Rajkarne, Pornima and Navaratna, Deepti
(2026)
Patanjalian wisdom personified: The Yogasutric reading of vari.
Journal of Dharma Studies, 9 (26).
ISSN 2522-0934
Full text not available from this repository.
| Abstract: |
This article examines vārī, the pilgrimage practice of the Vārkarī Saṁpradāya through the conceptual lens of Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras. By foregrounding categories such as yama (moral coherence), niyama (self-discipline), pratyāhāra (sensory withdrawal), svādhyāya (self-study), iśvarapraṇidhāna (surrender to God), the paper demonstrates how the demanding journey that represents ardent bhakti also displays multiple facets of Patañjali’s wisdom. Drawing on fieldwork observations, pilgrims’ testimonies, and select abhaṅgas of the Vārkarī saints, the paper shows how Yogasūtric principles are lived out in the daily practices during the pilgrimage. Wherever possible, abhaṅgas are used to illustrate the continuities between Yoga Sūtra concepts and the devotional-poetic expressions of the tradition. Furthermore, the philosophy of Sant Jñāneśvara is highlighted as an early and explicit site of Yogasūtric reflection within the Saṁpradāya. By linking Patañjali’s philosophy with the Vārkarī literature and fieldwork reflections, the paper argues that vārī is not only a devotional journey but also a structured yogic path, one that has preserved and reinterpreted the discipline of Yoga within a bhakti framework. |
| Item Type: |
Journal Paper
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| Subjects: |
School of Humanities > Philosophy
School of Humanities > Religion |
| Divisions: |
Schools > Humanities |
| Date Deposited: |
20 Apr 2026 10:25 |
| Last Modified: |
20 Apr 2026 10:25 |
| Official URL: |
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42240-0... |
| Related URLs: |
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| Funders: |
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| Projects: |
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| DOI: |
https://doi.org/10.1007/s42240-026-00256-0 |
| URI: |
http://eprints.nias.res.in/id/eprint/3312 |
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