Mental health and self-regulation in yoga philosophy: A study based on the Yoga Sūtras

Mental health concerns such as depression, anxiety, emotional instability, and stress-related disorders have emerged as critical challenges in contemporary global society. While modern psychological and psychiatric frameworks offer diverse therapeutic models, there is a growing academic interest in traditional philosophical systems that address mental well-being holistically. Yoga philosophy, particularly as systematized in Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras, presents a comprehensive theoretical and practical framework for understanding the structure, functioning, and regulation of the human mind (citta).This research article undertakes a qualitative, philosophical, and textual analysis of Yoga philosophy with special reference to its relevance in mental health discourse. The study critically examines the concept of citta, the theory of citta-vṛtti, the doctrine of guṇas, and the five states of mind as elaborated in classical yoga texts. Further, it analyzes the eightfold path (Aṣṭāṅga Yoga) as a systematic psycho-ethical methodology aimed at achieving mental stability, emotional regulation, and long-term psychological resilience.Drawing upon primary Sanskrit sources such as the Yoga Sūtras, Bhagavad Gītā, and major Upaniṣads, along with selected modern secondary scholarship, the paper argues that Yoga philosophy functions not merely as a spiritual discipline but as an integrative mental health model. While acknowledging its limitations in addressing severe psychiatric conditions, the study highlights Yoga’s significant preventive and supportive role in mental health care. The article concludes by emphasizing the necessity of interdisciplinary dialogue between Yoga philosophy, psychology, and neuroscience for future research.