CHENNAI: The O2 Health Studio at Hotel Savera celebrated its 18th anniversary on Monday. As part of the event, a book titled Understanding Yoga: Essence of the Yogasutra of Patanjali was launched. The book, authored by DV Sridhar, founder of Yogaraksanam, and Alagu Muthu, his student- cum-yoga practitioner, was first published in 2008 as The Song of Truth.
In the revised edition, the duo has incorporated the artworks of Sohan Qadri — yogi, poet and artist. “I’ve been learning yoga since 2000. A two-year certificate course introduced me to Yogasutra of Patanjali. I think it was Patanjali who made me write,” said Alagu Muthu. The book was penned down to decode and demystify the 195 sutras and philosophies. It’s packed into four chapters. Each sutra has poetry written by Alagu and prose by Sridhar. The focus, the duo says, is on the philosophical side of these sutras. “Asana alone is not the main aspect, there’s more to yoga. It is more about eastern psychology and mind. The first step is to understand the mind.
The second is to increase positivity with practice. The third is to use the mind. The fourth is to enhance the ability of the mind. The whole purpose behind the book is to get freedom from the shackles of the society,” said Sridhar. Since yoga is a niche subject, the authors suggest that one needs to read the verses of the book and soak in its essence. “This book will kindle the interest of people. After obtaining knowledge from the book, one needs to have a direct intercation with the guru to get better effects or experience,” he shared. The book is priced at `450 and available at shops and online portals.