By Swami Harshananda
Sometimes transliterated as: Astanga-yoga, ASTAGga-yoga, Ashtaanga-yoga
Aṣṭāṅga-yoga literally means ‘yoga of eight limbs’.
The Yoga system of Patañjali (200 A. C.) recommends a graded practice of eight limbs or steps for controlling the mind fully and realizing the puruṣa or the Self. Hence this system has been named accordingly.
References
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore