Yoga and Hindu Asceticism, From Past to Present

This first module will provide a historical introduction to Indian Asceticism considering Brahmanical textual sources, demonstrating that Hindu renunciation was and still is very complex. To do so, we will confront these textual evidences with the present reality of few main orthodox ascetic religious orders—mainly Nāth, Daśnāmī, Udāsīn, and Rāmānandī sampradāyas. We will examine the importance of the concept of sampradāya and paramparā in the Indian context, followed by a brief introduction to these major orders—especially as they are traditionally connected to the practice of Haṭha Yoga, and yoga sādhanā in general. In this first session, we will also briefly deal with the issue of female asceticism.

In the past, the yogi was the tapasvin (the practitioner of austerities). He was also the individual with superhuman powers. In general, today among sādhus, the yogi is the one who has accomplished the yoga sādhanā. In this module, we will focus our attention on the figure of the “yogi” from a historical point of view, and then we will analyze the various “yogis” present in the ascetic world. In order to do so, we will consider the meaning of Haṭhayoga. We will briefly take into consideration the definition we find in the Haṭhapradīpikā, then we will analyze the various meanings that the label Haṭha Yoga recalls among sādhus and we will look for them in textual sources. This emic understanding will allow us to make a distinction between the terms haṭha yogi, yogi raj, and yogi. Eventually, we will deal with the broader understanding of Yoga as a sādhanā for sādhus.

In this module, we will enter the ascetic world through its practices. We will stress the role and importance of the guru in deciding the sādhanā for his/her disciple. We will examine the practice and the aims of tapasyā to describe then the steps of the yoga sādhanā. We will give particular attention to the practice of kriyā, āsana and their use or exhibition. We will investigate the way sādhus learn the different practices, stressing the importance of pilgrimages and religious festivals and taking into consideration the relationship of such practices to traditional scriptures.

Transnational yoga has now spread all over the world. In this final module, we will evaluate its consequences in the sādhus’ world. We will deal with sādhus who learn about yoga in modern centers, and also take degrees or even PhDs in Yoga, as well as sādhus who simply attend “western yoga class” to be able to teach it abroad, but distinguish this yoga from the yog taught by their guru. Likewise, we will discuss the influence some religious orders have today and how more and more foreigners look for “traditional” gurus for their practice and also take initiation as renouncer. We will see how social media and the Internet are influencing the practice and the way some sādhus talk about yoga. Attention will also be given to some controversial yogic figures such as Baba Ramdev and Yogi Adityanath, and how they are received by the broader ascetic community in India today.