 A yogi, states Banerjea, should not be confused with someone practicing asceticism and excessive self-mortification.In Hinduism the term "yogi" refers to an adherent of yoga.The earliest evidence of yogis and their spiritual tradition, states Karel Werner, is found in the Keśin hymn 10.136 of the Rigveda, though with the terminology of Rudra who evolved into Shiva worshipped as the lord of Yoga in later Hinduism.