Sanskrit grammarian
and author of the Mahabhashya ("Great Commentary") on Panini's
Ashtadhyayi (second century B.C.E.).
Panini's work was composed of a sequence of short sentences
or aphorisms that were meant to provide a thorough definition of the language
in the shortest amount of time.
Panini's text was a miracle of economy and memorability, but
it was so opaque that it almost demanded a commentary, which Patanjali
delivered.
Patanjali's Mahabhashya is significant not only for his
explanation of Panini's language, but also for the historical information
included in his examples.
The Yoga Sutras are also attributed to Patanjali, but as
they are thought to have been written many centuries after the Mahabhashya, the
writers are thought to be two separate persons with the same name.
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