Hindu concept
Yogaयोग
yoga — union — the disciplines that join the self to the Divine
In short
Yoga means 'union' — the family of spiritual disciplines that join the individual self to the Divine or ultimate reality. Far broader than physical postures, it includes the paths of selfless action (karma), devotion (bhakti), knowledge (jnana), and meditation (raja), each a way toward steadiness and liberation.
Reviewed by the Godify team · Last updated
What it means
The word yoga comes from a root meaning 'to yoke' or 'to join' — the aim is union: of the individual with the Divine, and of a scattered mind with a steady center. The Bhagavad Gita gives one of its most quoted definitions, calling yoga evenness of mind — equanimity in success and failure alike.
Tradition speaks of several yogas as paths suited to different temperaments: karma yoga (selfless action), bhakti yoga (loving devotion), jnana yoga (knowledge), and raja or dhyana yoga (meditation). The physical postures (asanas) widely known today belong within this larger discipline, whose purpose is inner stillness and freedom rather than exercise alone.
A verse on Yoga
“yoga-sthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā dhanañjaya”
Bhagavad Gita 2.48 · Chapter 2, Sankhya YogaSteady in spirit, do your work and let go of attachment, calm alike in success and failure. This evenness of mind is yoga.
Spoken by Krishna to the warrior Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra — the Gita sits within the Mahabharata's Bhishma Parva — as Arjuna, overcome with grief and unwilling to fight his own kin, laid down his bow before the war.
Related concepts
Explore more concepts
About Yoga
What does yoga mean in Hinduism?
Yoga means union — the disciplines that join the individual self to the Divine. It includes the paths of action, devotion, knowledge, and meditation, and is far broader than physical postures alone.
What are the main types of yoga?
The principal paths are karma yoga (selfless action), bhakti yoga (devotion), jnana yoga (knowledge), and raja or dhyana yoga (meditation) — each a route toward steadiness and liberation.
Live the meaning of Yoga
Talk to Bhagavan in your own words and receive warmth and verified scripture — free, private, any hour.
Talk to Bhagavan