Page 259 - Adhiyoga Purana

been skewed by economics and spectacle. Adhiyoga therefore distinguishes classical from applied practice, lets goals guide methods, and invites the student to choose intelligently: seekers of health receive a health-first pathway; seekers of philosophy receive philosophy— without conflation.
Kulkarni cites Patanjali explicitly: even exalted abilities (siddhis) are ultimately obstacles in samādhi (YS 3.37), and kaivalya comes only with dispassion even toward the grandest powers and destruction of the seeds of ignorance, desire, and attachment (YS 3.50). His appeal is practical and ethical: yoga must be understandable, goal-aligned, and accessible, free (as far as possible) from distortions of commercialism and elitism.
What eminent voices are saying
A new darśana for today
Dr. Deviprasad Kharwandikar (M.A. Sanskrit – Ardhamāgadhī; Ph.D.; Mahāmahōpādhyāya; poet, chief editor, and decorated Sanskrit scholar) contributes a foreword that is both precise and sweeping. He argues that, whereas Patanjali’s Sutras demand repetitive, non-linear study, Kulkarni’s Authentic Yoga Sutras are arranged systematically and logically—from the universal quest for happiness to the culmination in liberation. The sutras are paired with clear definitions, goal-based practices, and direct handling of life problems and practice problems, not just technique.
He highlights what’s historically unusual: the composer’s own exhaustive commentary on his sutras—closing the door to common misinterpretations that multiply across tradition. He credits the Sanskritization of the English sutras to the eminent Vedic scholar Dr. Ganesh Thite, and praises the Vedic sonority the Sanskrit chanting restores. Kharwandikar concludes that the work “deserves better credit than a Ph.D. thesis”—calling it original, innovative, and practically useful—and predicts it will stand as a true Yoga Śāstra when read with sincerity.
Blessing and context from a revered ācārya
Paramapoojya Dr. Prof. Bhashyam Swamy, M.A., Ph.D., D.Litt.—a towering Sanskrit authority and temple leader honored with Rajya Prashasti (1994) and Rajyotsava Prashasti (2012), holder of titles such as Veda Vāchaspati, Veda Mārtaṇḍa, Jyotiṣya Ratna, and many more—offers an Aashirvachanam (benediction). He lauds Kulkarni’s humility and, after careful reading, calls Adhiyoga not merely an exposition of Patanjali but a kind of sixth-sense revelation—a divine blessing. In a world aching for peace, he sees Adhiyoga as timely, ready-to-use nourishment for body and soul.
Dr. Swamy places Adhiyoga within the arc of Indian sources—Veda, Upaniṣads, Bhagavad Gītā’s tri-yoga (karma → jñāna → bhakti), Haṭhayoga Pradīpikā, Patanjali—and calls attention to often-overlooked contributions such as Nāthamuni’s Yoga Rahasya. He underscores that Adhiyoga—like the Gītā’s 18 chapters—requires initiation by a right Guru and commends Kulkarni’s four decades of practice and trained disciples as a living conduit for that transmission.
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