[Chaturamnaya] Sankara's acceptance of the Patanjali Yoga Sutras

[S Jayanarayanan]

Sankara refers to the Patanjali Yoga Sutras in his commentary on the Brahma Sutra 1.3.33:

  tasmaaddharmotkarShavashaachchirantanaa devaadibhiH pratyakShaM vyavajahnuriti shliShyate .
  apicha smaranti- 'svaadhyaayaadiShTadevataasaMprayogaH' (yoga suutra 2.44) ityaadi .
  yogo 'pyaNimaadyaishvaryarpraaptiphalaH smaryamaaNo na shakyate saahasamaatreNa pratyaakhyaatum .
  shrutishcha yogamaahaatmyaM prakhyaapayati- 'pRRithivyaptejo 'nilakhe samutthite pa~nchaatmake
  yogaguNe pravRRitte .
  na tasya rogo na jaraa na mRRityuH praaptasya yogaagnimayaM shariiram'' (SvetAshvatara 2.12) iti .
  RRiShiiNaamapi mantrabraahmaNadarshinaaM saamarthyaM naasmadiiyena saamarthyenopamaatuM yuktam .

Swami Gambhirananda translates:

  "Besides, the Smriti declares: 'From the repetition of the Mantra follows proximity to
  (and conversation with) one's chosen deity' (Yoga Sutra 2.44). Besides, since Yoga is spoken
  of in the Smriti as leading to the attainment of such mystic powers as becoming minute,
  it cannot be denied by a mere bold assertion. The Vedas also declare the glory of Yoga:
  'When the five elements - earth, water, fire, air, space - have been conquered, and when
  the yogic powers (of becoming minute, etc.) have started functioning, then for the aspirant,
  who has acquired a body constituted by the fire of Yoga, there is no disease, no decripitude,
  no death.' (Shvetashvatara Upanishad 2.12). The power of the seers (Rishis) who visualize
  the Mantra and Brahmana portions of the Vedas are not to be measured in terms of our power."


By accepting the Patanjali Yoga Sutra as Smriti, Sankara accords it the status of
valid scripture.

By quoting the Shvetashvatara Upanishad right after the teachings of the Yoga Sutras,
Sankara tacitly confirms that the "Yoga" of the Patanjali Yoga Sutras is the same "Yoga"
of the Upanishad.

That Patanjali has correctly codified the traditional Vedic teaching on Yoga is thus
accepted by the Sankaran tradition.