First University of Yoga

From Bhakti Yoga Sagar Volume 7 by Swami Satyananda Saraswati

I arrived in Rikhia on 23rd September 1989, when day and night were equal. After I had been here for ten days, the work commenced. Astrologers have indicated in my horoscope that wherever I go, I will construct houses. On my parents' property I constructed houses and when I started living in my guru's ashram in Rishikesh I did the same. Now Sivananda Ashram in Rishikesh is like a city. During my time in Munger I continued constructing and the fort-like building which now houses the Bihar Yoga Bharati University was erected during my time. BYB is the first university of yoga in the world.

Yoga is the oldest heritage of the world dating back to the time of Lord Shiva who was a yogi. However, there was no proper university in the world to promote yogic studies and research. When we initiated a yoga university in Munger, the Chairman of the University Grants Commission remarked that it was a great moment for India as well as for the world that someone had conceived the idea of establishing a full-fledged university of yoga. The degrees and diplomas granted by this university have been recognized all over the world.

Students from around the globe come to study yogic science, as they did when the Nalanda University of Bihar's golden days was in existence. The Vikramshila and Takshashila universities also attracted students from around the world. In the same way, students from Korea, Colombia, Russia, Latvia, Iran and many other countries come to Bihar Yoga Bharati, Munger, to study yogic sciences. This is a big achievement for Munger.

15 December 2001, Rikhiapeeth