TY - JOUR A1 - Mahadevan, Jayaraman T1 - The why and how of a yogasūtra commentary – A study of relevant introductory verses and nomenclatures and of 15 saṃskṛta yogasūtra commentaries Y1 - 2020/7/1 JF - International Journal of Yoga - Philosophy, Psychology and Parapsychology JO - Int J Yoga - Philosop Psychol Parapsychol SP - 69 EP - 74 VL - 8 IS - 2 UR - https://www.ijoyppp.org/article.asp?issn=2347-5633;year=2020;volume=8;issue=2;spage=69;epage=74;aulast=Mahadevan DO - 10.4103/ijny.ijoyppp_23_19 N2 - Twenty-eight Saṃskṛta commentaries are known to exist for Yogasūtras. Most of these Saṃskṛta commentaries have remained untranslated and unstudied. Some among of them are yet to be published. Even in traditional centers of Yogic learning in the current era, we find this literature only occasionally consulted. It is necessary that the importance of these untapped or not yet well-tapped sources of Yogic knowledge be explored and highlighted. It is with this purpose that this paper has been written. To this end, the purpose and approach of these Classical Saṃskṛta commentaries that can be gleaned from the introductory verses are examined and made known through this paper. Of the known 28 commentaries 15 Saṃskṛta commentaries that have been published (most of them without translations) could be accessed for this study. The 15 Saṃskṛta commentaries are divided into two parts. (1) The principal commentary of Sage Vyāsa and its subcommentaries – 6 texts (2) Commentaries directly on Yogasūtras – 9 texts. The discussion in the paper brings out the approach and purpose of the Yogasūtra commentaries right from the 4rd century CE to the 20st century CE. This paper has revealed the nature of language used the dimensions of Yogasūtras explored and the thoroughness of approach adopted by these classical commentaries. This indicates the potential of the yet to be adequately tapped valuable resources of Yoga philosophy. ER -