Krishnamacharya Healing Yoga Foundation

Yoga Makaranda : The Nectar of Yoga
A Timeline

1934
T Krishnamacharya authors the book Yoga Makaranda in Kannada Language. To view a sample page from this version click here.

1938
Yoga Makaranda is translated into Tamil Language by Sri CMV Krishnamacharya with Sri S Ranganathadesikacharya. A sample page from this version is available here.

The book goes out of print in both langauages. Only a few copies remain in some public and private libraries

Early 1970s
T Krishnamacharya hands over the photographs and corresponding plates appearing in Yoga Makaranda to his son and successor TKV Desikachar

1988
On Krishnamacharya’s Centenary Year, A documentary called "100 years of Beautitude" is made to commemorate the occasion. Here TKV Desikachar shares for the first time to the general public some of these rare archival photographs.

In the same year, TKV Desikachar revives the translation of Yoga Makaranda along with his then colleague (and relative) ER Ramaswamy Iyengar. They compare both Kannada and Tamil versions of the publications and bring out what is possibly the first English manuscript of this publication.

The project is shelved for some reasons. The manuscript is misplaced.

1989
Yogacarya T Krishnamacharya passes away on 28 February 1989, at the ripe old age of 101.

1991
TKV Desikachar, through the KYM starts a journal titled "Darsanam".

1993-1995
Desikachar and team translate the Yoga Makaranda, a second time. Yet again publication of Yoga Makaranda gets shelved. However, parts of the translations and its modifications are used to write a series of articles in the magazine Darsanam between 1993-1996. All of these are signed by TKV Desikachar as the author of the translations.

The reason for not publishing Yoga Makaranda is clearly stated by TKV Desikachar in Darsanam issue November 1993.

"...Since many things had changed since the writing of the book I wondered at the desirability of publishing the translation. Amongst the people I consulted there were two opposing views. Some felt that the way T.Krishnamacharya had taught in 1930’s differed from his current approach and so translation was not advisable. Others felt that it was a priceless document with great ideas that yoga sadhaka-s would greatly benefit from. Somehow the project did not materialize in my father’s lifetime."

Click Here to view the Darsanam page, with the above quote.

Consequently, a larger project in the form of T Krishnamacharya’s biography is seen as priority by the KYM management. This results in the publication of Yogacarya The Purnacarya, the first biography of T Krishnamacharya authored by Mrs. Mala Srivatsan.

1996
The last issue of Darsanam is published in February 1996. The journal is shut down, owing to lack of sufficient funding.

TKV Desikachar locks up related manuscripts in some old boxes, including the translation of Yoga Makaranda. This manuscript too is misplaced.

2001
TKV Desikachar steps down from all administrative responsibilities in the KYM.

In the same year, Kausthub Desikachar joins the KYM as administrative staff and yoga teacher.

2003
Kausthub Desikachar and a colleague start their own attempt to translate the Yoga Makaranda. The project is also interupted as he commences his doctorate program at the University of Madras.

2006
TKV Desikachar and Kausthub Desikachar co-found the Krishnamacharya Healing & Yoga Foundation, the umbrella organization that networks the official Yoga Teachers, Yoga Teacher Trainers and Yoga Therapists practicing in the tradition of Yogacarya T Krishnamacharya.

Kausthub Desikachar is informed of a translation of Yoga Makaranda by two translators. He receives copies of the same through email from them for consideration to publish.

2010
On completing his doctorate, Kausthub Desikachar revives the idea of publishing Yoga Makaranda, and discusses with TKV Desikachar. TKV Desikachar requests him to bring out the edition by 28 February 2011 (The anniversary of Yogacarya T Krishnamacharya).

Kausthub contacts the two translators and offers to publish their version of the translation along with critical commentary and notes to better aid readers understand this precious book of T Krishnamacharya.

Layout design of the publication begins using this translation and the critical commentary.

Kausthub Desikachar discovers the translation done by his father along with Sri Ramaswamy Iyengar. Sample pages can be seen here.

He immediately communicates about this manuscript to the two translators.

Owing to philosophical differences, both the publishers and the two translators agree to not work together.

Kausthub Desikachar proceeds with work on bringing out Yoga Makaranda using the translation of his father and ER Ramaswamy Iyengar.

2011
Yoga Makaranda : The Nectar of Yoga (ISBN 978-81-920716-0-2) is published by Media Garuda on 28 February 2011.

Shortly after release of the first edition edition, Kausthub Desikachar discovers the second misplaced manuscript of Yoga Makaranda that was done between 1993-1995. Sample pages can be found here.

It was brought to the notice of the publishers, that some parts of the translation in one chapter of the edition, inadvertently contained text from the translation of the two translators. On inquring into the source of error, Media Garuda discovers that its an unintentional error committed by the layout designer, who erroneously misplaced text in one of the chapters from the other translation.

Notwithstanding the copyright over the original literary work, the KHYF takes responsibility for this error and took the following remedial actions.

Apart from meeting in person and explaining the error, a formal letter of apology was sent to the two translators.
Shipment of this edition of the book was suspended since 21 March, 2011, and consequently a revised corrected edition was initiated.
A recall letter was also sent to all those who have received the book, be it as a sale or as a complimentary copy, with a commitment to replace the book with the revised version for free.
A new version of the book using the two manuscripts of TKV Desikachar was also initiated.

Media Garuda also sends all available manuscripts and the revised edition of Yoga Makaranda to a senior scholar to do a manuscript comparison, to verify the material used in the new edition. The scholar confirms that the revised edition of Yoga Makaranda is based on the two manuscripts of TKV Desikachar (which have also been registered with the Copyrights Office).

On April 14, 2011, the Revised Edition of Yoga Makaranda (ISBN: 978-81-920716-1-9) is released using the intended translation of TKV Desikachar.

To order the revised edition of the book, click here.