Classic Yoga

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Yoga scriptures are many in number. They teach various types of yoga philosophy and Practices.  

Rig Veda is the oldest spiritual scripture that is available today. Nada Bindhu Upanishad of Rig Veda gives details of Yoga practiced at that time. Hence the age of yoga cannot exactly be determined, because the oldest of the records available tell about the prevalence of yoga practiced in those days. Hence Yoga is prehistoric.

Of the 108 Upanishads available today, twenty Upanishads speaks of yoga. These twenty Upanishads are called Yoga Upanishads. They are

  1. Adavaya Taraka Upanishad
  2. Amirtha Nada Upanishad
  3. Amirtha Bindhu Upanishad
  4. Ksurika Upanishad
  5. Tejo Bindhu Upanishad
  6. Tri Sikhi Brahmana Upanishad
  7. Dharsana Upanishad
  8. Dhyana Bindhu Upanishad
  9. Nada Bindhu Upanishad
  10. Pasupatha Brahmana Upanishad
  11. Brahma Vidya Upanishad
  12. Mandala Brahmana Upanishad
  13. Maha Vakya Upanishad
  14. Yoga Kundali Upanishad
  15. Yoga Sudamani Upanishad
  16. Yoga Tattva Upanishad
  17. Yoga Sikha Upanishad
  18. Varaka Upanishad
  19. Sandilya Upanishad
  20. Hamsa Upanishad

The following yoga scriptures belong to post Vedic period.  

  1. Bhagavat Gita
  2. Yoga Sutra of Patanjali
  3. Thirumanthiram by Thirumoolar
  4. Hatha Yoga Pradeepika
  5. Gheranda Samhitha
  6. Siva Samhitha

These are only important treatises. There are more classical works available. One should dedicate the whole of his life to grasp everything that is mentioned in these books. It is not possible for everybody to set aside such a time to learn about them. Hence I make an attempt here to abstract or generalize important concepts and techniques explained in every one of them in such a way by not missing the core ideas.                  

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