Modi speech highlights on International Yoga Day 2020: Yoga is needed more than ever in COVID-19 times, says PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during the sixth International Yoga Day on Sunday, said yoga was more important at a time when the work was facing an unprecedented crisis in terms of coronavirus. The Prime Minister in his sixth yoga day address to the nation said yoga was needed in the current times more than ever and that several yoga 'asanas' and techniques could help people with various respiratory illnesses.

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Here are highlights of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's International Yoga Day speech.

• What brings us together, that's yoga. What ends distance, that's yoga. During the coronavirus crisis, people from all over the world participated in the My Life-My Yoga video competition, showing how much enthusiasm for yoga is increasing.
• When children, elders, youth, family elders, all join together through yoga, there is an energy flow throughout the house. Therefore, this time Yoga Day is also a day for "emotional yoga", as it is also a day to increase our Family Bonding.
• COVID-19 specifically attacks our respiratory system, which is strengthened on doing 'pranayama' or breathing exercise. Practice yoga daily and learn various yoga techniques including Anulom-Vilom.
• The meaning of yoga is - 'Samtvam Yoga Uchhyate', meaning in times of compatibility-adversity, success-failure, happiness-crisis, people should stay the same in every situation, that's what yoga is.
• Yoga enhances our quest for a healthier planet. It has emerged as a force for unity and deepens the bonds of humanity. It does not discriminate. It goes beyond race, colour, gender, faith and nations. Anybody can embrace Yoga, says the PM.
• If we can fine-tune our chords of health and hope, the day is not far away when the world will witness the success of healthy and happy humanity. Yoga can help us make this happen, says the PM.
• In the Gita, Lord Krishna while explaining Yoga has said-'Yoga: Karmasu Kaushalam', meaning the efficiency in karma is yoga, and efficiency in action is yoga.
• Yoga has emerged as a force for unity and deepens the bonds of humanity. It does not discriminate. It goes beyond race, colour, gender, faith and nations. Anybody can embrace Yoga.
• People can fine-tune the chords of health and hope, the day is not far when the world would witness the success of healthy and happy humanity. Yoga can help us make this happen.