Yoga The Indian Tradition

largely divorced from its historical and spiritual roots. The essays collected here provide a sense of the historical emergence of the classical system presented by Patañ jali, a careful examination of the key elements, overall character and contemporary relevance of that system (as found in the Yoga Sutra) and a glimpse of some of the tradition's many important ramifications in later Indian religious history.

The popular perception of yoga in the West remains for the most part that of a physical fitness program, largely divorced from its historical and spiritual roots. The essays collected here provide a sense of the historical emergence of the classical system presented by Patañjali, a careful examination of the key elements, overall character and contemporary relevance of that system (as found in the Yoga Sutra) and a glimpse of some of the tradition's many important ramifications in later Indian religious history.

Notes on contributors, Acknowledgments, List of abbreviations, Introduction, PART I: Classical foundations, 1. Yoga in the Mahåbhårata, 2. Practice makes perfect: the role of practice (abhyåsa) in Påtañjala yoga, 3. The integration of spirit (purusa) and matter (prakrti) in the Yoga Sutra, 4. Dueling with dualism: revisioning the paradox of purusa and prakrti, 5. Yoga and the luminous, PART II: The expanding tradition, 6. Yoga in ¡an? karan Advaita Vedånta: a reappraisal, 7. Losing one’s mind and becoming enlightened: some remarks on the concept of yoga in ¡vetåmbara Jainism and its relation to the Nåth Siddha tradition, 8. Yoga in early Hindu tantra, 9. Metaphoric worlds and yoga in the Vaianava Sahajiyå Tantric traditions of medieval Bengal, Bibliography, Index

Ian Whicher and David Carpenter