Yoga Day 2018: How India's answer to western fitness regimes originated

A text dating back to early medieval India considers yoga an activity that can lead to the liberation of one's soul or 'moksha'.

Yoga has been India’s answer to fancy fitness regimes followed in the west. It has spread to all parts of the world to such an extent that we celebrate the International Yoga Day. Almost every Indian city has something planned to celebrate on this day.



While the Prime Minister practices yoga in Dehradun with over 50,000 people, Vice-President Venkiah Naidu will be the chief guest at a yoga day event in Mumbai. Yoga day is being celebrated in other locations like Hyderabad too.



Where to practice Yoga
But here’s the irony- Yoga must be done in a secluded place, says the Kurma Purana (Kurma Purana Part II, translated by Ganesh Vasudeo Tagare, published by Motilal Banarsidaas in 1982), an early medieval Indian text. It lays down few more rules for the practice of yoga. The text has prescribed specific locations where yoga can be done - A well-guarded place, in a cave, on the banks of the river, a temple, and isolated place with no worms. It also prohibits its practice in the Caitya( Buddhist place of worship), at four-cross roads, cremation ground, dilapidated cowpen or, crowded places.
Yoga- A concept that changed from early India to early medieval India?
In addition to the popular belief that yoga is a medium of exercise and is limited to practice of the Asanas, chapter eleven of the Kurma Purana refers to the fact that meticulous practice of yoga leads to the attainment of liberation as it ‘quickly burns the entire cage of sins.’ This is in addition to what Patanjali says about Yoga. Patanjali has called yoga, 'a way to out to rest endless chain of thoughts'. Another meaning of yoga is found in the Markandeya Purana, say historians. The Markandeya Purana has called yoga as ‘disunion with ignorance and union with Brahman.’ Therefore, by the beginning of the Common Era, had become a formula to attain liberation. In the Rig Veda, historians have noted that ‘yoga’ was used to denote connection between words. It came from the root word ‘Yujir’ which means unite or connect.



Having already mentioned that the text dating back to early medieval India considers yoga an activity that can lead to liberation, there is a whole chapter elucidating the form. It goes on to say that knowledge originates from yoga and yoga functions through knowledge. Further to this, it is believed that Siva is pleased with one who is devoted to the practice of yoga.

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