BKS Iyengar’s Core of the Yoga Sutras
24th July 2013
B.K.S. Iyengar’s book Core of the Yoga Sutras: The Definitive Guide to the Philosophy of Yoga was released recently.
CORE OF THE YOGA SUTRAS
BKS Iyengar
The Definitive Guide to the Philosophy of Yoga
Harper Thorsons 2012
This is an exciting, accessible, readable, clearly-organised, and understandable ‘guide’ through the winding paths, leafy glades and shadowy bowers of yoga philosophy.
Many yoga practitioners might ask – ‘why another?’ since there is the ‘definitive’ 1993 Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali. The dates are the key – 20 years’ difference, shown in the cover of this new book: bright magenta with traditional Indian patterns, and a white circle representing ‘the core’. His Holiness the Dalai Lama writes the Foreword.
There is one obvious difference – except that the ‘Core’ is, always, how the Sutras of Patanjali can illuminate our understanding of what yoga is, and how it can change our consciousness. The earlier 1993 book is a commentary: it follows the sutras closely in order. This latest book, aimed at a fairly wide range of readers, is not ‘sutra led’ but ‘topic-led’. In the Prologue, Mr. Iyengar says: ‘I have arranged the Sutras so that the practitioner understands them easily and is thus encouraged to explore further via my reflections.’ Mr. Iyengar, immersed in the practice of yoga, discusses and enlightens, using examples from the Sutras of Patanjali, but also other philosophical sources – eg the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads.
These topics are of great interest. In logical order, with, first, the historical origins of yoga (‘it is said that one should ask neither the origin of a sage or the source of a river…yoga has existed since the universe existed.’ p.12). The concept of yoga follows – (‘the sutras I.17 and I.33 imply that yoga is a practice designed to steady the intellect and bring it into harmony with the stable emotional intelligence of the heart.’ p.17). A third chapter concerns the wheel of birth and death – (‘Patanjali guides us to stick to actions that may not cause pains, or pleasures mixed with pains’ p.23). And a further short chapter (none are over-long) on the structure of the universe and the relation to it of self. (‘The Supreme Being (or God) creates atman (the soul) which dwells in the heart of all beings without a form…and it endows a power in it with a form of ‘I-ness’’ p.32)
A western reader, interested in yoga, will find a serious but explanatory tone of voice, clear references and diagrams. They penetrate the inevitable complexities of Yoga philosophy and prove Mr. Iyengar’s sincere determination to impart his personal, deep experience of yoga. I was particularly interested in a metaphor I’d not registered before. In Chapter 13 ‘The Razor Edge of Yoga’ – from Sutra II.18 ‘By walking on both the edges of the razor, this sadhaka faces the good and bad sides of nature and learned to be unattached to both.’ Difficult!
The final part of the book, in short sub-sections, discusses well-known practical areas of yoga from Patanjali, such as ‘How should an Asana be done?’ to ‘The Effects of Samadhi’. This is a book that will enliven our thinking about yoga and give us more to engage with.
A few criticisms, of course. I feel that some of the Sanskrit terms could be used less or glossed more clearly and more often. There is a lengthy, useful index and glossary, but some of us are not able to swim so easily within a Sanskrit pool. I also found the Introductory Chapter (Yoga Pithika) unnecessarily dense. However, we know Mr. Iyengar’s written style and his approach well – and this latest intelligent gift of The Core of the Yoga Sutras takes us even further in our own yoga journey.
