"YOGA" SHOULD NEVER BE CONSIDERED AS A RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY OR PRACTICE: RATHER A WAY OF LIFE AND FITNESS REGIME ( BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ) FOR HUMAN GOOD: ON "INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY"

"YOGA" SHOULD NEVER BE CONSIDERED AS A RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY OR PRACTICE: RATHER A WAY OF LIFE AND FITNESS REGIME (BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL) FOR HUMAN GOOD: ON "INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY"

Dear Readers,

Today, the June 21,  is being celebrated as "International Yoga Day".

In 2014, the Government of India led by the incumbent Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, moved a Proposal in the General Assembly of United Nations in the form of a Resolution to adopt "Yoga" ( The Recognized Indian Practice for both Physical and Mental Fitness and Well Being ) with Designation of a Day, as "International Yoga Day". This resolution then received the support of 177-Nations who are members of United Nations. Accordingly with effect from 2015, exactly the June 21, 2015 was declared as the First International Yoga Day and from there on, the June 21 of every year is being Celebrated as "International Yoga Day".

It would be prudent to make it clear ON "INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY" ; "YOGA" SHOULD NEVER BE CONSIDERED AS A RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY OR PRACTICE per se: RATHER IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS A WAY OF LIFE AND A FITNESS REGIME ( BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL ) WITH UNIVERSAL APPEAL, should be a right consideration of it.

This view is based on the following fact:
The Origin of "Yoga" and the Principles as well as Practices of Yoga goes to an ancient document named as "Patanjali Yoga Sutra", this document is the mother of "Yoga" and it is second to none other document as far as Yoga is concerned. Rest all other Literature you find in the World on "Yoga" are derivatives of it.
The "Patanjali Yoga Sutra" in 3-volumes is estimatedly said to have been written, documented and recorded, some where around 200 BC (Second Century BC)  by Saint Patanjali who practiced and documented "Yoga" as a way of life, to live a better life with Physical and Mental Fitness.
Thus when "Patanjali Yoga Sutra" was written, it was the ancient time when everything was thought and considered to be of "Universal  Appeal". Even "Hinduism" as one of the Oldest Religious Fraternity existing then was in Universal Appeal. Also, when examined rightly, the other two major faiths (religions) of the World, the Christianity came into being only after birth of Jesus Christ in the First Century of AD, in fact the AD series of naming centuries starts from the "Birth Day" of Jesus Christ, and the Islamic Faith came into being in the 7th Century AD as per historical records of the world, hence when "Yoga" got documented to be used as a "Way of LIfe" really there was no room to make any differentiation by religious ground, it was meant for Human Good. The "Saint Patanjali" who wrote the "Patanjali Yoga Sutra" of course was a Hindu Saint which can not be denied, however, his works on "Patanjali Yoga Sutra" was more based on Human Biology (Biological Functioning of both Body and Mind)  which can be related to more of " Modern Scientific Human Biology" if examined correctly.  Therefore, although over the passage of time in the time line of History, though "Yoga" has been given a Religious Tone with various parameters being linked to it and being attached to it (may not be appropriately), it is not a Religious Practice in reality, it is more of Scientific Human Biology to recon with. Now Globally it has been adopted as a Way of Life leading to Fitness of Body and Mind both, that can contribute to harmonious living in the society as well.  Of course it can not be denied, and it would be unfair to deny, over the passage of time, as it was mainly driven by specific groups of people from the religious side of the Society, "Yoga" got a religious tone unduly attached to it over time, however, gradually now, the World has recognized it as a Way of Life without attaching too much religious tone to it, and thus the "International Day of Yoga' is being celebrated on June 21. The Original Universal Appeal of "Yoga" is recognized with adoption of the "International Day of Yoga".

There is no doubt that the Origin of Yoga has been in India, and the efforts of India in leading to popularize and propagate "Yoga" globally for human well being is well deserved and well recognized.

With Best regards,
Dr. Nimain Charan Biswal,
Mumbai, India



About the Author: Dr. Nimain Charan Biswal is a B.Sc.(Agri. Science and Technology), M.B.A. and Ph.D.(Management Area ) by qualifications; and he has 38+ years of work experience in both industrial and development sectors in diversified fields of social importance. He has been educated at Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT)-Bhubaneswar, Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) and Gujarat University (with Resource Support of IIM-Ahmedabad). He is further educated at IIM-Calcutta, XLRI-Jamshedpur, Apple Computer Industries and Spar Inc., USA. He has worked for reputed National and International Organizations in Senior/Top Management Capacities at Board level as well as Managing Director and CEO. He is a management expert covering extensive areas from management in industrial sectors, management in agriculture and dairy, development management to management of public systems. He is a prominent professional of India and known Internationally as well. He lives at Mumbai in India.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

DR. V. KURIEN HAD SOME QUALITIES LESS PUBLISHED (TRIBUTE ON HIS DEATH ANNIVERSARY ON 09 SEPTEMBER)

  DR. V. KURIEN HAD SOME QUALITIES LESS PUBLISHED         (TRIBUTE ON HIS DEATH ANNIVERSARY ON 09 SEPTEMBER) Based on my direct experience and interaction in person with Dr. Verghese Kurien ( in short well known as Dr. V. Kurien ), popularly celebrated as the Milk Man of India or the Father of White Revolution of India, the former Chairman of GCMMF Ltd. ( Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Limited-Amul ) and the former Chairman of National Dairy Development Board ( of India) as well as recipient of World Food Prize, I honourably place few lines as some qualities Dr. Kurien had but normally less published, as tribute to Dr. V. Kurien on his death Anniversary falling on 09 September.       1.     Dr. Kurien was a highly responsive communicator: I justify by an instance. In 1989, I used to work as a Branch Manager in charge of Patna (Undivided Bihar then) Office of Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Limited (GCMMF,Amul), the position was of course fairly ju
Read more

WHEN PROTEGES DEFY AND CROSS THE PATH OF THEIR MENTORS, BOUND TO REMAIN IN SOME POOR LIGHT IN THE TIME LINE OF HISTORY

  WHEN PROTEGES DEFY AND CROSS THE PATH OF THEIR MENTORS,  BOUND TO REMAIN IN SOME POOR LIGHT IN THE TIME LINE OF HISTORY   The meaning of “Protege” is a person who is guided and supported by an older and more experienced or influential person. The older and more experienced or influential person who guides and supports for the progress of a protege is called as a “Mentor”. Most of the times, the Mentors try to project and promote their proteges to act as their successors as well. In an article published in “The Chronicle of Evidence-based Mentoring” on September 13, 2015 written by Jean Rhodes, the following 25-Top and Celebrated Mentoring examples of recent times were cited and I am placing here under the quotes: Quote : 1. Best known for her talk show The Oprah Winfrey Show, Oprah Winfrey was mentored by celebrated author and poet, the late Maya Angelou. “She was there for me always, guiding me through some of the most important years of my life,” Winfrey said. “Mentors
Read more

THE MENACE OF BLOCKING AND MUTING IN SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS

THE MENACE OF BLOCKING AND MUTING  IN SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS  The biggest nuisance in Social Medial Platforms today is the Hooliganism of Blocking and Muting by the Administrators. The Democratic Principles and Freedom of Speech of the Members of Social Media Groups are being attacked by vested interests. Some persons having vested interests and nexus acquire Administrator/Moderator rights in the social media groups and use that administrator rights to terrorize the members of blocking and muting.  The Administrators of Vested Interests create a group of hooligans around them to exploit the situation and realize the best returns for their vested interests. Those Administrators also create a group of their supporters by placating them by lure of various means. Those hooligans thus created by the Administrators of vested interest try to attack and intimidate the Upright and Honest members who genuinely and diligently raise voice against exploitation of the situation by the Administrato
Read more

WHAT I FELT WHEN IN THE WHOLE OF MEDIA A BUNCH OF TYCOONS, HONCHOS AND BIASED-ECONOMISTS OF INDIA WERE REJOICING FOR SALE OF "AIR INDIA" TO TATA : ITS LIKE SELLING THE UTENSILS OF OUR INDIAN NATIONAL KITCHEN .....SAD....VERY SAD…

  WHAT I FELT WHEN IN THE WHOLE OF MEDIA  A BUNCH OF TYCOONS, HONCHOS AND BIASED-ECONOMISTS OF OF INDIA  WERE REJOICING FOR SALE OF "AIR INDIA" TO TATA : ITS LIKE SELLING THE UTENSILS OF OUR INDIAN NATIONAL KITCHEN .....SAD....VERY SAD… Two days back, in the Whole of Media a bunch of Tycoons, Hunchos and Biased-Economists have rejoiced on Sale of "Air India" to Tata. While a bunch of "Tycoons and Hunchos" and "Biased-Economists" were rejoicing all around in the media for Sale of "Air India" to Tata and may be in their offices and homes, I was : VERY VERY SAD. Because, I felt as if the "Utensils of our Indian National Kitchen" were getting sold. It was so sad for me...... When the Utensils of our Kitchen gets sold how do we eat ? Eat on the Floor or borrow an utensil from somebody ..... Will the 2-AIR INDIA ONEs bought at a Price of Rs. 8000/- Crores go to TATA or stay ? Let it also go to Tata why not ? Every time when
Read more

A TEACHER PAR EXCELLENCE, A HUMAN PAR EXCELLENCE, YOU ARE IMMORTAL BY YOUR SPECIAL PLACE

Image
  A TEACHER PAR EXCELLENCE,  A HUMAN PAR EXCELLENCE, YOU ARE IMMORTAL BY YOUR SPECIAL PLACE… YOU REMAIN FOR EVER IN HEART AND MIND…..AND IN MEMORY……   A Tribute to My Teacher and Educationist : Shri Lakshman Mishra (Former Head Master of Laxmidhar Municipal High School Dhenkanal), on his sad demise on June 05, 2022. ( My Revered Teacher and Educationist, Shri Lakshman Mishra, Former Head Master of Laxmidhar Municipal High School, Dhenkanal, Odisha, India; addressed in this article of tribute, as My Teacher- Shri Lakshman Mishra, with reverence, with utmost respect and utmost honours to identify appropriately, remember and place him at highest level of respects and honours of my association as Teacher-Student and also at Family level for 49 years to date. The best is to evidence him as a Teacher and Educationist par excellence, an Excellent and Rare human being who lived in this world, with  my own experience and relationship with him cherished over 49years, that I have depicted wit
Read more

DO YOU THROW EMPTY POUCHES OF MILK WASHED OR UNWASHED? THROW IT WASHED AND BE CONSIDERATE FOR THE HUMAN SOCIETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

  DO YOU THROW EMPTY POUCHES OF MILK WASHED OR UNWASHED? THROW IT WASHED AND BE CONSIDERATE FOR THE HUMAN SOCIETY AND THE ENVIRONMENT   What I am writing in this article might or might not have been noticed or considered by many, however it has lot of importance for the human society and environment at large. Only being aware of and giving few seconds to wash the empty milk pouches by water after you drain the milk out of it for your consumption and before you throw it into your trash bin or any where would help the environment and the society at large.  Kindly consider the facts I am presenting below. In India, right now about 62million litres ( 62,000,000 litres ) of liquid milk is being sold per day ( every day ) in plastic pouches which the people all around are buying on daily basis. About 70% of it in 500ml  Plastic Pouch Packing and 30% of it in 1Litre Plastic Pouch Packing. That means about 43.4 million litres in 500ml pouch and 18.6 million litres in 1Litre pouch p
Read more

COMMUNITY OXYGEN PROVISIONING FACILITIES MAY BE THE NORM IN FUTURE

  COMMUNITY OXYGEN PROVISIONING FACILITIES MAY BE THE NORM IN FUTURE   With Covid-19 second wave taking exponential surge in India, it is the Oxygen that has been found to be the most scarce essential that is experienced in the present scenario. As per media reports, Covid-19 patients have been dying due to non-availability of Oxygen in Hospitals around the country. All around efforts have been going on at all levels whether Government, Private or Public Sectors to make medical grade Oxygen available to save lives.  The issue of Oxygen Availability has been the most daunting emergency right now in India.   Traditionally, in India, use of Medical Grade Oxygen through Oxygen Cylinders or Oxygen Tanks installed at Hospitals is the normal practice. In case of household need also in emergency cases, the Oxygen Cylinders used to be the generally workable norm. Slowly for household use, portable Oxygen Concentrators ( a small machine operated by electric or battery, that filters Oxygen
Read more

THE FARMERS OF CO-OPERATIVE DAIRIES OR DAIRY FARMERS WOULD NEVER DITCH AGRICULTURE FARMERS’ INTEREST

THE FARMERS OF CO-OPERATIVE DAIRIES OR DAIRY FARMERS WOULD NEVER DITCH AGRICULTURE FARMERS’ INTEREST I am a bit surprised, that repeatedly, articles and statements are being published in the internet in the name of a sitting Chief Executive of one of the Largest Co-operative Dairy Federations of India, that are quite  inconsistent with the interest of the Farmers of India, whether they may be Agriculture Farmers or any other fields allied to Agriculture. His views may be personal for targeting any interest he may have, however, I am sure his views are never representing the Dairy Co-operatives or Dairy Farmers of India. Categorically in an article published in the internet, he states that there is no MSP(Minimum Support Price) in Dairy (Milk), Fisheries and Poultry by giving a cryptic and satiric look to the   MSP prevalent for Agricultural Crops to assist the farmers growing food crops for the 1300 million population India has to feed right now. Further he says as mentioned
Read more

WRONG PEG IN RIGHT HOLE, THE DANGEROUS COMPROMISE

Image
  WRONG PEG IN RIGHT HOLE THE DANGEROUS COMPROMISE The dictionary meaning of “Compromise” is:   the expedient acceptance of standards that are lower than is desirable. In most common language, a “compromise” is a sub-optimal solution to a problem that is accepted as a settlement or by choice. There is a popular saying that; “Round Peg to Square Hole” and “Square Peg to Round Hole “ do not work. The “Round Peg to Square Hole” and “Square Peg to Round Hole “are situations of mismatch or compromise which are not standard or optimal solutions and are abnormal situations that would not work well due to gaps between the shapes of the peg and the hole in either of the cases. Both the situations can be explained by geometrical diagrams as follows, while the color of the Peg is Yellow and the color of the Hole is Red: In both the above situations there are significant gaps at four corners or four sides of the holes and the Pegs do not match exactly with the holes. The gaps are empty gap
Read more

WIDOWHOOD HAS A LIFE WHICH HAS TO BE LET LIVE DIGNIFIED AND RESPECTFULLY

  WIDOWHOOD HAS A LIFE WHICH HAS TO BE LET LIVE DIGNIFIED AND RESPECTFULLY             I have been motivated to write on such a topic which could also be quite sensitive; since I read reports publicly published globally that during Covid-19, the fatality (death) of men is around two times that of women. It means the number of men who have died (also continuing to pass away) is twice that of women who have died (also continuing to pass away in the same ratio). That means, the number of married women who have lost their husbands would be twice the number of married men who have lost their wives and thus a large number of widows have been placed in the society during Covid-19 pandemic. Since this phenomenon came to my attention, I have been doing some research about how the people of such large number who are getting widowed would be conducting in the society, as historically a widow has a very constricted environment in the society; to operate culturally, socially, economically and ind
Read more