Yoga leads to healthy body, peaceful mind: President Droupadi Murmu

Bhubaneswar: President Droupadi Murmu on Friday advised people to practice yoga to attain a healthy body and peaceful mind.

Addressing the gathering at Foundation Day celebration of Jnanaprabha Mission here, Murmu said, "Prevention is better than cure for a healthy life. If we remain 'Yog-yukt' (associated with yoga), we can remain 'Rog-mukt' (free from diseases). Through yoga, we can attain a healthy body and peaceful mind."

In today's world, materialistic happiness is within reach, but not peace of mind for many. For them, yoga is the only way to find peace of mind, she said.

Murmu said she was happy to be part of the Foundation Day celebration of the Jnanaprabha Mission which was established with the aim of awakening the power and potential of mother and building a healthy human society.

She said that it is a matter of pride that this Mission has been named after the mother of Paramahansa Yogananda Ji who was his inspiration.

Noting that the Jnanaprabha Mission is active in popularising the 'Kriya Yoga', she said that whatever be the form - yoga is an ancient science and spiritual practice of India, whose objective is to create a healthy human society.

"Our sages taught us to consider mother, father, teacher and guest as God. But do we adopt this teaching in our lives? This is a big question. Are children taking proper care of their parents? Often, sad stories of elderly parents appear in the newspapers," the President said.

Murmu advised people to take proper care of their parents and respect them. She said that merely addressing parents as God and worshiping their pictures is not spirituality. Caring about parents and respecting them is important.

She urged all to adopt the service of senior citizens, elders and sick as their vow of life.

The President said, "Our materialistic expectations and aspirations are increasing, but we are gradually turning away from the spiritual side of our life. Earth's resources are limited, but the desires of humans are limitless."

The present world is witnessing the unusual behaviour of nature which is reflected in climate change and increase in the temperature of the earth. To give a secure future to our next generation, a nature-friendly lifestyle is essential, she added.

In Indian tradition, the universe is one and integral. Human beings are only a small part of this universe, she said, adding, "No matter how much progress we have made in science, we are not the master of nature, but its children. We should be grateful to nature. We should adopt a lifestyle in harmony with nature."