Among all the six darsanas, Yoga stands distinct because of its practical applicability. Vedas, Upanisads, Smrtis, Puranas as well as Epics all give due importance to Yoga system. The Yoga system is a practical science dealing with the functioning and control of mind. It understands the role of inner-sense-organ (citta) in the achievement of liberation. It also understands the role of physical body in the path of self-realization and therefore prescribes some methods for its purification. Thus, the Yoga darsana can be stated to be the perfect science touching all the important aspects of human life. Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra is the most authentic text on Yoga available to us now. It primarily deals with the Yoga system. Yogasiddhantacandrika is an important commentary by Narayantirtha which is regarded as an ambitious work that tries to put Yoga in the highest place among various means of realising the self, synthesising various kinds of Yogasutra. This commentary on Yoga system describes in depth the definition of Yoga, Yoga system, fifteen varieties of Yoga and various doctrines of Yoga system. The present book makes a sincere attempt to understand Narayantirtha’s commentary "Yogasiddhantacandrika" and to present its contribution to the understanding of the Yogasutra.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Madhusudan Penna
Dr. Madhusudan was born in Andhra Pradesh and studied Sanskrit under reputed scholars in Sri Venkateshwara Vedanta Vardhini Sanskrit College, Hyderabad (A.P.). He graduated from that college in 1987 with Navya Nyaya as special subject. For securing highest marks in graduation, he was awarded a gold medal. Further Sanskrit study he made from Osmania University and obtained M.A, M. Phil and Ph. D. degrees securing gold medals at all levels. He studied Abhinavagupta's Gita commentary for M.Phil degree and Narayanatirtha's Yoga commentary for Ph.D degree. He had been to the Netherlands in 1992 for Sanskrit propagation. Dr.Madhusudan's love for Sanskrit can be understood from his original works in Sanskrit. His Yogasutrasara in 250 verses was published from Sanskrit Academy, Hyderabad. His two Sanskrit poems were published by Devavani Parishad, New Delhi and two Sanskrit poems were published by Gunjaravam, Ahmednagar (Maharashtra). Presently, he has been serving the Dept. of Sanskrit, Kavikulaguru Kalidasa Sanskrit University, Ramtek, Nagpur (Maharashatra). He has submitted articles at various national and international conferences in India and actively engaged in creative work and research. Being an example of rare combination of both sastra knowledge and modern outlook, Dr. Madhusudan desires to unearth the gems of ancient texts. The present work is an outcome of several years' sincere study of 'Yogasiddhantacandrika of Narayanatirtha' which opens the hidden treasury of yoga to students and scholars alike.
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