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Writer's picturehathavidyatch

The Origin of Yoga: A Journey Through Time

Updated: Oct 9

Yoga is an ancient practice, dating back to the Indus Valley Civilization (3300 BC). Although several traditional yogic texts can offer knowledge regarding the practice methodology and objectives of yoga, they are being altered and wrongly interpreted these days. 

With its international acceptance in the UN assembly, yoga has garnered attention worldwide. Yoga is presented in attractive forms, blending modern trends and deviating from its core. So, to educate the readers regarding yoga's history, we are presenting a series of blogs detailing yoga’s origins and its adaptation in the modern world.


Yoga: Vedic Period

Yoga is an ancient practice that has been around for thousands of years. Due to ignorance, people generally ascribe Sage Patanjali as the father of yoga. However, he didn’t discover yoga; rather, he systematically arranged the already existing practices in an organized form in the Yoga Sutras. So, we must understand the real origins of these ancient practices.



yoga pose

Yoga in the Vedas 

According to the Vedas, Hiranyagarbha was the first one to talk about yoga. Hiranyagarbha, means the “golden womb,"  which is mentioned in the Matsya Purana. It states that after the Mahāprālaya, the whole universe was empty and shrouded in darkness. Then the self-manifested being, Swayambhu, came into being. It then created the waters and sowed the seed of creation, which became the golden womb. 

Swayambhu entered the golden womb. This self-manifested awareness, when entered into this womb, brought Purusha and Prakriti into being by causing the nature of reality or the universe. From the text, it is evident that Hiranyagarbha is pure consciousness itself, which first presented yoga.


Yoga in the Upanishads 

Pre-classical texts like the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and The Yoga Vasistha mention yoga in different contexts than it is in the Vedic period. Yoga Upanishads of that period don't have references to Sage Patanjali.  

The Katha Upanishad defines yoga as "a steady holding of the senses." There are even twenty Yoga Upanishads specifically dedicated to yoga theory and practice.



Yoga beyond the Vedas 

Yoga finds mention not just in Vedic texts but also in the epic Mahabharata and various Puranas. These references ensure yoga’s presence in Indian culture across different periods. 

Yoga is a vast and ancient tradition with roots reaching far back into pre-Vedic times. Although, Patanjali's Yoga Sutras are a foundational text of yoga philosophy, he didn't invent anything new. He simply codified the existing yogic practices that were already there. In the subsequent series, we will discuss yoga history, exploring its various aspects across different periods.




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