Yoga starts long before you touch the mat: Swami Bodhamayananda
As global attention turns to yoga on June 21, Swami Bodhamayananda, Adhyaksha of Ramakrishna Math, Hyderabad, offers a timely reminder: yoga is not just a fitness trend — it is a spiritual science deeply embedded in India's civilisational ethos.
In a conversation with TNIE's Khyati Shah, he reflects on the spiritual roots of yoga, its moral foundations and how it can be a tool for personal transformation in a restless modern world.
Edited excerpts:
On International Yoga Day, people across the world are rolling out their mats for asanas. But is that all yoga is about? What is the true essence of yoga?
That's a good start, but yoga is much more than just postures. At its core, yoga is a balanced state of mind. It's about not being attached to outcomes, whether success or failure. This idea is rooted in the Bhagavad Gita, where Lord Krishna defines yoga as Karma Yoga — skill in action. True yoga is about performing one's duty selflessly, offering every action to a higher purpose. It means living with balance: detached, yet deeply involved; acting without ego, serving without condition and learning without pride.
How does yoga connect with India's spiritual traditions like Vedanta?
India's spiritual landscape is rich — Nyaya, Vedanta, Sankhya and of course, Yoga. Patanjali's system is profound, but yoga was never meant to be reduced to just a workout. Before you attempt asanas, you must embody the Yamas and Niyamas: Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (moderation) and Aparigraha (non-possessiveness). These are the moral and ethical foundations. Only then are you truly ready for dhyana (meditation).
How was yoga practised in earlier generations
One of yoga's most essential elements is purity. Without purity in thought, intention and action, even the energy generated through yogic practices can be misused, sometimes unknowingly. Compared to earlier generations, I genuinely feel we're seeing a decline in that inner purity. That's a concern. It's one reason I believe Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Mission Karmayogi. It's not just about training government employees; it's about transforming mindsets. The idea is to evolve from being mere karmacharis (workers) to karma yogis, people with purpose and discipline. Even Central universities are now hosting these training programmes.
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Yoga starts long before you touch the mat: Swami Bodhamayananda
As global attention turns to yoga on June 21, Swami Bodhamayananda, Adhyaksha of Ramakrishna Math, Hyderabad, offers a timely reminder: yoga is not just a fitness trend — it is a spiritual science deeply embedded in India's civilisational ethos. In a conversation with TNIE's Khyati Shah, he reflects on the spiritual roots of yoga, its moral foundations and how it can be a tool for personal transformation in a restless modern world. Edited excerpts: On International Yoga Day, people across the world are rolling out their mats for asanas. But is that all yoga is about? What is the true essence of yoga? That's a good start, but yoga is much more than just postures. At its core, yoga is a balanced state of mind. It's about not being attached to outcomes, whether success or failure. This idea is rooted in the Bhagavad Gita, where Lord Krishna defines yoga as Karma Yoga — skill in action. True yoga is about performing one's duty selflessly, offering every action to a higher purpose. It means living with balance: detached, yet deeply involved; acting without ego, serving without condition and learning without pride. How does yoga connect with India's spiritual traditions like Vedanta? India's spiritual landscape is rich — Nyaya, Vedanta, Sankhya and of course, Yoga. Patanjali's system is profound, but yoga was never meant to be reduced to just a workout. Before you attempt asanas, you must embody the Yamas and Niyamas: Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truthfulness), Asteya (non-stealing), Brahmacharya (moderation) and Aparigraha (non-possessiveness). These are the moral and ethical foundations. Only then are you truly ready for dhyana (meditation). How was yoga practised in earlier generations One of yoga's most essential elements is purity. Without purity in thought, intention and action, even the energy generated through yogic practices can be misused, sometimes unknowingly. Compared to earlier generations, I genuinely feel we're seeing a decline in that inner purity. That's a concern. It's one reason I believe Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched Mission Karmayogi. It's not just about training government employees; it's about transforming mindsets. The idea is to evolve from being mere karmacharis (workers) to karma yogis, people with purpose and discipline. Even Central universities are now hosting these training programmes.
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