Security and Protection

Swami Shivadhyanam Saraswati

In 2022, the Central Industrial Security Force, an elite Indian paramilitary force tasked with the security of vital industrial and scientific installations across the country, initiated a series of 10 day intensive yoga training programs for its personnel at the Bihar School of Yoga. The participants were given a holistic experience of yoga through a judicious mix of practice and lifestyle, self study and satsang. Even in this relatively short period of training, they were able to imbibe many yogic tools and techniques geared towards attaining health, happiness and harmony.

Swamiji’s illuminating satsangs on the Yoga Chakra highlighted the depth and scope of yoga and were truly an eye opener for the participants, helping them to appreciate and understand the true purpose and goal of yoga. Swamiji’s remark that he is also a member of CISF, albeit Culture of India Security Force, would draw a hearty and jovial applause from all.

Their commitment to duty and their sense of discipline was plainly visible. No one shirked any seva assigned to them as part of their karma yoga training. One of them even remarked that ‘instead of ashram seva, it should be called swayam seva because of the experience of purification that it generated for oneself.’ Many of the groups staged small presentations on the eve of their departure which brought out many hidden talents and sentiments. During one presentation, they all spontaneously stood up to sing ‘Dil diya hai jaan bhi denge, aye watan tere liye – O Motherland! We have given our hearts to you, we will gladly lay down our lives too’ – an ample testimony to their sense of pride and honour in their force and nation. They gladly accepted the Niranjan challenge of striving to be happy and positive, and of applying the motto of their own force, ‘Security and Protection’ to the inspiration they had received. Some of the participants comments are included here which bring out their sentiments quite clearly:

• It is a life changing and life saving experience.
• I realized that yoga is not just a physical fitness workout but a journey to understand myself.
• It illumined and expanded the horizon of my knowledge when I chanted mantras by taking a definite resolve. I never did before in my life, but it helped me to reorient my life.
• Had I received these tips early in my life, I would have been a different person today.
• Yoga nidra was a powerful technique for me. It induced my complete physical, mental and emotional relaxation. Hats off to the great soul who discovered this method!
• Ashram seva forced me to introspect my life realizing that I should also help my wife as per my capacity in household work.
• It is a wonder that in this minimum period of time, the ashram could teach us a lot of things.
• For me SWAN is not just a theory but a mirror that shows me my true nature.
• Earlier I used to think about yoga as a physical activity like gymming. However, BSY has blessed me with an experience of yoga which was beyond my imagination, be it yoga nidra, pranayama, kirtan or other activities. The overall atmosphere and knowledge which this institute provides is really memorable and I will always cherish it.

The following feedback from a lady constable from South India is especially heartening as it shows how a non-native Hindi speaker was also able to grasp and internalize the gist of Sri Swamiji’s inspiring satsangs so well: “The powerful words of Swami Satyanandaji that I heard in his video satsangs will always guide me in my life – Live as if you were like a lotus in water.”