The Inspiration
There have been several great personalities during the human era whose ideas, works, and lives have inspired and shaped the world and the entire humankind. India Yoga Alliance has been inspired richly by these great souls and we strive to impart their teachings and works to make a lasting difference in the global Yoga community.
Patanjali
“For those who have an intense urge for Spirit and wisdom, it sits near them, waiting.”
Indian guru Patanjali is credited with writing several Sanskrit works, the most famous of which is the Yoga Sutras, a traditional yoga treatise that dates from 200 BCE to 200 CE.
Despite the fact that Hindu literature contains several allusions to yoga, Patanjali wrote the Yoga Sutras as a manner of condensing these teachings into a structure that was simpler for the general public to absorb and comprehend. The Yoga Sutras are currently the most widely used source of information on yoga, making Patanjali widely regarded as the “father of yoga.”
Thiruvalluvar
“Those who have wisdom have all: Fools with all have nothing.”
Thiruvalluvar, who is regarded as an Avatar of Brahma, was born in Madurai. He demonstrated to people that it was possible to live the life of a Grihastha, or householder, while also leading a heavenly life, or a life of holiness and purity. He demonstrated to them that living a holy life of holiness and purity was possible without having to leave one’s home and become a Sannyasin.
Gautama Buddha
“A disciplined mind brings happiness.”
The historical founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama, also known as Gautama Buddha, was a spiritual guide from the ancient Indian subcontinent. He was worried that because humans were overcome by greed, anger, and illusion, they would be unable to recognize the genuine dharma, which was complex and difficult to comprehend. However, Brahm Sahampati, a spirit of God, urged him to spread the Dharma throughout the world because “there would be others who will understand the Dharma.” He agreed to become a teacher because of his immense compassion for all living things in the universe.
Bodhidharma (達摩)
“To seek is to suffer. To seek nothing is bliss.”
The second Indian Buddhist monk to visit Southern China was Bodhidharma. Some claim that he established Zen, also known as Ch’an Buddhism. Legend has it that since he remained there for so long, the sun burned his shadow onto the rock, which is now on exhibit at the Shaolin Temple. He strengthened the monks with Indian stretches like yoga when he got back to the Temple.
Swami Vivekananda
“Arise! Awake! and stop not until the goal is reached.”
Vivekananda gave up the world and travelled throughout India as a nomadic monk. When Vivekananda agreed to represent Hinduism at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893, he gained instant notoriety in America and a suitable platform for his spiritual teaching. He spent three years promoting the Vedanta way of life in America and England before going back to India to build the Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission.
Ramana Maharshi
“Your own Self-Realization is the greatest service you can render the world.”
In India and the rest of the world, Sri Ramana Maharshi was likely the most well-known guru of the twentieth century.
He was well known for leading a holy life, for being fully awakened, and for the potent transmissions that frequently happened to guests while they were in his presence. He came to this realization at the age of 16, fled, and spent the rest of his life in Arunachala, one of India’s traditional sacred locations. A large ashram was constructed around him since so many people came to see him there.
Ramana Maharshi frequently claimed that his most significant lessons were delivered in silence. He meant that people’s minds were affected in their physical presence.
Mahatma Gandhi
“In a gentle way, you can shake the world.”
The popular moniker Mahatma Gandhi for Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi is used to refer to him. Gandhi, a social reformer and the head of the Indian Independence Movement, popularized the concept of Satyagraha, or nonviolent protest. Gandhi was raised in Gujarat and attended the Inner Temple Law School in London. In 1915, he went back to India after organizing a civil disobedience action for Indians living in South Africa. While tensions between Hindus and Muslims increased prior to and during the country’s division, Gandhi was crucial in calming the populace and preventing rioting.
Bhagat Singh
“I am such a lunatic that I am free even in jail”
At the age of 23, British colonizers hung Bhagat Singh, an Indian rebel and liberation fighter. His enduring nickname is “Shaheed (martyr) Bhagat Singh,” and he is revered as a national hero of India’s struggle for independence from colonial domination. Bhagat Singh popularized the phrase “Inquilab Zindabad” when he was still a youngster, and it eventually became the anthem of the Indian independence movement.
His life was devoted to the fight for Indian freedom. He was a courageous young guy. His narrative serves as a reminder that success is still attainable even in the face of extreme adversity. The biography of Bhagat Singh offers inspiration to people battling for change today and offers a glimpse into the revolutionary’s mentality.
Tirumalai Krishnamacharya
“Regulate the breath, be happy, link the mind with the Lord in your heart.”
The founder of contemporary yoga is T. Krishnamacharya. Every type of yoga practiced now has its roots in Krishnamacharya, whether directly or through other people. He also placed a lot of stress on asana and pranayama since he was certain that the body must be healthy and free from disease in order for the mind to transcend and turn inward.
T. Krishnamacharya fervently defended adhering to the Vedic prescriptions in order to live a pleasant, healthy, and long life. He wholeheartedly believed in the validity of the Vedas. He held that engaging in yoga practise is necessary for both taking pleasure in the material world and pursuing freedom.
Mother Teresa
“If you judge people, you have no time to love them.”
A Roman Catholic Nun Mother Teresa dedicated her life to helping the needy and disadvantaged all around the world. She spent a good deal of time in Calcutta, India, where she founded the Missionaries of Charity, a religious order dedicated to helping those in need. After receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979, Mother Teresa rose to prominence as a symbol of selfless charity. The Roman Catholic Church proclaimed Mother Teresa a saint in 2016.
One of the key principles of Jesus Christ’s teachings, according to Mother Teresa, was to put others before oneself.
BKS Iyengar
“Yoga is a mirror to look at ourselves from within.”
BKS Iyengar dedicated his entire life to the research, teaching, and practise of yoga. He founded Iyengar Yoga and is regarded as one of the top yoga teachers in the world. He is widely recognized for introducing yoga to the West. In addition to being a dedicated yoga practitioner, teacher, and student, he also penned a number of works on the history, philosophy, and practise of yoga, such as Light on Yoga (1966), Light on Pranayama (1981), Light on the Yoga Sutras (1993), and Light on Life (2005).
B. R. Ambedkar
“I like the religion that teaches liberty, equality and fraternity”
Everyone is aware that Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, also known as Babasaheb Ambedkar, was one of the designers of the Indian Constitution. In addition to being a renowned political figure, he was also a distinguished jurist, Buddhist activist, philosopher, anthropologist, historian, orator, writer, economist, scholar, and editor. Throughout his life, Dr. Ambedkar worked to remove societal ills like untouchability and for the rights of Dalits and other socially disadvantaged communities. Jawaharlal Nehru’s Cabinet chose Dr. Ambedkar as India’s first minister of law. In 1990, he received the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honor in India, posthumously.
Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam
“Dream is not that which you see while sleeping it is something that does not let you sleep.”
After graduating, Kalam worked as a scientist for the DRDO’s aeronautical development division. He wasn’t persuaded by his decision to work with the DRDO. In 1969, Kalam was transferred to ISRO, where he oversaw the launch of India’s first satellite vehicle. In July 1980, the Rohini satellite was successfully launched into a low-Earth orbit by the satellite vehicle. Between the 1970s and the 1990s, Kalam was awarded LV and SLV projects by the government.
Technology Vision 2020, a plan developed by Kamal, was a great way to change the stature of India in 20 years. The strategy envisioned the advancement of the country through the adoption of cutting-edge technology, the expansion of healthcare facilities, and a focus on widespread public education.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
“I don’t carry the burden of the past or the madness of the future. I live in the present.”
On the evening of May 26, 2014, Rashtrapati Bhawan’s forecourt witnessed history being written as Narendra Modi took his oath of office as India’s prime minister following a historic mandate from the country’s citizens. The people of India see in Narendra Modi an energetic, resolute, and development-focused leader who has risen as a beacon of hope for the hopes and dreams of a billion Indians. Narendra Modi is a well-liked and respected leader all over India thanks to his attention to development, keen eye for detail, and efforts to make a genuine impact in the lives of the poorest of the poor. The journey of Narendra Modi’s life has been marked by bravery, compassion, and relentless effort.
Bruce Lee
“Do not pray for an easy life, pray for the strength to endure a difficult one.”
Bruce Lee, who is best renowned for his work in martial arts, also studied drama and philosophy while living in the US. Several philosophical statements, both inside and beyond the martial arts field, may be found in his publications.
Although he never shied away from saying that his martial arts were only a means of conveying the teachings, his varied philosophy frequently paralleled his fighting tenets. Bruce Lee claimed that learning anything eventually lead to self-knowledge and that martial arts were his preferred way of expression. His thought, however, stood in stark contrast to Confucianism’s more pessimistic outlook on the world.
Steve Jobs
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”
In addition to being a computer developer, CEO, and designer, Steve Jobs served as a role model for many people in both their personal and professional lives. He revolutionized the computer and animation industries while serving as the co-founder of Apple Computers and the former chairman of Pixar Animation Studios. At the time of his passing, his fortune was valued at $10.2 billion.
When Jobs and Wozniak founded Apple Computers in the Jobs family garage at the age of 21, they started moving mountains. Jobs sold his Volkswagen bus, while Wozniak sold his scientific calculator to raise money for their endeavor.
Osho
“Life begins where fear ends.”
At a young age, Osho was enthralled with mystical spirituality. Regardless of their creed, he sought out and interrogated every priest and holy man he could locate. He used every meditation method he had learned from old texts, including all 112 of Shiva’s 2000-year-old Vigyan Bhairav Tantra’s techniques. He studied Patanjali’s yoga meditation methods. In addition, he is notable for spending a moonless night in a temple that was home to poisonous snakes and letting them crawl over him.
Elon musk
“Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough.”
Elon Musk, an American entrepreneur who was born in South Africa, co-founded PayPal and developed SpaceX, a launch vehicle and spaceship manufacturer. He was also the CEO of the electric automobile manufacturer Tesla and one of the company’s early key investors.
In order to produce rockets and carry out military missions, NASA and the US Air Force have inked numerous high-profile contracts with Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Musk has made no secret of his intention to collaborate with NASA on a mission that will send a person to Mars by the year 2025. Elon Musk has consistently supported a variety of space-age technologies.
Jack Ma (Alibaba)
“Today is cruel. Tomorrow is crueler. And the day after tomorrow is beautiful.”
Ma’s current net worth is estimated at $25 billion, which includes his 7.8% ownership holding in Alibaba and a stake of around 50% in Alipay, a company that processes payments.
It truly is a “rags to riches” tale. Before achieving success with his third internet startup, Alibaba, he was a poor child in communist China who failed his college entrance exams twice and was turned down for dozens of jobs, including one at KFC.
Ma twice failed the Hangzhou Teachers College entrance exam. (His math skills were lacking.) On his third attempt, in 1984, he got admitted, and in 1988, he earned his bachelor’s degree in English. He instructed in English at the Hangzhou Institute of Electronics and Engineering from 1988 until 1993. (now Hangzhou Dianzi University). His first business, the Haibo Translation Agency, which offered English translation and interpretation, was established in 1994.
Narayana Murthy
“Progress is often equal to the difference between mind and mindset.”
Although Murthy’s narrative is motivational in and of itself, his influence on business and industry is even greater. The father of Murthy established a little business in India that grew to become a major distributor of electrical goods. When Narayan Murthy’s father passed away while he was just 12 years old, he took over the company.
Murthy quickly turned Infosys into a major player on the international stage despite having no professional business training. His accomplishments have earned him numerous honorary degrees and honors, including the Padma Vibhushan, the highest civilian honor in India. One of the youngest CEOs in history, Narayan Murthy became president of Infosys in 2008 after winning the election.