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Translated by
Shri Siddhartha Krishna
Introduction
On the 31st October 2004, the world's first
temple dedicated to Lord Patanjali was inaugurated by His Holiness Shri
Shri Yogacharya B.K.S. Iyengar (Guruji) in his holy birthplace of
Bellur, a village in Karnataka, South India. Lord Patanjali was the
son of the Divine Yogini Gonikaa and is the Divine Expounder of Yoga as taught by Lord Kapila
(the primordial Holy Incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the Omnipresent
Supreme Godhead)
Bellur is soon to
become a place of pilgrimage for all Iyengar Yoga students, because
the place is of immense importance to our beloved Guruji. Its
tranquil and serene environment, enchanted with the grace of Lord
Patanjali and his divine philosophy of Yoga, provides one of the
most perfect spiritual settings for Yoga Sadhana (ardent practice of
Yoga).
While performing Aaraadhanaa (divine worship) to
the Lord, the traditional priests recite the "Ashtottara-shata-naamaavalih"
(the 108 Names) of Lord Patanjali regularly in the holy sanctum of
this temple. As explicitly mentioned in the last verse of this text,
a devotee, who ardently recites these 108 names of Lord Patanjali,
reaches the highest abode of consciousness by his blessings. Indeed,
devotional recitation of the text leads to physical perfection,
inner purification, mental peace, spiritual development, deep
meditation and divine grace, which are the prerequisites to the
attainment of Yoga, the highest goal of human existence
Yoga is the
quintessence of all religions, ideologies, philosophies, ethics and
nationalities. Thus, Yoga provides a better understanding of our own
ideology, philosophy, religion and nation. Yoga bestows upon us firm
determination, stamina and great willpower, which are essential for
reaching the highest pinnacles in any field. Yoga welcomes all
races, religious and ethnic groups, and renders them into one single
bouquet consisting of a vast range of flowers.
Yoga unites the world
in its soul. Yoga is unity, in which all conflicts and hatred tend
to dissolve and only unconditional pure love for the whole of
creation prevails. Thus, Yoga truly has the ability to convert this
earth into heaven. This is the divine vision (Darshana) of the great
saint and sage of yore, Lord Patanjali, the author of the Yoga-Darshanam,
the most authoritative text available on the philosophy of Yoga, and
who is the spiritual successor of an extremely ancient Vedic
tradition whose foundations are deeply rooted within the holy texts
of the four Vedas (Rig-veda, Saama-veda, Yajur-veda and
Atharva-veda) and was promulgated for the first time by Lord Kapila
to his beloved mother Devahuti and further exalted and embellished
by Yogeshvara (the Lord of Yoga) Lord Shri Krishna in the Yoga-Shaastra
(the scripture on Yoga) more commonly known as the Shrimad-Bhagavad-Gita.
Finally I would like to express my special thanks and regards to Gitaji (Gita S. Iyengar) for clearing all my doubts and answering
all my questions. May Lord Patanjali's blessings dawn upon us all!
Siddhartha Krishna
Introduction
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