Ananta

[Enrica Garzilli]

On Mon, 20 Mar 1995, L.S.Cousins wrote:

> Madhav Deshpande asks:
> 
> Somewhat tentatively, could this be related to exegesis of Yoga-suutra II
> 47 ? If I remember correctly, some of the later writers understand this as
> referring to Ananta.
> 
> Lance Cousins.
> 
> MANCHESTER, UK
> Telephone (UK): 0161 434 3646
> 

Even though is likely that Patanjali of the YS is not the Patanjali
of the Mahabhasya, (See e.g. A.B. Keith, Jacobi, onwards), the YS II, 47 
explicitely mentions Ananta. 
It was interpreted by Vacaspatimisra (IX cent. A.D.) as Vasuki, teh 
mithological snake (brother of Sesa). (However Ananta is also the name of 
Sesa himself, the snake-god) .
King Bhoja (IX cent.) read it as 'endeless', 'eternal'.
(In this case Patanjali's sutra would refer to a buddhist meditation: see 
De La Vallee Poussin, "Le bouddhisme et le Yoga de Patanjali", in Melanges 
chinois et bouddhiques, 1937, pp. 223-242).

Dott. Enrica Garzilli