Pushkarmuni Abhinandan Granth

Author(s): Devendramuni, A D Batra, Shreechand Surana
Publisher: Rajasthankesari Adhyatmayogi Upadhyay Shree Pushkar Muni Abhinandan Granth Prakashan Samiti

Page 1138

Research in Yoga by the Methods of Modern Natural Sciences २३५ ●
Research in Yoga by the Methods of Modern Natural Sciences
Dr. P. V. KARAMBELKAR, M. Sc., Ph. D. Jt. Director of Research, Kaivalyadhama Shriman-Madhava-Yoga Mandira Samiti, Lonavla, Distt. Pune. The worldwide popularity of Yoga in the recent times is often pridefully remarked by the Indians. Today there may be hardly any country worth the name where there are not a large number of people following some movement or activity, which goes under the name of Yoga, rightly or wrongly.
This fascination for Yoga is, no doubt, a result of the forces of circumstances. Yoga seems to be a panacea against the undesirable effects of the stresses produced as a consequence of the rush and hustle of life coming with the material progress. Efforts to introduce Yoga to the people of the Western countries made by the pioneers like Swami Vivekananda, Swami Ram Tīrtha and others were, no doubt, causative in creating interest in Yoga at first, but the interest was limited to a smaller sphere comprising of people interested in spiritual and philosophical aspects of Yoga. Moreover, in this early period Yoga was erroneously looked upon as a peculiar religious movement linked with Hinduism or even a fad of some eccentric persons and so even shunned by a majority as against their own religions viz., Christianity, Judaism, Islam etc.
That Yoga is fundamentally a non-parochial and secular discipline, an art and science, in fact a way of life leading to a better integration of the man is now generally well accepted and the old prejudicial attitude is largely disappearing. It is even recognised that the science of Yoga, which may some day be honoured as the 'Science of Sciences', can very well withstand the tests and criteria of modern life sciences and that the help of the other natural sciences can be taken to understand and elucidate the basic principles of the Yogic science in a clear and rational manner, in which the modern man wants to understand things.
The greatest credit for creating such an attitude about Yoga goes to the pioneer efforts of Late Sri Swami Kuvalayananda. In 1924 he founded Kaivalyadhāma at Lonavla, near Pune in Maharashtra,-the first institute of Yoga-where the attempts were made to co-ordinate this ancient science with the modern natural sciences on the basis of researches carried out with the use of the methodology and techniques of these latter.
In fact, as early as in 1920 Swami Kuvalayanandaji had started scientific researches on the physiological effects of certain Yogic practices employing the experimental investigative procedures of modern medicine, even before the founding of Kaivalyahdama. Later after establishment of Kaivalyadhama with developments of its various departments, branches and associated institutions, the researches were carried out in a more systematic manner and on a much wider scale.
The ancient treasure of Yogic knowledge is buried in the not very well-known storehouse of the old yogic literature. A lot of this literature has as yet remained to a great measure in the dark and has not been studied as critically and thoroughly as it is desirable. And without understanding what the ancient masters of this science have said in this sphere, it would be
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