Book Reviews

Book Reviews

For review in

The Vedant a Kesari, publishers need to send us two copies of their latest publication. Classical Yoga Philosophy and the Legacy of Sāṃkhya: With Sanskrit Text and English Translation of Pātañjala Yogasūtra-s, Vyāsa Bhāsya and Tattvavaiśāradī of Vācaspatimiśra. by Gerald James Larson Published by Motilal Banarsidass, 40-41UA Bulngalow Road, Jawahar Nagar, Delhi - 110 007. Email: mldb@mldb.com. 2018, hardcover, pp.1024+xv, Rs.3295. Professor Gerald James Larson’s aim in writing this text is to present a clear analysis of classical Sāṃkhya-Yoga philosophy, grounded in a systematic and full translation of the three most significant texts of Yoga: the Yogasūtras of Patañjali, the early short commentary (Bhāṣya) attributed to Veda Vyāsa and the later exposition of Vācaspatimiśra called Tattvavaiśāradi (“A Skilled Clarification of the Truth” [of Yoga]). Professor Larson is eminently qualified for this task. He is recognized as one of the world’s leading authorities on Saṃkhya philosophy, and this most recent book completes the work of a lifetime. His meticulous scholarship reveals an unusually deep and thorough knowledge of the material at hand. Professor Larson is Professor Emeritus of Religious Studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara as well as Rabindranath Tagore Professor Emeritus of Indian Culture and Civilization at Indiana University, Bloomington. Having retired from active teaching and with the time to invest in a magnum opus, Professor Larson decided to work on a project he had long contemplated— an accessible English translation of the Yogasūtras along with its two principalcommentaries. Serious scholars of Indian philosophy and scholarly institutions will be grateful for this rigorous and thoughtful work, which is also Larson’s labor of love— twelve years in the making and over 1,000 pages in length. But this book is not only for scholars: it is for all those who would like to make a serious study of the Yogasūtras in the context of its authentic philosophical tradition. Translations of the Yogasūtras abound, of course, but some are out of date and employ abstruse terms, while others are inaccurate, and still others are based on Vedanta philosophy or on New Age assumptions outside the philosophical tradition of classical Sāṃkhya-Yoga. Few modern translations offer the clarity, philosophical accuracy, and scholarly rigor of this remarkable volume. The volume is divided into a number of sections. The main section and the bulk of the book— labeled “The Translation”—contains the Sanskrit texts and translations of the Yogasūtras along with the two classical commentaries. Perhaps the most important contribution of this work is the full text (in Devanāgarī) of these three works together with a new English translation of the complete Tattvavaiśāradī commentary. To help readers get an overview, near the beginning of the volume, there is a stand-alone section with an outline translation of all the verses of the Yogasūtras without the Sanskrit text and the commentaries. In addition to the Sanskrit texts, commentaries, and translations, the volume includes a short Preface, a thirty-five page Introduction, and a further sevenpage explication titled “A Brief Preliminary Note to the Reader.” In these three sections Prof. Larson provides an interesting description of the historical, textual and philosophical setting of the Yogasūtras along with all of its main commentaries, not just the two key commentaries included in this volume. One of these other commentaries, as some readers may be aware,

was rediscovered in the 20th century and is attributed to Śankara, the famous philosopher and proponent of Advaita Vedanta. Prof. Larson provides his own views on whether or not this commentary is in fact that of Śankara, and explains why, in his view, the tendency to interpret the Yogasūtras in terms of Advaita Vedanta has hindered a deeper understanding of Sāṃkhya-Yoga philosophy. Prof. Larson believes that Śankara in his various works, including in the commentary on the Yogasūtras attributed to him, “clearly misunderstood the nature of the Sāṃkhya dualism and thereby set in motion a misunderstanding of the Sāṃkhya philosophy, which continues even now in some contemporary accounts of Sāṃkhya.” Larson aims to right this perceived wrong, comparing Śankara’s critique of Sāṃkhya philosophy to Hegel’s dismissal of all Hindu philosophy. Both critiques can be seen, Professor Larson argues, as “hit pieces” that “come down hard on philosophical views that could possibly prove to be important rivals to their own positions.” The gauntlet thus being thrown down, Larson carefully presents the Sāṃkhya worldview, which asserts the “reality of the natural, material world (pradhāna) and the pluralization of consciousness (puruṣa-bahutva).” This worldview is thoroughly at odds with the better known philosophy of Śankara’s Advaita Vedanta. Most modern students of Yoga know precious little about the presuppositions of Yoga, which are grounded in the classical Sāṃkhya worldview, and one of the main aims of this book is to correct this misunderstanding. The book provides a welcome intellectual adventure for anyone who wants to explore seriously the presuppositions of Yoga practice grounded in its original context of SāṃkhyaYoga philosophy. One of the most interesting and helpful contributions of this volume is a clear point-by-point analysis in the Introduction of the seven ways in which the classical Yoga philosophy as presented in the Yogasūtras and the two key commentaries differs from the earlier classical Sāṃkhya philsophy. Prof. Larson argues that these differences are an interesting later development of what can be considered the combined Sāṃkhya-Yoga philosophy. Another very helpful feature of this volume is a complete glossary of Sāṃkhya and Yoga terminology, with the Sanskrit terms arranged in English alphabetical order followed by clear explanations of each term in the context of Sāṃkhya-Yoga philosophy. Hence no knowledge of Sanskrit is required to use the glossary and to explore the precise meaning of key terms. As is well known, the meaning of Sanskrit words can be particularly rich and multivalent. One word, depending on its context, may have many different possible meanings in English. Prof. Larson has provided thoughtful and clear explanations of all the key terms in these texts, and has made every effort to render Sanskrit terms into English consistently. Here is an example of a key technical term in the Yogasūtras that has been opaque or misleadingly translated previously. This term is citta, which occurs in the famous second sūtra as part of the definition of yoga. Earlier scholarly translators have rendered this term variously as “mind-stuff” or “mind-field,” whereas Prof. Larson translates it simply as “ordinary awareness.” It is interesting to see how Prof. Larson translates this key sūtra: “Disciplined meditation (yogaś) [involves] the cessation of the functioning of ordinary awareness.” In Larson’s estimation, citta is an umbrella term, a term that combines two or more notions (e.g., Brexit), and thus under the citta umbrella are included “emotional states, predispositions, mental capacities, intersubjectivity, memory, waking, dreaming and deep sleep, knowledge, misunderstanding, language, or any symbolic sounds, and so forth.” As Prof. Larson admits, the precise meaning of some technical terms in the Yogasūtras remains illusive. Nonetheless, in the Glossary he provides readers with pointers as to their possible meaning in the context of the developed Sāṃkhya-Yoga philosophy. One such term is mahat “the great one.” He explains: “in Sāṃkhya, usually used synonymously with buddhi; but possibly in Yoga referring to an all-pervasive citta that replaces the notion of a transmigrating subtle body.” A further feature of this volume that should prove helpful to readers, especially to scholars, is the Index, which shows at a single glance on what page a particular topic or technical term is discussed in the Yogasūtras, the Bhāsya and the Tattvavaiśāradī. Both scholars and general readers will appreciate the extensive bibliography that reveals the broad research and learning distilled into this single volume. This is undoubtedly a serious scholarly work by someone deeply learned in Sanskrit, classical Sāṃkya philosophy, and the historical development of Indian thought. Nonetheless, Prof. Larson makes it clear from the beginning that his purpose in writing this English translation of the central texts of classical Yoga has been to make them available to those whose interests are primarily religious and philosophical. Therefore for him in writing this book the grammatical and linguistic/philological issues have been secondary. The text’s philosophical and religious significance is, as he states, the sine qua non for any serious textual study. As we hope this review has made clear, this is a significant contribution to the literature on

classical Yoga. The translations are systematic, thorough, coherent and in a form of contemporary English accessible to general readers. The Preface, Introduction, and Note to Readers place these careful translations in their historical , philosophical and religious context—namely that of Sāṃkhya-Yoga philosophy—and the extensive Glossary and Index should prove extremely helpful to all those who wish to explore ideas and technical terms in greater depth.

Anyone who wants to understand Patañjali’s Yogasūtras in its original philosophical context would do well to read this book. __________ PRAVRAJIKA VRAJAPRANA, SANTA BARBARA, US. AND WADE DAZEY, PROF. EMERITUS, UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN—WHITEWATER

Rethinking the Cultural Unity of India

Edited by Sabyasachi Bhattacharya. Published by Swami Suparnananda, S e c r e t a r y , R M I C . , G o l P a r k , Kolkata-700 029. With Financial assistance from Ministry of Culture, Govt of India. 2014,hardback, pp. 540+ xix. Price not givan. The above collection of essays reflects and reiterates Swami Vivekananda’s dream of the unification of India, which has countless diversities, through social sciences in a scientific manner. The objective of this work, besides theoretical expositions, intellectual deliberations etc., is mainly a call for action. Swami Sarvabhutananda maintains that cultural unity is a perennial subject in India which has ‘a veritable ethnological museum’ in the forms of various civilizations and a mosaic of cultures promoting morality and spirituality with an anthropological dimension. The addresses and articles published in seven sections echo the above declaration, and Swami Prabhananda develops this thought and states that ‘our culture is the cumulative result of centuries of evolution and continuous effort at making a synthesis.’ Dirk Kolff extensively deals with a comparative study of Indian civilization in the light of European civilization. Sabyasachi Bhattacharya explicates Swami Vivekananda’s first-hand knowledge about India and the art of living of his people which enabled him to exemplify the significance of ‘Indianness’ to his foreign audience. In the first section captioned ‘The Notions of Continuity and Unity’, the contributors discuss how

Indian civilization has a global recognition; how its continuity is achieved through cultural settings and the episodes of the grand epics; how oneness of realty, unity in diversity, family values etc., are sources of India’s cultural unity; and how Swami Vivekananda’s amplification of yogic methods are oriented for spiritual life than religious boundaries. ‘Perception of Unity in Cultural Artefacts: Ancient India’ is the theme of the second section where the discussion is about how rock art promotes cultural harmony; how the relics and artefacts reveal the cultural heritage in the Gangetic plains; and how the iconic representation of Vishnu in His lying posture brings forth cultural unity. Section three is devoted to elucidate Sufism as a unifying bond in Medieval India. It highlights the contributions of Kabir, Namdev and others who through love, equality, brotherhood, music, yoga, and art paved the way for integrity in medieval India. Some other themes dealt with are – religions and castes in modern India and unity in diversity; search for unity through language; the nature and characteristics of Indian literature; and Tagore’s vision of India as one nation and India before and after the colonial rule. The Editor and the Publisher are to be congratulated for executing a wonderful assignment which is really the need of the hour. Scholars on Indian studies will be certainly enriched through the insightful and inspiring messages found in this work. Some may raise questions, generate debates, analyse critically the issues, estimate the conceptions truthfully so that the horizon of wisdom about Indian culture, civilization, harmony etc. are widened, deepened and heightened. ___________________________ R. GOPALAKRISHNAN, CHENNAI

What is Religion?

Religion is the manifestation of the natural strength that is in man. 1

Look at the choice of words here! Natural strength is the word Swamiji uses. What does he mean by this? Are we to understand that there is a classification of strengths such as natural and artificial in man? Then there is the idea of manifesting that natural strength. It obviously means that this natural strength is potential in some cases, under some situations and that it can be made manifest. A more important point to note here is: We seldom associate strength with religion! Religion is kindness, compassion, love and such ideas for most of us. As Sister Christine once exclaimed with reference to Swamiji himself, “A sickly saint everyone understands, but who ever heard of a powerful saint?” 2 We have various kinds of strength – physical, nervous, intellectual, social/political, economic/financial, and moral. Then we also have combinations of these in a single person which are denoted by terms such as grit, fortitude, and strength of personality. Then, you see that strength, power, and courage are things which are very peculiar. We generally say, ‘A courageous man, a brave man, a daring man’, but we must bear in mind that that courage or bravery or any other trait does not always characterize the man. The same man who would rush to the mouth of a cannon shrinks from the knife of the surgeon; and another man who never dares to face a gun will calmly bear a severe surgical operation, if need be. Now, in judging others you must always define your terms of courage or greatness. 3 What Swamiji means by ‘natural strength’ is some very, very specific. He holds Bhagawan Buddha as the epitome of this ‘natural strength’. Well, I do not understand his (Buddha’s) doctrine – we Hindus never understood it. But I can understand the motive behind that. Oh, the gigantic motive! The Master says that selfishness is the great curse of the world; that we are selfish and that therein is the curse. There should be no motive for selfishness. You are [like a river] passing [on] – a continuous phenomenon. Have no God; have no soul; stand on your feet and do good for good’s sake – neither for fear of punishment nor for [the sake of] going (to heaven or) anywhere. Stand sane and motiveless. The motive is: I want to do good, it is good to do good. Tremendous! Tremendous! I do not sympathize with his metaphysics at all; but my mind is jealous when I think of the moral force. Just ask your minds which one of you can stand for one hour, able and daring like that man. I cannot for five minutes. I would become a coward and want a support. I am weak – a coward. And I warm to think of this tremendous giant. We cannot approach that strength. The world never saw [anything] compared to that strength. And I have not yet seen any other strength like that. We are all born cowards. If we can save ourselves [we care about nothing else]. Inside is the tremendous fear, the tremendous (continued on page 49....)