This is a pretty impressive work that challenges the modern depiction of the yogi as a peaceable, meditative and benevolent person. Originally, it seems the yogi stood outside of society and his chief aim was the acquisition of various powers 'siddhis' feared by the peasants. Powers like inhabiting other bodies, transmuting substances, spells, poisons, etc. Most interesting is the accounts of yogi's of India given by travellers like Ibn Battuta and Tavernier. The picture one gets of the pre-modern yogi is of a frequently selfish, vindictive and power-hungry person who was both feared and respected. In fact, DWG says that the modern conception of classical yoga being primarily about meditation begins only after Vivekanada wrote 'raja-yoga' in the 19th century.
Scholarly work, but I recommended it because it challenges commonly held views about yoga/yogis. Anyone else read this?
