Within the classical tradition, Patañjali is regarded as the compiler of a work consisting of 196 Yoga Sūtras. These aphorisms are not presented as an arbitrary collection, but as a carefully ordered spiritual architecture, guiding the practitioner from the initial orientation of the mind toward yoga to the culminating vision of liberation. The number 196 thus signifies more than a tally; it reflects a complete and integrated map of the yogic path as it has been received and transmitted in the mainstream lineage.

These 196 sūtras are arranged into four chapters, or pādas, each with its own inner logic and emphasis. The first, often associated with samādhi, lays out the nature of yogic absorption and the obstacles that veil it. The second turns to practice and discipline, outlining the means by which the aspirant purifies conduct and consciousness. The third explores the extraordinary capacities that may arise along the way, while the fourth points toward the final state of isolation or freedom, where pure awareness stands alone. Taken together, the four pādas and their 196 sūtras form a coherent spiritual syllabus, inviting sustained contemplation rather than mere numerical curiosity.