When did Yoga start? The origins of Yoga are lost in antiquity. According to tradition, the Samkhya philosophy along with the Yoga school are considered to be the oldest among the six schools of Hindu philosophy, older even than the Upanishads. This however does not give us much information because there is controversy about the dating of the Upanishads and other Hindu scriptures like the Yoga sutras, with dates ranging from 1500-500 BCE (according to Western experts) and 4500-3000 BCE according to Indian tradition.
Yoga seal from Mohenjodaro
In this context, this image is very important (image from here). The image is from a seal from the Indo-Saraswati civilization, from the city of Mohenjodaro. It shows a figure in a Yogic posture. The image is quite clearly an image of the God Shiva, the God of Yoga. Various aspects point to this, like the three faced image, the crown with buffalo horns and three peepul leaves, etc.
The image is undoubtedly in a Yogic posture. Since the date of the Mohenjodaro civilization is quite well established and archeologically dated (flourishing from around 4500 BCE, the beginning, and dying out around 2500 BCE), we can say from this that knowledge of Yoga has been there from at least around 3000 BCE, and very likely from much earlier.
Yoga can be said to have begun formally with the Yoga sutras of Patanjali. Patanjali is an ancient figure whose details are lost in history, at present we know nothing else about him other than the name. The same is true of the origin of the theoretical philosophical school associated with Yoga, the Samkhya philosophy. Samkhya has its origins in the Samkhya Karika of Kapila muni. Of this sage also we know only the name.
The six schools of Hindu philosophy are grouped in two’s, the Nyaya-Vaisesika, the Samkhya-Yoga and Purva Mimamsa-Vedanta. Of this pair of Samkhya-Yoga, the Samkhya is the theoretical aspect and the Yoga is the practical aspect.
Samkhya-Yoga is said to be most ancient among these six schools. Hence it is considered older than the Vedanta school of philosophy. At present the Vedanta is the prevalent mode of philosophy at present, so that when we say Hindu philosophy, we mean the Vedanta philosophy.
The Bhagawat Geeta, which expounds the Vedanta philosophy, does not mention the Raja Yoga system, which is based on Patanjali’s Yoga sutras, though it mentions the other three streams of Yoga – Bhakti, Gyan and Karma, which are based on the Vedanta philosophy.
From this, it is likely that Raja Yoga (or simply Yoga as it is now known) was still considered a part of the Samkhya system at the time of the composition of the Geeta and epics like the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
But over time, Yoga has come to be incorporated into mainstream Vedanta philosophy. Even though the original Samkhya philosophy on which it was based has been overcome by the more sophisticated thought of Vedanta, Yoga continues to gather in strength even in the present day.
In the modern age, we are witnessing a further resurgence of Yoga. It is probably the fastest growing religious-spiritual practice in our day. Just as it was once adapted into the Vedanta philosophy, we now see it being adapted by various other philosophies like atheism, Christianity, Judaism, Islam and many more.
Thus perhaps the oldest philosophical system with its roots deep in the first steps of human civilization continues to adapt and strengthen and provide spiritual comfort to humankind.
To read more on Advaita Vedanta, you may go to my site, www.thecircleoffire.com. You can also read excerpts from the book here: excerpts
You can look up the book on Amazon here: The Circle of Fire.
Dear Dr.Majumdar,
Vivekananda has once opined that the sage Kapila is probably the first philosopher of the world; and that he influenced thinkers not only in India but also in Greece. I have tried to explain the Samkhya philosophy in layman’s terms in my blog. Samkhya (enumeration) is intimately connected to the system of enumeration that was developed in India, through the use of zeros. When understood in these terms, a LOT of Indian customs and culture become clearer, including the complex Indian pantheon of gods.
The Yoga system is just a practical way to make use of the Samkhya knowledge. This is how philosophy is intimately tied with religion in India. About whether the sage Kapila lived in the Indus Valley civilization (indigenous Aryans), or whether he was roaming around the central Asian steppes (Aryan migration), it is an open guess. Though I am very inclined to the former because such complex technical and philosophical knowledge couldn’t have germinated but under an advanced civilization. It is not just minor evidence such as this Mohenzodaro seal with Yogic postures.
I would be very happy to have your take on my blog post.
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Concerning the origin of yoga and Kiran Varanasi’s comment:
The Indus Valley Civilization (the Aryans) were of a type similar to the Anunnaki of ancient Sumer and Egypt. They were ‘ancient aliens’ who settled on Earth and brought their advanced technology with them. The primitive indiginous peoples worshipped them as gods, hence the origin of Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma and the rest of the Hindu pantheon. Varanasi and Mohenzodaro were probably their main bases in India.
The Anunnaki / Aryans were the Jinn expelled from Heaven and sent down to Earth by God (read the Qur’an – especially surah two). They certainly corrupted God’s creation (as Satan, their leader, promised he would), but they also brought much ancient and beneficial knowledge with them, including Sanscrit and yoga, so its paractice probably dates back hundreds of thousands of years or more.
Our history is far more ancient and far mor complex than traditional historians would have us believe, and it is thanks to the Aryans that today we can enjoy the benefits of yoga.