Yoga tradition
Parampara परंपरा
Photo: B.K.S. Iyengar and his Guru T Krishnamacharya. Chennai 1980. In June 1980 where BKS Iyengar was invited to Chennai (Madras) to give a Yoga lecture and Āsana demonstration in a tribute to his Guru T Krishnamacharya.
Parampara is a Sanskrit word that refers to the succession of knowledge from one guru to the next. Directly translated to English, parampara means something like “uninterrupted series,” “continuation,” or “succession.” An alternative name for this is guru-shishya, which translates to something along the lines of “succession from guru to disciple.”
This is a term that is often used in Hinduism as well as in other Indian religions. In the context of yoga, it usually refers to the means by which ancient yogic knowledge is passed.
Yogapedia explains Parampara
The practice of parampara allows for knowledge in spiritual, artistic and educational areas to be passed down directly through a number of consecutive generations without losing any of the message along the way. The direct lineage of parampara means that the current guru and the three that went before him are all worshiped by the disciple intending to carry on their teachings.
Parampara is the primary means by which the teaching of yoga has survived the ages. It has allowed generation after generation to receive powerful, undiluted teachings in yoga and other spiritual matters.