Yogasanas, Pranayama, and Prabhupada

Sadhana · asked by user [] · 2010-01-19 · 4 answers

Hare Krishna:

I was wondering if Srila Prabhupada ever explicitly said "no" to doing Pranayama and Hath-yagasanas regularly. I know that he believed in Ayurveda and followed an Ayurvedic lifestyle as closely as possible, but was he averse to doing Pranayama/Yogasanas for maintaining ones health?

user [433] · 2010-01-19

Many times in his purports he makes reference to modern yoga societies and their failings at practicing real yoga, so he was quite against it as a spiritual practice. As an exercise, I dont know, but I doubt Prabhupada ever said anything on it.

user [2] · 2010-01-19

My impression is that Srila Prabhupada had to make clear that hatha yoga per se is not a spiritual process for this age. And we shouldnt focus on that as spiritual practice and waste time. Otherwise he was very practical taking his daily walk for health. Btw I am doing 30 mins hatha yoga and pranayama everyday for some time now and tell you it as been tremendous help for my health and consequently in my service to Krishna. Consequently I consider it a good time investment. I do not think it is set on stone, just be practical.

user [190] · 2010-01-20

Thank you Mishra and Haridas Prabhus for your input. "I do not think it is set on stone, just be practical" makes sense...

user [248] · 2010-01-20

Related purport:

uc0u346 ru299 mad Bhu257 gavatam 7.15.31 Purport
"The Hare Kru803 su803 nu803 a mahu257 -mantra, however, may be chanted at any place and any time, and this will bring results very quickly. Yet even while chanting the Hare Kru803 su803 nu803 a mantra one may observe regulative principles (of hatha yoga). Thus while sitting and chanting one may keep his body straight, and this will help one in the chanting process; otherwise one may feel sleepy."

read full verse and purport for elaboration http://vedabase.net/sb/7/15/31/

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