Yoga is a word, which has become very common now-a-days.
Some confine yoga to mere physical exercises like Asanas, Pranayama etc. for building up a sound physique
Really speaking, yoga shows an accurate way of living in Divine consciousness away from the egoistic consciousness. Literature gives the list of different yogas claiming each one as complete yoga. There are – Japayoga, Tapayoga, Mantrayoga, Tantrayoga-without any definite goal or purpose excepting fulfilment of some childish desires. Again we have Karmayoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga. The features of each lead to only formalities. Further on, there are Dhyanayoga, Layayoga, Samadhiyoga, Kundaliniyoga and whatnot.
Whatever it is, ‘yoga’ literally stands for union. Union with what? When two things unite it is called mixture. When these two happen to be identical in quality and nature it is called homogenous one and if not heterogeneous. In real sense, the word yoga is of Indian origin and is generally used in religious and spiritual literature
Whatever it may mean, the exact meaning of yoga is union with God.
Religions have made God as some supernormal being with extraordinary powers. Most of the thinkers and philosophers agree on a point that it is a condition or a state indescribable and blissful, and people named it ‘Absolute’ or ‘Ultimate Reality’. Once union with It is attained, It liberates from misery, mortality, fear and gives us permanent and positive bliss.
Excerpts from the chapter YOGA in Thou Art the Real Goal of Human Life