Note by Author
I was part of an asana group instructed by Mr. D.V. Sridhar of Yoga Rakshanam in Chennai. At halfway point of each class, there would be a 5 minute break when Mr. Sridhar would take a sutra (or short phrase) from Patanjali's Yogasutras and explain its significance to everyday life.
The sutras were so revealing that soon Mr. Sridhar was soon to conduct classes exclusively on the Yogasutras. Thus, the first class held on 1st February 2007 and as of now, we have had 205 weekly classes and are into the 3rd of 4 chapters of the Yogasutras.
There's a belief among many that yoga practice is just asana and pranayama. This is not so, and in 195 sutras of the Yogasutra, asana is referred to barely in half a dozen.
Yoga, on the other hand, is all about how one may overcome the mind to reach an exalted state.
In fact, it is a practical handbook on life that is timeless and applicable to all regardless of inclinations or beliefs. It is non-denominational and does require one, to believe in, or for that matter, deny, any force or god however one may conceive of it.
The Notes that you will see are transcribed from the Yoga Sutra classes conducted by Mr. D. V. Sridhar. They reflect his own learning as also from his guru, the renowned Shri Krishnamachariar of Yogmandiram, Chennai. The expositions include explanations from commentaries on Yogasutra by ancient rishis like the sage Vyasa and by more recent scholars.
At the core of the Yoga Sutras is the Sankhya (or Samkhya) Philosophy that finds expression also in the later immortal classic the 'Bhagavad Gita'. In fact in many places, the parallels are drawn between the Bhagavad Gita and the Yogasutras, though the latter is terse, more direct and represents almost a complete set of instructions.
Other texts not taken up in the class also supplement the Notes.
Finally, while the language may be mine (for which I take all the blame), the core of material is as per the class exposition of Mr. Sridhar.
The Notes cover up to the 82nd class and thereafter the reader may pursue other sources if still on track!
Now, read on - Patanjali's Handbook on Life!
- L. Vasudev
Note from Team Ambalam
In the context of editing, we have just aligned Vasudevji's notes to a planned form in a word document with our preferred fonts.
The text shall remain intact as provided to us by him.
Also do note that diacritical marks to the non- English words are added to aid phonetics.
The sutras were so revealing that soon Mr. Sridhar was soon to conduct classes exclusively on the Yogasutras. Thus, the first class held on 1st February 2007 and as of now, we have had 205 weekly classes and are into the 3rd of 4 chapters of the Yogasutras.
There's a belief among many that yoga practice is just asana and pranayama. This is not so, and in 195 sutras of the Yogasutra, asana is referred to barely in half a dozen.
Yoga, on the other hand, is all about how one may overcome the mind to reach an exalted state.
In fact, it is a practical handbook on life that is timeless and applicable to all regardless of inclinations or beliefs. It is non-denominational and does require one, to believe in, or for that matter, deny, any force or god however one may conceive of it.
The Notes that you will see are transcribed from the Yoga Sutra classes conducted by Mr. D. V. Sridhar. They reflect his own learning as also from his guru, the renowned Shri Krishnamachariar of Yogmandiram, Chennai. The expositions include explanations from commentaries on Yogasutra by ancient rishis like the sage Vyasa and by more recent scholars.
At the core of the Yoga Sutras is the Sankhya (or Samkhya) Philosophy that finds expression also in the later immortal classic the 'Bhagavad Gita'. In fact in many places, the parallels are drawn between the Bhagavad Gita and the Yogasutras, though the latter is terse, more direct and represents almost a complete set of instructions.
Other texts not taken up in the class also supplement the Notes.
Finally, while the language may be mine (for which I take all the blame), the core of material is as per the class exposition of Mr. Sridhar.
The Notes cover up to the 82nd class and thereafter the reader may pursue other sources if still on track!
Now, read on - Patanjali's Handbook on Life!
- L. Vasudev
Note from Team Ambalam
In the context of editing, we have just aligned Vasudevji's notes to a planned form in a word document with our preferred fonts.
The text shall remain intact as provided to us by him.
Also do note that diacritical marks to the non- English words are added to aid phonetics.
