Why is there more talk about Patanjali than the Bhagavad Gita?
In the global Yoga community, the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali are often cited as the definitive source of practice. However, Pedro Nonell, a leading Spanish expert on the Bhagavad Gita, Vedanta, and the teachings of and Swami Vivekananda, invites us to look deeper.
The foundational ethics of Yoga—the Yamas and Niyamas—were actually articulated in the Bhagavad Gita centuries before Patanjali. By exploring the Sankhya philosophy that underpins both works, we discover that the Gita provides a more comprehensive spiritual framework, integrating action, knowledge, and devotion to God into the fabric of daily life.
All Yamas and Niyamas of Patanjali (Philosophy of Yoga) are broadly developed in the Bhagavad Gita
Sankhya Philosophy is fundamental in the Bhagavad Gita, and in the philosophy of Yoga, to explain the concept of the Atman. In verse 39 of the chapter 2, which is precisely called Sankhya Yoga, of the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna explains to Arjuna:
The Raja Yoga and the teachings of Patanjali are based on ancient Sankhya philosophy:
“Patanjali's system is based on the system of the Sankhyas, with very few points of difference. The two most important differences are, first, that Patanjali admits a Personal God (Bhakti Yoga) in the form of a first teacher, while the only God the Sankhyas admit is a nearly perfect being, temporarily in charge of a cycle of creation. Secondly, the yogis hold that the mind is equally all, pervaded by the soul, or Purusha, and the Sankhyas are not.” (Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by )
The Bhagavad Gita was compiled several centuries before Patanjali's Yoga Sutras.
The Yamas and Niyamas
All the Yamas and Niyamas of Patanjali are widely developed already in the Bhagavad Gita, for example:
“When the abstention from causing harm is firmly established in the yogi, all hostility in his presence is abandoned.” (Patanjali PYS II.35)
In verse 11 of Chapter 7, the Yoga of Knowledge and Realization of Brahman of the Bhagavad Gita we read:
In the verse of Patanjali we find a declaration of Ahimsa “abstention from causing harm” and in the verse of the Bhagavad Gita also.
Why do you think that to the West in physical Yoga everyone talks about Patanjali and almost no one talks about the Bhagavad Gita?.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Which came first: the Bhagavad Gita or the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali?
The Bhagavad Gita was compiled several centuries before Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. Most scholars agree that the Gita’s wisdom served as a primary source for the systematized philosophy Patanjali later recorded.
Are the Yamas and Niyamas mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita?
Yes. While Patanjali provides a list, the Bhagavad Gita develops these concepts extensively throughout its chapters, especially focusing on Ahimsa (non-violence), truthfulness, and detachment as essential for a Karma Yogi.
What is the main difference between Patanjali and the Gita according to Swami Vivekananda?
As Pedro Nonell highlights through Vivekananda's teachings, the primary differences lie in the concept of God. Patanjali admits a Personal God as a first teacher, whereas the Gita presents God (Sri Krishna) as the ultimate reality and the goal of all paths of Yoga.
Why is Patanjali more famous in Western physical Yoga?
Patanjali’s work is highly technical and provides an "eight-limbed" path that is easy to categorize. The Bhagavad Gita is a narrative poem centered on a battlefield, which may seem less like a "manual," yet it contains the living heart of Yoga philosophy.
Conclusion
The dominance of Patanjali in Western Yoga discourse often overlooks the fact that the Bhagavad Gita is the true "Yoga-Shastra" or science of Yoga.
As Pedro Nonell expertly demonstrates, the Gita does not just list rules like the Yamas and Niyamas; it places them in the context of a human life in crisis, showing us how to live righteously.
By understanding that God is present in every action, the Gita elevates Yoga from a physical or mental exercise to a path of total liberation. Reclaiming the Gita's place alongside Patanjali allows the practitioner to experience a more profound, integrated spiritual journey.
¿Por qué se habla plus of Patanjali que del Bhagavad Gita 
Porque falamos mais of Patanjali que do Bhagavad-Gita?.
Listen to the video of Pedro Nonell with English subtitles
Listen to the Bhagavad Gita Recitation in Spanish
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(c) Gita Institute & Pedro Nonell
