As yoga refers to the connection and Patanjali is said to have taught yoga did he teach all the various ways of connecting?
Podcast:
Question. As yoga refers to connection and Patanjali has said to have taught yoga.
Did he teach all the various ways of connecting with the supreme? The word yoga has multiple meanings. Even in the Bhagavata itself, Krishna uses the word yoga to refer. For example, in the third chapter to karma yoga.
In the sixth chapter he uses it to refer to ashtanga yoga. So depending on context, the meaning of the word can vary. And that’s why when the word has an original etymological meaning.
Which refers to connection. It has multiple contextual meanings also. And those are something which we have to individually, while looking at the context, understand.
And of course we can look at the Acharya’s commentaries to help us understand also. So in the Patanjali Yoga Sutra, his focus is very clearly on yoga as taught. As focusing on ashtanga yoga.
He goes into higher levels of yogic realization which go beyond the asanas. Certainly. He’s not limiting yoga by any means to just the asanas.
As it happens in today’s world on many occasions. Especially in the western world. Still neither is he talking about yoga in terms of the many ways in which yoga can be practiced.
His focus is clearly on ashtanga yoga. Are there things that point to bhakti yoga in his content? Certainly. But that is not his thrust.
There is an original meaning of the word yoga. And there are many contextual meanings which we need to consider. Whenever we are trying to understand how a particular subject is being perceived.
In a particular book. Thank you.