Yoga in different religions

Those who studied yoga, and themselves practised it they defined it respectively in their own ways. As Niranjananand Saraswati of Bihar schools of yoga, Munger, says- ‘Wellness through yoga and growth in talent from it both are possible.’  And they who hold doubts regarding spiritual aspect of yoga, Jaggi Vasudev of Isha Yog [Coimbatore]has very revealing answer for them- ‘Yogis are not against pleasure. It is just that they are unwilling to settle for little pleasure. To remain calm, to remain in an extreme sense of pleasure all the time is available to every human being.

The science of yoga gives this pleasure to you.’ It is because of this that all the religions, particularly which are metaphysically Indian, gave so much importance to yoga. In Hinduism, the name of Patanjali is known as such yogi that formulated yoga into ‘Ashtang yog’. He calls yoga the best way to bring about ‘control in psychic tendencies’[chithavruti nirodh]; ‘perfection in action’; ‘sense of equality in the life’ and ‘calmness of the mind’.

On the other side in Jainism Rishabhadev is worshipped as a first yogi.  Up to Mahavir Swami there are overall 24 teerthankaras in Jainism. Their statues are found in the yogic posture of either ‘Padmasana’ or ‘Khadgasana’. Concentrating on the front tip of nose is a principle method of meditation in Jainism, and it is called ‘Nasagre Drishti’. Likewise ‘Kayaotsarg’ is its prominent feature of yoga in which physical body is made to be perished willingly by munies and sadhvies.

Jain acharya Shubhchandra made a very fine analysis of yoga-pranayama in his book, ‘Gyanarnav’; and based upon life-science ‘Prekshadhyan’ is a rare method of meditation given by one more Jain muni, Acharya Mahapragya. And where basic mantra of Jainism is ‘Om Namha Sidhabhya’; ‘१ॐ’[ One Omkara] is that of Sikhism. The yogic terms like ‘Ida’,’Pingla’ and ‘Sushmna’ are amply mentioned elsewhere in Guru Granth Sahib. Even as Prophet of Sikhism, Guru Nanak dev,  preferred ‘Sahaj yog ’to‘Hathayog.

Shivyog says during breathing process when we inhale air it makes pause inside for 1000 parts of a second, and when it comes out it again makes pause likewise. If we stay conscious to it we will get realisation of our existence. Mahatma Gautam Budha adopted this technique, which came into being as ‘Vipasyana’