The slides describes origin of Yoga and its journey started Vedic time (5000 years before) untill it reached among house holders in 19th century

1. History & Background of Yoga
Pt Radheshyam Mishra
Founder Director – Ujjain Yoga Life Society
www.yogalife.co.in

2. Some scriptures on Yoga
Patanjali Yoga Sutras
Bhagwat Gita
Vedas
Upanishads
Hatha Yoga Pradipika

3. Patanjali Yoga Sutras
Dated anywhere between 6th century B.C and 3rd
century A.D
Maharshi Patanjali compiled all the ancient yogic
information into 195 Sutras
Patanjali was a person of great eminence
He has also done work on medicine and Grammar
Patanjali did not invent or instruct but has given
explanations and objectives of yoga in self evaluation

4. Bhagwat Gita
Gita was written between 2nd Century B.C and 2nd
Century A.D.
Gita’s definition of Yoga is excellence in work Gita is the
yoga of action, Karma Yoga.
Efficiency comes when you participate in life to the best
of your ability and leave the consequences to larger
reality
Learn to overcome our intellectual, over rational and
egoistic tendencies
Learning not to interfere with the larger process but
surrender to it

5. Vedas
Compiled between 6000 B.C to 1000 B.C
These are the ancient scriptures of the Indian
tradition
The root word Vid means to know and Veda
means knowledge
There are 4 Vedas and their origin is divine
revelations to seers (Rishis)
Four Vedas are Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama
Veda and Atharva Veda
Vedas are more of verses and hymns

6. Hatha Yoga Pradipika
Classical Sanskrit manual on Hatha Yoga written by Swami
Svatmarama (disciple of Swami Gorakhnath)
Oldest surviving text on Hatha Yoga
Written in 15th Century CE
The work is derived from older Sanskrit texts and Swami
Svatmarama’s own yogic experience
The book includes information on asans, pranayama, chakras,
kundalini, bandhas, kriyas, shakti, nadis and mudras among other
topics
The book is dedicated to Lord Adinatha, a name for Lord Shiva,
who is believed to have imparted the secret of Hatha Yoga to his
divine consort Parvati

7. Importance of Ancient Writings
They provide us guidance, a path to follow
They helpus to come out of our sufferings
They tell us about human behaviour and tell us how to
live a better life
Patanjali had written years back which is still very valid
and useful in our daily lives

8. Samkhya, Yoga, Vedas & Upanishads…
All the above philosophies believe in dualistic concept of Prakriti
and Purush
Aim of all the philosophies is the same that is liberation, only
approach may be different
Vedas are more about rituals
Upanishads are more involved in intellectualization and
symbolization (Ramayan & Mahabharat)
Yoga philosophy has been derived from Samkhya
Concept of Ishwara is present in yoga philosophy but not in
Samkhya

9. Paramhamsa Madhavdasji
Was born in 1798 to Mukhopadhyaya family in Bengal in a small
village near Shantipur
Keen and observant, he exhibited unusual talent in the study of
languages and acquired fair knowledge if Sanskrit, Bengali and
English
At the age of just 20 he was orphaned
At the tender age of 23 he left his home in search of higher
pursuits
He then entered the path of devotion specially influenced by the
new school of gauranga
He made efforts to learn different traditions

10. Paramhamsa Madhavdasji
Went around Assam, Tibet, Himalayas and various other places in
India and got an opportunity to get first hand knowledge of
technical Yoga
The various achievements, super natural powers and siddhis that
he acquired during this long period of 60-70 years only made him
more humble
He had this constant feeling that he was a servant of God and
what belonged to him was for distribution to all
Social service was his motto

11. Madhavdasji’s contribution to yoga…
He imbibed the spirit of practical yoga and passed on some very
simple hatha yoga techniques to the needy
He passed on much of Hatha Yoga Technology to Shri Yogendraji
with the wish that they were made available to the people
He only taught these techniques to founder so that he could teach
and pass on the yogic knowledge to others
He did not teach too many people and was selective in passing on
yogic information, to avoid misuse and commercial exploitation

12. Shri Yogendraji…
Shri Yogendraji (Manibhai haribhai Desai) was born on November
18, 1987 to a village school teacher at Degam, Surat
His father played an important role in making founder rational
about superstition & religious rituals
He was never drawn to observe any ritual custom
His father was posted to different villages, isolated towns etc
which gave him vast experience of rustic people and places
constant unsettled career imbibed in him a feeling of self reliance
and independence
He learnt to adapt himself to new situations and make do with
whatever was available

13. Shri Yogendraji…
He view with disdain the various caste systems, child marraiges
and other disturbing practises
He suffered from very poor health at a young age: almost had a
near death experience when he was down with typhoid
But he recovered and then decided to have a healthy body
He then built a strong body with an athletic physique: he was a
very good wrestler!
Once while he was wrestling with someone the other person was
so badly ijured that he died the next day
He then realized that too much of power used is no good and
decided never to fight again

14. Shri Yogendraji…
Apart from this he was also a very good scholar
He was bright, diligent, studious, and responsible
He went to Bombay to appear for ICS exams and study but his
mind was not at peace that’s when he met Madhavdasji and his
life changed
After this he dedicated his life to yoga
His mission was to make the common aware of yoga and he put
his heart and soul to it
He wrote many good books on yoga
He simplified yogic techniques for the common man and
householders