Before delving into the intricacies of yogic discipline, let us first take a step back to analyse the root of this term. The denotation of the term yoga is derived from the root ‘yuj’, meaning union, essentially referring to the union of mind and body. However, its interpretations have been multifaceted, owing to the scholarly rejuvenation of its meaning by each generation alike. From ancient sculptures and motifs of Adiyogi practising yoga sadhana in the Indus Valley civilisation, to patanjali’s extensive literature consisting its gist in 195 precise sutras, from Shree Krishna’s glorious dialect on Sankhya yog in the Bhagavad Gītā, to Swami Vivekanada’s Advaitin conception of Raja yog, karma yog, Bhakti yog and jñāna yog, from BKS Iyenger’s sharp emphasis on alignments of āsana practice, to well-designed flow of Vinyasa yoga, the entire timeline in the history of India consists of equally extraordinary conceptions of the term yoga. There is no doubt, however, that its gigantic essence has been boiled down to mere physical alignments to this day. What was earlier contemplated upon and lived by the sādhakas for the attainment of samādhi or the ultimate liberation from cycles of suffering, has now been commercially crafted as a disease management and weight loss regime. In this generational shift of apprehension, what is awestruck is that this centuries-old tradition still holds a firm ground in libraries, āshramas and gyms alike.
The Quintessence of the Historicity of Yoga
THE ASHTĀNGIC MĀRG : Penned by sage Patanjali, the Patanjali yoga sūtra is the foundational text of classical yoga philosophy. An eightfold path towards self realisation and attainment of ultimate freedom, is elaborated in the form of 195 sūtras. Broadly, these can be understood and inculcated into our ordinary lives by following the 8 stages, namely Yama, niyama, āsana, prānāyāma, pratyāhāra, dhyāna, dhārana and the culminating stage of ultimate bliss and tranquility, in essence, samādhi. Yama involves the moral discipline which governs the social life of the individual, including Ahimsā or non-violence in thought, word and action, Satya that is truthfulness, Asteya that is non-stealing; Brahmacharya that is control of one’s desires and living according to the nature of Brahman, Aparigraha that is non-possessiveness or limiting possession. Niyama involves internal discipline that is to be adhered for personal growth, its limbs are shaucha or hygiene (internal & external), Santosha or contentment, tapas or self discipline, svādhyāya or self study and contemplation on scriptures, ishwaraprānidhāna or surrender to the highest consciousness. Āsana, the third limb, is the key idea of Patanjali to transcend all bodily restraints that barge in the way of spiritual progress. He uses the phrase ‘sthiram sukkham āsanam’ referring to a steady and blissful state of mind while practising any āsana. Patanjali does not prescribe any of the physical body postures we call ‘yoga’ in modern times. However, hathayogapradipika has a wide variety of āsanas, which are to be further. Prānāyāma or regulation of prāna via breath work. According to the conventional upaniṣadic view, prāna is the vital force that regulates the entire functioning of one’s body. Prānāyāma involves the control over this prãnic force by way of puraka, kumbhaka, rechaka, meaning inhalation, retention and exhalation in varied degrees. It aims to control the mind and make the body fit for meditation. Pratyāhāra : As the turtle withdraws its limbs and collects inwardly, Patanjali asserts that the practitioner is likewise obliged to withdraw their senses from the vibrant stimulations of the external world. The practice of pratyāhāra enables the practitioner to concentrate on the ānandamaya nature of ātman.Dhārana refers to concentration or one-pointedness over one stream of thought or object. The practice of dhārna involves focusing on any particular entity, such as a mantra, flame or visualisation of one’s deity by deliberate mental effort. Dhyāna is the effortless and uninterrupted flow of concentration on the object of consciousness. Samādhi or the culminating point of the ashtāngic mārg is the realisation of ultimate bliss, in essence Brahman. It is the highest state of consciousness one can achieve free from ego based thoughts such as anger or desire.
It is to be noted that the initial four stages of ashtāngic mārg do not require spiritual inclination on the part of the individual. Rather, any person, following any ideology, having any religious stance, theistic or atheistic whatsoever, having any lifestyle sedentary or active whatsoever, can enhance their very being by strict adherence to the four stages having no goal other than to sustain themselves. For instance, maintaining the hygiene of the body, being truthful in hard times, practising gratitude in each moment, possessing lesser objects, moving one’s body consciously, focusing on the breathing, and other practices are no fanatic rituals; rather, they naturally make one’s life lighter and blissful in experience. Moreover, without these bare minimum body and mind purification stages, it is impossible to experience deeper stages of dhyāna. For somebody who has not paid back the borrowed money or someone who has a disease-stricken body with pains, it is practically impossible to experience the nature of ātman, for all their attention is pulled towards the discrepancies of body and mind.
HATHAYOGA: The hathayogapradipika literally means ‘the illumination of hatha yoga’. It was authored by sage Swatmarama in 15 century CE, consisting of a synthesis of Āsanas, Pranayamas, mudras and Shat karma techniques for cellular level detoxification of the body. The text was written to unleash the process of realising the supreme Brahman using the physical body as a tool. In today’s fast-moving world, where the heights of material progress outweigh the depths of spiritual progress, it becomes very evident that physical competency cannot be compromised. For those having a 40-hour work week in corporate firms or government job aspirants with rigorous study hours, a deeply rooted conviction to attain the respective goals can only be implemented with a practical and applied approach. This alarming need for stress combustion, physical competency and tranquility in the times where climbing every step up on the ladder to success leads to exponentially increased chaos, flipping through the pages of history solves many riddles. Perhaps the sages had foreseen the challenges we were going to face, not on the battlefields but in the air-conditioned offices. As per the yogic culture, all the physical, as well as mental illnesses, are borne out of an imbalance of prānas and tridoshas (vatta, pitta, kapha) in the body. In order to prevent and cure these fluctuations and the following severe diseases, many effective techniques are prescribed. Some of these are :
Shatkriya : These include 6 body detoxification practices which are to be done under strict guidance of a learned yogi. These include Jala netī, sūtra netī, dhautī, naulī, bastī, kapālabhāti and trātaka. Regular practices prevent the retention and accumulation of toxins in the body, leading to an increased flow of prāna.
Āsana : With the emphasis on spiritual enlightenment, Swami swatmarāma explains the grandeur of physical postures by referring to the first yogi, Adiyogi Shiva. He asserts that Shiva has mentioned 84 lakh āsanas, and this variety has been condensed to 84 essential āsanas for the steadiness of the body. Unlike the current fitness trends, these do not require fancy prompts or complicated equipment; rather, the only essential thing that is needed is – the practitioner’s will. Some of the most important postures for communion of body and mind include: siddhāsana, padmāsana, vīrāsana, dhanurāsana, mayurāsana and others.
Prānāyāma : Hathayogapradipikā takes us through the methods, benefits and precautions of breath control practices for cleansing of energy channels or nādīs through which the prānas flow. These include Nādī shodhana, ujjayi, bhastrikā, etc.
Mudrās : These include the psycho-physical gestures and locks for redirection of prānic energy such as the khecharīmudrā, Jalandharbandha, Udiyānabandha, Mūlabandha, Māhabandha and others.
Swami Vivekānanda’s conception of yoga and its skillful insertion in a hustler’s life today :
‘Each soul is potentially divine, the goal is to manifest this divinity within’. Swami Vivekananda defines yoga as a structured method to realise this inner divinity. He denies compressing its gigantic essence by the labels of religion, rather he calls yoga the universal science to self realisation. Unlike the renunciatory approach, Swami ji propounds detached indulgence for the purpose of service. In the modern era of the rat race and increased mental suffering, his conception of karma yoga rooted from niskāmabhāva could not have been more relevant. Regardless of how dominant the boss is, the cruel the peers are, and the tough the job is, temporary escapes can only lend temporary solutions, however to conclude this vicious loop of fluctuating motivations, one that keeps the practitioner tranquil throughout the chaos is ‘Niśkāma bhāva’ which literally translates to ‘desire less action’. Here, a doubt may arise that if there is no desire at all, there are higher chances of purposelessness and inertia, and thus, the efficiency of the practitioner would be reduced. To clarify this, Bhagvad Gītā prescribes that Niṣkāmakarma doesn’t mean an absence of desire, it rather refers to the absence of animal desires, including greed, lust, anger, etc. and the presence of righteous desire i.e. Mukti or the union with the absolute Brahman through karma yoga. In 2025, a hustler’s day is full of uninvited unpleasant scenarios where boggling mind with clouds of self-doubt is part and parcel. Here, Swami Vivekānanda’s conception of yoga vividly draws a way out, beyond the shackles of expectations of favourable outcomes. This in essence, is Yoga on and beyond the mat. Needless to say, yoga ought to begin with physical postures and mudras. However, its essence expands beyond the mat, where one lives yoga in perhaps the weakest and toughest parts of the day.
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