The Roots of Hinduism and Yoga
Ever seen this beautiful sacred symbol? This is the Swastika or the Swastik, a very important symbol that characterises Hinduism. (It is not to be confused with the German Nazi swastika!) Hinduism is one of the major religions in the world today. Yoga, which is an offspring of Hinduism, is the trending word and hot topic of the moment. There’s no doubt about that. Let us examine in what way Hinduism has its deep links with yoga. Hinduism and yoga go hand-in-hand. Today, there’s a complete take-over of this system of healthful fitness; each school has modified it according to the target audience that it caters to. One of the foremost Yoga Gurus of the world, B.K.S. Iyengar said,” In the scheme of things in the spiritual world, Yoga is a powerful tool towards Vedanta”.
Hinduism has several important branches- of which Yoga is the first and foremost step. This branch lays the foundation for the other steps to have more substantiation. By practicing Yoga everyday, we learn the importance of shaping our body towards the goal of spiritual evolution. The ultimate goal in any human life as per the tenets of Hinduism, is to reach the Divine. This is called the feet of God, The ultimate Reality, The Universal Spirit or God. Yoga develops in us the zeal to stay healthy. And this is important when we want to evolve spiritually.
Hinduism and Yoga- What is the connection?
Yoga is a science and a subject. It is deeper than the deepest ocean. It has its roots in Hinduism, whose landscape has neither end nor beginning. Hinduism and yoga are deeply connected to each other and somewhere they merge. But yoga as a set of physical asanas is only the tip of the iceberg. Only this aspect of yoga has caught the fancy of the world. Hinduism has more roots that are interesting and varied, that form the bedrock.
Reverence for everything natural and respecting nature deeply is at the root. Subject such as Ayurveda, Yoga, Natya Sastra (dance art forms) among many others are but a few of these. There are far more secrets and truths in Hinduism’s many branches. These are the medical science called Ayurveda, alongside Yoga, that are all interrelated. Ayurveda, the medical content or part of Hinduism was propounded by Sage Charaka.
Symbols That Represent Hinduism Making Yoga A Part Of It
Symbols and designs have a deep connection and impact in Hinduism. The ‘Om’ is another symbol of good luck. And it is a symbol, like the swastika, which represents the essence of Hinduism. In fact, many people the world over, try to use these two images in everything before starting something. They symbolize growth, prosperity, and progress. They generate and attract good luck. In Yoga too, these symbols signify everything auspicious. People believe it to be the inherent sound of the universe, always in a continuously dynamic mode. But, let us try to understand how we can make the connection between Hinduism and yoga. Yoga, as a way of life, with its non-rapid action ways of practicing the asanas, can be an excellent part of our daily schedule.
The Three Divine Foundation Stones of Hinduism
Hinduism rests on the Three Divine Beings or Gods- Bramha, Vishnu, and Shiva. Bramha is the four-faced God, whose each face resonates with connection to each Veda. He is also known as the Creator of the entire Universe. Vishnu is the Preserver and Shiva is the Destroyer. All other Gods and Demi-Gods of the Hindu pantheon total 33 billion!! Believe it or not! This is where Hinduism gives a free hand to its followers. They can pray to any Hindu God. They can even pray to the Guru they follow. The Guru takes the place of the Divinity. Hinduism has many aspects to it, such as the four Vedas and the Upanishads which are like the foundation stone.
Passed On From Generation To Generation
What are the Vedas and the Upanishads? Well, in Hinduism these are the great truths that each generation has passed to the subsequent generation down the ages. To give an idea, there are four Vedas. These are The Rig Veda, The Yajur Veda, The Sama Veda, and the Atharva Veda. The many Upanishads are like the basic chassis of Hinduism, upon which the entire structure itself exist. There are twelve Upanishads which are of prime importance. Their tenets are important for the student aspiring to be a master of the concepts and the truths they portray.
Hinduism and Yoga Are A Way Of Life
The word or the name Vedanta directly refers to the many Upanishads and the Vedas that comprise Hinduism. They are probably one of the oldest modes of thinking. And in a way, they are a mode of ideals, truths and science. They have to its credit several thousand years of existence. Hinduism, is a way of life. No practicing saint or Guru has ever stated that this way of thinking is the best. They always said that it is a way of life. Yoga is only a facet of this vast arena of thought and evolution. The greatest of sages, Patanjali Maharishi, is the Father of Yoga. .
What are The Upanishads?
The entire structure of Hinduism rests on the Upanishads and the Vedas. We need to understand that these Upanishads dictated the simple norms of living in a society, that belonged to that specific period. It is very difficult to ascertain the age factor of these Upanishads. People believe strongly, that these were in existence in the etheric regions. Generations to generations passed on these great truths embedded in them to the next generations. Every generation believed in the word of the Guru, being supreme. The Guru was, and is, the fulcrum of life in Hinduism and Yoga as well.
The Different Upanishads:
Every student pursuing Yoga and wants to know more about Hinduism, should learn something about the Upanishads. Here are the more popular ones:
- Aitareya-Upanishad.
- Taittirya-Upanishad.
- Khandogya-Upanishad.
- Mundaka-Upanishad.
- Prasna-Upanishad.
- Kaushtaki-Upanishad.
- Maitryanya-Upanishad.
- Kathavall-Upanishad.
- Svetsvatara-Upanishad.
- Brihad-ranyaka-Upanishad.
- Talavakra (Kena)-Upanishad.
- Nrisimhottaratpanya-Upanishad
The Veneration Of The Guru
A normal day in the life of a family in ancient India, began with a short prayer to the Guru. The veneration of the Guru brings a torrent of blessings pouring down on those who chant it. The very idea of sending a silent thought filled with respect to the great Guru allows the person who practices it to get the blessings in plenty from these great saints. And it has an echoing effect. The blessings bring about positivity and the belief that only good will come forth out of it. Hinduism has many arms and yoga is one of the biggest arms. The Guru knew how to modify the asanas for each of his or her students.
Yoga- A Major Pillar Of Hinduism
The four Vedas are the driving force and the pillars of Hinduism. The Great Gurus and Sages call it Darshanas. The concepts of Hinduism are the bedrock of the whole structure of the Hindu culture and tradition. Followers of this religion call this Sanatana Dharma. The concept that all Hindus believe in, is that everyone goes through a maze of births in his entire journey. The ultimate goal is to be free from this continuous cycle of birth and death. And to ultimately merge with the divine. Hinduism is very accepting of every person’s ability, disability, and the austerities that one wants to go through. Yoga is incomplete without mudras and pranayama. The Gurus always advised people to practise yoga with mudra and pranayama.
There are types of pranayamas or breathing practices for many ailments of the modern man, such as anxiety, depression, overthinking, lack of energy. You can find your pranayama here. And to learn more about mudras, read here.
The Benign Attitude Of The Gurus In Hindu Tradition
The Gurus in Hinduism are the centerspread of everything. These great Gurus were never dogmatic. They allowed each human being to follow the deity of his choice for worship. This was more to bring about that perfect blend of discipline and regularity in following our veneration of the divine universal power. Hinduism and yoga are an integral part of each other, and so deeply connected. It was normal practice for every person in ancient times to follow and practice the movements in the confines of the house after learning it from the Guru. People took it for granted that was a way of life; they integrated the teachings into the monotonous rhythm of everyday life, and no one contested that.
The Connection Between Hinduism,Mudras And Pranayama
The Guru made sure that most people were aware of the deep connection between Hinduism, yoga, Pranayama, Mudra. He ensured that every person knew about the benefits that the practice of these sciences conferred on anyone. This, the Guru achieved, by giving discourses that were educative and informative. This usually happened as a community get-together, in the evenings. This was also a way of connecting the dots between families and integrating them into the fabric of the system. This way, the Guru made sure he introduced the deep connection between Yoga, the mudras, Pranayama and the Chakras.
For more on Chakras, their origins, meaning, and how to practice opening them, do read what we have researched here. Chakras are also the fulcrum in the science of yoga, Ayurveda and health. Hinduism is a complete integration of yoga, Ayurveda, Pranayama, Mudra and Chakra. To know more about chakras and how they help us in having good self esteem, read this on our blog.
The Essence Of The Vedas
The Vedas are called ‘Apaurusha’ in Sanskrit, which means , they were downloaded from the Divine. They were not created by any human. They are endless and infinite, meaning they are as vast as the ocean , to use a metaphor, in content. The Sanskrit word for it is ‘Anantha’. They do not have a beginning- and the word to describe this is ‘Anadhi’. Using this as the background and backdrop, we can understand how the Vedas and Yoga as ancient sciences are interlinked. The different texts of Hinduism and the Yoga philosophy are in Sanskrit. That is because it is one of the oldest languages in the world today.
Why Is Yoga More Important In Hinduism?
Hinduism has several important branches of which Yoga is the first and foremost step. This branch lays the foundation for the other steps to have more substantiation. By practicing Yoga everyday, we learn the importance of shaping our body towards the goal of spiritual evolution. The ultimate goal in any human life as per the tenets of Hinduism, is to reach the Divine. This is called the feet of God, The ultimate Reality, The Universal Spirit or God. Yoga develops in us the zeal to stay healthy. This is important when we want to evolve spiritually.
By treating the body as a temple of the divine, we accord it an exalted status. This means the physically fit body will make us mentally and emotionally fit also. This is the way to proceed. Rohit is an Ayurvedic doctor and a yoga practitioner. He says that practising yoga gives us the endurance to work on ourselves spiritually and evolve faster.
The concept of breath control is integral to yoga
This is the difference between ordinary mortals and highly evolved souls. Their aura is luminous, keep negativity at bay, and attracts only the positive elements. Yoga also says it is so important to incorporate the breath control while we do our asanas. It is this breath, called the prana or the praan, that is the vital element in everybody. It is mandatory for survival. We can put aside any element of regret if we have not, in so many years, practiced yoga at all. Let us bring our awareness to the ‘Now’ factor. And let’s at least prove the theory that good health lies in our hands, and assume responsibility for it. There’s no better time than now to start working on ourselves.
Shanti Arunkumar, Senior Contributor At L’Aquila Active
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