The History of Yoga

The origins of yoga are unclear and unspecified, because yoga is regarded as a divine science of life, revealed to enlightened sages in Meditation. The oldest archaeological evidence of its existence is provided by a number of stone seals showing figures in yogic postures, excavated from the Indus valley and believed to date from circa 3000BC.

These yogic postures resemble Lord Shiva and Parvathi performing various Asanas and practicing meditation. According to popular myth, Shiva is said to be the founder of yoga and Paravati his first disciple.

Yoga is first mentioned in the vast collection of scriptures called the Vedas, which date from circa 2500 BC, but it is the Upanishads, which form the latter part of the Vedas, that give the main basis of yoga teaching.

According to Indian mythology, two main epics were scripted - one of them being The Mahabharata, by Sage Vyasa which contains the Bhagavad Gita. Lord Vishnu, incarnated as Krishna, instructs the warrior Arjuna in Yoga, helping him to achieve liberation by fulfilling one's duties in life.
Yoga arose when man first realized his spiritual potential and sages developed the science and philosophy to develop it. The essence of yoga has often been shrouded in or explained by different symbols, analogies and languages. Some beliefs state that yoga was a divine gift revealed to the ancient sages, so that mankind could have the opportunity to realize its divine nature. In ancient times, yoga techniques were kept secret and were never written down or exposed to public view. They were passed on from teaching or Guru to disciple by word of Mouth. In this way there was a clear understanding of their meaning and aim.

In the 6th century BC, Buddha's influence brought the ideals of meditation, ethics and morality to the fore and the preparatory and physical practices of yoga were ignored. However, Indian thinkers soon realized the limitations of this purely meditative approach.

Yogi Matsyendranath taught that before taking to the practices of meditation, the body and its elements need purifying. One of the most outstanding authorities on hatha yoga, Swami Swatmarama wrote the Hatha yoga pradipika, or 'Light on yoga' in Sanskrit, which describes the various Asanas and breathing exercises, which forms the foundation of the modern practice of yoga. The science of yoga has passed the test of thousands of years of trial and refinement. Living in isolation, the great Rishis and Munis of India meditated and thought upon it, developing this science over millennia. Therefore, this science is based upon thousands of years of intellectual research by many great sages and gurus, who actually lived and practiced it.

Paramahamas Satyananda Saraswati is considered one of the greatest saints of recent times, who recommended the integration of yoga with society and encouraged the spiritual evolution of all people regardless of caste, creed or religion. Twenty years after renouncing the world, Paramahansa Satyananda established the Bihar school of yoga in Munger, Bihar, India in 1963. This became the focal point of yoga experience for people worldwide. Paramahansa Satyananda also embarked on many world tours, promoting the yogic path to countless aspirants and as "a door to door and shore to shore" campaign to fulfil the mandate of his guru, Swami Sivananda.

Through his inspiration, hundreds of small yoga groups and ashrams developed in India and abroad and soon he became one of the first yogic masters to translate the yogic principles and techniques into modern scientific language, by encouraging research into the medical healing principles of yoga.

After giving yoga a new dimension, in 1983 Paramahansa Satyananda passed on the mantle of yoga master to his ardent disciple, Paramahansa Niranjananda Saraswatri, under whose direction the yoga movement has entered a new era. The first yoga University in the world in Munger, Bihar India, was founded by Paramahansa Niranjananda Saraswati in 1994, which is gaining tremendous response globally.