134. Raghupati Yogi – master of yoga

I had the great fortune to be around a living master of yoga, Yogiraj Yogananda Puri, also called Raghupati Yogi. He had mastered the whole science of yoga as discovered by Patanjali.

He had mastered all aspects of yoga - the physical aspect of bending the body into various postures called asana* or Hatha Yoga, working with prana or the life energy, working with the mind, working with visualization power, working with emotions and all the dimensions of yoga. He had a deep insight into the core truths of yoga.

Please understand, in the Yoga Sutras, only the verbal language of Patanjali is recorded. But the body language that he wanted to convey, was not recorded. The purpose for which he spoke and taught were not recorded.

Only the person who has experienced the consciousness of Patanjali can bring Patanjali back to life. I had the great fortune to be with such a master who had experienced that consciousness or the inner space of Patanjali.

Raghupati Yogi had amazing strength and unimaginable physical power that he expressed so casually. He would tie an iron rope around his chest and exhale completely, then he would inhale and the iron rope would break into pieces!

Asana - Physical posture and one of the eight paths of yoga in Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga. Asana must be stable and comfortable.

Usually, a logical mind cannot accept or understand that all this is possible, but this great yogi made everything possible. I had the good fortune to be around him and see him levitating, not once but at least twenty times. He would inhale deeply and hold the breath. The moment he did that, the body would lift from the ground like an inflated balloon!

From the age of three to thirteen, I had the fortune to be at his feet, under his guidance and care. Every day from morning until noon for at least four to five hours a day, he would make me do all the traditional yogic techniques like various asanas* , neti* and dhauti* where I would have to swallow a long cloth to clean the intestines and the internal system!