Varanasi: Baba Shivanand Ji Maharaj is a 126-year-old yoga guru, who had been leading a healthy lifestyle and was conferred with the Padma Shri. A video of Shivanand Baba, the resident of Varanasi, went viral in which he bowed before PM Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind before receiving the honor.
He lives in a 1-BHK flat in the Shivanand Ashram at Kabir Nagar, Varanasi. ETV Bharat had a special conversation with Baba who came back to Varanasi along with his disciple Sanjay.
1. Swamiji, What does it mean for you to receive one of the country's highest honours Padma Shri?
This honor is not for me but for every citizen of the country as the honor given in the field of yoga will inspire people to be healthy and lead life with a better routine. I am lucky that I was selected for it. I thank all those who considered me capable.
2. India taught yoga to the world, you inspired millions of people in the country and abroad to adopt yoga.
Yoga is very important for life. It is very important to improve your regular routine with yoga. Even at this age, I do yoga regularly for half an hour. Previously, I practised yoga for 3 hours, then after ageing for 2 hours, and now, I try to keep myself fit by doing yoga for half an hour. I believe that to be healthy in life, everyone should do yoga and improve their routine and take 6 hours of sleep. Apart from this, you should eat less food which contributes a lot to keep you healthy.
3. You have changed the lives of millions of people through the teaching of Yoga and Spirituality, what is the basic secret of this?
The secret is one and only Yoga. It enhances your focus. When you are focused on a task, you automatically feel the improvement in your life. Apart from yoga, the most important thing is to control your desires. Today, everyone is carrying a never-ending desire due to which they face many problems. If you control these desires, your life will be happy.
4. You are 126 years old, what is your routine?
Even after turning 126, my routine is still the same as what I have been following for so many years.
Explaining further, his disciple Sanjay answered a few queries on behalf of Baba.
Sanjay says: Guruji's mantra is 'No Oil Only Boil'. After getting up before sunrise in the morning, he does yoga for half an hour while completing his regular routine. He recites, worships, and drinks warm water in the morning. Apart from this, after eating two Rotis, one vegetable, they are engaged in their work throughout the day and meet people to inspire them to do yoga. In the evening, he eats steamed food and goes to sleep before 8 o'clock. Guruji believes that 6 hours of sleep is very necessary. Even today, he is healthy due to his regular routine and recently a full body checkup was also done by some big private hospitals of the country, in which he has not found any problem.
5. Baba lost his parents at age of 6, how was his attachment towards yoga even after that?
Sanjay: Swami Shivanand Ji had come to his guru with his parents at the age of 4. Seeing his guru doing yoga, he always had curiosity in his mind. He considered his guru as his ideal and seeing his Guru doing yoga, he wanted to follow the path shown by his Guru.
6. How do you like coming to Varanasi, what do you like best here?
Shivanand Baba: I like Varanasi a lot. I have settled in Varanasi and want to spend the last moments of my life in Varanasi.
7. You voted for the first time in the 2014 Lok Sabha. Why didn't you vote before that?
Shivanand Baba: Before 2014, I used to roam in different parts of the country and never stayed at one place thus I was not able to vote. I did not even have a permanent address. I believe that the exercise of franchise is necessary for all and everyone should take part in it.
8. When there was fear among people about the corona vaccine, you got the vaccine, didn't you feel scared?
Shivanand Baba: I didn't feel any fear. Doing yoga along with getting vaccinated boosts your immunity and saves you from the disease. Vaccination is extremely important.
Sanjay: When Swamiji got the vaccine, the media covered it so well that seeing his effort, many people themselves came to get the vaccine.
9. Before receiving respect in the Durbar Hall, you gave an example of Indian culture by bowing to the PM and the President.
Shivanand Baba: When I reached there nothing else was going through my mind. For me, the position is more important than the person. I did what is done in Hindu culture. I bowed down and thanked everyone and when the President honoured me, he asked me are you healthy to which I replied there is no problem of any kind. Just having trouble hearing.
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