Lineage
There are some yoga teachers whose names are well known around the world, even to those who do not practice yoga. Professor Tirumalai Krishnamacharya is one such teacher. This legendary yoga master was an incredible healer, scholar and teacher. He is often referred to as the ‘father of modern yoga’ because of the influence he has had on the practice worldwide. We owe this amazing teacher a debt of gratitude because not only did he make the profound practices of yoga universally accessible, he also promoted Vedic Chanting as a practice for all, regardless of age, gender, cultural background, or status in society.
T Krishnamacharya’s son, TKV Desikachar, was another very influential yoga master. He had many Western students and excelled in making the practice relevant and personal for everyone he taught. Like his father, he was a great proponent and practitioner of Vedic chanting. He trained many Vedic Chanting teachers, who have helped to promote the practice around the world.
The recordings he made, together with his daughter and other senior students, remain a wonderful resource. They exemplify the balance between devotion and precision.
Mrs Menaka Desikachar is a senior yoga therapist in the Viniyoga tradition. She is the main Vedic Chant teacher and trainer at the Krishnamacharya Healing & Yoga Foundation (KHYF) in Chennai, India. She learnt chanting from both T Krishnamacharya and TKV Desikachar, her father-in-law and her husband respectively. She models dedication and devotion in her teaching and is able to meet students where they are, whether in a group class or private lessons. Through her online courses and classes at Viniyoga International she reaches students all over the world today.
Dr Kausthub Desikachar, son of TKV Desikachar, is a gifted yoga therapist, and yoga therapy trainer. He travels the world to bring classical yoga and yoga therapy to his dedicated students. He created Viniyoga International to build a global yoga sanga that is firmly rooted in the tradition. He understands the power of mantra and incorporates it in all of his teachings. During the pandemic he offered the ‘Viniyoga Global Prayer sessions’ via Zoom to all who wished to participate. Healing and protective mantras, followed by a short reflection, were a welcome gift during a time of fear and isolation.
These teachers all belong to a saṃpradāya, a tradition or lineage which exists for the preservation of spiritual knowledge. The safeguarding of the Vedic chants has been achieved by the many teachers and students in the lineage, who have practiced with precision and dedication. The wisdom that these chants hold has served each generation well, and has been proven to be effective in helping spiritual seekers find connection and meaning.
Innovation
This passing on of knowledge has also required innovation. Each teacher has had to find ways to stay true to the teachings, whilst adapting to a changing world. What started as a purely oral tradition now involves printed materials and online resources, in both Devanagari script and transliterated text. Opening the practice up to a wider audience, and especially to women, was an important innovation which has helped to preserve the chants in recent times. Online classes have become the norm since the pandemic, and while we are grateful for the technology that allows the teaching to continue, this too has required innovation and adaptation.
Honouring the Tradition
Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire ~ Gustav Mahler
What remains important is accuracy, intention, and honouring the tradition that has gifted us these treasures. We honour all of the teachers in the saṃpradāya at the start of each practice with a special chant called Prārthana ślokaḥ, an invocatory prayer in which we ask for their blessings and their guidance. At the end of each lesson we chant a closing prayer, Kṣamā ślokaḥ, asking for forgiveness for any mistakes we may have made along the way. Then we offer up all of our efforts to the Divine as we chant Sāttvika tyāgaḥ. Bookending the practice this way allows us to make a sincere effort while keeping a sense of lightness when we encounter difficulties. Chanting to the teachers connects us to all the voices that have uttered these sacred sounds over thousands of years, and makes us part of a living tradition. It also provides an opportunity for us to show gratitude to those who have kept this knowledge alive so that we may benefit from it.
Śrī gurubhyo namaḥ