Rājayoga in the 17th century

In the second half of the 17th century, the poet and philosopher Vāmana Paṇḍita (1618-1695) wrote a short poem of 35 verses in Marathi on the eight branches of Pātañjala Yoga. Simply entitled “Rājayoga”, the poem sings the praises of the eight aṅga, using the abhaṅga meter in the manner of the Sant devotional poets. In this respect, this text, which seems to remain little known, appears to be a valuable testimony of the popularity of the Aṣṭāṅgayoga in the Marathi milieu of the time. It was copied on a multiple-text manuscript preserved in the National Library of France, collected by Charles d'Ochoa in the 1840's. Dated 1761, the manuscript itself is further evidence of the living tradition of Pātañjala Yoga, which is expressed not only in Sanskrit but also in vernacular languages. This manuscript and a few additional materials will help us better understand the period between the medieval commentaries and the “renaissance” of Yoga in the late 19th century.