Sage Patanjali: A Timeless Authority on Yoga and Sanskrit Grammar

Wooden Statue of Sage Patanjali – Incarnation of Sheshanaga
Sacred Invocation
“Yogena cittasya padena vācāṁ,
Malam śarīrasya ca vaidyakena,
Yo’pākarottam pravaram munīnām,
Patañjalim prāñjalir ānato’smi.”
This magnificent handcrafted wooden murti represents Sage Patanjali, the revered grammarian, philosopher and originator of the Yoga system. Textual traditions honor him with many epithets—Gonikaputra, Naganatha, Ahipati, Vasuki, Shesh—all linking him to the Great Serpent Sheshanaga, whom he is believed to have incarnated. The Bhavishya Purana narrates that Lord Vishnu endowed him with a portion of his Maya, elevating him to divine status.
Historical and Spiritual Legacy
• Birthplace Debates: Scholars differ on his origins—some identify Gonarda with present-day Gonda in Uttar Pradesh, while others, including Kalhana in Rajatarangini, associate it with Kashmir.
• Era of Scholarship: Patanjali lived between 300–200 BCE, contemporaneous with Vyadi and Katyayana, following Panini by two centuries.
• Dual Devotion: Initially a Vaishnava, he later embraced Shakti traditions, mastering both and establishing intellectual supremacy.
• Literary Contribution: His commentary on Panini’s Ashtadhyayi transformed Sanskrit grammar, revising its structure into 84 lectures. He elevated Panini as Bhagavan and was himself later deified, worshipped for enhancing intellect and reasoning.
Iconography of the Statue
• Lotus Base (Padma-pitha): Symbolizing purity and transcendence.
• Prabhavali (Fire-Arch): Three concentric rings framing his divine aura.
• Emergence from Serpent Coils: Patanjali rises from Sheshanaga, with the seven-hooded serpent canopy unfurled above him, signifying protection and cosmic power.
• Four-Armed Form: Two hands folded in devotion, while the upper arms hold the chakra (disc) and shankha (conch)—attributes of Vishnu.
• Vaishnava Adornments: Tilaka on the forehead, kundalas on the ears, and a towering crown, visually affirming his divine connection with Lord Vishnu.
Cultural and Spiritual Significance
This rare wooden artifact is not merely a sculpture but a sacred embodiment of wisdom, intellect and spiritual discipline. Worship of Patanjali is believed to multiply reasoning power and grant clarity of thought, making this statue a profound addition to any puja room, meditation hall or collection of sacred art.