Information AboutPatanjali |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT PATAñJALI | |
| indian philosophers | |
| hindu philosophers | |
| ancient sanskrit grammarians | |
| yogis | |
| indian mathematicians | |
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Virtually nothing is known about the life of Patañjali, and some scholars believe he is entirely Myth ical. Various references suggest he lived between 200 BC and 400 AD. Ancient texts often refer to Patañjali as an incarnation of the serpent God Ananta , and he is sometimes depicted as half human and half serpent. Patañjali is the reputed author of the ''Yoga Sutra'', as well as commentary on Pāṇini 's Sanskrit grammar ('' Aṣṭādhyāyī '') which is called ' Mahābhāṣya '. There are also many Ayurvedic texts attributed to him. Nearly all scholars believe these texts were actually written by different people in different eras. Desiring to teach yoga to the world, he is said to have fallen (pat) from heaven into the open palms (anjali) of a woman, hence the name Patanjali. The ''Yoga Sutra'' probably dates around AD 200 . Patañjali has often been called the founder of Yoga because of this work, although in reality is more a major figure. The ''Yoga Sutra'' is a treatise on Raja Yoga , built on the Samkhya school and the Hindu scripture of the Bhagavad Gita. Yoga is also found in the Purana s, Veda s and Upanishad s. Still, this work is certainly a major work among the great Hindu scriptures and certainly is the basis of Raja Yoga. Patañjali's Yoga is one of the six schools of Hindu Philosophy . They give us the earliest reference to the popular term Ashtanga Yoga which translates literally as the eight limbs of yoga. They are Yama , Niyama , Asana , Pranayama , Pratyahara , Dharana , Dhyana and Samadhi . YOGA SUTRAS OF PATAñJALI See Also: Yoga Sutras of Patanjali THE See Also: Mahābhāṣya The ("great commentary") of Patanjali on the celebrated Ashtadhyayi of Panini is one of the three most famous works in Sankrit grammar. It was with Patanjali that Indian linguistic science reached its definite form. The system thus established is extemely detailed as to Shiksha (phonology, including accent) and Vyakarana (morphology). Syntax is scarecely touched, but Nirukta (etymology) is discussed, and these etymologies naturally lead to Semantic explanations. People interpret his work to be a defense of Panini, whose Sutras are elaborated meaningfully. He also attacks Kātyāyana rather severely. But the main contributions of Patanjali lies in the treatment of the principles of grammar enunciated by him. EXTERNAL LINKS
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