Friday, May 18, 2012

Swami Sivananda Saraswati


Swami Sivananda Saraswati

Swami Sivananda Saraswati (September 8, 1887 – July 14, 1963) was a Hindu spiritual teacher and a proponent of Yoga and Vedanta. Sivananda was born Kuppuswami in Pattamadai, in the Tirunelvelidistrict of Tamil Nadu. He studied medicine and served in Malaya as a physician for several years before taking up monasticism. He lived most of the later part of his life near Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh.
He is the founder of The Divine Life Society (1936), Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy (1948) and author of over 200 books on yoga, vedanta and a variety of other subjects. He established Sivananda Ashram, the location of the headquarters of The Divine Life Society (DLS), on the bank of the Ganges at Shivanandanagar, at a distance of 3 kilometres from Rishikesh.[1][2][3]
Sivananda Yoga, the yoga form propagated by him, are now spread in many parts of the world throughSivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres, but these centres are not affiliated with Swami Sivananda's original ashrams which are run by the Divine Life Society.

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[edit]Early life


Sivananda was born Kuppuswamy in Pattamadai near Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, India, as the third son to his parents on 8 September 1887.[4] As a child he was very active and promising in academics and gymnastics. He attended medical school in Tanjore, where he excelled. He ran a medical journal called Ambrosia during this period. Upon graduation he practiced medicine and worked as a doctor in Malaya for ten years, with a reputation for waiving his fee for poor patients needing treatment.[4] Over time, a sense that medicine was healing on a superficial level grew in him,[4] urging him to look elsewhere to fill the void, and in 1923 he left Malaya and returned to India to pursue a spiritual quest.

[edit]Initiation

Upon his return to India in 1924, he visited Varanasi, Nashik, and then Rishikesh, where he met his Guru, Swami Vishwananda Saraswati. It was Swami Vishwananda who initiated him into the Sannyasa order, and gave him his monastic name.[4] However, since Sivananda spent only a few hours with Swami Vishwananda, the full Viraja Homa ceremonies were performed later[when?] by Swami Vishnudevananda, the Mandaleswara of Sri Kailas Ashram .[4] After initiation, Sivananda settled in Rishikesh, and immersed himself in intense spiritual practices. Sivananda performed austerities for many years but he also continued to help the sick. With some money from his insurance policy that had matured, he started a charitable dispensary atLakshman Jhula in 1927, serving pilgrims, holy men and the poor using his medical expertise.

[edit]Travels

After a few years, Sivananda went on an extensive pilgrimage and traveled the length and breadth of India to meditate at holy shrines and study with spiritual teachers throughout India. During this Parivrajaka (wandering monk) life, Sivananda visited important places of pilgrimage in the south, including Rameshvaram.[4] He conducted Sankirtan and delivered lectures during his travels. He visited the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, and met Maharishi Suddhananda Bharati. At the Ramana Ashram, he had the darshan of Ramana Maharshi on Maharshi's birthday.[5] He sang bhajans and danced in ecstasy with Maharshi's bhaktas. He also went on pilgrimages to various places in northern India including Kedarnath and Badrinath. He visitedKailash-Manasarovar in 1931.

[edit]Foundations

Sivananda Kutir at Sivananda Ghat, and Sivananda Ashram above, Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh
During Sivananda's stay in Rishikesh and his travels around India, many came to him for guidance in the spiritual path. He permitted some of them to live near him and instructed them. Sivananda asked his students take copies of his short articles and send them for publication. Over time, large numbers of people started coming to him and his circle started growing.
Sivananda founded the Divine Life Society in 1936 on the banks of the Ganges River. The free distribution of spiritual literature drew a steady flow of disciples to the Swami, such as Swami Satyananda Saraswati, founder of Satyananda Yoga.
In 1945, Swami Sivananda created the Sivananda AyurvedicPharmacy, and organized the All-world Religions Federation. He established the All-world Sadhus Federation in 1947 and Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy in 1948. He called his yoga the Yoga of Synthesis.

[edit]Disciples

Interiors of the Sivananda Samadhitemple, Divine Life Society, Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh
Swami Sivananda's two chief acting organizational disciples were Swami Chidananda and Swami Krishnananda. Swami Chidananda was appointed President of the Divine Life Society by Swami Sivananda in 1963 and served in this capacity until his death in 2008. Swami Krishnananda was appointed General Secretary of the Divine Life Society by Swami Sivananda in 1958 and served in this capacity until his death in 2001. Swami Krishnananda is widely regarded as one of the most important theologians and philosophers of the 20th century.[6][7]
Other prominent disciples were Swami Venkatesananda Saraswati (South Africa, Mauritius, Madagascar, Australia), Swami Pranavananda Saraswati (Malaysia) and Swami Sivananda Radha (Canada). Another prominent disciple was Swami Sahajananda Saraswati (South Africa), who was directed by Swami Sivananda to establish the Divine Life Society of South Africa.
Disciples who went on to grow new organisations

[edit]Authorship

A prolific author, Swami Sivananda wrote 296 books on a variety of subjects: metaphysics, yoga, religion, western philosophy, psychology, eschatology,fine arts, ethics, education, health, sayings, poems, epistles, autobiography, biography, stories, dramas, messages, lectures, dialogues, essays andanthology.[8] His books emphasized the practical application of Yoga philosophy over mere theoretical knowledge. He was known to have said, An ounce of practice is better than tons of theory. Practice Yoga, Religion and Philosophy in daily life, and attain Self-realization.[9]

[edit]Death

Swami Sivananda died on 14 July 1963 in his Kutir on the bank of the Ganges, in Shivanandanagar.[5]

[edit]Bibliography

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