| Bihar Yoga Bharati has its roots in the
ancient past. Thousands of years ago, the state of Bihar was
the home of two great spiritual universities. The university
at Nalanda at one time housed more than 10,000 students, monks
and scholars, many coming from far off lands to study there.
It was also famous for its library, which was ten storeys
high. The university at Vikramshila, near Bhagalpur, emphasized
the study of tantra.
Swami Satyananda Saraswati founded the Bihar
School of Yoga (BSY) in 1963 in order to carry out the mission
given to him by his guru to spread the message of yoga from
door to door and from shore to shore. Under the banner of
BSY, he propagated yoga for people of all ages from all countries,
races, religions and cultures. Under his guidance, the ancient
science of yoga was taught on a scientific basis with clarity
and vision. Thousands of people were trained in the short
and long term in yoga therapy, yoga teacher training, sannyasa
and advanced sadhana (regular yoga practice) courses. Today
BSY has become internationally recognized and respected as
a teaching institution of the highest standard. Bihar Yoga
Bharati is thus a natural continuation of the teaching activities
of BSY.
After Swami Satyananda Saraswati entered
the stage of kshetra sannyasa (renunciation of the establishment)
in 1988, the responsibility of realizing the vision of Swami
Sivananda and Swami Satyananda was passed on to Swami Niranjanananda.
For five years he developed Ganga Darshan and laid the groundwork
for the realization of his guru’s vision. In 1994 he
founded and established BYB as a registered and accredited
institution for advanced studies in yogic sciences at Ganga
Darshan.
This gurukul based institute, the first of
its kind in the world to impart a comprehensive yogic education,
is currently undergoing course restructuring and presently
offers a four-month, fully residential course only, the Certificate
in Yogic Studies.
Ganga Darshan Yogashram is built upon a large
hill overlooking the Ganga. Here, against a backdrop of natural
splendour, surrounded by beautiful gardens, green paddy fields,
and a majestic 180 degree panoramic sweep of the Ganga, a
new vision of yogic life is inspired.
In the ancient past, Ganga Darshan was the
seat of King Karna of Mahabharata fame. Here he performed
great acts of daan (charity), tapasya (austerity) and sadhana
(spiritual endeavour) which are still remembered today.
The state of Bihar also has a spiritual heritage
that goes back to ancient times. Its soil has been touched
by the feet of Gautama Buddha, Mahavir and other great saints,
sages and kings. The first sound of Gayatri was whispered
on Bihari winds. Bihar comes from the word vihara which means
'monastery', and in Bihar spiritual life has been cultivated
to a high degree for thousands of years.
Bihar was the home of two great spiritual
universities of yore, Nalanda and Vikramshila. At one time
the University of Nalanda housed more than 10,000 students,
monks and scholars from far off lands. The University at Vikramshila,
near Bhagalpur, was famous for the study of Tantra and Buddhism.
Today Ganga Darshan Yogashram is the modern
spiritual university in Bihar. |
