"Yoga not just few asanas...," Rajnath Singh on International Yoga Day in Kerala

Kochi (Kerala) [India], June 21 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday conveyed his best wishes to the people of India on the 9th International Yoga Day, and said that yoga is not just a few asanas, instead it is related to Karma, Jnana and Bhakti.

Rajnath Singh along with Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral R Hari Kumar performed yoga on board INS Vikrant on International Yoga Day on Wednesday.

Talking to the reporters Singh said, "First of all, from this platform, I convey my best wishes to all of you and all the countrymen on the 9th International Yoga Day. It is a matter of great pleasure and pride for me, that we all are starting this International Day of Yoga today with a session on the indigenous Aircraft Carrier INS Vikrant."

"Today, International Yoga Day is being celebrated with great enthusiasm not only in India but all over the world. It is a matter of great pride for all of us as a nation, and as a culture, that the world is now acknowledging and adopting our culture," he added.

The Defence Minister stated the importance of yoga in one's life and said that it connects man with nature, and people's souls to the divine and most essentially it united body and mind.

"When we look at the meaning of yoga, we find that the meaning of yoga is to join. It connects man with nature. Connects our soul to the divine. Connects this world with the hereafter. And most importantly, it unites our body and mind," he said.

Highlighting the importance of yoga, Singh said that apart from yoga, no other accessible medium can be found to prevent any kind of physical, mental, or spiritual disturbances.

"You must have seen around you that people spend a lot of money for their physical, mental and spiritual well-being. In the last few years, you must have also seen how we are getting to see many such diseases in the youth, which usually come in the human body after adulthood," Singh said.

"Apart from yoga, no other accessible medium can be found to get us out of any kind of physical, mental and spiritual disturbance. This is an absolute, zero-budget medium. Here your investment is zero, but you will get so much profit that you would not have even imagined," he added.

The Defence Minister stated that every person must adopt the physical side of yoga and it helps to move towards dharana, dhyana and samadhi.

"The deeper one goes into the sea, the more pearls one gets. That is, the deeper you go into yoga, the more you will move towards dharana, dhyana and samadhi. But the physical side of yoga, I think each one of us must adopt it in our life," he said.

Singh said that yoga is an integral part of Indian Civilization for ages and is considered as ancient as human civilization.

"Yoga has remained an integral part of Indian civilization and culture for ages. We are residents of a country where our sages and sages have left us an invaluable legacy in the form of their yoga practice. In our country, yoga is considered as ancient as human civilization," he said.

"The meaning of yoga here is not just a few asanas, but yoga is much more comprehensive than this. Yoga is also related to Karma, Jnana and Bhakti. It was from this land of Kerala that Jagatguru Adi Shankaracharya emerged in the 7th century, they spent a major part of his life for the development of Yoga-culture all over India," he added.

Singh said, "Today we all are celebrating the 9th International Yoga Day. But this does not mean that yoga reached the international level only 9 years ago. In fact, the world has been accepting Yoga for many centuries. Yoga has been making its presence felt for a long time in different parts of the world, especially in the eastern part, in countries like Japan, Vietnam, China, and Tibet."

Every year International Yoga Day is celebrated on June 21 worldwide. It serves as a platform to raise awareness about the numerous benefits of yoga and promote its holistic approach to physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.

The concept of International Yoga Day was introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his 2014 address to the United Nations General Assembly.

This year the theme of Yoga Day is 'Yoga For Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam' i.e. Yoga for the welfare of all in the form of 'One World-One Family'.It emphasises the spirit of Yoga, which unites and takes everyone along. Like every time, this time too programs related to yoga will be organised in every corner of the country.