The Perfect Yogi In A Russian Soul
When we think of great yogis, we imagine ascetics in the Himalayas, seekers wrapped in saffron robes, or mystics teaching meditation beneath banyan trees. Rarely does an image of a Russian novelist whose epic works reshaped literature come to mind. Yet, Leo Tolstoy (1828 – 1910), author of War and Peace and Anna Karenina, lived a life in many ways that embodied the essence of yoga more profoundly than many who bore the title of yogi.
1. Renunciation of Ego & Worldly Power (Maya & Kleshas)
The yogic tradition identifies the illusory nature of worldly success as maya, which are the nature of kleshas, or afflictions that veil the true self. In his youth, Tolstoy lived with fierce intensity. He served in the army, challenged men to duels, and pursued love affairs. Later, he joined radical thinkers to publish essays and spread enlightenment. At the height of fame, he seemed to have everything: wealth and status, yet he found it hollow, confessing that “I cannot recall those years without horror, loathing, and heart-rending pain.”
2. Path of Non-Violence (Ahimsa)
Central to yoga and the teachings of the Bhagavad Gita is ahimsa, or non-harming. Tolstoy, deeply influenced by the Sermon on the Mount and later by Indian philosophy, became an outspoken advocate of nonviolence and vegetarianism. His essay The Kingdom of God Is Within You inspired Mahatma Gandhi to develop satyagraha, the philosophy of nonviolent resistance. In this way, Tolstoy’s yogic vision rippled across the globe, shaping the future of freedom movements.
3. Detachment & Inner Discipline (Abhyāsa & Vairāgya)
As Patanjali writes in the Yoga Sutras, it rests on two pillars: abhyāsa (steady practice) and vairagya (detachment from the outcome). Tolstoy’s life reflects both. In his journals he described this effort: “I tried to perfect my will and set up rules for myself that I endeavoured to follow. I strove for physical perfection by doing all the exercises that develop strength and agility and undergoing all the hardships… The starting point of all of it was, of course, moral perfection, but this was soon replaced by the belief of overall perfection.”
4. Service as Spiritual Practice (Karma Yoga)
Tolstoy did not withdraw to a cave; he lived amidst his family and community. Yet his life became a service to humanity through his books, essays, and example. He taught peasants, condemned oppression, and fought for justice with his pen. This echoes karma yoga (the yoga of selfless action), where one works not for personal gain but for the welfare of all beings.
Conclusion
Tolstoy never called himself a yogi, but his life reflected yoga’s deepest values: truth, simplicity, nonviolence, and devotion to the divine within. Stripped of exotic trappings, his spiritual journey shows that yoga is not bound by geography or tradition. It is a universal path of self-realisation.
Leo Tolstoy, in his Russian fields, wearing peasant clothes and scribbling in candlelight, may have been closer to the yogic ideal than many who formally practiced yoga. He was, in essence, the perfect yogi, one who sought union with the eternal through love, truth, and service.
Main – Photo by Ebahir
About the Author: Rukmini Jonnalagadda
