Sivananda Saraswati

Biography

Early life

Swami Sivananda was born as Kuppuswami to a Brahmin family on 8 September 1887. His birth took place during the early hours of the morning, as the Bharani star was rising in Pattamadai village in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu. His father, P.S. Vengu Iyer, worked as a revenue officer and was a devotee of Shiva. His mother, Parvati Ammal, was also religious. Kuppuswami was the third and last child of his parents.

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 British Malaya for ten years, with a reputation for providing free treatment to poor patients. Over time, a feeling developed in Dr. Kuppuswami that medicine was healing only on a superficial level, urging him to look elsewhere to fill the void, and in 1923 he left Malaya and returned to India to pursue his spiritual quest.

In 1945, he created the Sivananda Ayurvedic Pharmacy, and organised the All-world Religions Federation.

Sivananda travelled extensively on a major tour in 1950, and set up branches of the Divine Life Society throughout India. He vigorously promoted and disseminated his vision of yoga, adopting modern techniques to such an extent that he gained the nickname 'Swami Propagandananda'.

The 9th All-India Divine Life Convention was held at Venkatagiri on March 16, 1957, which was presided by Sathya Sai Baba and attended by Satchidananda Saraswati and Swami Sadananda.

Vegetarianism Sivananda insisted on a strict lacto-vegetarian diet for moral and spiritual reasons, arguing that "meat-eating is highly deleterious to health". Divine Life Society thus advocates a vegetarian diet.

Works

Sivananda wrote over 200 books on yoga. Many of them are available free on the Divine Life Society's website.

Yogic Home Exercises. Easy Course of Physical Culture for Men & Women, Bombay, Taraporevala Sons & Co, 1944.

Life and Works of Swami Sivananda, by Sivānanda, Divine Life Society (W.A.). Fremantle Branch. Published by Divine Life Society, Fremantle Branch, 1985. All About Hinduism Amrita Gita Bhagavad Gita (transliterated and translated by Sivananda, with chapter summaries) Brahma Sutras, 1949 Conquest of Anger Conquest of Fear Easy Steps to Yoga Essence of Yoga God Exists A Great Guru and His Ideal Disciple (letters from Sivananda to Prananvananda) Guru-Bhakti Yoga Guru Tattva Gyana Jyoti, Wisdom Light, 1950 Hindu Fasts & Festivals How to Become Rich, 1950 How to Get Vairagya (Dispassion) Ideal of Married Life Karmas and Diseases Kingly Science Kingly Secret Life and Teachings of Lord Jesus Life and Teachings of Swami Sivananda, 1964 Light, Power and Wisdom Lord Krishna, His Lilas and Teachings The Master Said... (1954 speech) May I Answer That? Mind, its Mysteries and Control, 1946 Parables of Sivananda, 1955 The Philosophy and Significance of Idol Worship Philosophy of Dreams Practical Ayurveda. Practical Lessons in Yoga Radio Talks, 1951 Saints and Sages, 1951 Satsanga and Svadhyaya Sayings of Swami Sivananda, 1947 Self-Knowledge Sivananda Upanishad. A universal scripture in the Sage's own handwriting, (Vishnudevananda (ed.)) 1955 Sixty-Three Nayanar Saints Swami Sivananda. His Life, Mission and Message, in pictures, 1953 Temples in India Thought Power Thus Awakens Swami Sivananda Thus Inspires Swami Sivananda, 1962 Thus Spake Sivananda Vedanta for Beginners Waves of Bliss, 1949 What Becomes of the Soul After Death, 1950 Yoga in Daily Life Yoga: Your Home Practice Companion. DK Publishing, 2018

Disciples

Sivananda's two chief acting organizational disciples were Chidananda Saraswati and Krishnananda Saraswati. Chidananda Saraswati was appointed president of the DLS by Sivananda in 1963 and served in this capacity until his death in 2008. Krishnananda Saraswati was appointed General Secretary by Sivananda in 1958 and served in this capacity until his death in 2001.

Disciples who went on to grow new organisations include:

Chinmayananda Saraswati, founder of the Chinmaya Mission Jyotirmayananda Saraswati, founder of Yoga Research Foundation, Miami, Florida, USA Sahajananda Saraswati, Spiritual Head of Divine Life Society of South Africa Satchidananda Saraswati, founder of the Integral Yoga Institutes, around the world Satyananda Saraswati, founder of Bihar School of Yoga Sivananda Radha Saraswati, founder of Yasodhara Ashram, British Columbia, Canada Venkatesananda Saraswati, inspirer of Ananda Kutir Ashrama in South Africa and Sivananda Ashram in Fremantle, Australia Vishnudevananda Saraswati, founder of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres