What is yoga? Yoga is a family of Indian disciplines concerned with training attention, conduct, breath, body and mind. Patanjali, the Bhagavad Gita and classical Hatha texts describe yoga in different ways, so translating yoga only as “union” leaves out important parts of the tradition.
Yoga is not just stretching. It may refer to a method of practice, a steady state of awareness, or a way of acting in everyday life. To understand a definition properly, we first need to know which text or tradition is speaking.
In this article
What does the Sanskrit word yoga mean?
The Sanskrit root yuj is associated with yoking, joining, harnessing or applying something. The earliest uses of the term do not all refer to the modern idea of joining body and mind. Over time, different schools developed their own philosophical interpretations.
“Yoga means union” is one possible interpretation, not the full definition. Some traditions emphasize disciplined concentration, some describe the relationship between individual consciousness and the Divine, and others focus on equanimity and action. These differences are worth keeping rather than blending them into a single slogan.
How does Patanjali define yoga?
Yoga Sutra 1.2 contains the influential phrase yogaś citta-vṛtti-nirodhaḥ. A careful explanation is that yoga involves the restraint or stilling of the fluctuations of citta. These Sanskrit words do not fit into a perfect one-word English translation.
- Citta is the inner field of mind and awareness.
- Vritti refers to its movements, modifications or patterns.
- Nirodha describes restraint, settling or stilling.
This does not require a student to forcefully suppress every thought. Patanjali also teaches repeated practice (abhyasa) and non-attachment (vairagya) as ways of cultivating steadiness.
His eight limbs of yoga are yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi. They include ethical conduct, posture, breath regulation, concentration and meditation. Asana is therefore part of yoga, not its complete definition. The teaching begins with Atha Yoga Anushashanam, Yoga Sutra 1.1.
What did Vyasa say about yoga and samadhi?
The traditional Yoga Bhashya, a commentary on Patanjali attributed to Vyasa, relates yoga to samadhi. Samadhi is deep meditative absorption, not simply the feeling of relaxation after a class. It helps explain the importance of concentration and discernment in classical yoga.
It would be misleading to say that all schools define samadhi as the merging of an individual soul with a supreme soul. Patanjali’s Yoga, Vedanta and devotional traditions describe consciousness and liberation differently.
How is yoga defined in the Bhagavad Gita?
The Bhagavad Gita presents yoga through Krishna’s teaching to Arjuna. Two well-known verses describe complementary aspects of yoga: equanimity and skill in action.
Bhagavad Gita 2.48: equanimity
Samatvaṃ yoga ucyate is commonly understood as “equanimity is called yoga.” Krishna teaches Arjuna to act without attachment to outcomes and to remain balanced in success and failure. This is steadiness amid action, not withdrawal from responsibility.
Bhagavad Gita 2.50: skill in action
Yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam is often rendered “yoga is skill in action.” The context is not just being productive or talented: it concerns intelligent action without clinging to its rewards.
The Gita also develops paths of action (karma yoga), knowledge (jnana yoga) and devotion (bhakti yoga). Read our dedicated article on the Bhagavad Gita’s definitions of yoga, or compare the source verses 2.48 and 2.50.
What are the six darshanas, and where does Yoga fit?
The six classical darshanas, or philosophical viewpoints, are Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mimamsa and Vedanta. They are not six interchangeable yoga styles. Each has its own methods and explanations of knowledge and liberation.
Patanjali’s Yoga shares important concepts with Samkhya, especially the distinction between consciousness (purusha) and material nature (prakriti). Its emphasis on disciplined practice gives it a distinctive place within classical Indian philosophy.
What do the Shiva Samhita and other Hatha texts teach?
The Shiva Samhita, Hatha Yoga Pradipika and Gheranda Samhita discuss asana, pranayama, mudra, bandha, subtle-body concepts and ways of preparing for meditative practice. The Shiva Samhita also discusses spiritual interpretations of the relationship between the individual and ultimate reality.
Terms such as nadi, prana and kundalini refer to concepts within traditional yogic systems. They should not automatically be treated as established anatomical structures or medical facts. Likewise, these Hatha texts are more than lists of stretching exercises.
Today, “Hatha Yoga” sometimes means a slower posture-based class, but classical Hatha instruction also includes breath and other techniques. Our guide explains the relationship between yoga and pranayama.
What does yoga mean for a modern practitioner?
A useful modern description is disciplined practice involving attention, conduct, breath, movement and reflection, informed by Indian yoga traditions. That is a broad description rather than a claim that every tradition teaches the same final goal.
- In an asana class: move with attention and an appropriate level of effort instead of treating flexibility as a competition.
- In pranayama: learn how breathing practices are taught, and avoid forcing difficult breathing techniques or holds.
- In meditation: practise concentration and observation rather than expecting an entirely empty mind.
- In daily life: use the Gita’s teaching on equanimity when carrying out responsibilities.
You can begin with simple postures or a comfortable seated practice. Neither unusual flexibility nor advanced poses prove that someone understands yoga. Yoga may support mobility, balance and general well-being, but it is not a guaranteed cure for diseases.
To understand how seated practice relates to movement, see our yoga and meditation guide. For deeper guided study, you can review FitFortunes’ 200-hour Hatha Yoga teacher training.
Common questions about the definition of yoga
The central idea
Yoga has no single definition that works equally well for every text and lineage. Patanjali explains the discipline of the mind; the Bhagavad Gita teaches steadiness in action; and the Hatha texts describe methods involving the body and breath. Knowing those differences makes it easier to study yoga seriously without reducing it to a slogan.
Texts and further reading: Yoga Sutras 1.2 and 2.29; Bhagavad Gita 2.48 and 2.50; the traditional Yoga Bhashya; Shiva Samhita; Hatha Yoga Pradipika. For a scholarly historical overview, see Oxford Bibliographies: Yoga.
