Sara Jean Underwood starred in "Miss March."

A leading Hindu statesman has taken aim at Playboy bosses over a racy new yoga video in which a naked Playmate shows off her body.

Rajan Zed, the president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, tells WENN he and other top Hindus are upset over Playboy's use of yoga as erotica.

In the online video, posted on Playboy.com, model Sara Jean Underwood performs various yoga poses on a mat naked.

Outraged Zed says, "Hindus are upset over what is the misuse of the age-old and revered system of yoga by Playboy for mercantile greed and we are urging the organisation to withdraw all its yoga-related products.

"Yoga is one of the six systems of orthodox Hindu philosophy and it is highly revered in Hinduism. It is actually a serious mental and physical discipline by means of which the human soul can unite with the universal soul.

"Sara Jean Underwood wants you to gain an intimate understanding of her asanas, the various postures and positions practised in yoga, suggesting the next best thing to actually doing them in person is watching these sexy nude videos that are designed to raise your heart rate."

The video was posted online to promote DVD titles Erotic Nude Yoga, Totally Nude Yoga Tai Chi and Erotic Yoga for Couples.

Appalled Zed says, "Some sages have described yoga as the silencing of all mental transformations, which leads to the total realization of the Supreme Self. Some have used yoga attempting to gain liberation by removing all sensory barriers... Yoga is a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.

"Playboy should not attempt to distort the esteemed yoga tradition as it hurts the devotees of yoga."