Healthy IITG, Happy IITG: The Yoga Way

Come 21^st June and the world will be celebrating ‘Yoga Day’. All over the schools and colleges of India there will be yoga activity, seminars etc. In our campus at IITG we are also celebrating in our own unique way. The present generation of life is becoming fast in terms of time spent in work, sitting near computers etc. and the physical activities are rapidly decreasing. Due to which we are becoming aware of so many new diseases that were unknown to people just some years back. Earlier people use to walk a lot and their daily activities were more manual work which uses to free them from doing planned exercises etc. Hypertension, diabetes, blood pressure, etc. has become so widespread that we are taking it for granted in our daily life. In our daily works of IITG community much of the effort is on mental activity like reading, writing, developing mathematical ability etc. and in pursuit of which we fail to give importance to physical activity. The physical body without any exercises becomes fragile and loses immunity which invites the invisible germs surrounding us for a sumptuous meal there by causing diseases for us. In the name curing the diseases we slowly become dependent on medicine which has many side effects. Yoga as a physical activity will help us get back our sovereign physical strength.

The word ‘Yoga’ can be derived from two verbal roots, yuj (to yoke) or Yuj (to concentrate). Hence ‘Yoga’ is that which helps a jiva or the individual soul to attain concentration on Isvara and ultimate union with him. The ‘Yoga’ in its several senses has been used in the Rig Veda and some of the Upanishad like Katha and the Svetasvatara. The Bhagwad Gita contains much reference to yoga. It is likely that there might have been a more ancient work on yoga attributed to Hiranyagarbha and this work has influenced other works. Among the works available now the Yogasutras of Patanjali is the most ancient one attributed between BC 200 to AD 300. The Patanjali Yoga sutras prescribe a graded discipline comprising eight steps, called the ‘astangas’ of yoga. Of the eight steps “asana” with which we are much concerned comes third in the series of steps. Before that there are Yama (restraint), Niyama (observances). The ‘Yama’ is non-injury, truth, continence etc. which contribute to social harmony and ‘Niyama’ which is cleanliness, contentment, austerity study of holy books, repetition of mantras and devotion to God brings in personal purity.

The third step which is Yogasanas is extremely popular all over the world mostly as physical exercises and coupled with pranayama they act at three levels, the physical body, the vital body and the mind. When perfected they help the physical body to have strength and stamina, regulate the internal body chemistry and assists in gaining control over mind.

Asana means a posture. According to one view, by imitating the posture of an animal , one can get that animal agility or any other special capacity that is why quite a few yogasanas are named after some animal or the other as in Mayurasana, Mayura = peacock. Gheranda Samhita, a standard work of Hathayoga, more directly concerned with yogasanas and pranayama mentions thirty two yogasanas which are more important.

Yoga asanas have certain advantages over the gymnastic exercises or other form of exercises in that it can be practiced by all, irrespective of age & sex or health conditions if specific instruction is followed. No other external appliances like dumbbells’ or any other devices are needed. The yoga can reduce the toxins in the body instead of increasing them as done by the other system. Those who wish to practice yoga asanas are required to observe some general rules. They are:-

1. Organs of evacuation should be empty before practicing the Yogasanas.
2. It is best to do the yogasanas after bath otherwise there must be gap of at least 30 minutes for bath after doing them.
3. Early morning is the best time for doing the yogasanas.
4. Drinking a glass of warm water before beginning will help.
5. The place must be clean and airy. A blanket should be spread and yogasanas practiced on it.
6. Breathing must be done through the nostrils only.
7. At the end, sweat should be dried by spreading it with the bare hands and not with cloth.

Those suffering from some diseases like hypertension should not practice topsy-turvy postures. Women are advised to avoid some yogasanas during certain periods or conditions.

Before beginning the regular practice of the yogasanas, a few preparatory exercises have to be done to loosen the joints and attain flexibility. Out of the several yogasanas sixteen are very popular, some of them are Ardhamatsyendrasana, Baddhapadmasana, Bhujangasana etc. It is best to learn these yogasanas directly from a competent teacher. Through pictures and descriptions of them are often given in standard works there is always a chance of going wrong or even getting into trouble. When practiced properly these yogasanas have either cured or decreased the effects of many aliments. In fact quite a few of them have been designed as cures for specific diseases.

Coming to the present we see that our school and colleges are much stuffed with books and less importance to physical activity like yoga sports etc. With the active role of P.M. Modi and recognition of ‘Yoga’ internationally may reverse the trend. Although much has been said as yoga related to Hinduism and controversy surrounding it, we cannot deny that every religion practices certain yogic posture during their religious activity. India’s significance is that here in our country yoga was first studied deeply and established in a firm rational foundation. Taking yoga as way to remain healthy and also taking it as a lever to reach our goal will help us enjoy more. In our campus we can have regular community ‘yoga’ practice in a field and taught by an expert teacher. Having a yoga community will give us enthusiasm to do it regularly and also help us becoming healthy. Swami Vivekananda says, “The only test of good things is that they make us Strong”. What harm is in recognizing and practicing it together. We feel proud to study, Shakespeare, Willian Wordworth, Newton, Einstein, Penrose although they are of foreign country. Also using Chinese made goods, technology of USA, Cananda & Iran’s Oil does not deter our self-confidence then why should something developed by ancients of our country make us shy to recognize publicly in our institution. After all, our ancient Indian thinkers have studied much deeply about the behavior of mind and how to keep it healthy and happy by doing Yoga.  Being an institute of national importance we should take a lead in this direction by introduction of community Yoga where yoga is practiced in the morning and evening and also try bringing awareness to nearby areas, institution to introduce in their own way. Happiness of the world is in the happiness of the healthy individual. If yoga brings it, then why not?

Sources:

1. Encyclopedia of Hinduism.
2. Complete works of Swami Vivekananda.

Swachhata, Morality and Ethics

                      With the launch of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan by our P.M Narendra Modi whole of the country people is trying to make Bharat a clean place, swachh place. Even in our campus at IITG we see the Swachh Abhiyan works being carried on by people participating from diverse background. Faculties, student, staff are doing their lot in keeping the campus neat and clean.

          But cleaning cannot mean externals only, its counterpart internal must also be taken in to account. One process is that of cleansing the externals roads, surrounding areas, office etc. and the other factor which we hardly notice is to keep clean, what we See, Hear, Feel. The cleaning and purification of emotions by following the proper moral and ethical code of conduct. These days whole of our creativity seems to have concentrated in one spot i.e exploring sensuality, newspaper, television signboards wherever we see it is full of things that evoke the animality, carnality inside. The country Bharat which in its yonder, glorious ancient period believed in directing the senses to capture something sublime seems to have forgotten its own self. Thousand years of slavery, subjugation, humiliation has made us belief in a progress that apes western culture. India which has contributed to world the best of ethical and moral code of conduct seems to question its own antiquity. Science, Arts, Fine Arts, Music, Mathematics wherever we see and study the glory of our civilization shines in golden color. The seven notes in the octave were first known to us long before any other nation had them. The Chinese had only five notes, while the Greeks had seven notes in the octave only after they came in to contact with our country. In Mathematics the contribution of Aryabhatta, Bhaskaracharya and more recent S. Ramanujan stand tall. In the field of science the contribution of Homi Bhabha, C.V. Raman, Meghnad Saha, Stayendranath Bose, Sisir Kr. Mitra, J.C Bose are acknowledged by the world. In fine Arts a great thinker says, the world which is yet to understand fully and in time to come will know what a master India was. In medicine and Surgery we have developed ayurveda system which is still continuing and compared to that the allopathic system of medicine is just a developing branch which is yet to come to a conclusion about human body and its personality. In the field of Philosophy our country has reached the culmination. The soul inside the human body was discovered and language was manufactured to explain the unexplainable. The only work left for its generation is to realize the soul inside the diversity of human body and its says, when realized the secret chamber of heart opens and ancient text predating CE says, “Realizing him one becomes free from all miseries”.

                                2500 years back in the book of Patanjali Yoga Sutra we find mention of Yama and Niyama as prerequisites for any undertaking. Yama is abstention from harming others, from false hood, from theft, from incontinence, and from greed. The niyamas (observances) are purity, contentment, mortification, study and devotion to God. Swami Vivekananda commenting on the sutras says, “External purification is keeping the body pure, a dirty man will never be a Yogi. There must be internal purification also. Of course internal purity is of greater value than external but both are necessary, and external purity, without internal, is of no good”  Although we may reject all this as antiquarian but the present situation like non-transference of nuclear technology to countries supporting terrorism, increasing collaboration of developed and developing countries to keep some know-how’s under exclusive proprietary right so that civilization is not destroyed makes us believe what purpose can be served by a libertine, selfish knower.

                                  The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan with which the topic was started, we can extend beyond material cleanings. The cleaning of media from appealing to masses by something gross, the cleaning of signboards etc whereas Ashoka the king of ancient India raised royal pillars to make the public aware of its duties and responsibilities for generations our present media with more technology is only making people think gross. Walking on roads with elderly friends one will not fail to be embraced on spotting some filmy activity of lovers, couples in some dark spaces displaying their personal emotion. One fails to wonder if this can be done in personal spaces or we need a park especially devoted to the purpose. We can’t fail to notice the murmuring activity near some hostel but the silence pervading the opposite one. Although not an enemy of people displaying public emotions but this does not stop the thought that can we have some guidelines on this public display of emotions. A signboard of do and don’ts inside campuses, roadside, public corners that restrict the limit to emotional display and fines for breaking these limits. Stricter rules at night may catch any one trying to escape in the cover of darkness. Swachh Bharat cannot be imagined as clean roads, places, and surrounded by private emotional activity along the sides which bring in the seer the urge to replicate the same and in absence of sufficient restraint thereby committing it criminally. After all the highest person or institution is the role model in any branch it may the public etiquette or morals. May Swachh Bharat Abhiyan help us become a better person each day.