Who has given this definition "The power of Yoga is combination of body, soul, interest and thought"?

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is (1): Mahatma Gandhi

The given definition, "The power of Yoga is combination of body, soul, interest and thought," is famously attributed to Mahatma Gandhi. This statement is a reflection of Gandhi's holistic and practical philosophy of life, which saw all aspects of an individual's development—physical, spiritual, and intellectual—as deeply interconnected and equally vital. Gandhi viewed Yoga not just as a set of physical postures but as a comprehensive ethical and moral discipline for self-improvement and complete, balanced personality development. His definition emphasizes the integration, or union (*Yoga*), of the physical self (body), the spiritual core (soul), the motivating factor (interest), and the rational/intellectual self (thought), highlighting its role in cultivating a well-rounded and principled life.

The incorrect option is (2): Swami Vivekanand
Swami Vivekanand's contribution to Yoga is primarily through his synthesis and re-presentation of the philosophical tradition, particularly Raja Yoga and Vedanta, to a modern global audience. He famously focused on the four paths of Yoga (Karma, Bhakti, Raja, and Jnana) and emphasized the practical application of these teachings for character building and self-realization. While he wrote extensively on the immense power of Yoga, his key philosophical definitions focus on the mind's control and the divinity within, rather than this specific, four-part combination of 'body, soul, interest, and thought.'

The incorrect option is (3): Maharshi Patanjali
Maharshi Patanjali is revered as the Father of Yoga because he systematically codified the discipline into the *Yoga Sutras*. Patanjali's classical definition of Yoga is profoundly different, famously stated as *'Yogas Chitta Vritti Nirodhah,'* which translates to the cessation or mastery of the fluctuations of the mind. This definition is the bedrock of classical Yoga philosophy and is purely concerned with the psychological state of the mind. The quote in the question is a modern, descriptive phrase focusing on holistic development, not Patanjali’s core, philosophical tenet.

The incorrect option is (4): Kapil Muni
Kapil Muni is historically known as the founder of the Samkhya philosophy, which is considered one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy. Samkhya is the foundational theory upon which classical Yoga is built, providing the metaphysical framework (the concept of *Purusha* and *Prakriti*). His work deals with the enumeration of cosmic principles for achieving discriminative knowledge. While critical to understanding the theory behind Yoga, Kapil Muni's ancient texts do not contain modern, prescriptive definitions of the 'power of Yoga' in terms of personal, integrated development.