history of yoga

by chinmayi

Some people believe that the origin of yoga lies in Hinduism, but this is not the case. Evidence of yoga has been found far earlier than that. Most of the research I have done describes the history from a Hindu perspective. This seems to be because most of yoga’s real development took place at the same time as Hinduism. But most research acknowledges the links of yoga with Buddhism and Jainism.

Many scholars believe that yoga goes as far back as Stone Age Shamanism which dates back 25,000 years. However, others believe that this is unlikely, as the methods used to advance along a spiritual path are vastly different. A shaman would serve a local community whereas a yogi would serve himself and primarily seek his own spiritual growth.

Pre Vedic Times

An ancient civilisation developed between 4,000 and 8,000 years ago around the Indus River and what was the Saraswati River. There were 7 ancient cities in this region, the major ones being Mohenjo-daro and Harappa. The cities prospered for some 800 years. Only about 60 of the known sites have so far been excavated. Archeologists have discovered a sophisticated people with evidence of sewerage, bathrooms, art, pottery and jewellery. This was long before Roman times.

In Mohenjo-daro, terracotta seals have been found with intricate carvings on them. Sir John Marshall found one depicting a figure seated in meditation pose with his hands on his knees. Sir John named it Shiva. It is thought to be 5,000 years old.

The Harappans were reputed to have been destroyed by Aryan invaders around 1500 BC. The Aryans brought Brahmanism to the area – a complex ritual and sacrificial-based religion. This was to form the basis of Hinduism.

However some believe that the invasion never happened and that the Aryans had always been there. The Vedic/Indus/Saraswati civilisation is thought to be the oldest continuous civilisation in history.

Vedic Period – (1,000 BC)

The ancient sacred texts of Brahmanism are the Vedas. They are a mixture of poetry and hymns with detailed instruction in spiritual life. The first three scriptures were the Rig Veda, Sama Veda and Yajur Veda and were used by priests at the time. In the Rig Veda ‘yoking’ and ‘discipline’ were mentioned. Then followed the Atharva Veda which was intended for ordinary people. It contained guidance that they could use in everyday life. It was in this text that the first reference to breath control was found.

The Rig Veda is the oldest. It has 1028 hymns and 10600 verses. The idea of yoga as a meditative practice is confirmed in the Rig Veda. Meditation consisted of a form of mantra, visualisation and absorption in the mind and the heart. The hymns of the Vedas were deep, spiritual expressions composed by rishis or seers. They were enlightened, insightful, intuitive prophets able to teach the Vedic people how to live in divine harmony.

The Vratya-Kanda is book 15 of the Atharva Veda and introduces us to the Vratyas, a group of fertility priests who worshipped Rudra, the God of the wind. They would imitate the sound of the wind as they sang their songs of devotion and found that they could sing more effectively if tey could control their breath. Hence the concept of pranayama was first known.

Vratyas were nomadic priests travelling around north-east India, frequently Magadha (modern Bihar) in groups of 33. Each group had a leader. They were deemed outcasts by their Vedic cousins.

It is thought that the Upanishads may have been influenced by the Vratyas. One of the Vratyas, Vena gave instruction on the mantra OM to King Prithu.

The Brahmanas – (2,500 – 1,500 BC)

There were vast works done, but only a few survived. They were attached to the Vedas, systematically stating the sacrificial rituals and their mythology. Japa (meditative technique using using mantra) and mouna (inner silence for meditation) are mentioned here.

The Aranyakas

Again attached to the Vedas, they were teachings for retired Brahmins who would move out to the forest to live in contemplative solitude. The works were very similar in nature to the Brahmanas.

The Upanishads

The Vedic civilisation relocated to the Ganges Valley and tributaries when the Sarasvati River dried up. It was about this time that the Vedic hymns were completed. They were studied and modified creating the Brahmanas, Aranyakas and the Upanishads and the Kalpa Sutra.

The Upanishads are deemed to be a continuation of the Vedas; the Vedas being the revelation of the devine, the Upanishads being the Vedanta. (Vedanta - Veda’s end). Hey were to be an ideological revolution. As meditation on life, death and immortality, their essence is that truth can only be reached by faith and not by thought. They introduced meditation and intense contemplation as an interpretation of Vedic rituals.

There are over 200 Upanishads, spanning from over 4,000 years ago, to this century and have been organised into groups for ease of understanding. If the Upanishads were out together in one volume they would be the same size as the Bible! The most incredible thing about all of these texts is that they were never written down but memorised and passed down from teacher to pupil, verbally, through the centuries. There are Brahmins living today, who can recite tens of thousands of Vedic verses. Whilst we have these texts available in book form, it must have helped their concentration to have to learn these by heart.

The word Brahman comes from the word briti – to grow. Upanasana means inner workshop. Whilst the Brahmins continued their sacrificial cults, characteristic of the Vedic people, the Upanishads explained meditation as the means of achieving divine knowledge.

Although the Upanishads are easily obtained and interpreted now, they were held in a much more secretive manner during this era. They were whispered by highly esteemed teachers or sages rather than read aloud. Students would have to show a high degree of discipline before receiving the Upanishads. The principles of these texts are summarised as follows:-
1. The ultimate reality of the Universe is identical with our inner nature. Brahman (God) equals Atman (self)
2. Only the realisation of the Brahman frees one from suffering and the necessity of birth, life and death
3. One’s thoughts and actions determine ones destiny – the law of karma. What we identify with, we become.
4. Unless liberated by higher wisdom, one is reborn perhaps in lower realms, depending on one’s karma.

There is an interesting piece in the Kaushitaki-Brahmana Upanishad written about the breath. It states that when we are talking, we are not consciously breathing. When we are breathing we will not be able to speak. This shows the need to focus on the breath to turn our attention inwards.

Ramayama – the life of Rama

This is one of the most important creations known to the Indian people. It is a love story of King Rama and his wife Sita. It is recited today all over the world in Indian communities during festivals. Since 1987 there has been a weekly TV series depicting the story. The original story consists of 24,000 verses over 7 chapters. For the Hindu people, Rama is a symbol of renunciation, equanimity and self-dicipline; his wife Sita, the sign of womanly purity and marital fidelity.

Rama is known as an incarnation of the God Vishnu. Together with Shivaq and Brahma they become the holy trinity:-
Brahma – the creator
Vishnu – the preserver
Shiva – the destroyer

The other most important incarnation of Vishnu was Krishna, Prince Arjuna’s teacher.

The Bhagavad Gita – (estimated 2,000 BC – 300 AD)

The Mahabharata has acquired the title of the fifth Veda. It comprises 100,000 stanzas (200,000) lines of 16 syllables each. The most recent edition contains 75,000 stanzas. There are 18 books giving an account of Krishna’s birth and his childhood. The Bhagavad Gita is chapter 13-40 of the sixth book comprising 700 verses. There are different versions throughout eastern cultures, each with a different number of stanzas.

Some believe the Bhagavad Gita was an independent text which has later been incorporated to the Mahabharata. Arjuna is about to go to battle when he sees his own family and feels he cannot fight. Krishna the cosmic lord comes to his counsel. Arjuna represents human souls and Krishna the God within.

It is in the Gita that we learn that yoga is for everyone, not just for the recluse. Until the Gita, yoga was deemed for those unconnected with daily life.

Patanjali Yoga Sutras – (400 BC – 400 AD)

Patanjali wrote the sutras during a time of debate and speculation in the yoga framework. But he wrote them in a way which allowed for many religious beliefs and backgrounds.

Very little is known about Patanjali, but it is clear that he was an intelligent, academic with spiritual insight and wisdom.

The Yoga Sutras, in only 196 verses, seem to be a culmination of all scriptures written before him, particularly the Upanishads. It has formed a useful and concise philosophy right up until the present day. Probably the most well-known of the sutras is the Eight Limbs of Yoga:-

1. Discipline/Ethics – yama
2. Restraint – niyama
3. Posture – asana
4. Breath control – pranayama
5. Sense withdrawal – pratyahara
6. Concentration – dharana
7. Meditation – dhyana
8. Ecstasy – samadhi

These limbs are seen as the path to enlightenment. Each sutra holds the secret to freedom and how a human being can liberate himself. The goal is the realisation of the utmost self – the Atman.

Modern Day Yoga

There are many other gurus and contributors to the yoga we know today. Bhakti yoga (yoga of devotion) was boosted during the middle ages.

Hatha Yoga texts such as the Hatha Yoga Pradipika give details on the most important asanas, pranayamas, bandhas and mudras. The emphasis is to make the body healthy as a means to calming the mind.
Other yogis contributing to the growth of yoga have been Gorakhnath, Matseyendranath, Janaka, and more recent Swamis – Sivananda, Satyananda and Vivekananda.

The biggest development in recent times has been yoga’s movement to the West. The West has adopted yoga initially as a body workout. In recent times, this has started to change, but it still remains a practice to make the body more flexible and keep us looking young! This purification of the body has become an obsession, but it is in the purification of the mind which leads us back to the essence of our being and where unity takes place.

Om shanti...........