Acharya Prashant clarifies that while yoga is often celebrated as India's greatest contribution to the world, this is only true if yoga is understood in its original, spiritual sense rather than as mere physical exercise. He critiques the modern commercialization of yoga, which reduces it to physical postures and 'sexy' imagery, arguing that such practices are merely gymnastics and lack spiritual depth. True yoga, according to the speaker, is the union of the mind with the 'Atma' (the Self or Soul), which represents the purest and highest state of consciousness. He emphasizes that the 'Atma' is the central contribution of Indian philosophy, teaching that the highest truth resides within the individual rather than in external deities or material pursuits.