A History of Sanskrit Literature c29.s2.16

c29.s2.16

Patañjali is regarded as an incorporation of the snake Çeṣa, Viṣṇu's resting-place during his slumber, and he is believed to be the author of the *Yoga Sūtra*, a view implausible on grounds of certain grammatical slips by the latter and slight deviations in philosophic terminology, apart from the fact that the tradition is very late and obviously due to likeness of name.⁵ His date⁶ is still disputed. The evidence for it is that statements in his grammar undoubtedly refer to a sacrifice for Puṣyamitra, whose reign began *c.* 185 or 178 B.C., and to a recent attack on Sāketa and Madhyamikā by a Yavana, who is very plausibly identified with the Greek Menander (*c.* 156–153), dates which give *c.* 150–149 for the composition of the work, on the assumption probable, yet not conclusive, that the references are Patañjali's own. Some slight confirmation may be gained from the fact that Kātyāyana, but not Pāṇini, notes the title *devānām priya*, famed in Açoka's inscriptions, suggesting that he fell after 250 B.C., which would not suit ill with 150 B.C. for Patañjali. If this be rejected, we must content ourselves with noting that Kalhaṇa records a revival of the study of the *Mahābhāṣya* in Kashmir under Abhimanyu, whose date, however, we do not know, and that Bhartṛhari (*c.* 650) proves long study of the text before his time.