A homecoming of sorts for yoga

Throughout history, certain ideas have travelled beyond boundaries and transformed societies. And Yoga is one of the India’s oldest traditions, whose journey has moved from ancient scriptures to global recognition.

- PRATAPRAO JADHAV

The word Yoga - derived from the Sanskrit root yuj, meaning 'to yoke’ or ‘to unite’ - encapsulates a comprehensive system of philosophical inquiry and practical discipline aimed at the union of the individual self (jivatman) with the Universal Consciousness (Paramatman).

The earliest seeds of Yoga are found in the Rig Veda (c. 1500-1200 BCE), where the concept of tapas (austerity) and dhyana (meditation) are referenced. These ideas were further developed in the Upanisads, which articulated many of the philosophical foundations of Yoga. It was, however, the Yoga Sutras of Maharishi Patañjali (c. 200 BCE-400 CE) that gave Yoga its most systematic framework - the classical astanga yoga or eight-limbed path - comprising Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi.

Beyond Patañjali, the Bhagavad Gita presents Yoga as a dynamic philosophy for living. Set against the backdrop of the battlefield of Kurukshetra, the dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna offers profound insights into human duty, purpose, and spiritual growth. Among the various paths described in the Bhagavad Gita, Karma Yoga (path of selfless action), Jñana Yoga (path of knowledge), and Bhakti Yoga (path of devotion) are the three great roads to liberation. India, therefore, is not merely the birthplace of yoga - it is the living civilisation from which yoga grew organically, over millennia, as part of its spiritual, cultural, and philosophical fabric.

However, during the period of colonial influence, sections of educated Indian society increasingly came under the influence of Western intellectual frameworks, and traditional systems of knowledge, including Yoga, were often viewed as less relevant in the changing world. At this important time, Swami Vivekananda emerged as a powerful voice who helped people rediscover the value of yoga.