Figure 1 shows the study profile wherein of 1228 subjects who attended the motivational lectures, only 226 who satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected and randomly allotted to the Y and PE groups. The reasons

for dropout of 52 subjects are shown in Figure 1. Table 1 shows the demographic data. There were 87 subjects (40 females) in each group aged 18–71 years, the mean age being 29.44 ± 11.94 years. They belonged to different callings such as college students, professionals, housewives and retired persons. The baseline values were normally distributed for Tamas (P = 0.209) and Sattva (P = 0.717) and were well-matched for all three domains (Independent samples t-test).
Table 2 shows the comparison of the baseline scores for the three gunas of the VPI with the norms provided in the manual. It showed that the scores are within the predicted normal range. The mean value is marginally higher for Sattva and lower for Rajas and Tamas in the South Indian population selected in the present study as compared to the norms from studies in the USA.

Tamas: The PE group showed a significant decrease in the Tamas score from 3.24 to 2.99 (P = 0.001) (paired samples t test). The senior subjects (age > 24 years) in both the Y (3.09 to 2.67) and PE (3.21 to 2.83) groups showed a significant decrease (P = 0.001). In gender analysis, females showed a decrease with Y (P = 0.040) and males showed a decrease with PE (P = 0.032).

Rajas: The PE group showed a significant decrease in scores from 3.67 to 3.43 (P = 0.002). Seniors in both the Y (3.81 to 3.51) (P = 0.002) and PE (3.62 to 3.31) groups (P = 0.015) have shown significant decreases. In gender analysis, males showed a decrease with PE (3.73 to 3.37) (P = 0.014). Significantly greater reduction was observed in the PE than in the Y group (P = 0.005) and in juniors (P = 0.012).

Sattva: Sattva scores have increased significantly in both Y (4.88 to 5.26) (P = 0.001) and PE (4.91 to 5.21) (P < 0.001) groups with a greater effect size in the Y (0.61) than in the PE (0.45) group. Juniors, seniors, males and females in both the Y and PE groups have all shown significant increase in Sattva scores.
Table 5 shows the results for all variables of the GHQ.

Somatic symptoms (SS): SS symptoms have reduced significantly in both Y (0.57 to 0.29) (P = 0.011) and PE (0.41 to 0.11) (P = 0.001) groups. Juniors, seniors, males and females of the PE group have shown significant decrease in SS. Seniors and males in the Y group have shown significant decrease in SS. There was a significant difference between the groups.

Anxiety and insomnia (AI): AI symptoms have decreased significantly in both the Y (0.61 to 0.08) (P < 0.01) and PE (0.49 to 0.18) (P = 0.011) groups. Juniors, seniors, females and males in the in Y group have shown significant decrease in AI whereas only seniors and males have shown significant decrease in AI in the PE group.

Social dysfunction (SF): A significant decrease was observed in both the Y (0.60 to 0.15) (P ≤ 0.001) and PE (0.60 to 0.23) (P = 0.001) groups. Juniors, females and males have shown significant decrease in SD with Yoga whereas juniors, seniors, males and females have shown significant decrease in SD due to PE.

Severe depression (SP): Both Y (0.44 to 0.22) (P = 0.017) and PE (0.52 to 0.15) (P < 0.01) groups have shown significant reduction in SP. Juniors, seniors, females and males have shown a significant decrease in SP due to PE. Only seniors and males have shown a significant decrease in SP due to yoga.