Sri Swami Vishwananda

Vishwananda (born Mahadeosingh 'Visham' Komalram in 1978), known to followers as Paramahamsa Sri Swami Vishwananda , is a Mauritian neo-Hindu religious leader. He is the founder of Bhakti Marga, a neo-Hindu organization. His main ashram is in the small village of Springen (Heidenrod) in the Taunus, and teaches his own version of kriya yoga called Atma Kriya Yoga.

By the end of 2022 Bhakti Marga had around 10,000 followers and between 30 and 50 ashrams worldwide. By the end of 2023 Vishwananda had around 50,000 followers, Vishwananda is one of the world's most well-known spiritual gurus.

Life Vishwananda was born on 13 June 1978 into a Hindu Brahmin family (originated in Bihar) in Beau Bassin-Rose Hill, Mauritius.

After finishing his secondary education, he became a spiritual master at the age of 19 and soon after made his first journey to Europe.

In 2004, he purchased a property in the small village of Steffenshof in Hunsrück, Rhineland-Palatinate, and expanded into an ashram. There, in July 2005, he established the organisation Bhakti Marga.

Since 2005, Vishwananda has been traveling across the globe, sharing his vision of meditation, which embraces the belief that all religions follow a unifying path rooted in love and spirituality.

On July 2, 2016, he received the Bharat Gaurav Award, which honors Indian nationals.

On July 24, 2021, he established the Hari Bhakta Sampradaya.

Philosophy The teaching of Vishwananda combines components of Hindu traditions with influences of other religions, especially Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Since roughly around 2020, a stronger shift towards Vaishnavism has been noticeable, without complete disposal of the Christian elements.

Followers of Vishwananda claim that he can perform miracles like the materialization of jewelry or stigmata. Officially, this is neither denied nor confirmed by Bhakti Marga.

According to the pacifist organisation May Peace Prevail on Earth International, Vishwananda "gives people access to a very personal experience with the Divine, regardless of culture, gender or age" According to a person involved in the organization of his events, he has conducted 331 darshans in 46 countries and 220 cities, and has provided blessings to more than 133,000 persons. During these events there is singing of Bhajans, the guru gives lectures, and touches his followers at the third eye as a form of shaktipat and distributes vibhuti.

Atma Kriya Yoga This practice encompasses a variety of techniques, including breathing exercises for full-body balance, as well as meditation and concentration methods. The practice is supposed to purify the mind, body, and spirit in order to move closer to God. Rui Patrício, the goalkeeper of the Portuguese national team, practises Atma Kriya Yoga as taught by Vishwananda.

The court ruled in favor of Vishvananda, issuing that there was 'a lack of evidence' to broadcast suspicions of sexual misconduct. However, the court also ruled that some key elements of HR’s reporting, including allegations that Vishwananda sought sexual contact with young men and that Bhakti Marga had totalitarian structures, were legally permissible to report under German press law. The HR also filed an appeal.

The HR appealed against the orders issued to the Hanseatisches Oberlandesgericht, submitting, among other things, statutory declarations from the interviewees. The court ruled in favor of the broadcaster on various points. Hessischer Rundfunk saw this as a success and announced that it would take further legal action. All six episodes of the podcasts are back online due to the ruling, although some have been severely abridged. The TV documentary is not available as of April 2025.

Selected books