A question on Hiranyagarbha

"I would like to get your feedback on an article that I read recently. I receive Dr. David Frawley's online newsletter from the American Institute of Vedic Studies. This past month there was an article about the founder of the system of Yoga. I found this article a bit confusing and was wondering if the Hiranyagarbha that he refers to could have been a Sage or does he really mean that Hiranyagarbha, the Cosmic Egg, is the founder? I understand that Patanjali was the compiler of the sutras, but as Dr. Frawley points out, many have not given much thought to the founder. You are very knowledgeable about such things and would very much like to get your opinion on this article.
With humble regards"

Answer:
Vedas contain all the knowledge in some form or the other. many times the idea may be ther for a person of insight to elaborate. it is not only yoga but all the possible knowledges such as dance music, art and architecture, social structure and what not every thing is availble in Vedas.
Certainly Patanjali existed only after Mahabharata etc, he was little before Adi Shankaracharya. But the credit goes to Patanjali for codifying in aphorisms. Sutras are to be undestood by one in the way he is convinced and he gets help in his personal sadhana. This is true not only to Yoga sutras but also to Brahma sutras and Bhakti sutras. Therefore you can find many different ways they are being interpreted.
As far as I read Gita Hiranya garbha the golden or treasure womb is the treasure of all, which is essentially divided as knowledge and and expression. in this knowledge we have this yoga sastra too. Therefore krishna refers to Hiranyagarbha as the unmanifest form of all the creation.
in my view there is no one person with a name of Hiranya garbha. It only means that the knowledge comes form silence abd bliss absolute. When krishna says few things in Gita he always uses the expression as he is one with that unmanifest brahman.
Summing up the thoughts, knowledge of yoga comes from the silence therefore it has the potential to silence and peace, this knowledge in parts is available in Ramayana Mahabharata and upanishads. Patanjali compiled and not given all this knowledge in the form of sutras. this is not only the approach of patanjali but even other saiges like Jaimin or Kapila etc have given us other sastras like Sankhya and Purva meemasa.
In my next visit I can clarify you by giving a talk about the histry of indian spiritual knowledge and wisdom.
Please dont hesitate to rise your question. I assure you next time I will not take this long to reply!!
love,
raghuram