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
- Adavaya Taraka Upanishad
- Amirtha Nada Upanishad
- Amirtha Bindhu Upanishad
- Ksurika Upanishad
- Tejo Bindhu Upanishad
- Tri Sikhi Brahmana Upanishad
- Dharsana Upanishad
- Dhyana Bindhu Upanishad
- Nada Bindhu Upanishad
- Pasupatha Brahmana Upanishad
- Brahma Vidya Upanishad
- Mandala Brahmana Upanishad
- Maha Vakya Upanishad
- Yoga Kundali Upanishad
- Yoga Sudamani Upanishad
- Yoga Tattva Upanishad
- Yoga Sikha Upanishad
- Varaka Upanishad
- Sandilya Upanishad
- Hamsa Upanishad
The following yoga scriptures belong to post Vedic period.
- Bhagavat Gita
- Yoga Sutra of Patanjali
- Thirumanthiram by Thirumoolar
- Hatha Yoga Pradeepika
- Gheranda Samhitha
- 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.
