Lives of Great Religious Books: The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali

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This study explores the rise, fall, and modern resurgence of an enigmatic text revered by yoga enthusiasts worldwide. Comprising fewer than two hundred verses written in a complex language, Patanjali's Yoga Sutra is celebrated by the yoga community as a timeless classic and guide. However, David Gordon White reveals that these assumptions are largely misguided. The text was nearly forgotten in India for centuries and faced criticism upon its introduction to the West. Its iconic status, along with translations into over forty languages, emerged only in the last forty years. White traces the unusual journey of this work from its ancient roots, through its peak popularity between the seventh and eleventh centuries, to its decline and eventual revival since the nineteenth century. Initially introduced to the West by British Orientalist Henry Thomas Colebrooke, the Yoga Sutra found new life primarily in Europe and America, especially in English. White highlights the diverse interpretations and misappropriations that contributed to its esteemed position in contemporary culture. His comprehensive research reveals that the yoga practiced today bears little resemblance to its historical roots in India.