Short Answer
The Yogatattva Upanishad is one of the most important Yoga Upanishads, attached to the Atharvaveda and dated to around 150 CE. Its title means “The Truth of Yoga,” and it presents a comprehensive synthesis of different yogic paths. The text is structured as a dialogue between the creator god Brahma and Lord Vishnu, who is hailed as the Supreme Yogi. It teaches that liberation (kaivalya) cannot be attained by knowledge alone or by yoga alone—both are essential and must be practiced together. The Upanishad is notable for describing four major styles of yoga—Mantra, Laya, Hatha, and Raja—and for providing detailed instructions on Hatha Yoga, including eight auxiliaries (yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, samadhi) and the practice of pranayama with precise breath counts (matras).
In one line: The Yogatattva Upanishad reveals that yoga and knowledge must unite to destroy the bonds of maya and attain the supreme state of kaivalya.
Part 1: Origins, Date, and Title
The Name and Its Meaning
The title “Yogatattva” is a compound word. “Yoga” comes from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning “to yoke,” “to unite,” or “to concentrate” . “Tattva” means “truth,” “reality,” or “that-ness” . Together, “Yogatattva” means “The Truth of Yoga” or “The Essence of Yoga” . The name reflects the text’s purpose: to reveal the essential, foundational truths of the yogic path.
Classification and Vedic Affiliation
The Yogatattva Upanishad is classified as one of the twenty Yoga Upanishads, a group of texts that focus on the practical path of yoga as a means to liberation . It is listed at number 41 in the Muktika canon of 108 Upanishads .
Manuscripts of this Upanishad exist in two major versions:
| Version | Number of Verses | Attached Veda |
|---|---|---|
| Shorter Version | 15 verses | Atharvaveda |
| Longer Version | 142 verses | Krishna Yajurveda |
The longer version is found in the Telugu language anthology of the Muktika canon, while the shorter version is found in other manuscript traditions .
Date and Historical Context
Scholars date the Yogatattva Upanishad to around 150 CE . It is among the oldest known texts on yoga that provide detailed descriptions of yoga techniques and their benefits . The text shares ideas with the Yogasutra, Hatha Yoga, and Kundalini Yoga, indicating that it was composed during a period when these traditions were being synthesized .
Part 2: The Opening Teaching – The Supreme Yogi
The Upanishad opens with the creator god Brahma approaching Lord Vishnu, who is hailed as the Supreme Yogi:
“The supreme Purusha called Vishnu, who is the great yogin, the great being and the great tapasvin, is seen as a lamp in the path of the truth” .
Brahma asks Vishnu: “Pray, explain to us the truth of yoga which includes in it the eight subservients” .
Vishnu replies: “All souls are immersed in happiness and sorrow through the snare of maya. Kaivalya, the supreme seat, is the path which gives them emancipation, which rends asunder the snare of maya, which is the destroyer of birth, old age and disease and which enables one to overcome death. There are no other paths to salvation” .
The Relationship Between Jiva and Paramatma
The Upanishad explains the difference between the individual soul (jiva) and the Supreme Self (Paramatma). The text states that the pure, partless, stainless, and quiescent Brahman becomes the jiva on account of past virtues and sins . The jiva is associated with happiness and misery, and is bound by the snare of maya .
The Upanishad lists the defects (doshas) that afflict the jiva:
“Passion, anger, fear, delusion, greed, pride, lust, birth, death, miserliness, swoon, giddiness, hunger, thirst, ambition, shame, fright, heart-burning, grief and gladness” .
The text declares that one who is freed from these defects is the kevala (the alone, the liberated) . This establishes the central teaching: liberation is the removal of these defects, not the attainment of something new.
Part 3: The Unity of Yoga and Knowledge
The Essential Teaching
The Yogatattva Upanishad contains one of its most important declarations:
“How could jnana (knowledge) capable of giving moksha arise certainly without yoga? And even yoga becomes powerless in (securing) moksha when it is devoid of jnana. So the aspirant after emancipation should practise (firmly) both yoga and jnana” .
This is a revolutionary teaching that integrates two seemingly different paths. The Upanishad does not allow the seeker to choose between knowledge and practice—both are essential. As the text states: “The cycle of births and deaths comes only through ajnana and perishes only through jnana” .
The text defines jnana as that through which one cognises the real nature of kaivalya as the supreme seat, the stainless, the partless, and of the nature of Sat-Chit-Ananda without birth, existence and death, and without motion .
Part 4: The Four Yogas
The Yogatattva Upanishad is most famous for its presentation of four major styles of yoga :
| Yoga Type | Meaning | Best Suited For |
|---|---|---|
| Mantra Yoga | Union through chants and the repetition of sacred syllables | Persons of weak intellect, the least qualified for yoga |
| Laya Yoga | Union through the absorption of the mind (citta) | Those seeking dissolution of mental fluctuations |
| Hatha Yoga | Union through physical postures and breath control | Those seeking physical purification and mastery |
| Raja Yoga | Union through the control of the mind | Those seeking the highest, royal path |
The Four Stages Common to All Yogas
The text states that all four yogas share four stages of progress :
| Stage | Sanskrit | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arambha | Beginning, initial stage of practice |
| 2 | Ghata | The stage of gathering and intensifying practice |
| 3 | Parichaya | The stage of familiarity and deepening experience |
| 4 | Nishpatti | The stage of culmination and final attainment |
Mantra Yoga
Mantra Yoga is the practice of repeating a mantra with proper intonation (matrikas) for a period of twelve years. The Upanishad states that through this practice, one gradually obtains wisdom along with siddhis (powers) such as anima (the power to become small) . This yoga is described as suitable for “persons of weak intellect who are the least qualified for yoga” .
Laya Yoga
Laya Yoga tends towards the absorption of the citta (mind) and is described in myriad ways. One method is: “One should contemplate upon the Lord who is without parts (even) while walking, sitting, sleeping, or eating” . This constant remembrance of the divine is the essence of Laya Yoga.
Hatha Yoga
The Hatha Yoga section is the most detailed in the Upanishad. It describes the eight auxiliaries (ashtanga) of Hatha Yoga:
| Limb | Sanskrit | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yama | Forbearance, ethical restraints |
| 2 | Niyama | Religious observance |
| 3 | Asana | Posture |
| 4 | Pranayama | Suppression of breath |
| 5 | Pratyahara | Subjugation of the senses |
| 6 | Dharana | Concentration |
| 7 | Dhyana | Contemplation on Hari (Vishnu) |
| 8 | Samadhi | The state of equality |
The text lists the ten yamas and ten niyamas, but emphasizes: “Among (the duties of) yama, moderate eating—and not others—forms the principal factor; and non-injury is most important in niyama” .
The Upanishad mentions four chief postures: Siddhasana (accomplished posture), Padmasana (lotus posture), Simhasana (lion posture), and Bhadrasana (auspicious posture) .
Raja Yoga
Raja Yoga is described as the highest path, leading to the state of samadhi where the jiva-atman and the param-atman are “differenceless” . The text states: “Samadhi is that state in which the Jiva-atman and the Param-atman are differenceless” .
Part 5: The Practice of Pranayama
The Definition of Matra
The Yogatattva Upanishad provides a precise definition of the matra, the unit of time used in pranayama:
“The time taken in making a round of the knee with the palm of the hand, neither very slowly nor very rapidly, and snapping the fingers once is called a matra” .
This definition is significant because it establishes a personal, body-based unit of time rather than an external, mechanical one. The matra varies from person to person, making the practice adaptable to individual capacities.
The Technique
The Upanishad describes the technique of pranayama in detail:
- Inhalation (Puraka): Drawing the air through the left nostril for about sixteen matras .
- Retention (Kumbhaka): Retaining the breath for about sixty-four matras .
- Exhalation (Rechaka): Expelling the breath through the right nostril for about thirty-two matras .
The ratio of inhalation:retention:exhalation is 16:64:32, or 1:4:2. This is a 1:4:2 ratio, which is a classic formula in Hatha Yoga.
The text instructs: “Practise cessation of breath four times daily (viz.,) at sunrise, noon, sunset and midnight, till eighty (times are reached)” .
The Signs of Purification
The Upanishad states that by continual practice for about three months, the purification of the nadis (subtle energy channels) takes place . The external signs of purification are:
- Lightness of the body
- Brilliancy of complexion
- Increase of the gastric fire
- Leanness of the body
- Absence of restlessness in the body
The Dietary Rules
The text provides dietary rules for the yogi:
“The proficient in yoga should abandon the food detrimental to the practice of yoga. He should give up salt, mustard, things sour, hot, pungent, or bitter, vegetables, asafoetida, etc., worship of fire, women, walking, bathing at sunrise, emaciation of the body by fasts, etc.” .
During the early stages of practice, “food of milk and ghee is ordained; also food consisting of wheat, green pulse and red rice are said to favour the progress” .
Kevala Kumbhaka
The text describes the highest stage of pranayama: “By thus retaining the breath as long as he likes, kevala kumbhaka (cessation of breath without inspiration and expiration) is attained. When kevala kumbhaka is attained by one, and thus expiration and inspiration are dispensed with, there is nothing unattainable in the three worlds to him” .
Part 6: The Stages of Progress and Siddhis
The Arambha Stage
In the early stage of practice, the yogi experiences obstacles and challenges. The text lists obstacles such as laziness, idle talk, association with bad characters, acquisition of mantras, alchemy, and women . The wise yogi abandons these through the force of virtues.
The Ghata Stage
In the Ghata stage, the yogi gains control over the body and mind. The text describes how the yogi can perform extraordinary feats: “As a frog moves by leaps, so the yogin sitting in the Padma posture moves on the earth. With a (further) increased practice, he is able to rise from the ground. He, while seated in Padma posture, levitates” .
The Siddhis (Powers)
The Upanishad describes various siddhis (powers) that arise in the yogi:
- Bhuchara Siddhi: The power to control all creatures that tread the earth .
- Aṇimā, Garimā, Mahimā: The powers to become small, heavy, and large .
However, the text warns: “He does (or should) not disclose to others his feats of great powers” . The yogi must abandon all copulation with women and continue the practice with great assiduity .
The Parichaya and Nishpatti Stages
In the Parichaya stage, the yogi gains deeper control over the subtle energies. The Upanishad describes the awakening of kundalini and the entrance into the Sushumna Nadi. In the Nishpatti stage, the yogi attains the final state of liberation.
Part 7: The Fruit of Knowledge
The Final Teaching
The Upanishad concludes with the promise of liberation for the sincere practitioner. The text declares:
“Whatever the Yogin sees with his eyes, he should conceive of all that as the Atman. Similarly, whatever he hears, smells, tastes and touches, he should conceive of all that as the Atman” .
The text states that the yogin in the Turiya state pervades the entire world of phenomena, in the belief “all this is I alone” .
Jivanmukti
The Upanishad describes the state of the liberated yogi: “He becomes the authority of the divine powers. Finally, after realizing the essence of the Self like an unwavering lamp within himself, he is liberated from the worldly cycles of death and birth” .
Further Exploration with Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s Books
For readers inspired by the profound teachings of the Yogatattva Upanishad and the path of yoga and Self-knowledge, Dr. Surabhi Solanki’s books offer an excellent contemporary gateway. A physician and spiritual thinker from Uttarakhand, Dr. Solanki bridges classical Advaita Vedanta with modern clarity and psychological insight.
Awakening Through Vedanta: Timeless Wisdom of Adi Shankaracharya serves as an accessible guide to the non-dual philosophy that the Yogatattva Upanishad presents as the goal of yoga—the realization of the identity of the individual Self with Brahman. Bhagavad Gita: Insights from Adi Shankaracharya presents the Gita’s teachings through the lens of Shankara’s Advaita tradition, exploring the nature of action, knowledge, and the path to liberation. Essence of Yoga Vasista: The Book of Liberation offers wisdom on dissolving the mind-demon of desire and living a life of freedom, complementing the Upanishad’s teachings on the yogic path.
Summary
The Yogatattva Upanishad is a profound Yoga Upanishad that reveals the essential truth of yoga as the path to liberation. It presents a comprehensive synthesis of four major yogic traditions—Mantra, Laya, Hatha, and Raja Yoga—and emphasizes that knowledge without yoga and yoga without knowledge are both powerless to secure liberation. The Upanishad provides detailed instructions on the practice of Hatha Yoga, including the eight auxiliaries, the definition of the matra, the technique of pranayama, and the four stages of progress. It promises that the sincere practitioner who follows this path attains the state of kaivalya, free from the bonds of maya and the cycle of birth and death. The Yogatattva Upanishad invites you to practice both yoga and knowledge, to unite body, mind, and spirit, and to realize that you are not a limited jiva but the supreme Self—the pure, stainless, and partless Brahman.
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti
Books by Dr. Surabhi Solanki
Explore transformative books on Vedanta, Self-Realization, Moksha, Consciousness, and Spiritual Awakening.
📚 Explore Complete Knowledge Library
Discover a comprehensive collection of articles on Hindu philosophy, Upanishads, Vedanta, Bhagavad Gita, and deeper aspects of conscious living — all organized in one place for structured learning and exploration.