Speech of Vice President Shri Venkaiyah Naidu as

Vande Matrama

I offer pranam to Pujya Guru Baba Ramdev Jee, Food Minister Shri Prahlad Joshi Jee, VRL Institute, Director Shri Anand Sankeshwar Jee, Patanjali Yog Samitee, Karnataka Incharge Shri Bhanvar Lal Jee and Bidar MP Shri Bhagwan Khuba Jee. The yog is the unique gift of ancient tradition of India. The yog brings unity among body, mind and soul. The yog is not only an exercise but unity between world and nature. I congratulate all of you who have gathered here to yog under sheer guidance of Great Yog Guru Baba Ramdev Jee. I am glad that you are practising yog. Swami Jee has made yog available in the entire country by setting up yogapeeth institution.
It was quite tough to make yog available to the people in this modern era. Swami Jee has played important role in boosting interest and will power towards yog in the people’s mind. That’s why, I call him respected guru. I am older to him. But he has contributed much for the country and the world. I have no word to describe his great service to the society. Baba Ramdev Jee created awareness among the countrymen about health. I offer prayer to him for this. I am not here in the capacity of the Vice President. I have come here only to thank him. Because as long as we are healthy, we can earn money. Only money doesn’t guarantee health. Our great personalities have said that health is the great fortune. Health is wealth. If you are healthy, you can eat food. If you are wealthy and unhealthy, you are not in a position to eat food. I congratulate the people of this lovely town Hubli. You have gathered here to practise yog under sheer guidance of Baba Jee.

It’s quite interesting to see the people practising yog and paranayam in the parks of the towns and big apartments. It proves that the people have faith in knowledge and norms of our civilisation. They are proud of ancient knowledge. Renaissance and adopting sanatan knowledge and disseminating it for human welfare is the symbol of national commitment of the people.

Practising yog is also patriotism. What’s the meaning of country? If you are doing something for the welfare of people, you are the true patriot. If you think of people’s health and engage in boosting their mental physical health, it’s called nationalism and patriotism.  We know that yog is the great practice for physical, mental and spiritual health. It originates from India. In the Sanskrit language, the yogic meaning of yog is to unite. It links body, mind and soul. It brings unity between mind and body. Yog is the great heritage of India which has provided this unique gift to the world. I offer prayer to our ancestors for this. I also thank our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Bhai Modi Jee who has played important role in making world aware of yog.

I am amazed that I come across with Yog Guru Baba Ramdev everywhere I visit in the world in capacity of Vice President. Meanwhile, I visited small country Costa Ricka where President said to me, “We have issued presidential notice, making it mandatory for the citizen to practise yog.” It is the conclusion of our civilisation. We have shared it with entire world. We have belief in ‘Vasudhaiv Kutumakam.’ The knowledge has been the mean of world welfare. Our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Bhai Modi Jee proposed to celebrate ‘International Yog Day to share struggle with the world. I am glad that the world community accepted this gift of Indian civilisation wholeheartedly. I am glad that Swami Ramdev Jee has spread yog in the entire world. Yog has become the part of daily routine of common people once again through his effort. The credit goes to him for this deed. He has played important role in bringing back the lost glory of yog. I also thank media persons for this. It can be called a positive initiative of media. We know that today, they are spreading many unwanted news. It’s necessary to make yog available to the people. Around 60 percent people of India are below 35 years of age, while 50 percent people are below 25 years of age. India is a democratic country whose people must be healthy. The youths are facing the problems of overweight and depression. They can get rid of this daily yog practice. This is simple remedy and simple medicine on the earth. We have to pay nothing if you practise yog to remain healthy. You can get rid of tension through attention. Peace is the essential ingredient prosperity. Baba Ramdev Jee is teaching this formula. In ancient time, our rishi used to guide kings. The kings and the society used to follow them. Unfortunately for the last few decades due to change in mental transformation, we have been showing disrespect to the rishi discourse. Today, we see a new yogi, rishi who are spreading yog in the world. Today, youths feel self control, self confidence, lack of unity between body and mind. Pressure is mounting. Food habit is getting changed. The youths are facing problem of psychological and physical disorder. It can be proved harmful for their long term life. An international magazine has written that—contagious disease is spreading rapidly due to uncontrolled and irregular life style. We must rise in the early morning, then exercise. We must do bhakti in our life. Yog can play important role in getting it. We can earn the money if we are healthy. Our ancestors have given ways how to lead a healthy life. It’s science of yog. The yog is an art as well as science. Yog is one of the 64 ancient knowledge. The World Health Organisation passed a proposal to celebrate ‘International Yog Day’ on June 21 since 2014. But it should not be limited to only one day. We have to exercise it daily. We have seen various presentations of yog by Baba Ramdev Jee. You have to choose aasan as per your age, capability, etc. In this regard, the world organisation has passed a resolution that yog is not only a physical activity but an art to provide health. Great yogi BKS Ayangar has said that the yog balances all the daily activities, metabolic reactions. But the people particularly politician don’t abide by it. Coordination between body and mind is necessary. If mind is balanced, speech gets balanced. You have seen that most of the people say whatever they think. They don’t know what they speak. We have to learn how to control all these. A large number of people exercise yog on the occasion of International Yog Day. They present their skill through it. My dear brothers and sisters, today our society needs a transformation. Our respected Prime Minister talks about reform, perform and transform. Transformation is the need of the hour for country’s prosperity. In the ancient time, we were called world teacher. In that era, we have enough money, property, resources, land etc. Despite, we launched no attack on the countries in the world. Many thieves, looters, attackers attacked our country. Now, we have to regain back our lost glory. We want to get our lost capability and power which will not be used to attack other country. Our history is thousands years old during which we didn’t attack any country. As world teacher, we have always guided others. The education is the source of prosperity. We have to spread it in the entire world. Our philosophy has been the ‘vasudhaiva kutumbakam’. Entire world is like family. We believe in this. You can name it anything. Some people hesitate to speak ‘Hindu’. The Hindu is not a religion but life system, a great life system. 

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, change is necessary. We have to bring change in food habit, movement, etc. This can be done with support of nature. For the great future, we have to coordinate with the nature which can bring change. Yog practice can bring great change in our life. Yog is not only the exercise of body but also a synchronisation of body, mind and soul. It’s total and stable knowledge. There is advait theory of our philosophy. We do yog to get rid of discrimination among body, mind and soul.

I myself expressed desire to meet Baba Ramdev Jee Maharaj when we knew that he was here to conduct the programme. He also invited me to attend the programme. I would like to mention an incident. Since childhood, I have been visiting RSS camp. Physical activity brings alertness. I am now 70. I play badminton daily for an hour daily in the morning. Apart from it, I do yog and walking. I remain healthy in my busy daily routine. Therefore, I would like ask all of you to follow advice of Guru Jee. Exercise yog daily in your house and ask your children to do so. Make them understand about pure food habit. We are Indian. We must follow the Indian food habit. Our ancestors have gifted yog to us. We have to consume good quality of food. Why do we run after pizza and burger? The people of other country may prefer it. We must tell our children to follow the Indian food habit. The children say that it’s instant food which means constant disease. The food can’t be instant. Food needs to be cooked. Therefore, exercise needs hard work and capability. After lot of stress and pain, we gain. All these are meant for your health.
Therefore, I congratulate yogaguru Baba Ramdev Jee on behalf of all of you and countrymen. He is boosting energy of countrymen. I talked with him. Watching Guru Jee exercising gives energy. 

Thanks, Jai Hind.