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English Transliteration of Sanskrit Yoga Scriptures to Combat Yoga Patent

Kaivalyadhama Yoga Institute, based in Lonavla, Maharashtra, has successfully completed the English Transliteration of the Sanskrit Yoga scriptures. The institute was chosen for the purpose by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Department of AYUSH, for its project titled Traditional Knowledge Digitalised Library (TDKL).

The main intention of the transliteration is to combat commercial patent of Indian traditional knowledge. And to stop the blatant diluting of the ancient knowledge and creating Yogas like the wine tasting in yoga classes and yoga for dogs.

Kaivalyadhama administrator Subodh Tiwari says “several attempts have been made by the West to stake claim to traditional Indian wisdom, with a couple of modifications — which at times, even negate and contradict the founding principles. “Take for instance, the patent granted to a sequence of yoga called hot yoga. The very act of having people perform asanas at 104 degree Fahrenheit goes against the basic premise of the asana, as defined by the Patanjali Yogasutra — the authority on yoga. To be an asana, an action has to contribute to a person’s stability and well-being, whereas hot yoga is a trying act.” (link)