Behind-the-scenes of yoga science popularization: historical overview

Part 4: The Behind-the-Scenes Story of the Popularization of Yoga Science (Continued)

Isn't longevity a universal aspiration? The pursuit of a long, fulfilling life has captivated humans for centuries. But, is it truly worth striving for? When accompanied by a sharp mind, keen intellect, and a healthy body, longevity can indeed be a blessing. However, when burdened by failing health, a frail body, and declining cognition, it can swiftly turn into a nightmarish "hell." In 1921-1922, Swami Kuvalayananda saw a glimmer of promise in Yoga's potential to deliver not only long lasting physical and mental health but also resistance as well as immunity to diseases adding to peace, tranquility, and the joy of living for humanity. While not expressly guaranteeing spiritual progress, except for those who sought it, Swami ji recognized the immense value that Yoga's mere mundane benefits could bring to people worldwide. He chose to focus on the scientific underpinnings of Hatha Yoga's health benefits, steering clear of magical thinking. His mission was to unravel the rational truths within the discipline rather than attract followers with mysticism. He rarely ever, if at all, spoke about the spiritual benefits leaving such pursuits for individuals motivated for the same. His was a very down to earth practical approach. He never oversold yoga to anyone while encouraging his students to become disciplined, practice yoga regularly, and reap the benefits as they come. The spiritual benefits though desirable are not to be promised, demanded, or feel entitled to have, just because of one's honest practice. Thus, he began to study how yoga actually helps, what happens in the body and mind to give the beneficial results, etc., researching and writing books on Yoga, along with launching his journal, "Yoga Mimansa," with the goal of publishing it every three months. This journal has a continuity of 100 years and is still being published regularly from "Kaivalyadhama." What is amply clear is that he stayed away from the preaching tone. He never presented himself as a "god-man" and shunned followers. He always traveled alone, lived alone, took walks alone, and did not address any crowds. He spoke and corresponded with only select people in the pursuit of his goals. All the while, he remained joyful and pleasant in his interactions with everyone.

In the quest to overcome the challenges of aging, various solutions have been proposed across cultures. One such proposition came from ancient Indian life science (Ayurveda), which claimed the possibility of complete rejuvenation of all living cells in the body through a process called "Kayakalpa." If such revitalization were indeed achievable, aging could transform into an enjoyable experience for many. However, this secret treatment in Ayurveda has not been researched, leave alone preserved in its authentic form, to be available to modern generations. The next best is the expensive modern medicine that has wonderful and miraculous cures including genome manipulations and more coming up to save lives. However, health insurance and public funding policy see no great value in investing handsomely in preventive health maintenance for the general public except in prophylactic measures for specific maladies like diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and infectious diseases, etc. which are not to be disparaged. Here too, the vested interests of pharmaceutical industry seem to drive this thrust. For a practical person penny's worth of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Yoga is markedly less costly but requires time investment, discipline, and dedication. Swami ji encouraged individual pursuit of yoga and started his own Yoga Health Centers in 1924. Widespread yoga movement of 20th century may be an express desire of the world population to find some means to attain and maintain good health, prevent diseases that are currently preventable, and if possible, live a longer, happy and healthy life. Humanity seems to be embracing yoga as a possible means to achieve these goals only in the last 2 to 3 decades. Yoga has become a 5 billion dollar a year industry in the US. Now International Day of Yoga is celebrated in hundreds of nations as a testimonial to popularity of yoga. Remember though, we are talking not about popularity of "yoga" but that of "yoga science." It is easy to get mixed up.

Let's now shift our focus to Madhavdas Maharaj, a recluse and bairagi. Derived from the word "Vairagya," a bairagi is someone who has renounced worldly desires and possessions, embracing the life of a wandering ascetic without a place to call their own. Notably, Madhavdas ji had no ashram or abode of his own. Born in Bengal, Madhavdas Maharaj initially followed the Chaitanya Gaurang Prabhu Bhakti Yoga lineage but later mastered the discipline of Hatha Yoga. While information regarding his guru remains scarce, it was well-known that he belonged to the Nath Pantha during his time mostly spent in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

Why do individuals choose the path of renunciation? It's widely believed that yogis and bairagis aim for "union with God." However, such matters remain deeply private, as they rarely discuss whether they are seeking this goal, let alone if they've attained it. Even if they have, they abstain from publicizing it. There are many definitions of the word "yoga" besides the "union with God." If one is interested in the science behind yoga the paradigm of union with God cannot form a testable hypothesis and needs to be shunned. This statement may be offensive for many as if it is uttered by an atheist. However. God is not an entity investigated by science. To talk about a "god-center" in the brain is out of place in the present state of scientific knowledge. Swami ji himself never discussed God in his scientific writings.

In those days, the transmission of Yogic knowledge was done through the Guru Shishya Parampara, a one-on-one relationship between a guru and a worthy disciple on a long-term basis, much like the tradition of teaching classical music or dance in India. There were no Yoga classes as we know them today. Moreover, there is no mention of fees being paid for this training. The finest knowledge was transmitted freely to deserving disciples as an act of love. Occasionally, these disciples would perform unpaid work in the Ashram, thereby learning good work ethics. This intimate and sacred exchange served as the foundation for spiritual growth and the preservation of India's rich Yogic heritage.

The practices and teachings of many classical Hatha yogis reveal an intriguing blend of traditional Hatha Yoga and the tantric aspect of Yoga, known as the "right path" or Dakshina Marga, offered to those who wish to delve deeper into the spiritual realm. Interestingly, both the right and left Tantric paths ultimately converge towards the same goal, despite their diverging methods. However, discussing the left path in detail remains a taboo in both Eastern and Western societies due to moral concerns, often sparking opposition in India and abroad.

While the "left path" embraces the five 'M's (Matsya, Maansa, Madira/Madya, Maithuna, and Mudra) as permissible for spiritual aspirants, the "right path" strictly prohibits the consumption of fish, meat, alcohol, and engaging in sexual intercourse, with the exception of practicing Mudras. Along their spiritual journey, practitioners are believed to acquire supernatural powers, sparking curiosity among their followers. Swami Kuvalayananda, a disciple of Madhavdas Maharaj, was eager to learn if his guru had acquired any such powers and if he would be willing to demonstrate them.

A true disciple, however, is expected to shun these pursuits and focus on the spiritual journey rather than squander energy seeking supernatural feats (Siddhis). Despite his desire to discourage such motivations among his disciples, Madhavdas Maharaj was kind enough to offer to connect them with other yogis who had acquired these extraordinary abilities.

In the biography of Swami Kuvalyananda, authored by O.P. Tiwari, an anecdote personally shared by Swamiji sheds light on these remarkable powers. Madhavdas ji agreed to introduce his disciple to his friends and led him deep into the forest. There, Swamiji witnessed a sight that left him sick to his stomach – a yogi who had disemboweled himself through his rectum, washing his prolapsed bowels and colon in the river waters before redepositing them inside his abdomen. As they ventured further, they encountered another yogi meditating while levitating well above the ground. These astonishing sights convinced Swamiji that advanced yogis possess tremendous control over their bodies, even defying gravity.

It's worth noting that Madhavdas ji, who accompanied Swamiji on this journey, was nearly 120 years old himself – a living testament to health and longevity. Swamiji was well aware that such siddhis, or powers over one's body, were not easily attained and required decades of sustained, dedicated practice. Contemplating the implications for himself, the humanity he wished to serve, Swamiji quickly concluded that this path was not for him. His Guru cleverly recognized that without having to persuade his disciple, the introduction to a couple of ultimate siddhis possible for yogis had the desired effect. Around the time of Madhavdas ji's demise in 1921, Swamiji decided to return to his own abode, having spent several years training under Madhavdas Maharaj's guidance. Prior to this, Swamiji was the Principal of a Nationalistic private high school in Amalner, Maharashtra, before embarking on his quest for Yogic knowledge.

Embarking on a transformative journey, Swami Kuvalayananda's yoga training laid the spiritual groundwork he sought, guiding him onto a lifelong path of discovery. Mirroring his Guru's dedication, Swami ji embraced the life of a Brahmachary, committing to celibacy and dedicating himself wholeheartedly to the pursuit of yogic knowledge and practice. Driven by a determination to undertake his own research in a serene, natural setting, away from the clamor of urban life, he envisioned an ashrama – a tranquil sanctuary where he could concentrate on his goals.

In 1922 (?), he found an idyllic location in Santacruz East, a sparsely populated suburb of Bombay at the time. The ashrama was within walking distance of the picturesque Juhu Beach, a scarcely inhabited stretch of coastline adorned with small, charming bungalows along the Arabian Sea's west coast. Swami ji's Gurubandhu, Yogendra, accompanied him on this journey for a few years before they eventually parted ways to follow their individual paths. Yogendra's visit to New York to expand the work of Kaivalyadhama and subsequent return before 1924 further expanded their collective worldview. It must be mentioned Kuvalayananda and Yogendra both did not call themselves "Swami" and only acknowledged they were disciples of Madhavdas (Maharaj) known popularly as Paramhansa Madhavdas Maharaj. None of them wore ochre robes, his disciples wore white traditional Indian white khadi clothes and Madhavdas himself wore typical bairagi outfit with a gown made out of traditional Indian blanket (Kambal) suitable for harsh winters.

Although tangentially related to our primary focus on yoga science, it's noteworthy that Madhavdas Maharaj, Swami Kuvalayananda, and Dr. Vinekar (Amladi) shared a common thread: none of them served the British government. Instead, the latter two chose to serve in the educational thrust of indigenously owned national schools, wear locally-made clothing and consumed food primarily sourced from their ashrama lands the most of their lives. This commitment to self-sufficiency and independence from foreign rule constituted a subtle yet potent form of resistance, enacted without resorting to overt political activism. This mindset resonated with the burgeoning Indian independence movement, which gained momentum after 1920. While Swami ji and his contemporaries refrained from political involvement, their dedication to self-reliance was emblematic of an implicit alignment with the spirit of independence. Swami ji was a Principal of the Nationalistic school in Amalner, Maharashtra which was forcibly shut down by the British for imparting nationalistic views to students.

Understanding the socio-cultural context of India and its political realities is essential to fully grasp the significance of Kaivalyadhama's work. The pursuit of positive physical and mental health, combined with a determination to avoid relying on the British government for healthcare or income, formed a critical component of the broader socio-cultural narrative during this period. Although not explicitly stated, this environment nurtured national pride while contributing to the growth of Yoga as a holistic discipline for universal good capable of nourishing the body and mind.

As Kaivalyadhama discreetly advanced against this historical socio-political backdrop, it captured the attention of like-minded individuals across the globe, including Europeans, British, and Americans who subscribed to the Yoga Mimansa journal and read Swami ji's insightful books on Asana and Pranayama. Intellectual leaders in India and several foreign countries began correspondence with him. He never left the shores of India. The rational explanations for the health benefits of these yoga techniques, explored during those early days despite limited scientific research resources, stand as a testament to Swami Kuvalayananda's unwavering dedication and visionary spirit. This exploration will be further delved into in Part 5 of this series, showcasing Kaivalyadhama's pioneering contributions to the global understanding of Yoga as a science of health and well-being.

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