International Yoga Day - 21 June
abracad, · Categories: externally authored, yogaBy Lt Col R K Langar
The word yoga has assumed worldwide significance after UN declaration that Jun 21 shall be celebrated as International Yoga Day. Yoga, which has a spiritual connotation originated from India and has now travelled to the West and other parts of the world. The West is using yoga in many of its physical activities only whether it is weight reduction or other wellness activities. In India also many people consider yoga as a physical fitness industry and as alternative medicine. I often hear people saying ‘ I am doing yoga’ and by doing so I have been able to get rid of my physical pains. People generally equate yoga with wellness activities which include Asnas and Pranayam to some extent. Such understanding of yoga, which is limited to body fitness technique, is not what yoga is in the true sense.
What exactly is Yoga
Yoga in the real sense is neither a body fitness activity nor an alternative medicine or a set of physical exercises which removes body pains. Yoga literally means to join. Yoga is a spiritual discipline which aims at joining the individual soul or Atma, a fraction of God inside human body, with ParamAtma, Supreme self, Brahman, the unmanifested God without a second. This is based on the teachings of Bhagavad Gita where Lord Krishna states ‘I am seated in the hearts of all’. The soul or Atma inside human beings which is covered with the impurities of mind is potentially  divine and Yoga aims at manifesting this divinity within a human body so that the mind covering the soul becomes absolutely pure and transparent enabling the Atma to manifest itself as Brahman. The impurities of mind are created due to unrighteous acts committed by man in this life or in past lives which makes a human being take repeated births in the world. The world is described in Gita as a place of sorrow where one has to face birth death, old age and disease. Yoga teaches a person to practice divine virtues so that the impurities covering the Atma are removed and the Atma which is enclosed in the human body is released to join or enter into ParamAtma. This is called Moksha or perfection which enables a person to obtain release from the cycle of birth and death.
Yoga and Bhagavad Gita
No person can understand yoga in its true sense unless one reads and understands Bhagavad Gita. Gita is a scripture of yoga and is called yoga shastra. Basically four types of yoga are described in the Gita corresponding to four types of acquired nature of or four types of mind of human beings. Karma yoga is for extrovert or outgoing mind, Gyan yoga is for a discriminative mind, Bhakti yoga is for an emotional type of persons whereas Dhyan yoga is for a contemplative mind. These four types of yoga are not exclusive but are all inclusive which are in harmony with each other. For example in Karma yoga you offer the doership and fruit of your actions to Supreme which purifies the mind and removes selfishness from it to make the mind suitable to obtain wisdom. Bhakti yoga includes service to mankind besides devotion to God. Gita calls it as worshipping God through performance of your duties.  Gyan and Bhakti are deeply interconnected. Exclusive devotion to God is as good as knowledge of God. In the same manner Dhyan or meditation is compatible with all other three types of yoga. The clarion call of Bhagavad Gita is that man is God or TAT  TVAM ASI or THAT YOU ART. The God or Atma inside a man has three inherent qualities which are SAT, CHIT, ANAND or TRUTH, KNOWLEDGE and BLISS which a man must manifest by practicing Divine virtues given in the Gita so that these become a part of you and come out in your conduct in the world. Each of the eighteen chapters of Bhagavad Gita teaches the humanity regarding different aspects of yoga. Each chapter gives a method of developing uninterrupted communion with God which accounts for man’s inner growth or inner evolution. It is the inner growth and not the worldly status which gives a person his true identity. Thus we see that yoga is all in all an inner discipline for upgrading mind and intellect for becoming God like and has nothing to do with exercising the physical body. Of course body is the temple of God as God resides inside it and it is our duty to keep the body in a healthy and clean state by physical exercise, healthy diet and by moderate living.
The other meaning of yoga given in Bhagavad Gita are yoga is evenness of mind which means meeting pleasant and unpleasant situations of life with equanimity because whatever you face in life is as per your right and wrong doings of this life or past lives. What you face in life is accurate and your do not have to blame any one for your failures. Yoga in Gita is also described as skill in Action. It is because when you offer your actions, their doership and results to God, there is not only productive efficiency but it also causes inner evolution. Yoga also refers to a state when you are established in your own self or Atma and rejoice in such state. When you are in a state of yoga, you feel supreme delight beyond the reach of senses or outer happiness. This is when you are in constant happiness or Bliss which has no opposite like heat’s opposite is cold. When you are established in yoga you no longer fall away from the Truth. When established in yoga you feel that there is no greater gain than that. In yoga you attain equal vision, and you are not shaken by the heaviest sorrow. Yoga is also described as disconnection from union with pain. In yoga you have no worldly desire and fear. Yoga aims at oneness of all existence as same God resides in all. Yoga also aims at equality, unity and universality. Yoga aims at making a person God like by acquiring inner virtues or beauties.
Gita asks you to become a Yogi
Bhagavad Gita not only asks you to do yoga but it insists that you should also become a yogi. Yogi is one who practices yoga and acquires a state when he experiences the effects of yoga practice like becoming truthful, knowledgeable and compassionate and other divine virtues. A yogi is one who remains in a higher state of consciousness. He loves all, serves all and shares his virtues with others. Gita says that the best yogi is the one who treats the pains and pleasures of others as his own.  He  rejoices in the welfare of all and he is not troubled by any outer situation.
Conclusion
Thus we see that yoga works from mind upwards which transforms your complete self. Yoga enables you to project yourself as one complete entity which gives comfort and warmth to all those who come in your contact. Yoga is an Indian gift to the entire mankind. The true import of yoga must be communicated to the United Nations who are celebrating International yoga day on 21 June.
If yoga as interpreted and practiced by a common man is giving him some physical benefits let him continue with that but he should know and  practice yoga as explained  to make himself an elevated human being. Real yoga is upgrading your consciousness from mortality to immortality. Yoga treats all life as management be it your own or managing others. Yoga is timeless prescription of inner happiness which gives success in everyday living. Yoga makes you an inwardly pure, refined and cultured person who loves all unconditionally.
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Filed in: externally authored, yoga
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