Customer Reviews
How to know God indeed. - By: David Langley, 07 Jul 2006 
Quote from book - "One of the most attractive characteristics of Patanjali's philosophy is its breadth of vision, its universality. There is no attempt here to impose any particular cult upon the spiritual aspirant. God is within us, & it is by the light of his presence- no matter how dimly it shines through the layers of our ignorance- that we fashion our own pictures & symbols of goodness & project them upon the outside world"
How to know God is a collection of yoga aphorisms of Pantanjali written in-between the 4th century B.C & the 4th century A.D. is the best guess by scholars. The translations themselves although limited with our use of language, are very good & full of insights.
Swami Prabhavananda & Christopher Isherwood have done an excellent job with the commentary & this is where the heart of this book lies, this is where the insights come to life & as well as educating youin several philosophies, they inspire the reader to start meditation.
There is a smattering of humour within this scholarly work, & I cannot stress how flawless the commentary is, well worth reading if you are embarking on a spiritual journey & there is plenty to meditate about within this little gem of a book.
Eastern Spirituality at it's Peak - By: PG Williams, 29 Oct 2002 Patanjali was a Hindu master who lived sometime between BC400 & 400AD. This 1953 translation is by the Californian Vedantist, Swami Prabhavananda, & Christopher Isherwood - well after saying goodbye to Berlin! There is a superb commentary, which is the purpose of the book.
The book is a treatise on Yoga, divided into aims, practice, powers & liberation. The Swami has a deep understanding of Catholicism (read also his Sermon on the Mount according to Vedanta) & his commentary is spot on for westerners. He explains mind control, purification, non-attachment & the art of meditation & contemplation. There is nothing that would offend Christians & any attempt to use the physical powers of Yoga is discouraged. Read the work, pick a few Christian images, concentrate & remove all the cloying stains of Maya, the illusory world of space & time. This should be obligatory readingin school religious courses; it cannot help but transform your outlook on life.
Of course the depth of spiritual achievement depends on the time available for meditation & contemplation, but even a small amount of time each day devoted to study of the book brings benefit, & one can take on trust the Swami's beautifully clear statements about those things that only the monk has time to discover.
