Bhagavad Gita, Sri Ramakrishna, Swami Vivekananda

Comparison Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and Bhagavad Gita



Differences and similarities between the Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Dhyana Yoga Course

To the West, Patanjali is usually exclusively associated with the “yoga philosophy”, Raja Yoga, etc. since Swami Vivekananda introduced it to the United States and England in the 19th century. But in India, for centuries, the philosophy of yoga has encompassed many more texts, with the Bhagavad Gita being the sacred text of reference, since it contains the essence of Vedanta.

Both the Bhagavad Gita and Patanjali's Aphorisms on Yoga are Moksha Shastra and Yoga Shastra, a path of liberation and Self-Knowledge, both of which are part, in a broad sense, the Yoga Philosophy. There are many similarities but also many differences that the search engine should be aware of.

The Gita-Shastra is Yoga. Bhagavad Gita is Yoga-Shastra

Bhagavad Gita in Spanish Comparación Yoga Sutras of Patanjali y Bhagavad Gita.

There are two fundamental differences between the two:

  1. The Aphorisms on Yoga, as a scientific treatise, are mind-oriented while the Bhagavad Gita, as an emotional dialogue in verse between Sri Krishna (the supreme incarnation of Knowledge) and Arjuna, make both the mind and the heart vibrate
  2. Furthermore, the Yoga Sutras mark a rigid path (as a scientific treatise): that of meditation (Dhyana) to achieve Samadhi

Patanjali's Yoga system is based on achieving liberation through advanced stages of meditation (Dhyana)

Patanjali marks a single (scientific) Path for liberation, Mind Based Meditation Control

The Bhagavad Gita, as essence of Vedanta, define four Paths or yogas to achieve Moksha:

The Bhagavad Gita, as essence of Vedanta, define four Paths or yogas to achieve Moksha

We have prepared this Online Guide so that both yoga teachers, students and seekers can know the differences and similarities between the Bhagavad Gita and the Yoga Sutras.

Anyone who wants to begin studying or training in the philosophy of Yoga will find in this guide several comparisons that will help you better make your decision about whether it is better to study the Bhagavad Gita or yoga Sutras of Patanjali. And we anticipate that the answer is that it is necessary to study both.

Thank you very much, Om Namaste, Pedro Nonell (Director of the Gita Institute)

Pedro Nonell: facilitating access to knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita

Index - Comparison Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and Bhagavad Gita

  1. Introduction to the Bhagavad Gita
    1. What is Yoga according to the Bhagavad Gita?: Yoga, means union. Union with your true self, and through it, with Brahman (God)
    2. Vedanta: the Bhagavad Gita is its essence
  2. Introduction to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
    1. Samadhi Pada
    2. Sadhana Pada
    3. Vibhuti Pada
    4. Kaivalya Pada
    5. Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Swami Vivekananda. At the end of the 19th century, Vivekananda made them known to the West. Since then they have been part of the philosophy of yoga, as understood to the West
  3. Introduction to Kapila's Sankhya Philosophy: Both the Bhagavad Gita and the Yoga Sutras are based on Sankhya. Although Shankaracharya considered Sankhya to be totally opposite to Vedanta
  4. Yoga Shastra: Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and Bhagavad Gita. Both are authoritative texts on yoga
  5. Bhagavad Gita (revealed writing, Shruti), Yoga Sutras (Smriti). The Bhagavad Gita (Shruti) is considered the highest authority on the Sanatana Dharma scriptures
  6. Yoga Philosophy (Sutras of Patanjali), Vedanta (Bhagavad Gita). The Yoga Sutras mark a single scientific path controlling the mind by Dhyana. The Bhagavad Gita suggests four Yogas, and delves into Brahma-Jnana.
  7. Science and Philosophy of Yoga (according to the Bhagavad Gita)
  8. Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutras: Spiritual Science (Para-vidya)
  9. Aphorisms (Sutras), verses (Shlokas, Bhagavad Gita). The Yoga Sutras are focused on the mind, the Bhagavad Gita on both the mind and the heart
  10. Style: Yoga Sutras (formal), Bhagavad Gita (poetry)
  11. Format: Bhagavad Gita (dialogue), Yoga Sutras (scientific text)
  12. Technique of repetition of the Bhagavad Gita, Non-repetition of the Yoga Sutras
  13. Length of the Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutras Patanjali: 700 Shlokas / 196 Aphorisms
  14. Raja Yoga

Comparison Length Bhagavad Gita vs Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by chapters, Sutras /shlokas and words.

Padas Yoga Sutras, or Yoga Aphorisms of Patanjali

Structure of the Bhagavad Gita: Karma, Bhakti, Jnana


Yoga Shastra: Sutras of Patanjali and Bhagavad Gita

Recitation of the Bhagavad Gita in Spanish (Pedro Nonell)

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Swami Vivekananda
Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Swami Vivekananda. Course: Dhyana Yoga Philosophy

Gunas and Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (Vivekananda). Course Philosophy Dhyana Yoga

Example of the subject: The Sankhya Philosophy by Swami Vivekananda
The Sankhya Yoga Philosophy and the Bhagavad Gita (Swami Vivekananda) Kapila

Example: Chapter 6 verse 29 of the Bhagavad Gita (Swami Vidya Prakashananda)
(Chapter Dhyana Yoga (Gita Makaranadam, Vidyaprakashananda)

Comments Dhyana Yoga (Philosophy). Gita Makaranadam, Swami Vidya Prakashananda

Dhyana Yoga Course (Philosophy Bhagavad Gita) Path of Meditation


Chapter 2, verse 16 (Gita Makaranadam by Swami Vidya Prakashananda)
Chapter 2 Sankhya Yoga (Gita Makaranadam, Vidyaprakashananda)

Comments Chapter 2 Sankhya Yoga (Gita Makaranadam, Vidyaprakashananda)





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