Yoga sutra bhashya vivarana

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Thu, 13 Feb 1997, Giri wrote:

>
>         Few names : Trevor Leggett, Natalia Isayeva, Nakamura, Mayeda and
> the list goes on.
>
>         I am sure you have not just heard the names of these famous
> Indologists but atleast read a couple of books by *each of them* Why don't
> you read the comprehensive research paper by Prof.  Nakamura on the
> authencity of the work ? While at it, why don't you pick up the book by
> Trevor Leggett on the whole issue ?
>

As you know there are also a number of scholars who doubt the works
authenticity.  There is a synopsis of the various arguments in the
Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies edited by Karl Potter.

>         Huh ? There is no yoga sutra bhashya by Shankara. Shankara only
> wrote a vivarna on the bhashya of vasya.

Oops, typo on my part.  I meant the vivarana.  (And you meant Vyasa :-)

> When was the vani vilas edition
> first published ?  The yoga sutra bhashya-vivarna by Shankara was
> discovered only recently (i.e around 30 years back).

So let me get this straight, Advaitins considered this work to be so
important it got completely lost for 1100 years?

> BTW, have you read
> the work completely ? After reading the work, if you *still* feel that it
> contradicts with something shankara said in the brahma sutra bhashya, you
> can read the paper by TS Rukmani in the dec 1993 issue of the journal of
> indian philosophy. I think it is titled 'Shankara's view on yoga in the
> brahma sutra bhashya in light of his authorship of the yoga sutra bhashya
> vivarna.' In any case, the vivarna is a great work (imho).

I must confess I haven't read the work at all.  I'll take a look at
it and the other references you suggest next time I go to the
library.  Prima facie I find it hard to believe Shankaracharya would want
to comment on Patanjala Yoga considering how vehement he is against
Samkhya ideas in the BSB.  Also if did want to write about Yoga it would
have made more sense to do it in his Shrividya works.  Doesn't the
Saundarya Lahari mention some yogic concepts?

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