Speech of HH Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji – Sachchidananda Satya Sandesha – weekly message in Prajavani, Kannada daily – June 22, 2021
Compiled by: Soumya Susheen
Yoga curbs diseases
India is the land of Dharma. Here spirituality has grown beyond the principle of God and religion. Does God, who created us, really exist? Who created Him? Why did God create the Universe with infinite stars and celestial bodies? What was His intent? Does every being have a soul? If so, where does the soul go after the death of the being? Spiritual enquiry in India that attempts to find answers regarding various such topics, is truly a form of scientific research.
When the whole mankind was shrouded in the darkness of ignorance, the knowledge of spirituality was glowing in India. Thousands of years ago, Indian sages-thinkers had started the study of Universe. Does God exist? If so, how does He look? Does He resemble humans? Does He not have any form? Along with such theist thoughts, atheist thoughts such as, “Is God just an imagination? If He did exist, would He not appear before us?” also emerged. When theist–atheist thoughts grew, metaphysical science beyond birth and death gained momentum. Indian sages, who took up the study of spiritualism, gave importance to meditation and Yoga, because it is not easy to unravel the mysteries of the universe. It requires deep resplendent knowledge. To bear such resplendence, physical and mental vigour is required. Along with meditation, Sage Patanjali took refuge in Yoga to control body and mind.
Yoga improves the vitality of the body. Hence, it is required not only by the Yogis who engage in penance in the forests, but also by those who dwell in the country and lead materialistic lives. A common man may not do penance in forest like sages. But men in the country are plagued with worldly thoughts, and must learn Yoga to develop a strong mind. Meditation and Yoga are imperative for a modern-day man as he is always drowned in mental anguish due to the tormenting thoughts and bodily ailments.
Just as body requires food every day, Yoga–meditation is also very essential. Modern man has taken refuge in various medicines to tackle the daily emergence of newer pathogens. These are temporary medicines. Desire for excessive sugar causes diabetes and excessive anxiety leads to hypertension; Yoga is the apt medicine to remedy this. The only recourse for mankind’s survival is to return to a Yogic living, giving up the materialistic life. As one consumes nutritious food for the body, Yoga-mediation must be adopted for mental strength.
Human life is chaotic and increases each day. Wanton humans are acting against the nature leading to their own destruction. We have unconsciously created a modern poisonous swirl from which new viruses like Corona are emerging. Yogasana is helpful to overcome such poisonous beings. By giving up a luxurious life which causes diseases and adopting a life of hard work with Yoga, will help experience a peaceful life filled with ‘Sachchidanada’.
Jaya Guru Datta