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Historical Origins

History > Historical Origins

Yoga originated in India. From a modern historical viewpoint, it is impossible to determine exactly its time of origin, but it certainly is of great age. The earliest scripture, which refers to yoga, is the Rig Veda, which originated about 3000 BC. It is a compilation of sacred words of power (Mantras), and hymns with mystical meanings and effect. Thus, the knowledge of Yoga, which was traditionally transmitted only through ages, found its place in written Sanskrit literature. After the Rig Veda, three more Vedas were compiled which further addressed Yoga philosophy. This Vedic collection of four books was completed by 1200 BC.

Between 1200-800 BC the Brahmana caste established themselves as the priesthood in India. This social class could only read and write. They produced prose compositions appended to each of the four Vedas. These are called as Brahmanas. The Brahmanas were written to provide detailed explanations of the Vedas, as the Vedas were too complex and cryptical to be understood easily. Aitareya and Kaushitaki Brahmanas belong to the Rig Veda, Shatapatha and Taitareya to the Yajurveda and Gopatha Brahmana to the Atharvaveda. The Sam Veda has eight other Brahmanas, of which the best known are the Panchavimsa and Shadvimsa Brahmanas.

The period of the Brahmanas was followed by that of the Upanishads, from 800 to 500 BC. This was the golden age of Yoga theology and philosophy. The philosophies of ancient times were completely codified at that time in a remarkable series of sacred books called the Upanishads. The Upanishads are philosophical dialogues between highly enlightened preceptors and their deserving disciples. Many Upanishads are attached to the different portions of the Brahmanas. The chief aim of the Upanishads was to clarify and simplify the purely mystical side of the Vedas; they emphasize the task of rediscovering the self. Hermits who practiced Yoga themselves in forests composed over 200 Upanishads. They developed and systemized the basic doctrines, which make an integral part of today's Yoga philosophy.

The period of Yoga was succeed by period of the early heroic epics app. From 600 to 400 BC. During this period not all material produced was put into writing. Generally, Yogic philosophy was still preserved orally. With the passage of time, the orally transmitted works, because they were not committed to writing, disappeared either totally or in part. However, a few special schools preserved fragments of these extant epics, and, on the basis of those remains developed a vast body of literature in the subsequent period from 400 BC to 500 AD. These are called the Puranas that included the major epics Ramayana and Mahabharata and the celebrated Bhagvad Gita. These do possess all the major principles of the ancient Yogic texts, but inextricably mingled with the oceans of other data.