December 5, 2025
People often labor under the delusion that while a disciplined life is indispensable for a certain path, for another it is not. Saints and sages glorify certain practices like japa and kirtan as easy; this is to encourage the aspirant. Soon the aspirant is reminded that unless he detaches the mind from the world and “attaches it to the Lord, “ no progress is possible. Even as with Karma yoga.
Gurudev Swami Sivananda constantly warned that without desirelessness, egolessness and (on the positive side), seeing God in all, mere activity is but labor; so much energy wasted. Without physical, mental and moral disciplines, what is styled Hatha yoga, but which in fact just yoga asanas, will degenerate into mere physical culture, and Raja yoga or the yoga of meditation will be impossible. Gurudev insisted from the beginning, however, that everyone should practice japa, kirtan, meditation and study the scriptures. asanas, and pranayama without losing sight of the imperative need to progress side by side in self-control.
Intelligently and sincerely practiced, asanas and pranayama enable us to acquire mastery over the senses and the mind. Perhaps the greatest obstacle on the path of yoga is insincerity. Only God and guru’s grace can help us to detect and ultimately to remove it.