Ashtanga Yoga of Business Management – Insights from Patanjali Yoga Sutra

The term “Yoga” has become a prominent feature in today’s corporate world, representing a global multi-billion-dollar industry. However, this book is not another exploration of yoga as commonly understood. Yoga has its origins in India, with foundational scriptures such as the Patanjali Yoga Sutra and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. These texts, based on the experiences of Hindu sages, offer profound insights into self-observation and analysis.
Despite extensive translations, understanding these ancient scriptures fully can be challenging due to language barriers, potential translation losses, and the need for practical application. This book seeks to bridge the gap between the Patanjali Yoga Sutra and modern Business Management principles.
Key objectives of the book include:
1. Analyzing the Patanjali Yoga Sutra from a Business Management perspective.
2. Deriving lessons to enhance business effectiveness and efficiency.
The Patanjali Yoga Sutra, a seminal text in yoga, defines yoga as the cessation of mind fluctuations (योगश्चित्तवृत्तिनिरोधः) and outlines the Eight Limbs of Yoga (Ashtanga Yoga), which include ethical disciplines (Yama and Niyama), physical postures (Asana), breath control (Pranayama), sense withdrawal (Pratyahara), concentration (Dharana), meditation (Dhyana), and the ultimate state of absorption (Samadhi).
Additionally, the text covers Kriya Yoga, obstacles (Antarayas) and solutions, and the concept of Siddhis, or mystical powers, warning against becoming distracted by these achievements. The book also references other significant yogic texts like the Hatha Yoga Pradipika and Goraksha Samhita, integrating their teachings into the discussion on business management.