Page 258 - Adhiyoga Purana

EPILOGUE
Adhiyoga—an authentic system, a living conversation
In 1998, aerospace engineer–turned–yoga scholar Neel Kulkarni founded Adhiyoga – Authentic Yoga System: a deliberate integration of Classical Yoga with modern Health Science, Psychology, the Arts, and allied disciplines. Adhiyoga is not just a syllabus of postures. It is a complete architecture—Yoga Philosophy, Meditation, Yoga Exercise, Breathing Exercise, Chanting, Therapy, Teaching Methodologies, and pragmatic practices—documented in the book Adhiyoga – Authentic Yoga System of Neel Kulkarni and carried forward through an intensive teacher-training that demands classwork, self-practice, and real teaching.
The book speaks to the 21st-century yoga student. It presents Kulkarni’s original Authentic Yoga Sutras (first published in 2013) with English commentary, guidance on designing effective practices, choosing appropriate paths, taking precautions, correcting common misunderstandings, simplifying complex philosophical ideas, and cultivating health and fitness—validated by experiences of numerous students. Its reach is global, with editions in Italian, Spanish, French, German, Norwegian, Russian, Hindi, Marathi, Kannada, and Malayalam.
The author’s purpose
Kulkarni dedicates the work “to the welfare of the world,” explicitly including those who strive to maintain physical-mental-spiritual wellbeing amid adversity, and “most especially” the disadvantaged—such as women in India who remain repressed. He invites readers into the system carefully: Adhiyoga (AYS®) uses terms that sometimes redefine traditional vocabulary; readers are encouraged to scan chapter titles first, then engage at different depths— whether skimming bold English sutras for a quick map, or studying the full English, Sanskrit sutras, and kārikās.
He acknowledges a lifetime of formation—parents whose devotion seeded his center of gravity; Sanskrit, philosophy, exercise, health, and music teachers; saints and scholars; generous editors; and the long constellation of students around the world who, in his words, made his teaching years “the most enjoyable times on the earth.” He is frank about his imperfections and the pain he has caused, offering apologies alongside gratitude for hardships that nudged him toward apavarga (the non-material path) even while life allowed moments of bhoga (worldly enjoyment).
Why a new system—and why now?
Kulkarni’s prefaces make a clear case. Historically, yoga practices were devised for mokṣa (liberation), not primarily for fitness; physical practices were later additions to support meditation. Modern science reveals that some inherited methods are inadequate or even harmful; popular mysticism can distract from the genuinely spiritual; and access to yoga has
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