YOGA – A CRITICAL STUDY

(SUSMITA RAI – DECEMBER 18, 2015)

(ENGLISH TRANSLATION OF MY FACEBOOK POSTINGS ON YOGA)

YOGA: A Modern Secular Superstition

Yoga is a superstition which is held with vehemence despite not being substantiated by evidence or despite with indisputable evidence to the contrary. Though mostly followed by Hindus, it has wide followers among Christians, Muslims, Sikhs and even educated people devoid of religious practices. Yoga is, in that sense, a secular superstition. Yoga is taught as part of corporate trainings and police/army trainings owing to the wide spread belief that it helps in stress management. Many political leaders advise to make it part of school syllabus to bring up the children with a healthy life style. Many Indians believe that a lot number of diseases, some extreme followers says even Cancer, AIDS, etc., can be cured or prevented from practice of Yoga. Owing to the increasing health consciousness among educated middle class in India and abroad, though they may not subscribe to all these views, diligently practice Yoga hoping to improve or at least maintain the health. Their stand is very pragmatic – you are going to lose nothing if Yoga is fake, but you may gain a lot it is genuine. Many Indian national jingoists are proud that it is an ancient tradition of our country and feel proud that it is getting attention in Western countries. Many institutes, Universities, research centre, especially in India, are doing research in Yoga. Dozens of Journals are published to print research papers on various aspects of Yoga. Hundreds of web sites, thousands of magazines, millions of followers, billions of dollar….. Finally, Indian PM Narendra Modi during his address to UN general assembly in 27^th September 2014, called for the adoption of ‘21 June’ as international Yoga day. He called their attention to the fact that June 21 is the summer solstice; the longest day in northern hemisphere of earth and hence important for Europe and North America. Subsequently on December 11, 2014; UN general assembly approved a resolution establishing June 21 as international Yoga day. Responding to this, public mass Yoga practices were observed in Rajpath (New Delhi), around Eiffel Tower (Paris-France), etc. So when I say Yoga is a superstition, at first, it is unbelievable for most of you. But, please be patient. Continue reading….

Here is the Abstract

Let me state in the very beginning itself, that I am going to prove the following my article.

1. There is no relation between Yoga and what we understood as ‘Hindu Religion’ of Indians.
2. The origin of Yoga is not so ancient, as it is commonly perceived. In fact, Yoga originated in later part of medieval India and early era of modern India.
3. The great Indian Hindu Saint of modern India ‘Swami Vivekananda’ was against Yoga.
4. Asanas of Yoga were developed in Mysore Palace in Southern India (Karnataka State) during British colonial rule; by a peculiar amalgamation of Circus and ‘Tantrik practice’.
5. Yoga cannot cure any diseases, rather it can be harmful in some cases.

Despite all these facts, Yoga will grow more and more popular in the world because it a business of billions of dollar, such as Muslim terrorism and Drug business.

Ancient Search for Enjoyment: The Origin of Spirituality

Strange, undefinable, unexplainable, emotions are generated within us while we listen to various music, reciting some poetry, reading certain novels, seeing varieties of paintings, or even when consuming alcohol or drugs. As we know with the development of modern biology, chemical reactions in body is the root cause of all emotions. These chemical reactions within human body can be stimulated by some specific stimulation of our sensory organs (hearing, seeing, smelling, touching, tasting) or by consumption of some chemicals (drugs, alcohol, other natural chemical), or even by disturbing the normal functioning of the human body (breathe control, blood circulation control, etc.). The intensity and type of emotions vary from individual to individual. From the time immemorial, human being liked to enjoy various strange psychological feelings. Obviously, our ancestors had only very few options. They invented primitive forms of paintings, music, and dance to serve the purpose. Some people in strange emotional state could create more art forms. For creation of art, for generating such emotions (inspiration), more creative, artistic and literary people among them adopted various such means. Unfortunately, or fortunately, they understood some more things – eating some plants or disturbing the normal functioning of the body such as controlling breathe too help in this aspect. In those days when our ancestors were ignorant of nature and human body, they could not differentiate what is good and what is bad for them. Some of them went in wrong directions to get the enjoyment. Aryans, an early migrator to Indian subcontinent from Central Asia, invented ‘Sura’, a kind recreational drink similar to alcohol. Interestingly, some people started believing that such strange emotional state can produce knowledge in us – enlightenment. They started meditation for psychological enjoyment and knowledge. Mysteries of nature cannot be so easily unraveled by ancient practices such as meditation; very rigorous scientific practice is the only way out. Unaware of the reasons for strange emotions in such cases, they thought it is unnatural or super natural; the concept of spirituality originates. To perform meditation, to shut off all sensory organs, they wanted to be free from all disturbances – They preferred deep forests or caves in Himalayan mountain ranges. They preferred some positions or body postures called ‘Asanas’ to keep their body comfortable during meditation. This is the origin of Pranayama, Meditation, and Asana in its primitive form during ancient period in India.

Maharishi Patanjali-Swami Vivekananda’ Traditional Hindu Tradition Vs B.K.S Iyengar’ Communal Hindu Tradition

It is Swami Vivekananda who popularized the word ‘Yoga’, in modern times, through his book Raja Yoga. Swami Vivekananda was the great defender of Hinduism in Modern India against modern renaissance culture. He was so proud of Hinduism and popularized the religion and various aspects of it through numerous literature and speech. With his vast knowledge in Hindu scriptures, he assimilated the whole concept of Yoga and illustrated it in a systematic, lucid and clear way in his book RAJAYOGA. He taught us that Yoga has 8 parts (Ashtang): Yama (It means “Non-killing, Truthfulness, Non-Stealing, Continence, and Non-receiving of any gifts”), Niyama (It means “Cleanliness, Contentment, Austerity, Study and Self-surrender to God”), Asana (It means “Posture”), Pranayama (It means “Control of Prana”), Pratyahara (It means “Restraint of senses from their objects”), Dharana (It means “Fixing the mind on a spot”), Dhyana (It means “Meditation”), and Samadhi (It means “super-consciousness). In fact, he owes, for these concepts to Classical Text book of ‘Patanjali Yoga’ believed to be written by Maharishi Patanjali, an ancient saint in India. A few ancient artifacts, seem to be portraying people in meditating postures, were excavated in India. There are rare mention of Yoga and meditation in Rig Veda and some Upanishad. But, there is no literature available on Yoga, from ancient period, except ‘Patanjali Yoga’. Buddhist and Jain literature mention largely about meditation, not about Yoga. Interestingly, even Patanjali Yoga Sutras, as old as 2000 years, devote barely three short sutras, out of total 195 sutras, to physical postures (Yoga Asana). Patanjali says, during meditation one has to be in a comfortable and in firm Asana (posture). This is the only thing Saint Patanjali mentioned about Asana. In 1896, Swami Vivekananda followed exactly this Hindu tradition in his book ‘Raja Yoga’. That means, 2000 years Yoga remained as what Patanjali told until Vivekananda. Yoga, as we know today was developed in the next 70 years after Vivekananda. In 1966, B. S. Iyengar from the South Indian state of Karnataka published a book “Light on Yoga” which introduced the world 200 Yoga Asanas! From where B.K.S Iyengar got this knowledge which was unknown to the great Hindu Scholar of Modern India like Swami Vivekananda? Was he a great scholar than Vivekananda? All the literature available now in the world on Yoga Asana is partial or complete copy or imitation or tailored or distorted version of Iyengar’s book. ‘Light on Yoga’ can be treated as Bible of ‘Modern YOGA’. 592 photographs for 200 Asanas. Only 5 photographs for remaining parts (Ashtang) of ‘Yoga’ – Bandha, Kriya, Pranayama!!! What is the source of these 200 Asanas???? It was mentioned by neither Patanjali nor Vivekananda nor in any other Vedic texts nor in Hindu holy scriptures nor in Buddha texts nor in Jain Literatures. It came from a tradition known as ‘Tantrik’ hated and discarded by Hindu spiritual leaders like Vivekananda and from Circus. But it was intentionally, crookedly linked with Sanadan Hindu tradition by Iyengar and later Hindu communalists. You can purchase Swami Vivekananda’s Raja yoga in cheap price but Iyengar’s Book cost around Rs1500. It is a business now.  

Higher Caste’ Meditation Vs Lower Caste Yoga

The prime requisite for meditation – peace of mind, comfortable environment, and more leisure time – became easily available to higher caste/class; with the class or caste division of ancient Indian society. Remaining majority people, the lower class worked hard to generate food and other resources for the whole society. Owing to destitute life style, minimum leisure time and lack of access to civil amenities, they ended up preserving and indulging in the other means for enjoyment – drugs, liquor, medicinal plants. Obviously, Spirituality got attached with the concepts such as higher characters, purity, holiness, and enlightenment. Spirituality achieved a higher status for itself in society because it was the cultural face of higher class. Buddha and Mahavir were born in Kshatriya family. They gave importance to meditation. But when Buddhism became more popular in East India, among common people, those Buddhist again got indulged in all mystical practices, not in meditation. They are known as ‘Vajrayana’. After the decline of Buddhism as a whole from Indian subcontinent and after the victory of Brahmanical Hinduism in establishing its cultural hegemony in India, the mystical secretive practices were in dormant state for long time. Again it got a new life in 13^th century India. This is known as ‘Hatha Yoga’. It is an ‘Erotic-Mystic Practice’. 13^th Century to 18^th Century is considered as the golden era of Hatha Yoga. The term “Hatha” means ‘forceful’. It is to indicate the forceful union of the internal sun (ha) and moon (tha) which symbolically indicates the goal of the system. Hatha Yoga involves forcefully controlling, even reversing the natural tendencies through the combined techniques of breath control, fixed postures, and meditation. It was attempt to reverse natural tendency of ageing and thereby winning over death. Hatha Yoga is concerned with the transmutation of the human body into a vessel immune from moral decay. Based on their philosophy and belief system, they developed many techniques, which they sincerely believed, to make them healthy and immortal. Many Yogasana postures, Pranayama, and many other secret mystic erotic practices and beliefs in present Indian society had originated from Hatha yoga legacy. Most important thing to be understood, here is that, Yogasana has developed devoid of meditation. Maharishi Patanjali, Hindu tradition and Buddha/Jains legacy meant by the term Yoga asana, as a comfortable posture suitable to each individual when he does meditation. Devoid of ‘meditation’ culture of higher caste culture; Hatha Yogis developed ‘Yoga Asana’ for winning over death, not for meditation. Taking the similarity of the word ‘Yoga’ in both Hindu tradition and ‘Hatha Yoga’ tradition; in modern times, B.K.S Iyengar linked together and claimed it as ancient Hindu culture. Hatha Yoga is the real Indian tradition of Modern Yoga. During the golden era of ‘Hatha Yoga’ higher caste Brahmins, in general looked at Hatha Yoga with disgust and they distanced from it. Attacking all the Hatha Yoga philosophy and practices meant for long life span, Swami Vivekananda wrote in his book ‘Raja yoga’ that “A Banyan tree lives sometimes 5000 years, but it is a banyan tree and nothing more. So if a man lives long, he is only a healthy animal.” Declaring that Yoga Asana has nothing to do with Hinduism, Swami Vivekananda advised his followers to be spiritual human being than healthy animals by practicing Yoga. It is, in fact, no one else but Swami Vivekananda who termed the famous phrase, ‘Yoga Asana/pranayama as nothing but Gymnastic’ in his book, Raja Yoga.

Basic Concepts of Hatha Yoga Philosophy: Macrocosm-Microcosm and Sun-Moon Dialectics

Three authentic classical text book on Hatha Yoga are ‘Hatha Yoga Pradipika’, ‘Siva Samhita’, and ‘Gheranda Samhita’. They were compiled during medieval India. The books are easily available in market for a few hundred Indian Rupees. But, for any educated person, it is a time waste to spend money and read these books full of non-sense. However, you are interested to know what our ignorant forefathers believed, when modern human anatomy and human physiology was not developed, you should read these books. More over, it is very important to understand their belief system to understand many aspects of Indian belief system. This is because many superstitions and mystic religious practices among Indian villagers have its root in these Hatha Yogis. Above all, many practices and beliefs of modern yoga make sense to you only if we understand Hatha yoga philosophy. So, I will give a brief description of Hatha Yoga philosophy. Firstly, the world view of Hatha Yoga was that whatever is present in universe is present in the human body. This ‘macrocosm – microcosm’ concept is presented by many spiritual gurus, even today, as a great philosophy. This is how Siva Samhita explains their concept of human body, ‘In this body the mount Meru, (vertebral column) is surrounded by seven islands; there are rivers, seas, mountains, fields…. There are seers and sages, in it; all the stars and planets as well. There are sacred pilgrimages, shrines, deities of the shrines. The sun and moon, agents of creation and destruction, also move inside human body. There is ether, air, water, and earth” In simple words, they believed that whatever they see outside is present within their own body in different forms. Second important concept was dialectics Moon and Sun. Moon was considered to be a drop of nectar (Amrita), shining in the heaven. Amrita is equated with divine seed (Retas – Sperm). The rain and fog is falling from nowhere else, but from this cool moon. (Now even school children know how it rains and fog forms). The ever-continuing cycle of seasons in a year and cycles of life and death were ultimately reducible to a single dynamic: an ongoing war between sun and moon. Moon is giving out Amrita, sun is drinking it off. During summer sun is high in sky than moon and with every passing day drained the fluid life (nectar received from Moon) out of all living creatures and during other season moon is higher in sky than sun and poured more moistures into the world (through the rains) than the sun was able to draw out. (Obviously, they had no understanding of solar system and distances from earth to moon and sun). The advice of Ayurveda (Ancient medical practice of India) of restraining from sexual relationship during summer and having no restriction during winter has the basis in the same wrong understanding of Universe by our ancestors. Summer is the time for death and winter is the time of life. Summer is the time ‘Retas’ will dry off, so restriction for sex. In Indian epic Mahabharata, there is a story of ‘Bhishmachar’ wounded by arrows all over his body, waiting for summer to die. The cool nectar falling from moon is absorbed by all animals, and vegetables and human being, and hence available in their body. This fluid is conceived as the support of life and of non-death for humans as well as gods. Of course it was a naïve common sense in that day, when modern science and technology was not developed, to believe that all cool and vital things are coming from moon. The words such as ‘Amritakaranan’, ‘Amritakiranan’, etc. entered in Indian languages as synonym for moon from this world view. They remain in our language as the fossils of the ancient wrong world view of our ancestors. This concept of ‘sun-moon dialectics’ is beautifully merged with their other concept of microcosm-macrocosm is Siva Samhita. It says, “In human body there is nectar-rayed moon on the top of the spinal cord with 8 kalas (in the shape of a semi-circle). This has its face downwards and rains down nectar day and night. Sun is present in the abdomen of human body where it burns food. So sun inside our body digests the Retas from the moon inside the body. Sun inside our body digest the Retas came from real moon too, when we eat food, because the Retas from real moon is preserved in our food. (No understanding of elements of food, human digestive systems, human anatomy. Of course, we cannot have higher expectations from our medieval ancestors). The concept of Shirshasana had originated from such foolishness: to save the nectar (Amrita) from burning away by sun in stomach and thereby increase our life span. The importance of Sun as the source of energy was a modern scientific understanding. It is worshiped by ancient civilization, of course. Strangely, Hatha Yogis considered, moon as source of life. Anyhow, the world view of Hatha Yogis was slowly shared by many common people of those Dark Age in India and even slowly infiltrated into Brahminical world. It is so obvious that ancient people might have such wrong understanding of Universe and human biology. Our Ancestors lived with such ideas until the origin of modern science. We can feel pity for our own ancestors. No civilization, no county in the world believe or propagate the foolishness of their ancestors. Unfortunately, Hindu communalists and other reactionary groups fervently support these blunders and propagate these ideas and advising other to believe in those ancient wisdom (!). The worst, they are physically attacking those who differ with these approach.

The world of Hatha Yoga: Shat Karma, Kriya, Asana, Mudra and Pranayama

To achieve their goal of winning over death; they had four things as part of Hatha Yoga, namely Kriya, Asana, Mudra, and Pranayama. The ‘Shat Karma’ (6 Purifications) are ‘Douthi’, ‘Vasthi’, ‘Nethi’, ‘Thradaka’, ‘Nauli’, ‘Kapalabhatti’. Nethi is cleaning of Nasal Passages with water and/or cloth. Douthi is cleaning the stomach by swallowing a long narrow strip of cloth. ‘Thradaka’ is staring at a small mark or candle until the eyes water: the purification method for eyes!! ‘Nauti’ is massaging the abdomen by forcefully moving the rectus abdominis muscle. ‘Kapalabhatti’ is repeatedly and forcefully expelling air via nose by contraction of abdominal muscles. The favourite of Indian Guru, Ramdev. Vasthi (Yogic enema) is sucking water into colon by means of an abdominal vacuum technique (Uddiyanan Bandha). Siva Samhita describes 4 Asanas – Siddhasana, Padmasana, Ugrasana, Svastikasana. Siva Samhita says, “There are 84 postures, of various modes. Out of them, four ought to be adopted, which I mention” This shows what importance even Hatha Yogis gave to ‘Yoga Asana’. The Mudras, mentioned, are ‘Mahamudra, Mahabandha, Mahavedha, Khechari, Jalandhar, Mulabandha, Viparitkarana, Uddana, Vajrondi, and Shaktichalana’. Hatha Yoga Pradipika advices Asana to be practiced for gaining steady posture, health and lightness of body. “I am going to describe certain Asanas which have been adopted by Munis like Vasistha, etc and Yogis and Yoginis like Matsyendra, etc.” He describes only 15 Asanas – Swastika asana, Gomukha asana, Virasana, Kurmasana, Kukkuta asana, Utanasana, Kurma asana, Dhanura asanan, Matsya asana, Paschima Tana asana, Mayura asana, Sava asana, Padmasana, Simhasana, and Bhadrasana. Ten mudras are mentioned by this book to annihilate old age and death – ‘Mahamudra, Mahabandha, Mahavedha, Khechari, Uddiyana Bandha, Mula Bandha, Jalandhara Bandha, Viparita Karani, Vijroli, and Sakti Chalana’. It is difficult to discuss all here in face book, so the most popular among them will be discussed in future posts. 

Hatha Yoga Purification Practices Vs Modern Medical Science

During the ancient time, with no understanding of organs of human digestive system, our ancestor thought that after sun in our stomach burns nectar in the food we eat, the remaining wastage of the food will go out via anus. Some Hatha Yogis eat shit! This disgusting practice might have come from the concept that some portion of nectar might have escaped from sun and is present in the shit. For them, food was nothing but a source of moon’s nectar. Most importantly, all waste may not go out and some may stick to stomach, so Hatha Yogis thought they need to clean stomach. No knowledge of complex digestive system and numerous digestive organs and their functions. Stomach is the first major organ of digestive system, after all complex chemical reaction taking place with hydrochloric acid and various enzymes from liver, pancreas, etc. it goes small intestine where some of the parts in food will get absorbed into our body from where it goes large intestine where some other and water get absorbed. The reaction of many bacteria and other micro-orgasm which live within body further decay the leftover in large intestine. This leftover which to be thrown out, is moved rectum. So most of disgusting waste is in the organs near rectum, which Hatha Yogis do not hesitate to eat. Again, there is nothing to clean in stomach. You may wonder seeing the photo of endoscopy of stomach: human body can clean itself. Modern doctors use endoscopy to access stomach. Even with modern medical techniques, it is not so easy to access the internal portions beyond stomach. We depend on either barium meal X-ray or Ultrasound scan of abdomen. It is not possible to safely insert foreign body beyond that. For rectum and lower parts of large intestine, we go for colonoscopy. It is out of ignorance Hath Yogis thought that they can clean the digestive system by swallowing a cotton tread. Human body is so complex and well integrated and organized which has attained its present anatomy and physiology over millions of years of evolution, by numerous trial and error by nature. Except the regular cleaning, all of us do to keep clean the external parts of our body, inserting foreign body into nose, stomach and anus can result in infection. As part of medical procedures, when modern doctors insert foreign body, extreme care is taken to prevent infection. Douthi and Uddiyanan Bandha can create infections to human body, especially the later is the most unhealthy and dangerous practice. Hatha yogis thought that each nostril in our body are separate air passages like a small air pipe which goes around the backbone and get connected near the bottom of our backbone and the other sides open to each nostrils. They called tube connected to right nostril ‘ida’ and the one connected to left nostril ‘pingala’. They tried to pour fluids such as water to one nostril and tried to take it out through the other nostril with the hope of whole body is getting cleaned. The fact is that nostril passages in human body get joined together very near behind the nose and then as a single path it goes to lungs. There are many organs and arrangements in body to filter out dust, foreign body and to make air slightly moisture. It is obvious that no additional cleaning is required than blowing off the nose to clear mucus or the normal cleaning every day people do: rest of the thing body itself will take care. Nose has got a connection with mouth near Pharynx. Inserting foreign body or fluid unless otherwise under medical supervision can sometimes even lead to death.

Bombay Demolition Man Khaimar was Demolished by Yoga

Mumbai’s former ex-deputy municipal commissioner, the famous ‘Demolition man’, G R Khaimar has succumbed to ‘Yoga mania’. An obsession with Yoga, averaging nearly 12 hours a day, has landed him in Bombay KEM hospital’s intensive care unit. He was admitted on Saturday. The first danger sign came a fortnight ago when Khaimar felt discomfort in his nose. “I went to an ENT specialist and had a minor operation. The ‘curtain’ and cartridge in my nose had been affected because of ‘Water Nethi’ and ‘Rubber Nethi’. I had developed a monstrous obsession with yoga”. He confessed. “Then last Friday, after an extensive yoga session, he asked to be taken to doctor. He feared he was about to die. I rushed him to Cooper hospital; he was shifted to KEM the following day”. Recalled his wife Ashalata. She continued, “His sodium level has dropped to a dangerously low level. He is under observation for two days”. The News was reported in 2^nd March, 2005: For details you can refer “Injuries from Yoga and Contraindications” published by IAYT (International Association of Yoga Therapists)

Viparita Karani or Shirshasana Vs Modern Science

Hatha Yoga Pradipika, says: “Sun and Moon are above the navel and below the palate respectively. Viparita Karani, is to be learnt from the Guru’s instructions… Viparita Karani increases the appetite; and therefore, one who practices it, should obtain a good supply of food. If the food be scanty, it will burn you. Place the head on the ground and the feet up into the sky, for a moment, only the first day, and increase this time daily. After six months, the wrinkles and grey hair are not seen. If you practice it daily, even for two hours, you conquer death”. As per the philosophy of Hatha Yoga, it was perfectly logical to believe that we get hungrier when we do Viparita Karani because sun in stomach will not get the nectar falling the moon in our head, and since we are preserving the nectar without getting burned by sun, we can conquer death. Now even a nursery children will not believe that we can conquer death in this way. Still many people in the world is performing it after renaming as ‘Shirshasana’. Viparita Karani and its different versions are marketed by modern Yoga Gurus as a remedy for ‘constipation, piles, Hernia, menstrual problems, fertility, etc’. Yoga Quarterly Review. T No. 3, PP 7-17, The Yoga Review, Summer 1982, 2(2): 79-87 says in “Viparita Karani Mudra: A clarification” that “The head stand has a pronounced effect on the glands and generates a much higher rate of bio-energy and deeper changes in the human personality”. These words look attractive for common people. But, not information presented what aspects of human personality, what experiment conducted and what are the measurement results. Above all what is this bio-energy in human body? Neither physicist not biologist ever heard of it. Yoga is a billion-dollar business with research centers, Journals, Reference books, Libraries, websites, in addition to Gurus. B.K.S Iyengar says in ‘Light on Yoga’, Shirshasana is ‘king of all Asanas’ and he makes wrong claim that it is mentioned in ancient Vedic texts. Purpose is to get credibility to his nonsense from Hindu religious people. It is, in fact, a distorted version of Viparita Karni developed by Hata Yogis. B.K.S Iyengar says, “Regular practice of Shirshasana makes healthy pure blood flow through the brain cells. This rejuvenates them so that thinking power increases and thought become clearer. The asana is a tonic for people whose brain tire quickly. It ensures proper blood supply to the pituitary and pineal glands in the brain. Our growth, health and vitality depend on the proper functioning of these glands”. With some basic information, he heard about some glands, and without any understanding on its functions and complex mechanisms in human body, he makes such big claims without any shame. Shirshasana was mentioned neither in Vedas, nor in any Hatha Yoga books, and totally unscientific as per our modern knowledge. Too much blood flow to brain can raise intracranial pressure (ICP), which can compress and damage delicate brain tissues leading permanent brain damage. This defect is called Hyperemia. On the other hand, too little blood flow can cause death of brain tissues due to the lack of oxygen supply. This defect is called Ischemia. Our body auto-regulate the blood flow to brain, a highly complex biological mechanism. Blood flow to brain will not slow down if we stand erect on leg or will not flow more if stand on head. It cannot be compared with a water flow in a pipe as B.K.S Iyengar thought. Anyhow, Shirshasana can cause some other damages to back bone and neck bone. Of course our Hatha Yoga ancestors, who lived many centuries earlier, were ignorant about human biology. So they believed in a wrong philosophy and sincerely practiced it. But modern Yoga gurus know the futility of all these, but they are cheating people for their own benefit. Yes, our ancestors were ignorant, but they were not frauds like modern Yoga Gurus.

‘Vajroli Mudra’ and ‘Shaktichalana’: Futile Struggle to Create ‘Nectar’ in Body

Hatha Yoga books says, “When food is digested by means of sun in stomach, it gives rise into Ahara rasa. From Ahara Rasa, one of the constituent of human body ‘Rasa Dhatus’ is produced. Blood is produced from this Rasa Dhatus. Flesh from blood and fat from flesh and bones from fat, bone marrow from bones, and finally semen from marrow. This is the sequence. During the transformation of Rasa Dhatus into semen, it continues to stay in each stage for about 5 days. Thus it is converted into semen in the course of one month” What an imagination! From these absurdities, originated the urge to preserve the semen which will take a month to form from food. The concept of restraining from sex and giving such people a high status originated and strengthened in such background. The understanding of human biology by Hatha Yogis were so shamefully inferior than Mid-school students. Their biology text books are available at cheaper prize provide more valuable information to us than these expensive classical and modern books on YOGA. Hatha Yogi believed that Semen that originated from nectar of moon should be converted back to nectar. One method is Vajroli Mudra. The idea is to mix semen from Male Yogi (male) with the essence of female body which is believed to be formed from sun. Once mixed, the nectar will be formed. The Hatha yogi after having ejaculated his semen into vagina of Female Yogi (female Yogi), he sucks back it into his own body using his penis. What a strange practice? Yogi believed that he can win over death, by doing such strange things. How our ancestor got into such a strange belief? They observed that women get pregnant after intercourse, and give life to child. Only possible explanation was semen is getting converted into nectar, the source of life. It was impossible to understand the how complex reproductive system of human being functions. Egg of the women comes from fallopian tube to Uterus, and never mixes with semen. Only one sperm cell which manage to travel whole the way could mix with egg forming foetus. Once mixed it cannot be sucked back unless modern medical procedures are used to abort. The fluid in the outer portion of the vagina has no function in giving life to foetus. We cannot criticize our ancestors, who lived centuries back, for their ignorance. But those who tries to retain these beliefs against modern knowledge, and presenting to the world it as great tradition of ancient Hindu life, or the precious ancient knowledge; are enemies of Indian modernization. Another method of converting Semen back to nectar is ‘Shaktichalana’. In every human body, the female ‘Kundalini’ serpent (Parameswari) sleeps coiled, in the place of the ‘fire of time’ (Kalagni). If we can awake and raise the kundalini that brings about the transmutation of raw semen into nectar. Muladhara is the lowest of the Chakras from which the yogi’s semen is raised along the length of the spinal cord and once reaches ‘Sahasrara Chakra’, the thousand petal lotus located inside head, semen is converted into nectar again. When allowed to flow back downwards, nectar again floods the yogi’s body with its fluid of immortality. This is done in a posture similar to ‘Padmasan’ with pressing the bottom of backbone side using ankle of foot to awaken the sleeping kundalini. What strange thoughts? Hatha Yogis struggle to awaken something which is in fact absent in his body and some of the Yogis in self-hypnotized state felt his ‘kundalini’ is awaken. ‘Shaktichalana’ is recommended as a remedy for migraine and Parkinson disease by Ramdev!! Human being had travelled a long way ahead, time had passed a lot, and humanity achieved a lot of knowledge about human physiology, anatomy, molecular biology, cell biology for the last 5 centuries after Hatha Yoga period. Are these communalist has got any sense when they are asking us to preserve and practice of Yoga? Do not they want India to progress? Or they want India to remain always in Dark Age?

‘Pranayama’ Vs Modern Science

Hatha Yoga Pradipika explains the logic of Pranayama. “As long as air is in our body, we are alive. When we die air goes out. So air is life. We should hold the breath as far as possible to retain the air, the life, inside us. The technique is Pranayama. The air entering the human nostril reaches below under spinal cord from where air, the life rises through spinal cord. But the ‘ida’, ‘pingala’ (the pathway from nostrils) and spinal cord are filled with dirt. So, the free flow of life is difficult. To drive out the impurities, to have free flow of life, and thereby to live longer…”. Shiv Samhita explains the procedure, “Let the wise practitioner close with his right thumb the right nostril (pingala) and inhale air through left nostril (ida) and hold the breath. Then let him breathe out slowly through right nostril. Then inhale through left and exhale through right”. You all know this comedy by seeing Ramdev’s TV program or from other Yoga Gurus. What a pathetic understanding on respiratory system? It was only in second half of 18^th century, from the experiments of three scientists Carl Wilhelm Scheele, Joseph Priestly, and Antoine Lavoisier, humanity came to know that there is a gas ‘Oxygen’ in air. It took again two centuries to understand the complex mechanism of oxygen in the normal functioning of human body. From the naïve knowledge that when one dies he does not breathe, Hatha yogis thought that air is life which need to flow through spinal cord for long life and we need to retain it by holding breathe as much possible. The fact is that spinal cord is neither like an air pipe as Hatha yogis thought, nor a part of respiratory system. Life is a complex biological process and death is not just an abrupt instant when air goes out of human body, as we know today from advanced biology. The air we breathe will not go to spinal cord, but lungs. Moreover, major part of air is not useful for us, only oxygen is required. Oxygen is only 20.95% of air; 78.09% is Nitrogen and remaining part is other gases. Once air enter inside human body, oxygen is absorbed and carbon dioxide is given out. The remaining part of the air and carbon dioxide should be exhaled out. We need not force air inside or hold breathe to get more oxygen, the breath sequence is auto-controlled by a complex mechanism by human body monitoring carbon-dioxide level in blood. That is why human being survived for last 200,000 years after its origin in earth without any breathe exercise. No need to spent money in ‘art of living’ to learn how to breathe or watch Ramdev program in TV. Breathing occurs naturally to us. Unfortunately, Pranayama is suggested by modern yogis as a remedy for high BP, heart block, arthritis, Cartilage, Parkinson, Paralysis, etc.!!! It started with a wrong concept of ‘Nadi’ which is in fact absent in human body and with a wrong concept of cleaning it, now Ramdev and others speak about oxygen, human body and medical remedies to fool people. Yoga philosophy thrives on financial greed of them and the ignorance of people on human anatomy.

‘Khechari-Mudra’ and ‘Jalandhara-Mudra’ Vs Modern Science

‘Khechari-Mudra’ is cutting the frenulum and freeing the tongue to bend up to eye brows. The frenulum of the tounge is cut as little as a hair thickness at a time using some sharp leaf. Cutting bit by bit regularly, over a number of years, it will be totally cut and Yogi will be able to bend his tounge to the bottom of the mouth. The purpose is to block the air flow and awaken Kundali. It also prevents Rasa falling down from head to stomach and eat it oneself without allowing sun to eat. Please do not ask me how he eats without taking it to stomach. This is very dangerous technique in which many Yogis died. Even today, during Anesthesia, it is a challenge for medical science to ensure that the patient will not die due to suffocation by his own tongue moving back and blocking the air path. Think for a moment, how dangerous the free-moving tongue of Yogi who practiced Khechari-Mudra is. It can kill him while he is sleeping. In the process of winning over death, he may embrace death at very early age. The purpose of Jalandhara – Mudra is same as Khechari-Mudra, to block the Rasa falling down from head to stomach and eat it oneself without allowing sun in stomach to eat. Yogi presses his chin to his throat forcefully. These Mudras generates very special psychological feeling. Yogis believe it is because their body is getting purified and more nectar (Amruth) is getting retained in their body or Kundali is getting awakened. So they were happy that they can live longer. Similar feeling is reported while doing Pranayama too, but these Mudras are more effective than Pranayama as per practitioners. They might have been getting similar feeling in Shakti chalana; that is why the mention of Kundalini here too. Why they were getting strange feelings as they reported? What is the source of these feelings? No, Yogis are not lying. Many scientific researches took place to analyze it. This is the result of abnormal functioning of human body when oxygen content is less in blood. The proportionately high carbon dioxide content and change in chemical reaction generate a special lightness in body and some magical feeling. Many individuals enjoy many strange feelings as I explained in earlier. But we have many sophisticated and safe methods now, the purpose served by art and literature, poems and dance, painting and architecture, to generate and enjoy strange feelings. We need to just develop an aesthetic sense to enjoy them. Alternative is the uncivilized and dangerous methods of Hatha Yogis of 15^th century.

Hatha Yogis: King makers of medieval India and their rebellion against British

It was Hatha Yoga practicing Nath Yogins were the first religious group to organize militarily in India. They became as influential and powerful as ‘Supernatural brokers of medieval India’ that they were able to make or break many kings and rulers. They were powerful even during Mughal period even within the Mughal kingdom. From the 15^th century until the early decades of 19^th century, highly organized bands of military Yogins called ‘Naga Sanyasis’ controlled the trade routes across northern India. Effectively, they were the trade route soldiers. They earned lots of money by dacoit or by collecting huge toll from passengers. Hatha Yogis maintained a secret nature and people believed that they posses supernatural and magical powers. It was believed that they abducted healthy children to increase their group size.  People looked at them with fear and devotion. Their bad time started when they came in conflict with the economic interests of British. These Yogis used to travel from North India to different parts of Bengal to visit different religious shrines. In their route, these holy men used to forcefully extract religious tax from headmen / Zamindaris/ regional landlords of villages. Hatha Yogis were so powerful that even the Zamindaris and local leaders could not challenge them. With the domination of East India Company, Zamindaris received the ‘Diwani’ or right to collect tax. Villages now has two exploiters, one is British and another is Hatha yogi. During the time of prosperity, Zamindaris could satisfy both British as well as Hatha Yogis, but not during the time of famine. This obviously brought economic interest of British Company in conflict with Holy men who is taking their share of ‘money’. When Company tried to prevent Holy men from entering the province or from collecting money, fierce clashes often ensued. After the infamous Bengal famine in 1770, villagers were not able to pay tax. Angry British put 150 saints to death in 1771. This lead to violence in Natore district (Presently located in Bangladesh) known famously as ‘Sanyasi Rebellion’ against British rule. Sanyasi rebellion was made living memory in Bengal by the great Bengali Writer Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay (1838 – 1894) through his novel ‘Anandamath’. The song ‘Vande Mataram’ which is part of this novel, later became the Indian National Anthem.

Hatha Yogis: Transformation from ‘Means of Winning over Death’ to ‘Means of Livelihood’

After suppressing the Sanyasi Rebellion, British rule took some proactive measurements to avoid future troubles. In 1773 Warren Hastings, first Governor – General of Bengal enforced a ban on wandering Shaiva Yogis in Bengal. With the expansion of British power in India, from 19^th century onwards, there occurred an uncompromising clampdown on these ascetic trade soldiers, the Hatha Yogis, by British power. Yogis were increasingly demilitarized, their weapons were captured, and forced to settle in cities and villages. It became an offence to wander naked or carry a weapon under British Law. They lost their old social status and economic/political power in kingdoms of medieval era. Later William Bentinck abolished another disgusting practice of Medieval India – Sati. He even tried suppressing polygamy, child marriage, etc. with the support of ‘Maker of Modern India’ Raja Ram Mohan Roy. The Yogis who were once rich being the soldiers of trade route, became pauperized to the extent that for the livelihood, large number of them were forced into lives of ‘Yogic showman ship’. This sudden decline of their glory and pauperization had various impact on different Hatha Yogis. In 1897, Yogi Bava Lachman Dass arrived in London to perform his 48 postures at a sideshow of London’s Westminster Aquarium. This was the first demonstration abroad of postural manipulation conceived as Yoga. The ‘Hatha Yoga’ practiced by them to win over death was used as a spectacle for entertainment of people by the same Yogis for food, to earn livelihood. Passing Londoners are heard to speculate that instead of meditating Lachman Dass spend his evenings counting his earnings. Yoga was turned into a contortion for cash. Yogi, until then feared by and believed to have super powers by others in India and Britain, were turned in people’s eye into street beggars showing postures to entertain others and earn money. Europeans were already familiar with public show of such postures by different groups from their own country for contortion of money. Professional contortionists used to perform at fairs and in the royal courts. Famous posture masters such as Englishman Joseph Clarke and the employees of Master Faux had been entertaining British and European audience for hundreds of years. Yoga became a matter or fun and Yogis were ridiculed in Britain. Under these circumstances, Swami Vivekananda came forward to protect the image of Hindu religion. He criticised ‘Yoga Practice’ and declared to the world that Hindu religion has nothing to do with ‘Yoga’.

Yoga as an inferior expression of Circus tricks

Trick riders, acrobats, clowns, trained animals, and other familiar components of the circus have existed throughout recorded history. However, it was only in 1768, that Philip Astley stages the first modern circus in London riding a horse, in a ring called ‘Astley’s Amphitheatre’, at high speed with only one foot on top of the horse’s head. He established 18 circus companies across Europe. In 1782, his competitors established ‘Royal Circus’. John Bill Ricketts opened first American circus in 1792 first in Philadelphia and later in New York and Boston. By 1820, many circus companies originated with larger tents travelling throughout villages, cities, and towns of Europe. In 1859, Jules Leotard performed the first ‘flying trapeze’ act in Paris. This is a popular component of modern circus even today. Barnum & Bailey was a biggest circus company of the time with hundreds of tents and an army of workers and performers. By the time in 1897 when Yogi Bava Lachman Das reached London, circus already became popular stage show in Western countries. Yogi’s postures were, no doubt, shamefully inferior to the superior performance of European circus men already familiar in western world. This is the reason Westerners started looking down at Yogis. Puttaparthi Satyasai Baba, the famous Godman from South India used to bless his rich and famous devotees with gold chains created from nothing, just by waving his hand. P.C Sarkar, the great magician of India, is an atheist. He could vanish running train in 1992 and vanish the one of the wonders of the world, Tajmahal, in November 2000. It was reported that, once, he said, “I do not comment on Sai baba whether he is God or not: you decide it yourself. But, I can say, Satyasai Baba is an ill trained magician and a poor performer than many street magicians in India”. This is the same feeling many British had when they saw Bava Lacchan’s show when they compared it with professional circus performers. This is the time of origin of series of oriental studies, promoted by the need of colonial administration, to better understand the land they ruled. Until then Westerners were unaware of the Yoga practices, Sanskrit scriptures, Indian culture and society. Many of them believed that India is a ‘spiritual country’ and Yogis have many mystical and supernatural powers. For westerners “India was a place of romance, exotic beings, haunting memories and landscapes, remarkable experiences…. Land of snake charmers and tight rope walkers, of pagan worshippers and naked mystic saints.…. Maharajas and their opulent lifestyles, colorful festivals” Many Indian leaders such as Subhas Chandra Bose struggled to dispel these misunderstanding about India and to provide a materialistic realistic understanding of Indian history and culture through their books. Such attempts of Indian national leaders and Oriental studies of Western Scholars, exposed the Indian reality to world, but unfortunately, the information remained mostly among scholars and administrators. Many common westerners still believe that Yogis has many mystical powers. Unfortunately, many educated but superstitious middle class born and brought up in Indian cities, too believe so. This wrong impression about India among Westerners is the root cause of heavy demand of Indian Yoga Gurus in America and Europe, and many modern Indian cities.

Anti-colonial movements and ‘Body building’ movement

If early and mid 19^th century was the era of circus when most of the modern circus techniques developed, end of 19^th century and the beginning of 20^th century was the era of physical exercise. Eugen Sandow (1867-1925), the Prussian pioneering body builder, is known as the “Father of modern body building’. The mood associated with that era was for physical culture. Sandow was a cultural icon of the era. Safety Pins to Soft drinks were marketed with his pictures. An unprecedented enthusiasm for athletic and gymnastic disciplines swept Britain and Europe during this period in history. It was also the era of colonialism in world history. Colonial people including Indians were pictured in Imperialist narrative as ‘colonial people are inferior to Europeans’. Baden Powell, the founder of International Scout movement, considered the task of them as “developing the bodies, the character and the souls of an otherwise feeble people of colonies”. Mahatma Gandhi, the father of Indian nation was an orthodox ardent Hindu believer following all customs and traditions of higher caste Hindus. He narrates his experience of eating meat, when someone told him that Indians are physically inferior because they are vegetarians and British are strong because they are non-vegetarians. This shows the extent of influence of colonial narrative in generating inferiority complex among colonial people.  During his travel throughout the world, to popularize his body building techniques and exercise methods; Sandow arrived in India too. His promise, of stronger and handsome body than Europeans by practicing his methods and using his tools, attracted young Indians concerned about their inferior physique compared to Europeans. Sandow’ body building methods were transformed into tools for Indian independence. It could be used both as a symbolic rebuttal of colonial degeneracy narratives and at times an underpinning for violent, forcible resistance. Gymnasiums (‘Akhada’) started mushrooming in India. It is a well known fact that, in those days, Gymnasiums were meeting ground of many revolutionary groups such as ‘Anushilan Samiti’ and ‘Jugantar’ in Bengal. Sandow became the cultural icon of Indian youth and his methods became the ‘Mantra of liberation’. One of the blind practitioners of Eugen Sandow from Pune (Maharashtra), later, developed the famous Suryanamaskar.

Origin of Suryanamaskar

The Indian wrestler Ghulam Muhammad (1882-1963) was born in Amritsar, Punjab. After defeating most of the then famous Indian wrestlers, he sailed to England accompanied by his younger brother Imam Bukhsh to compete with the Western wrestlers. In London, Gama made a challenge that he could throw any three wrestlers of any weight class in thirty minutes. There, he defeated all of western wrestlers who competed with him. He was declared winner and awarded with ‘John Bull Belt’. The famous American born martial artist, Bruce Lee became his follower. By then, Ghulam Muhammad became ‘Gama the great’ for Indians and a heroic symbol of the Indian freedom struggle. An era of Phahalwan (wrestler) started in India. Pratinidhi Pant, the King of Aundh (A princely state in British India in Pune, Maharashtra) was a Phahalwan. In 1897, he purchased all apparatus and books of Sandow. For 10 years, he practiced regularly and continuously according to Sandow’s instructions. Indian National Congress Leader, Bal Gangadhar Tilak (1856-1920) was an avid supporter of physical culture. He was from a Chitpawan Brahmin family of Ratnagiri, just 300km from Aundh. Tilak influenced Pratinidhi Pant to develop simple exercise which can be practiced by common people without the help of costly equipment in Gymnasium. With many trial and errors, finally Pratinidhi Pant was successful in developing a simple exercise system, which was named ‘Suryanamaskar’, meaning worship of sun. However, it has nothing to do with Sun or worship of sun. (Reference: Manuals of Suryanamaskar method: Pant). In modern time, some religious flavor was added to Suryanamaskar. Hindu communalists started propagating that Suryanamaskar was originated during Vedic times and is an inherent part of Hindu tradition. Once religious flavor developed around an exercise, non-Hindus too believed that Suryanamaskar is a Hindu religious practice and performing it is against their own religion. In June, 2015 BJP MP (Gorakhpur), Yogi Adityanath said that Surya Namaskar is a salutation of sun and it purifies the mind; whoever is against Suryanamaskar should drown them in ocean or live in a darkened room for the rest of their life or should leave Hindustan. All India Muslim personal board responded that they will launch a national wide campaign against making such Hindu religious practices compulsory in educational institutions. Unfortunately, Indian society had communally polarized after the political emergence of Hindu fascism. Suryanamaskar is neither mentioned in Veda, nor a part of Hindu tradition, nor a part of even Hatha Yoga tradition. It was developed by neither a Hindu Saint, nor a spiritual guru, nor a national leader, but a Phahalwan (wrestler). One group says they will not perform it because it is against their Islam. Another group says it must compulsory be practiced by all Indians and if you will not perform you are anti-Indian. Suryanamaskar is nothing but a simple exercise; if you like it you please do it, but do not fool yourself that you are worshiping a Hindu God, and please do not force others to do. If you do not like, you don’t do, but do not tell it is Hindu religious practice and a simple exercise is against your Islam religion. All of us have to do one or other exercise. In modern times, we have developed more simple and effective exercises than Suryanamaskar.

Origin of ‘Drill System’

Pioneering Swedish physical educator Pehr Henrik Ling (1766-1839) further elaborated the system of Gymnastics exercises and maneuvers into four branches – pedagogical, medical, military, aesthetic. With Swedish government grant, he established Royal Gymnastic Central Institute for training of Gymnastic instructors in Stockholm and he became its principal. His influence in Gymnastic and modern physical culture is immense. Modern Gymnastics and physical training system, as we know now, is developed by him. Attempt to develop Gymnastics systems, free from costly tools, was going on not only in India by Pratinidhi Pant, but throughout the world. Internationally famous Gymnastic trainer of the time, Niels Bukh (1880-1950) from Denmark became successful in developing another apparatus-free gymnastic and drill routine which was introduced to India by the British and popularized by the YMCA (Yong Men’s Christian Association). (Interestingly Niels Bukh was a supporter of Hitler and backed their aim of improving the health of Aryan race through Gymnastics!!). With such developments physical education started becoming part of school curriculum. ‘Drill system’ became the standard form of instruction in physical education after the introduction of Ling Gymnastics. Ling’s physical training systems influenced military trainings also. Opening up British military service to Indians (Sepoys) and with the establishment of anglicized Schools throughout India by Christian missionaries during British period, Ling and its offshoots became extremely popular in India. The physical training approach followed by semi-fascist Hindu organisation, RSS, and the mass yoga trainings owe a lot to the ‘Drill system’ developed by Europeans. Such things have not even any remote connections with ancient or medieval Indian tradition. Meditation was an individual affair practiced in remote lonely places. Hatha Yoga was erotic-mystic practice with the goal of winning over death and was practiced secretly.   

   

Historical Background of Origin of Modern Yoga

The intention of many revolutionary minded among Indian freedom fighters were to learn Gymnastic and adopt western physical culture to become physically strong enough to fight against British (For example: Bengal Revolutionaries). This is the best, most correct, very decent, rational and above all highly civilized approach – taking good things from anywhere in the world and acknowledge the debt; but at the same time total intolerance to all injustice, even against those whom we are indebted to. Along with being proud great things in our countries; have the courage to realize and openly accept our weakness and bad things in our country, appreciate great part of even our enemy but do not allow anyone to rule over us: This is what Indian revolutionary nationalist movement taught India. This needed a lot of knowledge of our own country as well as other nation, extreme courage and above all very high maturity. Bengal had a background of renaissance, so Bengali revolutionaries could do it. Majority of the other Indians were different. Brahmins and other higher caste enjoyed higher social status and lived in a dream world that they are superior in all aspects. With British entry in Indian soil, they lost their social status, and proven without any doubt that they are shamefully inferior in knowledge, physique and many aspects in comparison with Europeans. Moreover, Imperialist narrative generated inferiority complex among colony people. Frustrated and Polluted by the inferiority complex created by British, they tried to argue that ancient Indians were superior in all aspects, created all knowledge available which is available to westerners only now, and all knowledge is available in ancient Sanskrit scripture. They tried to believe, for their mental comfort, that it is only our duty to understand Sanskrit texts and interpret them appropriately to get the correct meaning and become more knowledgeable and powerful than British. Remember the motto of Swami Dayanada Saraswathy, “Go back to Vedas”. This immature, foolish, dangerous, harmful, anti-national approach is called reactionary nationalist tendency. This is walking back from renaissance legacy inaugurated by Raja Ram Mohan Roy. If Renaissance was successful in India, it would have modernized India with the widespread of scientific attitude among people, just as the case with Europe. It is the renaissance culture which gave birth to Bengal revolutionaries. Reactionary nationalist tendency is diametrically opposite to revolutionary nationalist tendency, and the fight between them is still going on in Indian soil. Modern Yoga started originating in this background. Search for ancient knowledge inspired people like Shri Yogendra to revive Hatha Yoga. Some others such as Swami Kuvailanada conducted even research with the hope to prove Hatha Yoga is superior. Frustrated of finding nothing in Sanskrit tradition, some tricky people among them such as Krishnamacharya tried to give some Sanskrit names to modern Gymnastic/exercise techniques and circus postures and claimed that it is Indian tradition. Unfortunately, they got more followers. Later B.K.S Iyengar compiled all these developments in the form of a Book “Light on Yoga” and claimed for the first time that Yogasana had vast medical curative potential. He introduced Yogasana for the first time as an alternate medical practice. Business minded Indians in independent India found great money making potential in this medical claim and made Yoga a commodity in market.

The ‘Tasvir’ of Guru Jummadada

While Hatha Yoga was practiced mainly in UP, Bihar, Bengal region; the epicenter of development of modern Yoga was in Maharashtra- Saurashtra region. I have already mentioned about the Pratinidhi Pant (Pune, Maharashtra) who developed Suryanamaskar. Guru Jummadada (1784-1904) was born in a Muslim family and was separated from his family in his childhood. He was adopted by the ‘Rajamata’ of Baroda kingdom. In that golden age of Indian wrestling and martial art, Baroda state was at forefront in patronizing it. Jummadada had a good physique and hence along with studying Gita and Sanskrit scriptures in palace, he attended Akhada. Very soon he mastered sword, dagger, lance fighting and became a famous wrestler. After re-union with own his brother and mother from whom he separated at childhood, Jummadada started his own Akhada in 1853. He never allowed to take his photograph (Tasvir). Before passing away at the age of 100, he gave his disciples the advice, “Propagate the movement of physical education in entire Hindustan. No household should remain without physical workout. This is my ‘Tasvir’”. His most favorite and able disciple, Manikrao decided to fulfill the wishes of his Guru.

Professor Manikrao: Indian National Physical Culture Reformist

Manikrao (1878-1954), born in a warrior family under the princely state of Gaekward. He started learning at the age of 8 itself under Jummadada. After the death of his Guru, Manikrao renamed the Akhada as “Shree Jummadada Vyayam Mandir”. He devoted his entire life towards building physical fitness of the youth through his innovative approaches. He revolutionized the approach of teaching the Martial Arts through group exercises (Drill System). This approach was until then unknown and was so innovative approach. This made physical education more presentable and acceptable to masses. He preached that it was essential to build an army of strong bodied soldiers to wrest our freedom and to keep it up. People from well-to-do families and Brahmins used to look down art, literature, dance, physical education, wrestling, medical practices, etc. as inferior activities. In fact, while Brahmins and Hindu religion kept India in dark age; the great culture and real knowledge in Indian soil is kept alive by lower and middle caste people after the decline of Indus valley civilization. The efforts of Manikrao started giving fruits slowly, many higher caste people and well-to-do families started sending their children to his Akhada. Converting the name of Akhada as “Shree Jummadada Vyayam Mandir” helped: It is a temple of exercise. To popularize the system, he started giving Sanskrit names to exercises and physical education systems. Drill system is named as ‘Sangha Vyayam’. He introduced many Hindi\Sanskrit words for command (Aganya Shabda) during physical training. Making physical culture acceptable to the higher castes, who rule Indian society even now, can be considered as a great contribution of Manikrao. In 1911, he published a book, “Bodhak Patra” wherein he gave names of various Indian exercises –  Kusti, Lakdi, Lathi, Santola, Lazim, farigatka, Talwar, Bhala, Patta, firang. In 1915, he started ‘Kanya Arogya Mandir’, an exercise teaching institution for females. With the advice of Baroda king, he started a museum of weapons. He conducted an elaborate study on weapons used in India and published the authentic book on Indian weapon “Shree Pratap Shastrangar”. Excited by his knowledge, Bal Gangadhar Tilak called him ‘professor’ in 1906. To popularize the physical education among masses, he started short-term courses in 1921. He wrote articles in Mahatma Gandhi’s Guajarati newspaper emphasizing upon the importance of physical education. He wrote books in Hindi and Marathi describing various Indian exercises. At the age of 76 when he was dying, by the time, as a valuable and obedient disciple, he had already fulfilled the dreams of his Guru Jummadada to the extent possible for him. He carried the ‘Tasvir’ of his Muslim Guru to Indian society: Thereby Professor Manikrao became the national physical culture reformist. His Disciple, Gune worked on physical education committees for Bombay government in 1927-1937, devising mass Yogic exercises schemes that were subsequently used in schools.

Gune: Father of scientific (?) research in Yoga

Born in a ‘Karhade Brahmin’ family in Dhaboi in Gujarat, Gune was influenced by Nationalist extremists such as Aurobindo Ghosh and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, in his early years. Later 1907-1910 he was trained in combat techniques and gymnastics by Raja Manikrao. In 1919, he came in contact with a Bengali Yogi, Sriram Paramahamsa Madhavadasji Maharaj, who settled in Baroda. Remember, Bengal had a tradition of Hatha Yoga. Just like common people were puzzled at the techniques of ‘Hatha Yogis’ in medieval India, Gune was Puzzled by the magical powers (!) of this Bengali Yogi and made his goal as ‘discovering the scientific basis behind Yoga’. He set 3 goals for himself. (1) Prepare the young generation for the service of the country. (2) Master the Indian system of physical education and integrate it with general education. The Physical education in those days were Swedish system (3) Bring together science and spirituality by coordinating the spiritual aspects of Yoga with modern science of Yoga. He investigated the effects of some of the Yogic practices on the human body with the help of some of his students in a laboratory at Baroda Hospital. In 1924, Kuvalayananda founded the Kaivalyadhama Health and Yoga Research Center in Lonavla (Maharashtra) in order to provide a laboratory for his scientific study of Yoga. Gune started ‘Yoga Mimamsa’, the first ‘scientific journal’ (?) for publishing their investigation into yoga techniques, such as the effect of Asana, Shat karma, Bandhas, Pranayama on humans being. These publications and subsequent propaganda attracted some Western researchers such as Dr. Josephine Rathbone (Professor of health and Physical Education, Columbia University), K.T. Behanan (Doctoral candidate, Yale University), Wenger (Physicians, California University), Bagchi (Michigan University) who visited Gune’s institutes. Business had grown quickly. Ishvardas Chunnilal Yogic Health Center at Mumbai was opened for prevention and cure of various diseases through Yoga. Kaivalyadhama Shriman Madhava Yoga Mandir Samiti at Lonavla was founded to pursue scientific and literary research in Yoga. Srimati Amolak Devi Tirathram Gupta Yogic Hospital was opened for the treatment of chronic functional disorders with the help of Yogic techniques. The Gordhandas Seksaria College of Yoga and Cultural Synthesis was established in 1951 at Lonavla to prepare young people spiritually and intellectually for selfless service to humanity!!! Gune was a tireless worker and successful fund raiser. Between 1924-1947, he made his work known to nationalist leaders. Jawaharlal Nehru visited his institute. With this way Gune got national acceptance for postural yoga.  

Yogendra Desai: Partial Revival of Hatha Yoga

Manibhai Haribhai Desai (1897-1989), popularly known as Yogendra was born in Surat (Gujarat). He was the pioneer of another trend during this period of formation of Yogasana – The revival of Hatha Yoga. He was kidnapped by dreaded ‘Kanphatas’, in his childhood, but somehow got saved. ‘Kanphatas’ are a Saiva sect of Tantric Hatha yogis. This incident made deep impact in his life. He tried to distance himself from religious life and got associated with renaissance culture during his college life Bombay. However, in 1919, his roommate introduced him famous Hatha yogi Paramahamsa Madhavadasji, the same person who influenced Swami Kuvalayananda (Gune). Story is same here too. Manibhai was mesmerized by the magical powers of Madhavadasji. He started practicing Hatha Yoga. He started teaching Yoga to people in a residence offered by Indian National Congress Leader Dadabhai Naoroji at Versova beach (Bombay). He published a book “The lost science of 5000 years ago” on Yoga. As I explained earlier, the mood in India in those days of British rule was suitable for all kinds of illogical and anti-historical claims. Everyone was looking for something to be proud of our nation and unfortunately 2000 years of Brahmanical caste oriented Hindu system had given us nothing worth. Even many leaders of Indian national congress were supporting and even pioneering such trends of cooking up wrong stories and making false claims. A lot of maturity was needed as exemplified by national leaders such as Bhagat Singh, Subhash Chandra Bose, and Jawaharlal Nehru, to be truthful to even oneself to understand the world rationally and scientifically. Yogendra conducted research on ‘Pranayama’. He took a tour around USA and delivered lectures on Yoga and performed X-ray investigations of exercises to give a feeling of something so precious about Yogasana. Soon he established Yoga institute in New York. Later he took a tour throughout India delivering lectures on Yoga. However, the bad memories of his childhood – kidnapped by Hatha Yogis – hunted his peace of mind always. Hence, instead of reviving Hatha Yoga, in fact, he tried to modify and simplify Hatha Yoga taking only selective postures and techniques comprehensible to ordinary people. A major step in this direction was the book “Simple Poses for a Women” written by his wife Sita Devi. These were the real contribution towards the formation of Modern Yoga. He started a magazine, “Yoga” and prepared Cyclopedia Yoga. He established a Yoga institute in Santa Cruz, Bombay.

K V Iyer: A Great Gymnast with Scientific Attitude  

The final stage of formation – consolidation and compilation – took place not in Maharashtra-Saurashtra region, but in Karnataka. This task was accomplished by Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, B.K.S Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois. They learned and copied a lot from a famous Gymanast of the time K. V. Iyer. But, they never gave due recognition to K V Iyer. They claimed that their knowledge is from Ancient Sanskrit literatures which was unknown to even Swami Vivekananda. So, let us discuss about that not so known Gymnast K.V. Iyer (1897-1980). He was born in a traditional Brahmin family of Kolar (Karnataka). Owing to his poverty, after completing his primary school studies, he had migrated to Bangalore for work. In Bangalore, he got attracted to bodybuilding practice and joined a gymnasium. In 1925 he started his own Gymnasium. His business grew to the extent that he could train 25,000 students, offer hostel facility to students from outside, offered postal tuitions in India and abroad. In 1929, with the advice of Kannada writer and geologist T.P.Kailasam, he started learning modern medical science, anatomy, and physiology. This helped him to conceive physical culture as a modern cosmetic model. Rather, Hatha Yogis presented their technique as conquest of death. His knowledge in modern medical science and physiology got him the job as personal physician of Maharaja of Mysore. He built his residency in the heart of Bangalore city. With Maharaja’s support, he started a new branch of his Gymnasium in Mysore palace. By 1930, he could develop contact with world famous body builders of his time – Eugene Sandow, John Grimet, Monrow Brown, Sigmund Klein, Anthony Sansone, George F Jowett, etc. This helped to get his photos published in many health and muscle building magazines – Superman, Health and Strength, America’s physical culture and strength, etc. He actively supported and organized many inter-caste marriages and widow remarriages. In fact, the marriage of Sadashivam Iyer and the famous Carnatic vocalist and M.S Subbalakshmi from Devadasi family was performed by him. He was very close to Pandit Ravi Shankar and Pandit Ali Akbar Khan. In 1934, he wrote a book on Suryanamaskar developed by Pratinidhi Pant analyzing the physical benefit of that exercise. With the knowledge available to him in those days, he tried to analyze the muscle anatomy, chemical composition of muscle, physical and chemical changes in muscle during exercise in his book, “Chemical changes in physical exercise”. His masterpiece was the book “Physique and figure” which explains exercises with a lot of photographs. With his knowledge of human physiology and modern medical science he could also explain various problem of doing different exercises and give precautionary measures to be taken while doing various exercises. It was K.V. Iyer who started the trend of taking photos of muscle men doing various exercises for his albums and books. One of very interesting book by him is “Muscle cult a problem to my system”. Though K.V Iyer was not totally free from many limitations of his time and social surrounding he lived in, his such approaches were very much scientific.

Scientific Approach to Physical Exercise and Modern Yogasana

Modern Gymnasium, exercise systems and physical culture developed in the same path followed by K V Iyer. Exercises will have both good and bad effects. Exercises were carefully studied and precautionary measures were taken to minimize the bad impacts. Based on such studies and practical experience, many exercises were modified or discarded in time. When new exercises, having fewer side effects, were developed, many old exercises were discarded. They will have only historical importance. We get information of such discarded and forgotten exercises only from the books published in that era. But if any religious belief gets associated with anything, the fossils will be preserved and practiced in day to day life with vehemence and blindness. This is because religion is blind, illogical, and thrives on ignorance – religion tries to maintain status co. Science is open, logical and thrives on facts and figures – Science changes and makes itself perfect with new knowledge. Modern Yogis never even imagine that many of the Yogasana that they advise have many side effects and are discarded long ago by modern physical culture profession with the development of more simple, efficient exercises with comparatively less side effects.

Historical Background of Formation of Modern Yogasana

By 1857, large part of Indian subcontinent came under British rule. However, some small pockets of areas spreading throughout the land were still ruled by local kings upon which British had to still achieve final political victory. Most important outcome of Independence movement in 1857 was that political rights over India was transformed from East India company to British Parliament. They decided to stop annexation of these left over areas and to maintain status. The result was that while a major portion of India was under direct British rule, many pockets in India remained politically free. They were called princely states. It may be surprising to many Indians that almost half of India was under princely state rule (40%). A lot was discussed about British India, but very less is known about these princely states. Though the historians have done enough research and sufficient information is available about princely state, the history taught in school and colleges confines to history of British India and does not cover the history of princely state. In British India part, the control was in the hands of a modern democratic country (Britain) where the culture of modernism and renaissance was alive. Despite all limitations of a colonial rule by an imperialist country, British India was benefited with the introduction of many modern progressive ideas such as nationalism, secularism, socialism, liberty, equal opportunity for different caste and religion. The British India became the epicentre of national movement and the formation of Indian Nationalism. Rather, the control of princely states was in the hands of local kings who still lived with their old feudal values and religious ideas and caste psychology. They were against modernism and nationalism. Despite all attempts by Indian national leaders to bring them along the path of Indian nationalism and freedom movement, princely remained against mostly against freedom movements and wished British to remain in India forever. They were afraid of losing their traditional power once freedom movement will be successful and India will become an independent country. Princely states became the epi-centre of British support and communalism. For Muslim princely state, Hindus were bigger enemies than British, and for Hindu princely state Muslims were bigger enemies than British. Hyderabad, Patiala, Kashmir, Travancore, and Mysore were some important princely states. After the victory of freedom movement, their anti-national dreams were mercilessly crushed by the iron hand of Valla Bhai Pater. It is an interesting observation that Until 1980s, most of Hindu and Muslim communal leaders were from these ex-king families. When British India was filled with national feelings and was burning in anger against British rule and dreaming of modern developed India; Princely states were busy giving new life to medieval degraded culture. So many superstitions in India that we may think to have originated in ancient time were, in fact, took birth during these historical period in these princely states. Different logics and arguments in favour of Hindu religion and Hindu superstitions which we hear today during debates in TV show and other time, were manufactured in princely state in those days as an anti-thesis to the culture of Indian national leaders were dreaming for. The purpose was to defame and belittle the modern secular nationalist culture – Equality to all linguistic sub-national ethnic religious minorities, the concept of reservation as positive discrimination for the upliftment of lower caste, etc. These reactionary thinking and practice slowly spread to other parts of the country. Just like other anti-thesis were manufactured – Hindu nationalism against Indian nationalism, Hinduism against Secularism – Yoga was manufactured against National Physical Culture. This important historical event took place in Mysore Princely state under the supervision of palace royals.

Transformation of Indian National Physical Culture Movement to Modern Superstition, Yogasana.

Hindu religion had stagnated the development of ancient Indian Astronomy, Ayurveda, Metallurgy, Mathematics, etc. by converting it into a religious aspect and mixing it with all superstitions and religious dogmas. That knowledge became static and reluctant to changes and antagonistic with new knowledge and inventions. Same destiny waited for Indian National Physical culture movement. Developers of Modern Yoga – Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, B.K.S Iyengar and Pattabhi Jois, etc. – copied techniques of modern Gymnastic and physical culture; and then provided them some Sanskrit names which they themselves invented; and mixed it with some techniques of Hatha yoga; and above all, they claimed that all these knowledge, they got from ancient Sanskrit scriptures. They, even, made superior claims for their Yogasana – ‘medicine for many diseases’ – which even the gymnastics who really developed them never imagined even in their wild dreams. Remember, K V Iyer, from whom these people had stolen their knowledge, had conceive physical culture only as a modern cosmetic model. A Brahmin wing in Mysore palace achieved this task of transforming modern Indian physical culture movement into Yogasana giving Sanskrit names and mixing it with Hatha yoga and making unscientific claims. That was the end of a great ‘Indian national physical culture movement’ starting with Bengal revolutionaries, promoted by Indian national leaders, and developed by Gama the great, Pratinidhi Pant, Guru Jummadada, Professor Manikrao, K.V. Iyer and others. In places of Indian physical culture, a modern superstition originated – Yogasana.

Tirumala Krishnamacharya: The Master Brain behind the Formation of Modern Yoga

Mysore king Krishnaraja Wadiyar (1884-1940) was very much interested to make India’s own physical culture, a kind of physical exercise which we can be called purely Indian. He appointed Prof M V Krishna Rao for this purpose. In the beginning, the Yoga centres were established for the physical training of young princess of royal family. The instructor was VDS Naidu. But later king had taken another person in trust- Tirumala Krishnamacharya (1888-1987). He was born in an Iyengar Brahmin family in Chitradurga, Karnataka. He studied Sanskrit, six Indian philosophy and Ayurveda, and so on from Mysore, Patna, Bengal and Banaras.  He became famous by defeating famous scholar Bharilal in the palace of Dakkanghat king. Tirumala Krishnamacharya can be given the credit of reviving Hatha Yoga in today’s time. To go to Himalaya by crossing border, he had to take permission from Lord Irvin. It is told that he taught Yoga to Irwin also. In 1931, in the town hall of Mysore, he gave a lecture on Upanishad which made him famous in king’s families. Soon he became trustworthy adviser of the Mysore king and got the medal of ‘intelligentsia of the palace’ in 1933. Tirumala Krishnamacharya opened his yoga centre in Jagmohan palace. Krishnamacharya travelled all over the country delivering lectures and showing of Yoga with the financial support of King. This coast was accounted in Palace revenue records as under the heading ‘for advertisement’! In those Yoga Shows, he surprised people by stopping his heart beat, stopping car with one hand, performing tough asanas, lifting heavy items with teeth and so on. There is exciting, but not surprising in these techniques because the secrets of such things were disclosed in public meetings by many rationalist groups in India such Dabolkar’ groups. Krishnamacharya learned Suryanamaskar from K V Iyer who was running his Gymnasium in the backyard of Mysore palace. Among his disciples, one A V Balasubrahmanyam told that “In 30s and 40s, Krishnamacharya felt that people have less interest in Yoga… He wanted to create enthusiasm and trust and for this to some extent he did the work of circus. He collected body postures, from different places. He started teaching many new postures because it was easy to teach those postures to more people in a drill system”.  Another disciple B K S Iyengar tells in his memoir “It was my guru’s duty to please the royals by entertaining them with Yoga postures. To achieve this, he used to his students twisting their bodies in an impressive manner and created surprise.” This was nothing but child abuse. The tradition, of showing Yoga postures one after another in a sequence, was created to please royals by Krishnamacharya. But, for Patanjali, Yogasana was only a comfortable form of sitting to do the meditation. Even Hatha Yogis in medieval era did not do Asana as a means of entertainment for kings. Krishnamacharya was exceptionally good at learning different body postures from different people he met throughout India and so many styles of gymnastic. Amalgamating different body postures, circus techniques, Gymnastic styles, Hatha Yoga techniques, and many things which no one called Yoga until then, he created modern Yoga. He had good knowledge of Ayurveda and he used to cure people with Ayurveda medicine and used to advise patients to do yoga. When the patient is cured Krishnamacharya used to give credit to Yoga.

‘Yoga Koruntha’ of Vaman Rishi: The Last but not Least Fraud of Krishnamacharya   

In 1940, after the death of Krishnaraja Wadiyar, his successor Jayachamarajendra Wadiyar (1919-1974) became king. He had no interest in Yoga. With the stopping of the royal support Krishnamacharya came in big financial crisis. It became difficult for him to feed his family. He roamed all over India and searched for his students. To defeat his competitor and to prove himself best, what Krishnamacharya created was the biggest fraud in the history of yoga. He claimed that whatever he taught in yoga is not new: It is neither made by him, rather he has learned all these techniques from an ancient Sanskrit books, named ‘Yoga Kuruntha’, written by Rishi Vaman. This book was unknown to Vivekananda and Adi Sankaracharya. Anyhow, his student and brother in law B K S Iyengar and another disciple Pattabhi started advertising this fraud.  Despite the claim about this original source of Yoga, this book was never presented to historians to decide its authenticity, not even to other Hindu Religious Gurus. The book was never seen by anybody because it did not exist. After independence, Mysore state joined with Indian Union.  The Chief Minister K C Reddy, finally, closed the Yoga Centre in Mysore Palace. Krishnamacharya moved to Chennai (India) with his family and became professor in Vivekananda Mahavidyalaya. Modern yoga which took birth in Jagmohan palace was taken care and was developed next stages to a grand Banyan tree by his eminent students – B K S Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois, Desikachar, Indra Devi, and A G Mohan.

B.K.S Iyengar: Father of Modern Yogasana 

Bellur Krishnamachar Sundararaj Iyengar (1918-2014) was born in Vaishnava Iyengar family in Kolar (Karnataka). He suffered with many diseases like malaria, Typhoid, malnutrition in his childhood and became unhealthy. After his father’s death, his brother in law invited 15-year-old B.K.S Iyengar to Mysore with the promise to improve his health through Yoga Practices. Krishnamacharya taught his Yogasana and used him along with other children to demonstrate Yoga practice demonstrations in Mysore court for royals. Relationship between Guru and Disciple was not good. Once Krishnamacharya told that the stiff, sickly teenager would not be successful at yoga. He was neglected and tasked with household works. B.K.S Iyengar told that Krishnamacharya taught him only 10-15 days in 2 years’ period. However, he was smarter than Guru. He could grasp many postures himself and could explain others clearly and precisely how to attain the posture in step by step manner. Rather Krishnamacharya taught people with very rudely sometimes instructing them not to eat until they master a certain posture. After 3-4 years of stay with Krishnamacharya, B.K.S Iyengar moved to Pune to teach Yoga. He learned many others postures from others in Pune. B.K.S Iyengar became famous when Spiritual Philosopher Jiddu Krishnamurthy started learning Yoga from him. This helped him to get friendship with famous Violinist Yehudi Menuhin. In 1956, he went to USA and started teaching Yoga and giving demonstrations. When his fame spread, he got new disciples Novelist Aldous Huxley, Actress Annette Bening, Designer Donna Karan, Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, Actress Karina Kapoor which made his much more famous. He became very popular in China too. He published his first book, ‘Light on Yoga’ in 1966, which became an international best-seller. This book is very comprehensive collecting almost all known body postures known to Gymnastics, Circus professionals, Hatha Yogis, and those mentioned in various literatures until then. He introduced 200 postures and gave very beautiful and precise Sanskrit names ending with the sound ‘Asana’. The step by step procedure to achieve each posture and very lucid explanations with nearly 600 photographs made the book popular throughout the world. For the first time, the book helped Yoga teachers as well as amateur practitioners to learn Yoga in a systematic way. Common People got the confidence that all so called ‘mystical complex difficult Yoga postures of Hatha Yogis’ and Modern Yoga Gurus can be practiced step by step, mastered by practice and can be performed by anybody. More than any critic of Yoga like me, it was B.K.S. Iyengar who Demystified Yoga. Millions of copies of the book were sold and was translated to almost 20 languages. Light on Yoga is a major mile stone in the history of Yoga and is considered as ‘Bible of Yoga’. Another important aspect of the book is that for the first time the book introduced Yoga posture as medicine for different diseases. The book very precisely listed out the set of diseases against the set of Yogasana postures that can cure the diseases. B.K.S Iyengar died in 2014 with rental and heart failure. His legacy of Yoga had most profound influence than even his teachers or colleagues, or anyone in the entire history of Yoga. In the Post-independent India, Yoga transformed as an alternate medical practice to cure diseases with Iyengar’s legacy.

A G Mohan and his Svastha Yoga

Tirumalai Krishnamacharya had some talented disciples who took his mission of Yoga forward. But each of them were of different nature and had different background; and above all had fierce competition and rivalry among themselves. Everyone elaborated some lessons they learned from Krishnamacharya’ life. Everyone claimed that they are the only correct disciple and all other are wrong, and not correctly following Krishnamacharya. A.G Mohan born in 1945 in Tamilnadu established ‘Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram’ in Chennai was not behind anyone. He created his own brand of Yoga and offers teaching to Indians and foreigners in ‘Svastha Yoga & Ayurveda’. He claims that it is an integrated approach of using Yoga and Ayurveda. Obviously he learned the trick of his Guru in treating people with Ayurveda and giving credit to Yoga. He claims in his website that his Yoga style is the right approach, “While various forms of Yoga enjoy huge global popularity, its original meaning and purpose has become obscured and practice of yoga has become diluted and perplexing” His website offers a discount rate of only $450 (approx INR 22,000) Dollar for those who register in advance for the 5-Day short term course of his brand of Yoga planed in Sydney (Australia) in May, 2016. Obviously, this Yogi is facing tight competition with followers of B.K.S Iyengar and others.

Pattabhi Jois and his Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga

Pattabhi Jois (1915-2009) was born in a Landlord Brahmin family in Hassan (Karnataka). He got attracted to Yoga after watching a Yoga demonstration by Krishnamacharya. He had already learned Sanskrit and religious rituals from his father who was a priest. He developed the Krishnamacharya style of showing different Asana in a sequence to create attraction in Yoga show performed to Mysore royals. Pattabhi called it as Ashtanga Vinyasa style and claimed that he developed it based on an ancient book ‘Yoga Korunta’. In 1948, he established ‘Pattabhi Jois Yoga Institute’ (Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute) in Mysore. He claimed that it is he who taught Yoga to B.K.S Iyengar. But, Iyengar denied it. He continued to practice his Yoga until his son committed suicide in 1957. However, in1964 a Belgian named Andre Van Lysebeth spent two months with Pattabhi and wrote a book on Yoga, ‘Yoga Self-Taught’ which made Pattabhi famous in foreign countries and westerners started flowing to Mysore to study Yoga from him. His fame touched the peak when people like Madonna Louise Ciccone (American singer dancer), English musician and instrumentalist Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner known popularly as Sting, and American actress Gwyneth Paltrow started learning Yoga from him. He stayed 4 months in California to popularize his brand of Yoga called Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. With the help of some of his students, he established his business in Sydney (Australia) too. Pattabhi Jois was the most controversial among the direct disciples of Krishnamacharya. His Yoga style was overwhelming, producing fear and extreme discomfort in students as they are pushed beyond their physical and psychological comfort zones in often-difficult, even dangerous asana. As a part of his obituary, Newspapers reported that ‘A good number of Jois’s students seemed constantly to be limping around with injured knees or back as a result of Yoga practice. He was also accused multiple times as sexually abusing his girl students. After his death, his grandson Sharath created another brand of Yoga named as ‘Jois Yoga’. Another disciple David Life from New York (USA) created Jivamukti Yoga.

Transformation of Indian Superstition to International Superstition

However, biggest task of popularizing Yoga worldwide is accomplished by the great effort of Indra Devi, another disciple of Krishnamacharya. Eugenie V Peterson (1899 – 2002) was born in rich noble high class family. When Russian revolution became successful in 1917, Communists of Soviet Union started establishing a state of working class and common people in Russia. Many aristocratic families could not psychologically tolerate the socio-economic prosperity of traditionally lower class of people. They ran away from Soviet Union. Perhaps, the same psychology as the upper caste youth who suicide in protest against caste reservation in India. Eugenie ran away to Berlin (Germany) with her mother where she became an actress and dancer. As a part of acting in a Hindi Movie, she took a stage name, which sound like Indian name, to get acceptance – ‘Indra Devi’. In India she got attracted to Yoga and became disciple of Krishnamacharya. Later she moved to China with her Husband. Then, it was the China ruled by Chiang Kaishek, most socially conservative, anti-modern, highly religious, anti-communist and traditional leader of China. His philosophy was that all minorities in China are decedents of a mythical Chinese emperor and hence should follow the ancient Chinese religious culture. (Perhaps a similar argument as RSS that all Indians including Muslims and Christians should follows Hindu culture). He promoted Confucian religion and ‘Guoyu’ was promoted as standard language among the vast territory of china inhabited by people speaking many dialects. Dancing and western Music were discouraged. His followers started splashing acid on people wearing western dress. (Compare with attack on beef eaters and Valentine day in India by Hindu fascists). He mercilessly crushed many movements of workers and peasants. Above all Chiang Kaishek was a great enthusiast of Yoga. Indra Devi established Yoga school in Shanghai (China) with his support and popularized Yoga in China. Later she moved to USA and opened Yoga school in Hollywood (USA) and popularized Yoga in America. Later, she claimed that her Yoga is more authentic because she learned it reading Patanjali Yoga Sutra. As I mentioned earlier, Maharishi Patanjali never mentioned anything about Yoga Asana. This was the level of knowledge of these founders of Yoga had on Hindu classic literatures. Later she established Yoga school in Mexico and popularized Yoga in South American – Latin American countries like Argentina, Uruguay, etc. Indra Devi was very close to Indian Godman Puttaparthi Satya Sai baba. She was the president of International Yoga Foundation.

The Background of Yogasana Transforming as an Alternate Medical Practice

The explosive development in modern medical science, started with Industrial revolution, helped to conquer many health problems of human being which had remained threat for humanity for centuries. Infectious diseases were controlled with the development of various antibiotics, deficiency diseases were controlled with the development of chemical process to industrially manufacture various vitamins and other organic substances, Improvement in surgical methods and pathology and invention of numerous medical diagnostic equipment and techniques such as X-ray, CT scan, MRI improved the life expectancy and average health of people throughout the world. However, for the last three centuries people started suffering from a new set of health problem originated by our modern life style – Heart diseases, Type 2 Diabetes, certain types of cancer, osteoporosis, strokes, kidney diseases, some allergies, dementia, depression, anxiety, insomnia, problems like lower back pain, fallen arches, plantar fasciitis, myopia, arthritis, constipation, acid reflux, and irritable bowel syndrome, and many more. Modern medical science could not very effectively address these problems because the root cause of them is not just medical problem but our life style. Life style is the most difficult thing to change. Majority of the people are not well aware of these facts. With the growing health consciousness as well as increasing cases of life style diseases, wealthy middle class is in frantic search for curative solutions. Obviously medical practice became the most profitable business in the world. Many alternative medical practices such as Homeopathy, Unani, Siddha, sound therapy, Reiki, Ayurveda, Naturopathy, Magnetic healing, massage therapy, Aroma-herbal therapy, Music therapy, light therapy, holistic medicine, faith healing, Feng shui, Acupuncture, Crystal healing, etc. came forward with propaganda against modern medical science and with bigger claims for their techniques to reap the profit out of the volatile situation. How only Yoga Gurus can be blind and unaware of their surroundings? Precisely, this is the background; Yoga became a cure for diseases and mantra for healthy body. The development of Yoga as ‘cure for disease and way of healthy life’ after the publication of B.K.S Iyengar book, ‘Light on Yoga’ in 1970s and later as an international business is a contemporary history and our day to day life experience. Let us, now, turn our attention to some of their popular medical claims and famous researches on Yoga.

Yoga as a cure for Diabetes

Yoga gurus heard that many people are suffering from diabetes. They knew that it is somehow related to insulin which is produced by Pancreas gland present somewhere in stomach. Yoga gurus started recommending different Asanas in which stomach is pressed somehow. They are trying to fool people that by pressing stomach pancreas will get pressed and by getting some exercise for the pancreas insulin will be produced. First of all, pancreas is located very near to backbone and any kind of pressing on stomach cannot press Pancreas. Even if we somehow press pancreas, it will only injure and damage that vital organ. The internal organs could not be given exercise in the way muscles in our body can be exercised. What is diabetes? All the carbohydrate, we consume as rice, bread, roti, sugar, etc. will be converted to Glucose by human body. Glucose will be present in blood (blood sugar). Blood will carry glucose to each and every cell whole over the body. Insulin is a hormone produced by the gland pancreas to help cells to absorb glucose from blood. Absorbed glucose will be stored in cell and later will be converted to energy for us. Diabetes are of two types – Type I is caused by too less insulin production by Pancreas and Type II due to the resistance to insulin. If cells in muscles and internal organs fail to respond correctly to insulin, glucose cannot enter cells, cells lack the glucose for energy and we feel tired, but at the same time glucose level in blood will start increasing. This problem caused by insulin resistance is called hyperglycemia. This strange case of having enough glucose in body (in blood) but not available to cells is called Type -2 diabetes. About 90% of diabetes are Type 2 diabetes.  This is, in fact, a life style disease, as I mentioned earlier. Exercise play a major role in controlling Type-2 diseases. How? When we do exercise the muscles in our legs, hand, etc. will contracts and then without the help of insulin, the glucose can enter the cells.  Remember, even as an exercise, Yoga is not helping the diabetic patient. Pressing the stomach or bending and twisting the body will not help. As advised by medical practice, Type-2 diabetes patient should do 30 minutes of continuous moderate activity equivalent to brisk walking on 5-6 days in a week. This only will provide sufficient contractions to leg/hand muscles to help absorb glucose to cells. Despite all its limitation, Ayurveda was an empirical science originated in India from the practical knowledge of Indian medical practitioners. For diabetes, the classic Ayurveda book ‘Sushruta Samhita’ prescribe wrestling, digging well, running behind cows, walk continuously from one village to another, pulling the chariots occupied with Brahmins, etc. Of course, this provides exercise. Sushrutha Samhita never ask the patients to do any Yoga. Was Maharishi Sushrutha ignorant compared to modern Yoga gurus? Some children and elders are unfortunate to have Type – I diabetes which is very rare and the only treatment is insulin injection. No Yoga guru will have courage to treat Type I diabetes by Yoga, because patient will die soon.

Yoga as a cure for Eye Diseases

The best Asana for the cure of eye disease is ‘Shirshasana’ (headstand posture) as per ‘Light on Yoga’ of B.K.S Iyengar. After Cataracts, Glaucoma is the second major reason for blindness in world. Increasing the fluid pressure inside the eye and damaging the optic nerves is the reason for this disease. When we do Shirshasana, the fluid pressure inside the eye increases worsening the situation of Glaucoma patient. The famous research done at premier Eye hospital in India, Sankara Nethralaya at Chennai (India), had shown that while doing Shirshasana the fluid pressure doubles. (Refer Intraocular pressure changes and ocular biometry during in Yoga practitioners: Baskaran M, Raman K, Ramani KK, Roy J, Vijaya L, Badrinath SS 2006 August 113(8): 1327-32). Similar results were reported in British journal of Ophthalmology on research done on effect of Shirshasana (Refer British Journal of Ophthalmology, October 2007, 91(10): 1413-1414: Yoga can be dangerous – Glaucomatous visual field defect worsening due to postural yoga).  Research at Einhorn Clinical Research center at New York, USA on other Asanas prescribed for eye diseases such as Uttanasana, Adhomukhasana, Halasana, and Viparita Karani provided same result (Refer Avoiding Inversions – Intraocular Pressure Changes and Common Yoga Poses: Jessica V. Jasien, MEn, Robert Ritch, MD Einhorn Clinical Research Center, New York). Indian Journal of Ophthalmology in Jan-Feb, 2009 reported the case of a 55-year-old man who suddenly lost vision in his right eye following 2 minutes Shirshasana. The studies had shown that blocking of central retinal vein, a dangerous case. There are hundreds of such medical researches on Yoga by reputed medical institutes and scientists which had shown that most of the Asanas are either dangerous or useless. Shirshasana is prescribed for Hydrocele (the disease in which testicles swells) and for elephantiasis. Iyengar might have thought, due to his ignorance in modern medical science and complex functioning of human body, that by doing Shirshasana, the fluid from swelled testicle and leg will flow down and will be cured.  As I have shown earlier, the Yoga asanas were developed by circus practitioners, or Gymnastics, or martial artists, or Body builders or Hatha Yogis; and not by any human biologists or medical practitioners. Prescribing Asana as an alternative medical practice by modern Yoga gurus should be treated as a criminal offense.

Yogasana and Stroke

In 1972, a prominent neurophysiologist W Ritchie Russel published an article in British Medical Journal that some Yoga postures can cause stroke even in young healthy people. (Refer British Medical Journal March 1972, 1:685, Yoga and vertebral arteries). The reason is the damage of vertebral arteries bringing blood to brain. The basilar artery arises from the union of the two vertebral arteries. Many critical functions are performed by it – Feed critical structure in brain such as cerebellum which coordinate muscles, occipital lobe which converts the eye impulses to images, thalamus which relays sensory messages to outer brain, and pons which play major role in respiration. In 1973, 28-year-old young lady suffered a stroke while doing ‘Urdhwa Dhanurasana’ at Cornell University. Due to the absence of imaging techniques such as CT scan in those years, doctors had done an exploratory operation on her dead body. Doctors found that women’s left vertebral artery which runs between the first two cervical vertebrae, had narrowed considerably and that the arteries feeding her cerebellum had undergone severe displacement. The surgeon opened her skull and found that the left hemi sphere of her cerebellum suffered a major failure of blood supply that resulted in much dead tissue and that site was seeped in secondary hemorrhages. In 1977, the neurology journal reported that a 25-year-old man was rushed to North western memorial hospital complaining of blurred vision, difficulty in swallowing, and controlling of left side of his body after performing Sarvangasana. (Refer Hanus SH, Homer TD, Harter DH: September 1977; 34(9): 574-5: Vertebral artery occlusion complicating yoga exercises). The medical diagnosis in hospital had revealed blockages of the left vertebral artery and no blood could go to brain. The patient was performing Yogasana for one and half years every morning. In fact, Sarvangasana has a prominent role in Yogasana because Yoga Gurus believe that it provides exercise to all parts of body. Unfortunately, what is the fact? Sarvangasana can cause only problems, and sometimes, even death as we saw here. In 1993, in Hong Kong 34-year-old women was treated for stroke, after 2 months of doing her Yoga practice. The angiography examination had shown that her basilar artery was filled with intraluminal clot. (Refer Clinical and Experimental Neurology Journal, 30:104-109: Basilar Artery occlusion following Yoga exercise). In 2003, American Journal of neuro radiology had reported the case of 34-year-old Asian woman admitted in hospital because of rapidly progressive gait difficulties and slurred speech who had attended yoga classes involving neck flexion and extension several weeks before. MR imaging findings of her brain had shown an abrupt occlusion of basilar artery. Sri Ganga Ram Hospital (Delhi) has reported the case of 63-year-old man presented with the history of tingling and numbness in fingers and toes for last 5 months followed by weakness and stiffness in all four limbs with frequency and urgency of urination for past one month. He got paralyzed. He has been doing Shirshasana daily. X-ray and MRI of cervical spine revealed the blockage of vertebra and cervical cord compression (P. Sethi, Journal of Neurology, Compressive Cervical myelopathy due to Shirshasana, a yoga posture). What more one can expect from a physical culture developed by some drill masters? However, Indian right wing politicians are successful in popularizing this superstition throughout the world, and convincing UNO to declare ‘21 June’ as international Yoga day.

B K S Iyengar’s Knowledge in Medical Science

In the chapter ‘Curative Asanas for various diseases’ in ‘Light on Yoga’ of B.K.S Iyengar gives a list of various diseases in alphabetic order and then provides the Asanas which can cure it. He admits that this knowledge is from his experience as a Yoga teacher for 25 years. Even he had no courage to tell in 1960s that his knowledge of curative power of asanas are derived from ancient literature. Present-day Yoga Gurus are claiming that the source of their knowledge (?) is ancient Hindu literature; while fact is that B K S Iyengar is the source of all their Yogasana and all associated medical knowledge (?). What was the knowledge of B K S Iyengar in medical science? For back ache, Iyengar recommends almost 25 Asanas such as “Shirshasana, Sarvangasana, …etc.” Again after a few pages, he mentions another disease called Lumbago for which he recommends another 60 set of Asanas such as Salabhasana, Dhanurasana, …etc. The fact is that Lumbago is the medical name for back pain. B.K.S Iyengar was not a trained Doctor. When he was referring some medical book for the name of diseases to write his Yoga book and randomly allot a set of Asanas to each diseases, Iyengar was not aware that Lumbago and back pain are same illness. This is the depth of medical fraud in the most authentic Yoga book based on which all present day gurus are making money. Realizing the money making potential of medical science, everyone wishes to be a doctor: musician wanted to be music therapist, the herbal merchant wanted to be herbal therapist, Pearl merchant wanted to be Gem therapist…. So the Yoga cure will go on.

Ravi Shankar and His ‘Art of Living’ or ‘Art of Lying’?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar (SSR) born in 1956 in Papanasam (Tamil Nadu – India) started his religious spiritual life as an activist of Transcendental Meditation Guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi’s neo-Hindu revival movement. After learning the management techniques of running a religious organization, later SSR formed his own spiritual organization called ‘Art of Living’ (AOL) and started his own meditation technique known as Sudharshankriya (SKY). Though, SSR claim that SKY is invented by him, it is another version of Bhastrika Pranayama popularized by Baba Ramdev and known to many Yoga Gurus from the time of medieval Indian Hatha Yogis. With thousands of followers whole over the world and as the head of a spiritual organization spread over 156 countries in the world, he enjoys huge money power, muscle power and political power. However, he faces most severe criticism from the people who left his organization, than from anybody else. One ex-teacher of SKY from AOL narrates his experience: “Once while I was teaching SKY, one devotee became unconscious. Such things are common and the known solution is smelling him the flowers placed in front of Guru’s (SSR) photo. When I realized that it did not work in this case, I tried the other solution – smelling him the shawl presented to me by Guru. That too did not work. Almost one hour I tried all these methods to make him conscious. Finally, I had to call doctor. However, by the time, fortunately, the devotee got up”. One ex-drug addict who later became an ex-AOL devotee admits that he had same experience while doing SKY as he had consumed drug. Another ex-AOL devotee complains that years of SKY practice has affected his thinking ability, memory power and ability to concentrate. Presently he is under treatment of neurologist. When ex-AOL people started uniting and revealing their experience through their blog, face book and social media, Sri Sri Ravishankar’s business in USA came in trouble. AOL filed a case against blog. After long lawsuit, court reached compromise and asked the ex-AOL to stop writing on their blog, but permitted to maintain the blog with all writing until then. It is not easy to curtain the freedom of expression in USA even if a big billionaire like SSR wants to. Ex-AOL people started new blogs with new names and started continuing their work. Effectively, AOL achieved nothing from this expensive lawsuit. See http://artoflivingfree.blogspot.ca/ , https://beyondaolfree.wordpress.com/ , etc. Have these ex-AOL people got any hidden agenda to defame SSR and start a new spiritual organization as SSR himself had done earlier splitting away from Maharishi Mahesh Yogi? Or, are they genuinely sharing their bad experience to help other people not to get trapped in the propaganda of AOL and spoil their life? How a different way of breathing can make people unconscious, damage their memory power, diminish their thinking ability and concentration power? It is sanctioned by many AOL devotees that by practicing SKY they could relax their mind and relieve themselves from stress. What is the truth? Who is lying – AOL or ex-AOL? It need some modern understanding based on latest development in neural science on brain functioning.

Slow Breathing and Heavy Breathing: Some Scientific Facts

Brain is the most important, most complicated, and most energy consuming organ in human body. Hence, 15% of the total blood from heart (750ml/minute or 50-54ml per 100g brain tissue) is used only to supply blood to brain. It is dangerous if the blood flow to brain either increase or decrease beyond that limit. If the blood flow to brain is reduced somehow, the brain tissues will die because of absence of oxygen. And if the blood flow to brain is increased somehow, intracranial pressure will increase resulting compression and damage of brain tissues. Hence blood flow to brain is very tightly regulated at a constant range by a complex mechanism based on constriction and dilation of cerebral blood vessels based on the blood pressure. However, this mechanism is influenced by the presence of Carbon dioxide in blood. Yogic Gurus claim that when we breathe heavily (Sudharshanakriya of Ravi Shankar or Bhastrika Pranayama of Ramdev), more oxygen will be absorbed whereby brain cells receive more oxygen and we feel healthier and feel free from all mental tensions and stress. These people heard somewhere that there is something called oxygen in air which is fundamental for life. But they do not have any detailed understanding of human body. What is the fact? When we breathe heavily the carbon dioxide content of body will reduce and the auto-regulatory mechanism to control blood flow to brain will reduce blood flow to brain. So our brain gets less oxygen (not more oxygen). The lower blood flow to brain produces lightheaded feeling for us and we feel relaxed and stress free. But, it is very harmful for us as it is killing many brain cells. The reverse will happen, when carbon dioxide content increases in human body. Mountaineers breathe slower than normal even if they get exhausted, because they are trying intentionally to increase the carbon dioxide content of the body. This will in turn increase the blood supply to their brain which is a need for cold high altitude when risky mountaineering is done. As the mountaineers understood the benefit of breathing slowly for being more energetic, alert and efficient from their life experience before the development of modern neural science; people understood the benefit of breathing heavily from ancient times. Both these methods are technique to confuse the auto-regulatory mechanism in our body to control blood flow to brain. The resultant danger was not known to neither slow breathers and heavy breathers. They were aware only of the benefits. What is the benefit of heavy breathing? It can create very magical, mystical, spiritual feelings in brain; but at the cost of killing the brain cells.

‘Secret’ of the Popularity of Sudharshanakriya and Bhastrika Pranayama

Various Breathing Techniques exist throughout the world. There are more than 40 different versions of such techniques in different countries. Only Sudharshanakriya and Bhastrika Pranayama among them were lucky enough to get spiritual religious protection, and now political protection from Indian Hindu fascists. Heavy breathing is considered as social problem in western countries. It known all that when our children grow to their teenage, many physical and psychological changes take place in their body. Children at this age (10-16), in USA and other western countries, practice ‘choking game’ or ‘blacking out’ to get special feeling, this is nothing but which involves controlling their breathe. Some of the techniques employed by them provide extreme enjoyment and peace and relaxes them from all mental stress, but are very dangerous. Many teenagers died in that process. Any kind of drug sale to children are legally restricted in USA/Europe. So, while teenagers from downtrodden families depend on drugs for such feelings and stress relaxation, chocking game is the only option for many children from well-to-do rich families in USA/Europe. There are emergency police help line (free call phone numbers) to inform police if you have observed some children in such suspicious case doing chocking game. Unfortunately, the Indian version (Sudharshankriya, Bhastrika Pranayama) are practiced by elders giving huge fees/donations to Yoga gurus. Yoga gurus are making big profit by teaching their version of chocking game to elders. Only difference is that the former has got some English names while later has Sanskrit names. When the teenagers grew to Adults their sexual development get accelerated and the ‘thrill seeking behavior’ experienced in chocking game give way to a new forms called Auto erotic asphyxia (AeA). The primary purpose of AeA is for sexual arousal and erotic feelings. After practicing AeA, they will masturbate or engage in sexual intercourse. This is an abnormal desire to enjoy strange sexual erotic feelings. One method for AeA is blocking the blood flow to brain by tying a rope around the neck. This method is very dangerous because there is a chance of death. David Carradine, the famous Hollywood actor is suspected to have died during AeA practice. The Hatha Yogis in India had developed, during medieval ages, many practices such as Kejri Mudra, Vajroli Mudra, etc. for the same purpose of blocking the breath and to enjoy the erotic mystic feelings. As per the research of American Psychiatric Association such practices are considered as result of mental disorders characterized by abnormal sexual desires. So the practitioners of AeA used to do such activities very secretly. With the recent widespread popularity and acceptable social status of Yoga, many such people in western countries are enthusiastic to perform Sudharshanakriya and are widely reading Hatha Yoga books describing such techniques. Many Hindu National Fascists among Indian communities settled in Western countries feel so proud that westerners are following our great Indian tradition. I can only feel pity for them.

Ravisankar and his Sudarshankriya

Sri Sri Ravisankar (SSR) says, “We need to do a cleansing process within ourselves. In sleep we get rid of fatigue, but the deeper stresses remain in our body. Sudarshankriya (SKY) cleanses the system from inside. The breath has a great secret to offer.” I had already discussed on the wrong understandings of human body by Hatha Yogis (Ida, Pingala, etc.) before the origin of modern biological understanding of our respiratory system. SSR brand of Yoga is based on that idiotic concepts of Hatha Yogis. However, people are excited to perform SKY because it can provide enjoyable feelings if done for long. In his Website, at FAQ section, he answers to one person who asked how does Sudarshankriya cleanse? SSR answers that, “A professor…from Oslo University in Norway says that there are 300 chromosomes responsible for hypertension, cancer, etc. Pranayama, and Sudarshankriya suppresses these 300 chromosomes. So if one keeps practicing these techniques there is less chance for getting these illnesses.” You can verify it in his website http://www.artofliving.org/ch-fr/sudarshan-kriya-faq-0, http://qnawithsrisri.artoflivinguniverse.org/2012/10/qna-of-day_27.html,

 http://wisdomfromsrisriravishankar.blogspot.ca/2010/08/there-is-way-to-get-body-mind-and.html ,

http://learnsudarshankriya.weebly.com/  What a pathetic ignorance on chromosomes! Chromosomes are part of human cell with which human body is build up. It is present in each and every cell and there are approximately 100000 billion cells in human body. Those who know the basics of human respiratory system can understand that by breathing nothing can happen in such a microscopic level in each and every human cell. Secondly, there are only 46 chromosomes in human body not 300. You need not be a PhD student to know this, it is known to even a high school student. I can understand how easily common people in India are getting cheated by the wrong propaganda of AOL. But, I feel pity for many educated people who believes in these non-sense without any second thought and verification; and practice Sudarshanakriya like a fool. ‘Art of living’ website published around 12 research papers to show us that scientific researches proved that ‘Sudarshanakriya’ are good for health and has curative powers. During my debates on social media, educated people among Hindu Fascists used to quote such things as a last hope for their survival. The fact is that all those so called ‘researches’ published by these Yoga gurus are biggest fraud to cheat educated people. Most of these Yoga Gurus are, as I explained earlier, millionaires with huge money power, muscle power and political power to manipulate anything. They have very strong and powerful propaganda mechanisms in their control to disseminate wrong information to wide public.

The truth of NIMHANS Research in Sudarshankriya

It is very difficult to discuss here all research papers published by AOL in their website. Researches performed at NIMHANS by a team of Dr. Janakiramaiah and associated 3 research papers published by Art of living can be briefly discussed here. 

1. Antidepressant efficacy of Sudarshankriya Yoga (SKY) in melancholia: a randomized comparison with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and imipramine. Journal of affective disorders, 2000. 57(1): p. 255-259.
2. Therapeutic efficacy of Sudarshankriya Yoga (SKY) in dysthymic disorder. NIMHANS J., 1998. 17: p. 21-28.
3. Therapeutic efficacy of Sudarshankriya Yoga (SKY) in dysthymic disorder. NIMHANS Journal, 1998. 16(1): p. 21-28.

The NIMHANS is a reputed Medical institute, in India located in Bangalore, for Mental Health and Neuroscience. The NIMHANS research are very frequently mentioned in their lectures by ‘art of living’ people as reputation for their Sudarshankriya. In one of the power point presentation, used by ‘art of living’ to teach their new devotees, he says, “Dr. Janakiramaih has concluded that SKY has remarkable therapeutic effects”. What is the fact? Dr. Janakiramaih was very much critical of the research papers published in his name by ‘Art of living’. In an interview, Dr. Janakiramaih told, “Although the research has been conducted jointly between the Art of living and NIMHANS, …the research findings were published much before any valid testing could be done to prove the results were valid. Especially, claims like improved areas of function in the brain etc. were not done according to the approval of NIMHANS. …results were published and used as a validation for the Sudharshankriya before any actual scientific testing could be done”. (Refer the research theses of Shirisha Shankar, The art of living – The marketing of identity through nationality and spirituality). This is what Dr. Janakiramaih himself tell about the so called ‘research papers’ published by ‘Art of living’ in his name. This is the kind of unimaginable horrible fraud going on in the name of Yoga with all political support of Hindu Fascists. Unfortunately, scientists like Dr. Janakiramaih has not enough money and power like those Yoga gurus to publish and propagate actual scientific research reports and criticism against such frauds. Dr. Janakiramaih says, “Doing Sudharshanakriya leads to tingling in your fingers and toes. …Art of living group claims that this has to do with ultimate brain function and is a result of sudharshankriya. But if anyone keeps breathing like that – essentially they are hyperventilating and flushing their body with oxygen. Which is what is going to happen. There is no mystical meaning behind the tingling…..People told they felt the presence of Guruji (Sri Sri Ravishankar). I asked why they say so. The answer is that they are feeling tingling sensation in their fingers. If you keep breathing like this then what else will happen? …They believe that what is happening to them is spiritual or mystical. But it is not. It is a common physiological reaction to hyperventilation”. This is the kind of fraud Indian Hindu right wing is engaged in. Such activities will damage the reputation of Indian Scientist and research institute in India among world scientific community. Law suit should be filed against AOL and SSR should be punished for this offense. Unfortunately, progressive and democratic wing in India are negligible minority and lack any resources to do it. while Right Wing Fascism is getting stronger day by day with money, muscle power and political power.

Modern Scientific Research on Stress Relief

Modern development in biology improved our understanding of mysteries of mind, soul, spirituality, emotions, feeling, memory, ideas, thought process, and language to a large extent. Francis Crick is a great scientist and Nobel prize laureate for invention of structure of DNA. He summarized the modern scientific understanding of ‘body-mind’ puzzle in simple words for common readers in the famous book; “The Astonishing Hypothesis: The Scientific Search for the Soul”. As per modern scientific understanding all what appears to us as mind, soul, or its functions are nothing supernatural or spiritual but only the manifestation of functions of the most complex organ of human body – brain. DNA is the complex chemical molecules with double helix structure which carry the genetic instructions in all living organisms. In simple words, gene is a region of DNA and DNA is a portion of Chromosome. Telomere is the structure at the edges of chromosome with the function of protecting Chromosome. The Russian scientist Alexey Olovnikov hypothesized that the secret of ageing and cancer is related to Telomere and predicted the presence of an enzyme Telomerase in 1971. Elizabeth Blackburn received the Nobel prize in 2009 for discovering Telomerase. Subsequent research at famous biotechnology company Geron had proved the hypothesis of Alexey Olovnikov. It was noticed that people are prone to early ageing and deadly diseases like cancer, if they are unfortunate in their life to suffer from mental stress. To explore the effect of stress on Telomere (which is the micro-biological cause of ageing and cancer), Elizabeth Blackburn conducted studies. During experiment, she used different techniques to reduce the stress level which she called mindfulness meditation. She says, “scientific understandings of mindfulness have developed largely independent of Buddhist spiritual practice. In our secular contexts to treat patients with a variety of physical and psychological conditions and research to examine underlying mechanisms. These differing goals and contexts. So we emphasize the importance of not mistaking secular, therapeutic conceptualizations of mindfulness for Buddhist and other religious conceptualizations”. (Refer the research paper, Can meditation slow rate of cellular aging? Cognitive stress, mindfulness, and telomeres: NCBI: Elissa Epel, Jennifer Daubenmier, Judith T. Moskowitz, Susan Folkman, and Elizabeth Blackburn). She mentions Buddhism because, for most of western country people, meditation is understood as associated with Buddhism just as the way Yoga is associated with Hinduism. In simple terms, she has used some techniques like concentrating on some objects or keep on chanting some phrases to forget the stressful thoughts. This is what happens when we do meditation in Raja yoga concentrating the flame of the lamp or when keep on fanatically chanting some mantras or when hearing any beautiful music, or when consuming drugs or alcohol or when artist perform or when poet writes her poem or when some scientist forgets even their daily life routine and keep on perform experiments. They all forget their normal life and their pains and sorrows of their life and relieve from all mental stress for a moment. The intention of Elizabeth’s researches was to understand how stress affect the organism in chromosome level; not to prove meditation is good for stress relief. There are different methods to relieve stress, each has its demerits also. One has to choose the appropriate method with least side effects. Interestingly Elizabeth’s research was demystifying meditation and many such spiritual practices and revealing that there is nothing supernatural or mystical but everything is materialistic and biological and related to brain function. There are many such researches following the tradition of Francis Crick. Francis Crick was an Atheist. Earlier days, people used to tell that spiritual experience, mystical feelings, meditational enlightenment, etc. are something supernatural or something to do with God which can never be understood by Science. The above mentioned researches had shown that there is nothing supernatural and all are materialistic.

Mind-Body Medicine: A Little Science and a Lot Pseudoscience

A newer development in medical field is mind-body medicine. The profit making opportunities triggered a set of research on ‘alternate medical practices’ to verify its effect on stress and other life style health problems. Companies are in urge to find a solution to offer for huge market of life-style diseases. This is not a science yet and is still in its primitive form, not yet matured to be a subject following scientific methodology. There are some breakthrough research going on under this terminology ‘mind-body medicine’ which examines the long neglected area of importance of psychological effect in health care. This helps to demystify the mind further and enhance the materialist understanding of the world. At the same time, mind is the term used as a synonym for soul and for something supernatural for long time in common language. So, besides some genuine research, this is also a field of many pseudo-scientist frauds, holistic philosophers, and Christian religious group trying defend their religion using scientific research (Presently Hindu Yoga groups joined in the race). They even claim that 95% of disease comes from psychological reasons and due to non-forgiveness. So to be healthy we should follow the teaching of Jesus to forgive. It will ultimately lead to justifying prayer meetings and faith healing of orthodox Christian groups. They misuse and misinterpret the genuine scientific research in ‘Mind-Body’ performed by researchers such as Elizabeth which are in fact diametrically opposite to religious belief. One important thing to be noticed here is that the subject of mind-body medical research is in meditation, not in Yogasana. Yogasana originated from Medieval Indian Hatha Yogis and enriched by Gymnastics, Circus, Body building, etc and finally got consolidated in Mysore Palace. Meditation is very old practice not only in India, but throughout the world. Even in India it is more popular among Buddhist and Jainism than Hindus. While all claims made on Yogasana by right wing is to be discarded, nobody has any debate on the ability of meditation to create mystical, spiritual feeling in humans. What the materialists in India from ancient times disputed was the claim by religious wing that effect of meditation is supernatural and not explainable in material terms and has superior benefits and meditation is the way to ‘Moksha’. That ancient materialist position of Indian philosophers against Hindu religious position was correct. Now we know more clearly the material basis of those feeling. Also, we know that such feelings are not always beneficial as claimed, but can be very harmful in some cases.

Truth of Harvard University Research on Yoga

An article published in internet (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2013-11-22/harvard-yoga-scientists-find-proof-of-meditation-benefit) is widely propagated by Hindu Right wing in India. Please read it. The typical spicy style journalism reporting makes a common person to believe that Yoga was approved by modern scientific research and Harvard university group. The study with $675,000 funding only for 2013 was performed by John Denninger, Psychiatrist at Harvard Medical School on 70 participant performing what they named ‘Kundalini Yoga’. However, it included meditation, breathing exercise, and singing of Mantras in addition to postures as reported. The article shows the photo of one person sitting and doing his style of breathing exercise in Bombay. Denninger does research on wide variety of alternate medical practices in addition to meditation. After practicing Tai Chi (similar to Yoga) in China, Denninger once told, “There is something very important about the breath”. This is exactly what Sri Sri Ravishankar says. Dr. Janakiramaih (NIMHANS) told us what is that secret. The article wrongly quotes a research paper by Elizabeth Blackburn and states that 12 minutes daily Yoga meditation for eight weeks increased telomerase activity suggesting an improvement in stress-induced aging. The fact is that this was a pilot study only on 39 samples which need to be confirmed on higher samples. And what they were doing was listening to some relaxation music. (Refer: A pilot study of yogic meditation for family dementia caregivers with depressive symptoms: effects on mental health, cognition, and telomerase activity: Lavretsky H, Epel ES, Siddarth P, Nazarian N, Cyr NS, Khalsa DS, Lin J, Blackburn E, Irwin MR). The term Yoga became very popular term in western world now and each and everything of these sort is known by the name ‘Yoga’, which has nothing to do with Yoga or Meditation originated in India. However, Hindu Fascist are taking benefit of it. 

The Real Power of Yogasana

All varieties of Hindu saints are available in India. Some of them keep long beard, other shave cleans off even head, one wears only undergarment and sleeps on the tiger skin, other wears silk dress and sleeps on soft mattress, some other sleep naked on the ground. Some saints have plenty of disciples who move with him wherever he goes like a satellite, others who roam around the globe alone. Still, a few prefer to confine to their shrine. Some other roam house to house. One worship Ganesh, the other worship Durga.  A few claim that he can cure disease through Mantra, others by medicines, but a few can do it just by their sight. A few saints do not even look at women, other look only at women. A few eat fruits eat and milk, other eat meat and fish. One expects whatever he should get whatever he begs, other expects more than what he ask, some other expect everything without even asking. One thing is common among all of them, “they should get something”. Unity in diversity! The modern yoga guru B K S Iyengar transformed Yoga an object of business. Baba Ramdev sells two parts of Yoga – pranayama and Asana. Yoga guru Bikram Chaudhary who is popular in USA runs his show with self-discovered Yoga named ‘Hot Yoga’. It is done in a closed and warm room. Sri Sri Ravishankar popularise his patented brand of pranayama which he calls Sudarshankriya. According to Business standard (www.business-standrd.com), the assets of Ramdev is 1100 crore. He need not pay any income tax because his institutions are running under charity. He purchased 2,000,000-pound worth island in Scotland. He can be seen every morning on 24 TV channels. He owns a separate TV channel. 15 years back, Ramdev used to sell Ayurveda product in Haridwar (India) moving by cycle. According Sri Sri Ravishankar’ AOL US branch, their property from July 2006 to June 2007 was $5500000.  No one knows his total assets. They own huge property in Bangalore city. It is easy to evade tax in India. Bikram Chaudhary has large collection of cars which include the cars owned by Queen and Beetles; 40 Roll Royse and Bentlee. He says, “I am making lots of money, do not know how much. May be a million dollar a day, ……. who knows how much”. He is making this much money just by selling some simple exercise. The first rule of Maharishi Patanjali’ Yoga is that ‘A Yogi should not accept any gift’. Are they following the legacy of Maharishi Patanjali or Swami Vivekananda? No, this is only matter of Business. The power of modern Yoga does not derive its strength from legacy of Ancient Hindu religious literature or any miraculous power of curing disease or any mysterious power which can provide a healthy body; rather the strength lays only one thing, that is money power. Who can challenge the power of money?

Why I Oppose Yoga?

Spirituality is not a special characteristics of Indians. Man’s quest for spirituality, magical, mystical feelings starts from very ancient days of human history. Humans tried to achieve joyful mystical feelings either by engaging himself in art, music and literature; or by consuming alcohol, or drugs or other harmful things; or by subjecting body to unnatural postures, strains or environment. Special breathing style, some Asana postures, meditations, etc. had its origin to meet these needs. Side by side with this human being also emphasized on logic approach and rational thoughts, and empirical and objective enquiries which helped his to understand the nature and progress as civilized animal and brought him to modern age. Due to some sociological reasons (which is out of scope here), unfortunately this enquiry was suppressed in India and spiritual enquiry was giver superiority. This is one reason; India is known to the world as a country of spirituality. Unfortunately, many Indians feel proud of this, but it is something to be ashamed of because it is a limitation on our part and major deterrent force in the way of our nation’s emancipation. India has great potential. India has great tradition of materialist philosophies of Charvakan and Lokayatha. Unfortunately, Right Wing Hindu Fascists are strengthening the limitations and wrong aspects of our nation. It is the duty of every Indian who desire the modernisation and progress of our nation to expose all anti-modernisation, anti-renaissance attempt to keep our country in permanent darkness.