Yoga day through the eyes of literature
On 21st June, every year international yoga day is celebrated across the globe . Nowadays yoga is generally associated with yogic postures , breathing exercises, and physical fitness. However literature helps us understand that yoga is much more than a form of exercise. Through poetry, philosophy, and spiritual writings, writers and thinkers have presented yoga as a way of achieving inner peace, self-knowledge, and harmony with the world.
The idea of yoga can be traced back to ancient indian texts such as veda, upnaishad etc. the term yoga came from sanskrit word ‘yuj’ which means to unite. This means the union of the soul to the god. In bhagvad gita, krishna says “yogah karmasu kaushalam” which means that yoga is excellence in action, thus the gita gave great emphasis on yoga.The Upanishads also teach us to move from ignorance to knowledge and from darkness to light, which reflects the true meaning of yoga.
In the mediaeval period, the bhakti tradition emerged, poets of this tradition also beautifully explains the meaning of yoga in their way of thinking which they called bhakti yoga means devotion to god is yoga. Kabir , meerabai,and tulsidas are famous name of this. For instance kabir beautifully says, “Moko kahan dhoondhe re bande, main to tere paas mein,” meaning that God is within us and can be found through self-awareness. Their poems show that love, devotion, and kindness are also forms of yoga.
Modern writers and poets have also written about ideas that are closely connected with yoga. Poets like Rabindranath Tagore often spoke about the harmony between human beings, nature, and the universe. Many modern literary works encourage people to slow down, reflect on their lives, and find peace in a busy world. In this way, literature continues to keep the spirit of yoga alive even today.
Literature helps us understand that yoga is not only about physical exercise but also about improving our thoughts, emotions, and way of living. From ancient scriptures to Bhakti poetry and modern writings, yoga has always been seen as a path to inner peace and self-discovery. On International Yoga Day, literature reminds us that yoga is a beautiful art of living that connects the body, mind, and soul.