In this sutra-by-sutra translation and study of the Yoga Sutras, Hindu Studies scholar Nicholas Sutton offers an accessible guide to the complex philosophical ideas on which the ancient practice of Yoga is based, illuminating the meaning of Patañjali’s seminal Yoga treatise and the manner in which it seeks to integrate Yoga into life as a whole.

The Yoga Sutras, composed by Patañjali nearly two millenia ago, is foundational to the Yoga systems, and widely regarded as a seminal text for students and practitioners of Yoga alike. While Patañjali’s work is centrally concerned with the exposition of a practice aimed at self-realisation, it is as much interested in the philosophical ideas that underpin the forms of practice it advocates.

In Exploring the Yoga Sutras, Nicholas Sutton offers a new translation of the text accompanied by a systematic examination of its ideas, with reference to some of the principal traditional commentaries. Unpacking the layers of meaning embedded in the text, Sutton demonstrates how the Yoga Sutras weaves the philosophy and practice of Yoga together in a subtle blend that provides a framework for understanding the position of the embodied living being within this world and the means by which the world may be transcended.

Discussing each sutra, both individually and in the context of different passages, Exploring the Yoga Sutras strives to make the complex ideas of this Yoga classic accessible to the modern reader who may not have a prior grounding in the study of Indian philosophy.

OXFORD CENTRE SERIES: The Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies Publishing Series offers authoritative yet accessible introductions to a wide range of subjects in Hindu Studies. Each book in the series aims to present its subject matter in a form that is engaging and readily comprehensible to persons of all backgrounds – academic or otherwise – without compromising scholarly rigour. The series thus bridges the divide between academic and popular writing by preserving and utilising the best elements of both. Other books in the series include The Bhagavad Gita: A New Translation and Study Guide; The Hindu Temple and Its Sacred Landscape; and Women in the Hindu World.

EXPERT AUTHOR: Nicholas Sutton is the Director of the Continuing Education Department of the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, an academy for the study of Hindu cultures, societies, philosophies, religions, and languages. He received his PhD from Lancaster University, writing his doctoral dissertation on the Mahabharata, and currently develops and tutors online courses on Hindu religious traditions.

EDUCATION AID: This book serves as a comprehensive resource for both classwork and independent study. With the integration of suggested further reading, and glossary of Sanskrit terms, and images throughout, Exploring the Yoga Sutras offers an accessible introduction to a foundational Yoga classic.