How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali
by Swami Prabhavananda, Christopher Isherwood, Patanjali
List Price:
Our Price: $5.98
You Save: $4.97 (45%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $0.10 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Christopher Isherwood, Patanjali, Swami PrabhavanandaEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); Sanskrit (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-12-12
ISBN: 0874810418
Number of pages: 256
Publisher: Vedanta Press & Bookshop
Book Reviews of How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali
Book Review: The Science of Connecting Mind & Consciousness
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a classic work, both the aphorisms of Patanjali and the commentary of Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood. This is a science on the connection between the mind and consciousness becomes the spiritual, the religious, the bhaki - devotional.
Five kinds of thought waves, which are, controlled the practice of non-attachment, which is self-mastery. Non attachment is not indifference or quietistic escapism, but the ability to be conscious of the objective self witnessing and controlling the thought waves rather than being pulled in and blinded by them and disturbing mental equanimity.
Ways of equanimity practice contain concentration on an object, which may take on four stages. Here we have the paradox of the Atman and Brahman, immanent and transcendent, God both within and without in the play of Prakiti or force of nature which contains the various combinations of the three gunas Tamas - inertia laziness, despair, Rajas - action, competiveness and satwic, the pure, knowledge/intellectual. What causes Brahman to fragment comes from the great cause or mahat, which is mentally categorized by Buddhi which evolves the individual ego or shamkar which produce the recording facilities five perceptions and five subtle tanmatras which produce the five earth elements - Pure consciousness covered by layers of ignorance and fragmentation. Meditation is the attempt to reverse this evolution process - devolution. The quiet mind of equanimity through concentration, producing the conditions for psychic abilities and the temptation to misuse them.
Also is concentration on thought waves through non attachment, to concentrate on consciousness itself, to observe our samskaras or internal habitual tendencies of attachments and aversions, our addictions and repetitive ways and bondage of reactions - all in which we attempt to be root out and destroy, which is perfect yoga, liberation from samskaras and karmas, our past motivations of actions of clinging and averting.
There is much more to this, but you will have to read the book to find out. This really is a fascinating study of the science of the connection between the mind and consciousness through the thoughts of the paradigm of Patanjali. For myself, a highly significant book. I can't really comment on the translation itself, I don't read Sanskrit, and I do have another translation to be read by Georg Feuerstein.
Summary of How to Know God: The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali
The Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali is a major work on the practice of yoga and meditation. Through these ancient aphorisms you will learn how to control your mind and achieve inner peace and freedom. Although these methods were taught over 2,000 years ago, they are as alive and effective today as they have ever been. The 2008 edition has been reset and now has an extensive index for reference.Hinduism Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Hinduism Books
Fabulous Females and Peerless Pirs: Tales of Mad Adventure in Old BengalOxford University Press, USA; Published: 2004-01-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $20.00
Price in other shops:
The Economics of Ecstasy: Tantra, Secrecy and Power in Colonial Bengalby Hugh B. Urban
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 2001-11-29; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $49.50
Price in other shops:
The Home of Dancing Sivan: The Traditions of the Hindu Temple in Citamparamby Paul Younger
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 1995-12-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $106.81
From the Margins of Hindu Marriage: Essays on Gender, Religion, and CultureOxford University Press, USA; Published: 1995-05-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.94
Price in other shops:
The Deeds of God in .Rddhipurby Anne Feldhaus
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 1984-09-06; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $24.00
Price in other shops:
Sport and the British: A Modern History (Oxford Studies in Social History)by Richard Holt
Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 1990-10-18; Paperback; Book
Best price: $28.47
Price in other shops:
Upanisads (World's Classics)Oxford University Press, USA; Published: 1996-06-20; Paperback; Book
Best price: $65.16
Hindu MythsPenguin Books; Published: 2005-04-30; Paperback; Book
The Mahabharata (Penguin Classics)by Anonymous
Penguin Classics; Published: 2009-07-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.33
Price in other shops:
Be as You Are: The Teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi (Compass)by Sri Ramana Maharshi
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 1989-02; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.12
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
The Upanishads (Classic of Indian Spirituality)Nilgiri Press; Published: 2007-08-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.06
Price in other shops:
Sermon on the Mount According to Vedantaby Swami Prabhavananda
Vedanta Press & Bookshop; Published: 1964-07-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.78
Price in other shops:
Bhagavad Gita: A New Translationby Stephen Mitchell
Three Rivers Press; Published: 2002-08-27; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.92
Price in other shops:
The Key Poses of Yoga: Scientific Keys, Volume IIby Ray Long
BandhaYoga; Published: 2009-11-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $20.99
Price in other shops:
Light on Yoga: Yoga Dipikaby B. K. S. Iyengar
Schocken; Published: 1995-01-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.46
Price in other shops:
The Bhagavad Gita (Classics of Indian Spirituality)Nilgiri Press; Published: 2007-05-17; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.59
Price in other shops:
The Yoga Sutras of Patañjali: A New Edition, Translation, and Commentaryby Edwin F. Bryant
North Point Press; Published: 2009-07-21; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.03
Price in other shops:
The Upanishads: Breath of the EternalSignet Classics; Published: 2002-08-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.10
Price in other shops:
Bhagavad-Gita: The Song of GodSignet Classics; Published: 2002-07-01; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $2.15
Price in other shops:
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: Commentary on the Raja Yoga Sutras by Sri Swami Satchidanandaby Sri S. Satchidananda
Integral Yoga Publications; Published: 1990-10-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.96
Price in other shops: