Book linking the Ramayana and Patanjali’s Yogasutras launched in Chennai

A book examining connections between Patanjali’s Yogasutras and episodes from the Valmiki Ramayana was launched in Chennai on Thursday. Titled “Tale of Two Realities: Exploring the Mind Through Patanjali’s Yogasutras with Episodes from the Valmiki Ramayana”, the book was written by author Lakshmi Devnath and published by Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram. Bharatanatyam exponent and guru Padma Subrahmanyam released the book.

She described Devnath as a prolific writer and scholar and praised her command of the Ramayana and the Yogasutras. Yogacharya S. Sridharan also paid tribute to Sanskrit scholar Mahamahopadhyaya R.

Krishnamurthi Shastri, who died recently. Sridharan said Shastri had been the first member of the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram board of studies and had made a lasting impression on those who knew him. He said the book was the result of more than eight years of work and had overcome several obstacles.

The project began as a PhD thesis and was later published as a series in the Sri Ramakrishna Mission’s Vedanta Kesari magazine in 2022. Oncologist S.G. Ramanan, who received one of the first copies, said Devnath and her husband had regularly contributed to Cancare.

Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram chief executive Swaminathan also spoke at the event. Devnath said she had written several chapters during hospital stays and thanked those who helped with the book, including her family, assistants and colleagues. The event also included tributes to Shastri, whose contribution to the institution was recalled by speakers.