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hindu-liberationfeatured in 2 works

The Path of Meditation (Rāja-Yoga / Aṣṭāṅga)

The 'royal road': still the mind utterly, and the self stands revealed.

Rāja-yoga, the 'royal path,' is the way of systematic meditative discipline — essentially the eight-limbed yoga of Patañjali. Its method is to progressively calm and master the mind through ethical restraint, posture, breath-control, withdrawal of the senses, concentration, meditation, and absorption. The term 'rāja-yoga' became popular mainly in the modern period as a label for this classical system.

How it traveled

  1. Bhagavad-gītā
    Kuru-Pañcāla region · -150
    explains
  2. Haṭhayoga-pradīpikā
    Kāśī (Varanasi) · 1450
    explains

Key passages(17)

Bhagavad-gītā · Vyāsa (Yoga-bhāṣya commentator)

Very high

Haṭhayoga-pradīpikā · Svātmārāma

Very high

Gheraṇḍa-saṃhitā · (attributed to Gheraṇḍa)

Very high

Bhagavad-gītā · Vyāsa (Yoga-bhāṣya commentator)

Very high

Haṭhayoga-pradīpikā · Svātmārāma

High

Yoga-sūtra · Patañjali

High

Gītārtha-saṃgraha · Yāmunācārya (Ālavandār)

High

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad · Vedic Revelation (śruti)

High

Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad · Vedic Revelation (śruti)

High

Paramārthasāra · Abhinavagupta

Moderate

Aṣṭāvakra-gītā · Aṣṭāvakra

Moderate

Vijñāna-bhairava · Anonymous (Bhairava Āgama / Tantra)

Moderate

Śiva-stotrāvalī · Utpaladeva

Moderate

Śiva-stotrāvalī · Utpaladeva

Moderate

Aṣṭāvakra-gītā · Aṣṭāvakra

Moderate

Tantrasāra · Abhinavagupta

Moderate

Vivekacūḍāmaṇi · Śaṅkara (traditionally ascribed; authorship doubted)

Moderate