bliss deep joy oneness with the super-consciousness.The central doctrine of Yoga philosophy is that nothing exists beyond the mind and its consciousness which is the only ultimate reality. The objective of this philosophy is to uproot misconceptions about the existence of external realities from the minds of men/women. It is believed that it is possible to reach this stage of self-realisation through regular practice of certain yogic meditative processes which culminate in complete withdrawal and detachment from all false sources of knowledge. This inculcates an inner sense of balanced calm and tranquility.