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By:

Bhalchandra Chorghade

11 August 2025 at 1:54:18 pm

Healing Beyond the Clinic

Dr Kirti Samudra “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” This thought by Mother Teresa finds reflection in the life of Panvel-based diabetologist Dr Kirti Samudra, who has spent decades caring not only for her family but also thousands of patients who see her as their guide. As we mark International Women’s Day, stories like hers remind us that women of substance often shape society quietly through compassion, resilience and dedication. Doctor, mother, homemaker,...

Healing Beyond the Clinic

Dr Kirti Samudra “If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.” This thought by Mother Teresa finds reflection in the life of Panvel-based diabetologist Dr Kirti Samudra, who has spent decades caring not only for her family but also thousands of patients who see her as their guide. As we mark International Women’s Day, stories like hers remind us that women of substance often shape society quietly through compassion, resilience and dedication. Doctor, mother, homemaker, mentor and philanthropist — Dr Samudra has balanced many roles with commitment. While she manages a busy medical practice, her deeper calling has always been service. For her, medicine is not merely a profession but a responsibility towards the people who depend on her guidance. Nagpur to Panvel Born and raised in Nagpur, Dr Samudra completed her medical education there before moving to Mumbai in search of better opportunities. The early years were challenging. With determination, she and her husband Girish Samudra, an entrepreneur involved in underwater pipeline projects, chose to build their life in Panvel. At a time when the town was still developing and healthcare awareness was limited, she decided to make it both her workplace and home. What began with modest resources gradually grew into a trusted medical practice built on long-standing relationships with patients. Fighting Diabetes Recognising the growing threat of diabetes, Dr Samudra dedicated her career to treating and educating patients about the disease. Over the years, she has registered nearly 30,000 patients from Panvel and nearby areas. Yet she believes treatment alone is not enough. “Diabetes is a lifelong disease. Medicines are important, but patient education is equally critical. If people understand the condition, they can manage it better and prevent complications,” she says. For more than 27 years, she has organised an Annual Patients’ Education Programme, offering diagnostic tests at concessional rates and sessions on lifestyle management. Family, Practice With her husband frequently travelling for business, much of the responsibility of raising their two children fell on Dr Samudra. Instead of expanding her practice aggressively, she kept it close to home and adjusted her OPD timings around her children’s schedules. “It was not easy,” she recalls, “but I wanted to fulfil my responsibilities as a mother while continuing to serve my patients.” Beyond Medicine Today, Dr Samudra also devotes time to social initiatives through the Bharat Vikas Parishad, where she serves as Regional Head. Her projects include  Plastic Mukta Vasundhara , which promotes reduced use of single-use plastic, and  Sainik Ho Tumchyasathi , an initiative that sends Diwali  faral  (snack hamper) to Indian soldiers posted at the borders. Last year alone, 15,000 boxes were sent to troops. Despite decades of service, she measures success not in wealth but in goodwill. “I may not have earned huge money,” she says, “but I have earned immense love and respect from my patients. That is something I will always be grateful for.”

Asana in Classical Yoga: Preparing the Body for Higher Practice

Asanas are not just yoga poses but the groundwork upon which pranayama, meditation, and higher yogic disciplines rest.


In the modern world, yoga is often reduced to a set of physical stretches or fitness routines. However, this limited view overlooks the profound depth of yoga as a complete science of life. Yoga is not merely about shaping the body; it is a disciplined path that refines the body, steadies the mind, and ultimately awakens inner awareness. Maharshi Patanjali, the great yogic seer, systematised this ancient wisdom into the eightfold path known as Ashtanga Yoga—Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi. Among these, Asana, the third limb, plays a pivotal role by preparing the physical body as a stable and sacred foundation for higher yogic practices. 


Asana is far more than a physical posture. It is a conscious, disciplined state of the body held with awareness, balance, and reverence. Ancient yogic philosophy regards the human body as a sacred instrument—a temple through which spiritual evolution unfolds. Therefore, asana is understood as a posture assumed with steadiness, alertness, and deep respect for the body’s innate intelligence. 


In the early stages of practice, asana may involve effort, discipline, and physical exertion. Over time, with regular and mindful practice, this effort gradually dissolves into ease and stability. Patanjali defines 'asana' with a timeless and profound sutra:


“स्थिरसुखमासनम्”

This sutra emphasises that an ideal posture is both steady and comfortable. Here, comfort does not mean indulgence or passivity; rather, it refers to a state free from strain, where the body is stable and the mind remains calm, alert, and inwardly focused.


The Hatha Yoga Pradipika further explains that the practice of asanas brings firmness to the body, health to the organs, and lightness to the entire system. Classical yogic texts consistently present yoga as a progressive inner journey—beginning with mastery over the body and culminating in mastery over the mind and realisation of the self.


The connection between body and mind is inseparable. Physical discomfort often disturbs mental peace, while unresolved mental stress frequently manifests as physical tension or disease. Through the systematic and conscious practice of asanas, this imbalance is gradually corrected. The muscles, joints, internal organs, endocrine glands, and nervous system are strengthened and harmonised, while mental restlessness begins to subside.


Regular asana practice enhances flexibility, strength, balance, coordination, circulation, and immunity. More importantly, it cultivates emotional stability, patience, and inner equilibrium. When the body becomes steady and free from discomfort, the practitioner gains the ability to sit comfortably for extended periods—an essential prerequisite for pranayama, meditation, and higher yogic disciplines. 


During the practice of asana, each posture is held for a specific duration with smooth, rhythmic breathing. Patanjali highlights that postures that allow the body to remain stable and relaxed for long periods are especially suitable for yogic practice. According to the Gheranda Samhita, there are symbolically 8.4 million asanas, representing the vast diversity of living forms, out of which 84 asanas are considered important for human practice.


Asanas make use of the full potential of the human body—its joints, muscles, flexibility, alignment, and relationship with gravity. Based on their purpose and functional nature, asanas are broadly classified into three main categories:


1. Meditative Asanas

These postures are designed to create a firm base, an erect spine, and symmetrical alignment, making them ideal for meditation and breath practices.


Examples include Padmasana, Siddhasana, Vajrasana, and Swastikasana.


2. Cultural (Dynamic) Asanas

These involve movement and are practised for strength, flexibility, and physiological balance. They are further classified according to body position:


Standing Postures: Tadasana, Trikonasana, Parshvakonasana, Vrikshasana


Seated Postures: Gomukhasana, Paschimottanasana


Prone Postures: Makarasana, Bhujangasana, Shalabhasana, Dhanurasana


Supine Postures: Pawanmuktasana, Uttanapadasana, Halasana, Chakrasana, Shavasana 


3. Balancing Asanas

These asanas cultivate physical balance along with mental focus, alertness, and discipline. Examples include Garudasana, Mayurasana, Bakasana, and Kukkutasana. 


Ultimately, asana is not merely about stretching muscles or strengthening the body. It is a disciplined yogic practice that harmonises posture, breath, and awareness. When performed with regularity, correct technique, and proper guidance, asanas prepare the practitioner for deeper yogic experiences such as pranayama, meditation, and self-inquiry.


Thus, asana stands as a vital gateway in the yogic path—bridging the physical and the spiritual. Through this essential limb, the practitioner begins a transformative journey from bodily awareness to inner stillness, balance, and self-knowledge.


(The writer is a yoga educator and researcher based in Pune. Views personal.)

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