Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras, composed sometime between ~200 BCE - 400 CE, are one of the foundational texts of classical Yoga. Unlike modern Yoga, which focuses largely on Āsana (movement) and Prāṇāyāma (breath work), the Sūtras describe Yoga as a complete inner discipline — a method for quieting the mind, so that one can experience the true Self. Written as 195 brief aphorisms, the text distills complex spiritual ideas into clear instructions for practice, ethics, concentration, and liberation.

The opening line defines Yoga as Citta-Vṛtti-Nirodha — stilling the fluctuations of the mind. From this simple statement, an entire framework unfolds for understanding why the mind suffers, how patterns form, and how freedom becomes possible.

The heart of the Sūtras is the Eight Limbs of Yoga, a practical map for transforming thought, behavior, and awareness:

• Yama: Ethical foundations
• Niyama: Personal discipline
• Āsana: Steady posture
• Prāṇāyāma: Regulation of breath
• Pratyāhāra: Withdrawal of the senses
• Dhāraṇā: Concentration
• Dhyāna: Meditation
• Samādhi: Total absorption, or unity

These limbs are not steps to achieve, but qualities that develop as the mind becomes more stable and attentive. They link outer behavior with inner clarity, showing that Yoga is less about performing something and more about refining how we perceive and respond to life.

The Sūtras also describe Kleshas, or the root causes of suffering — and how practice, discipline, and non-attachment dissolve these obstacles. Patañjali presents Yoga as both a science of the mind and a path of self-study, offering tools to navigate distraction, fear, restlessness, and confusion.

In essence, the Yoga Sūtras teach that peace arises not from controlling life, but through transformation of the lens through which it is experienced. For Āyurveda, Yoga, and Jyotish, the Sūtras remain a timeless guide — clarifying how to live with steadiness, integrity, and an unwavering connection to the Self.