Devotional Theism in the Pātañjala Yogaśāstra

By Jonathan Dickstein

This is not a theological treatise. I do not deliberate the question of divinity nor

the persuasiveness of varying conceptions of God. Rather this thesis probes the history

and function of a word-īśvara-that carries serious theological implications in Indian

Philosophy.1 The persistent tendency to distort or shroud the meaning of this word is the

precise target of my critique. Although the subject matter may seem narrow in scope,

revolving around a single word, several overarching issues concerning textual

interpretation and the popular reception of religious texts are directly implicated.

Pata jali's Yogasūtra (YS) forms the textual basis for what is commonly called

"Classical Yoga Philosophy". This first millennia text repeatedly employs the word

"īśvara" to refer to some divine entity, the nature of which has stirred heated debate in

both traditional and modern commentaries. In contrast to the wealth of modern

interpretations that minimize both the nature and function of this īśvara in Classical Yoga,

I argue that the "God" of the YS sustains the same grandeur as found in staunchly theistic

texts such as the Bhagavad Gītā. In short, "God" means "Supreme God" for Pata jali,

regardless of the damage it inflicts on the scholarly wish for a robust and rational

'philosophy' of Classical Yoga. This conclusion derives not from a personal affection for

theism and/or devotionalism, but rather a comprehensive archaeology of the term with a

focus on textual depiction and historical context.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1835710298
• ISBN13: 9781835710296
• Release Date: October 2023
• Publisher: Areeb Irshad
• Length: 106 Pages
• Weight: 0.34 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 6.0" x 9.0"