Sivananda Saraswati

Swami Shivananda Liebe

Sivananda Saraswati (1887–1963) was a Hindu spiritual teacher and a proponent of Yoga and Vedanta. Sivananda was born Kuppuswamy in Pattamadai, in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. He studied medicine and served in British Malaya as a physician before taking up monasticism. He lived most of his life near Rishikesh, in India. He was the founder of the Divine Life Society (1946), the Sivananda Ashram, and the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy (1948). He authored over 200 books on yoga, Vedanta, and a variety of subjects. Sivananda's teachings are a synthesis of traditional Hindu thought and Western practicality, focusing on the spiritual growth of an individual through the practice of Yoga. His approach to yoga was non-sectarian, and he advocated the Yoga of Synthesis which sought to harmonize the four main paths of yoga: Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Raja Yoga.

Biography

Kuppuswamy was born on September 8, 1887, in Pattamadai, Tamil Nadu, India. After completing his medical studies, he worked as a doctor in British Malaya for several years. However, a deep spiritual longing led Kuppuswamy to renounce his medical practice and material life to pursue spiritual learning. He was initiated into sannyasa in 1924 by Swami Vishwananda Saraswati and was given the name Swami Sivananda Saraswati. Sivananda then spent the next several years practicing intense spiritual disciplines in Rishikesh, and it was here that he established the Divine Life Society.

Teachings

Sivananda's teachings emphasized the importance of serving others and the practice of yoga as a means to achieve spiritual enlightenment and self-realization. He believed in the holistic development of the human personality and advocated a balanced approach to spiritual practice, incorporating elements of Gyan Yoga (the yoga of knowledge), Bhakti Yoga (the yoga of devotion), Karma Yoga (the yoga of action), and Raja Yoga (the yoga of meditation). His motto was "Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realize".

Legacy

Sivananda's legacy includes not only his numerous writings but also the institutions he founded, which continue to teach and promote his teachings around the world. The Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres, established by his disciple Swami Vishnudevananda, are among the most recognized and respected yoga institutions globally. Sivananda's approach to yoga and spirituality has influenced countless individuals and has contributed to the global spread of yoga.

Selected Works

Sivananda Saraswati was a prolific writer. His works include "The Science of Pranayama", "Thought Power", "Kundalini Yoga", and "Autobiography of Swami Sivananda", which provide insights into his philosophy and teachings.

See Also

• Swami Vishnudevananda
• Divine Life Society
• Yoga
• Vedanta