Page 152 - Adhiyoga Purana

Deepali Narayan – Yoga Teacher, Pune, India
For Deepali Narayan, it all began with a voice.
Not hers — but Adhiyogi’s, resonating through a two-hour chanting workshop at a large yoga school in Pune. The hall was filled with teacher trainees from that school, and Deepali was just one among many. Yet, something in that moment struck deep. The rhythm, the intensity, the way he carried ancient sounds as if they were alive — it felt less like a class and more like a calling.
She left that day without any concrete plan, but the seed had been planted. Over the months that followed, the echoes of that chanting would return to her at unexpected moments — during commutes, while cooking, even in quiet solitude. Gradually, she realized she didn’t just want to learn yoga; she wanted to learn it from him.
A year later, Deepali approached Adhiyogi with a request to join his Teacher Training. Her path to that moment had not been straightforward. She had once tried to gain admission into the Iyengar school for Teacher Training, but her application had been declined. Now, there was another challenge — Adhiyogi’s classes were far from her home, requiring hours of travel each time. But her decision was already made. No distance, no past rejection, no obstacle would stand in her way.
From the first day of training, she understood why that voice had stayed with her. Adhiyogi’s classes were alive with thought, challenge, and inspiration. He spoke at length about his Adhiyoga philosophy and its unique approach, defining yoga as “Any activity done with mental focus.” The training blended asanas with deep work on breath and mind, demanding discipline and awareness at every step.
Adhiyogi pushed his students to think, to question, and to create their own style rather than simply follow instructions. His vast knowledge — from the philosophies of yoga to the Bhagavad Gita to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali — came alive in his teachings. And his ability to turn any environment into a true classroom left a lasting impression on her.
The training was not easy — the travel, the rigor, and the constant demand for focus — but it was worth every step. Looking back, it was clear that the woman who had once sat quietly in that chanting workshop could never have imagined the transformation that awaited her.
Adhiyogi often spoke of dedication, and in Deepali, he saw it in abundance.
OM Shantiḥ.
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