| Library / Biographies |
Swami Śivānanda Saraswati Biography
Swami Śivānanda SaraswatiSwami Śivānanda Saraswati was born on 8 September 1887 in Pattamadai, Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu. His early name was Kuppuswamy and the third son of his parents.
His father was Sri P.S. Vengu Iyer of Pattamadai, a Siva-Bhakta and a Jnani, and worked as a revenue officer. His mother was Srimati Parvati Ammal and was also a very religious person.
He studied at the Rajah's High School, Ettayapuram, and after the completion of the Matriculation examination, he studied at the S.P.G. College, Tiruchirapalli.
Upon the completion of the First Arts Examination, Kuppuswamy he went to the Medical School in Tanjore to study medicine. He excelled as a student and never went home during holidays but would spend his time working in the hospital.
Kuppuswamy completed the course and earned the title of M.B.,C.M 1 and started practicing medicine at Tiruchi.
In 1909 he started a medical journal called "The Ambrosia". He left his home for Madras where he worked in a pharmacy to manage the accounts, dispense medicines and attend on patients, while continuing the editorial and circulation work of the “Ambrosia.”
In 1913, soon after the death of his father Dr. Kuppuswamy went to practice medicine in British Malaya (Malaysia).
Kuppuswamy belonged to an orthodox Brahmin family and was vegetarian. While traveling to Singapore on the ship S.S. Tara, he became ill for eating only food taken from home and refusing meat served on the ship.
Arriving in Malaysia he started from scratch and encountered disappointing setbacks in the beginning. He worked in a hospital in Seremban for seven years and then moved to Johore Bahru, near Singapore, working as a tropical medicine doctor.
During this time, he provided free treatment to poor patients and earned an acclaimed reputation for being a very compassionate doctor with a charming and majestic personality. People lovingly called him the "Heart of Love".
He became a member of the Royal Institute of Public Health (M.R.I.P.H.), London, a member of the Royal Asiatic Society (M.R.A.S.), London, and an Associate of Royal Sanitary Institute (A.R.San.I.), London.
During his stay in Malaya, he published some medical books such as “Household Remedies,” “Fruits and Health,” “Diseases and their Tamil Terms,” “Obstetric Ready-Reckoner,” “Fourteen Lectures on Public Health.”
A book "Jīva Brahma Aikyam" by Sri Swami Satchidānanda given to him by a sadhu ignited the dormant spirituality in him. He began to study the books of Swami Rāma Tīrtha, Swami Vivekānanda, Śaṅkara, Imitation of Christ, the Bible, and literature of the Theosophical Society.
He was very regular in his daily worship, prayer and Yoga Āsana. Study of sacred scriptures like the Gītā, the Mahābhārata, the Bhāgavatapurāṇa, and the Rāmāyaṇa was done with great devotion. Sometimes he conducted Nandan Charitam and sang Bhajans and Kirtans. He practiced Anāhata Laya Yoga and Svara Sādhana.
The doctor’s profession deeply exposed him to the suffering of the world. A sense that medicine was healing on a superficial level grew in Dr. Kuppuswamy: “Is there not a higher mission in life than the daily round of official duties, eating and drinking? Is there not any higher form of eternal happiness than these transitory and illusory pleasures? How uncertain is life here? How insecure is existence on this earth-plane, with various kinds of diseases, anxieties, worries, fear and disappointments! The world of names and forms is constantly changing. Time is fleeting. All hopes of happiness in this world terminate in pain, despair and sorrow.”2
This created the impetus for him to look elsewhere to fill the void.
In 1923 he left from Singapore as a wandering mendicant and reached Benares to pursue his spiritual quest. Then he went to Nasik, Poona and other important religious centers.
From Poona he walked to Pandarpore. On his way he stayed for a while in the Āśrama of Yogi Nārāyaṇ Mahārāj at Khedgaon. Then he spent few months in Dhalaj on the banks of Chandrabhaga, learning from Yogis and Mahātmas.
The life of a mendicant during pilgrimage helped him to develop Titiksha (forbearance), equal vision and a balanced state of mind in pleasure and pain.3
In search of a Guru, he reached Rishikesh and on 1st June 1924 received the initiation from Paramahamsa Viswānanda Saraswati, a monk of Daśanāmī order, living at Kailash Āśrama.4 Swami Vishnudevānandaji Maharaj, the Mahant5 of Kailas Āśrama, performed the Viraja Homa ceremonies.6
The Guru gave doctor Kuppuswamy the name Śivānanda.
He practiced Sādhana with intense and unswerving faith in the teachings of the Guru and the Śāstra, burning and lasting vairāgya (renunciation), yearning for liberation, adamantine will, fiery resolve (śraddhā), iron determination, unruffled patience, tenacity, clock-like regularity, child-like simplicity.
In “How I Synthesised My Sādhana ” he stated: “Service of the sick and the poor and the Mahātmas purifies the heart. This is a field for developing all divine qualities such as compassion, sympathy, mercy, generosity. That helps to destroy the evil qualities and impurities of the mind such as egoism, selfishness, pride, hatred, anger, lust, jealousy, etc.“
About other ways of spiritual practice, he said:
“Some Mahātmas spend their whole life in deep study of scriptures and derive great pleasure in hot discussions and arguments on abstruse points of Yoga and Vedānta. Some Yogins struggle with Hatha Yoga exercises with the hope of getting Siddhis. They indulge in practices which torture the body. There are a few who are tempted by the Kundalini Yoga and Tantra Sastra for attaining spiritual powers to perform miracles.
Devotees spend all their time in Japa and Kirtan and weep for hours because of their separation from the Lord. In this group, you will find also some educated young persons who spend their whole time in writing thrilling articles and lectures. They plan and prepare for a world-tour. I have great love and reverence for all such Mahātmas for the thorough research they do in various directions. Do they all succeed in attaining perfection? I found that they did not have proper facilities, comforts and conveniences. They lacked guidance from a competent person. They could not be steady and systematic in their Sādhana.
The planning and scheming nature in them led them to frequent changes in their daily practices. Either they paid undue attention to their wants or completely ignored their health. They all thought much of the future and aspired for Siddhis, miracles, name and fame. That only fattened their ego.
A deep study of the ways of Mahātmas opened my eyes and gave me strength to stick to rigorous Sādhana in the right direction. I felt the Grace of the Lord. I derived strength and guidance from within. I found ways for an all-round development. I had the goal of my life as Self-realization and determined to spend every bit of my energy and time in study, service and Sādhana.”
He started a small dispensary at Lakshmanjhula on the way to Badri-Kedar to attend to the health of other wandering and resident ascetics, with medicine and food from his own savings.
He practiced Asanas, Pranayamas, Mudras and Bandhas and used to go out for long brisk walks in the evenings and enjoyed simple living, light food, deep study, silent meditation and regular prayers.
He loved seclusion and observed mauna (silence). Self-analysis and introspection were his guide. To devote more time to prayer and meditation, he moved to the Svargāshram7 and depended on the Kālī Kambliwala Kṣetra8 for food.
Gradually people came to him in large numbers, which started to affect his daily life and work. With the permission of the Kshetra, he placed a barbed-wire fence around his kutir and locked the gate. He did not display his erudition by discussing high philosophy at length with visitors. He used to provide some short hints on practical Sādhana and disposed of each of them in five minutes. A sign board at the entrance stated: “INTERVIEW—between 4 and 5 p.m.—only for five minutes at a time.”
In 1925 he visited Rameswaram and the sacred places in South India and stayed some time at Sri Ramana Maharṣi Āśrama. While travelling in trains he taught yoga exercises to the passengers and gave them simple lessons on Japa and meditation. He always carried a chest of medicine with him and gave medical aid to the sick.
Śivānanda reputation gradually increased outside of Rishikesh, also in part due to his good English. By late 1920 he had a permanent group of disciples. With his disciples and followers, he built a small community on the Eastern side of the Ganges. In 1929 his first book about yoga teachings was published in Madras.
In 1930, Mircea Eliade, the Romanian former student of Surendranth Dasgupta, desiring practical and authentic yoga training, settled at Rishikesh. He received permission to live in the Svarga Āśrama provided he dressed in the local tradition and eat vegetarian food.
Soon Eliade applied under the guidance of Śivānanda the meditation yoga techniques described in the classical texts he had studied with Dasgupta. Śivānanda was amazed by Eliade's progress in mastering basic yoga techniques and predicted that Eliade will become a second Swami Vivekananda, destined to bring the western world back to the origins of spirituality.
In 1931 Śivānanda went on a pilgrimage to Mount Kailas in Western Tibet along with several other swamis, yogis and officials. Eliade and a newly arrived female cellist from Johannesburg, without the guidance or approval of their teacher engage in certain practices. When lectured by one of the ascetics about the dangers of such practices, Eliade understood the grave error and after only six months leaved the Svarga Āśrama, before Śivānanda return from the pilgrimage.
Śivānanda and disciples: Swami Venkatesānanda, Swami Krishnānanda, Swami Chidānanda and Swami Satchidānanda
The number of aspirants coming to Rishikesh increased significantly and by mid-1930 their number was so great that Śivānanda decided to reorganize his small āśrama and establish the Divine Life Society (DLS).
“The Society […] functions as an ideal place of retreat for the educated citizen of the world, wherein he can renew himself and recreate and refresh his being, physically, mentally, morally and spiritually, […] a peaceful heaven wherein is provided ample opportunity and actual help for restoration of peace to the troubled, conflict-ridden and psychologically traumatized personality of the modern man. […] Its principles are broad, universal, all-embracing and in accordance with science and reason. It has set for itself the task of raising man above the sorrows and miseries of this mundane life by making him see the Blissful Divinity that is hidden behind all outward forms.”
Subsequently about 300 branches were opened around the world. Thousands of students received initiation from Śivānanda into the order of saṃnyāsa. Advanced students started their own center or practiced sādhana in Himalayan caves.
As many devotees arrived from all over India, Śivānanda introduced a “Collective Sādhana,” like common prayer and meditation during Brahmamuhūrta9.
One student would ring the bell in front of every Kutir and bring the aspirants in a common place for the group meditation. In the evenings he organized a “Study Class” where one student read a chapter from any of Śivānanda’s books. On the next day he used to ask questions on the important points.
The Divine Life Society (DSL), the Yoga-Vedānta Forest University and the Śivānanda Āśrama became “watch-words” for all aspirants.
After incorporating the DLS in 1936, Śivānanda organized a printing shop to publish his writings. Half a dozen periodicals were published in English and Hindi.
In 1938 “The Divine Life”, a monthly journal was commenced in September 1938, to coincide with the celebration of his birthday.
Śivānanda started the Akhaṇḍa Mahāmantra Kirtan (non-stop chanting of the Mahāmantra10 round-the-clock) on the 3rd of December 1943.
In 1945 Śivānanda Ayurvedic Pharmacy was instituted to serve the people with Ayurvedic preparations made from Himalayan herbs.
Swami Śivānanda organized the All-world Religions Federation on the 28th December 1945 and established the All-world Sadhus Federation on 19th February 1947. The year 1947 saw a great expansion in the activities of the Society. The Yoga-Vedānta Forest Academy was established in the year 1948 to give a systematic spiritual training to the resident practitioners, and to benefit the visiting seekers.
In September 1950 Śivānanda started on a “dynamic Mission of Dissemination of Knowledge,” undertaking an extensive tour all over India and Ceylon for a period of two months. Along with Kirtans and songs, he gave practical lessons on Sādhana.
The Yoga-Vedānta Forest Academy Press was established in September 1951 and The World Parliament of Religions was convened in 1953, at the Śivānandāshram.
In 1956 Sylvia Hellman was the first woman to be initiated into the sacred order of saṃnyāsa as Swami Śivānanda Rādhā. At Śivānanda’s request she returned to the West to establish an Āśrama for the study of yoga. In 1956, in Burnaby, British Columbia, she founded the first Āśrama in Canada and opened the Yoga Vedānta Bookstore on Robson Street in downtown Vancouver. In 1963, the Āśrama moved to Kootenay Bay, BC, and took the name Yasodhara.
Śivānanda Literature Research Institute was established in 1958, which worked on the works of the Master being translated and published in all the regional languages in India.
The Society's Silver Jubilee was celebrated in 1961, by which time Śivānanda saw the fulfillment of his mission in his own lifetime.
Śivānanda stated that he had no ambition to become world-famous, never attempted to be a Guru to anyone and was not pleased when people called him “Sat Guru” or “Avatar.” He asked people to do Namaskar11 to him mentally.
Swami Śivānanda in meditationHe said: “I am only a common Sadhu. I may not be able to help you much. Further I do not make disciples. I can be your sincere friend till the end of my life. I do not like to keep persons by my side for a long time. I give lessons for a couple of months and ask my students to meditate in some solitary places in Kashmir or Uttarkashi. I never said or did anything to tempt people with promises of grand results like Mukti from a drop of Kamandalu12 or Samadhi by a mere touch. I emphasized the importance of silent Sādhana, Japa and meditation for a systematic progress in the spiritual path. Invariably I asked all aspirants to purify the heart through selfless service to mankind. […] I behold the Essence behind all names and forms. That is real Vedānta in daily life.”
On the 14th of July 1963, Swami Śivānanda entered mahāsamādhi13 in his Kutir on the bank of Ganga, in Śivānandanagar.
Śivānanda’s two chief acting organizational disciples were Chidānanda Saraswati and Krishnānanda Saraswati.
Chidānanda Saraswati was appointed president of the DLS by Śivānanda in 1963 and served in this capacity until his death in 2008. Krishnānanda Saraswati was appointed General Secretary by Śivānanda in 1958 and served in this capacity until his death in 2001.
Disciples who went on to grow new organizations include:
• Chinmayānanda Saraswati, founder of the Chinmaya Mission
• Sahajānanda Saraswati, Spiritual Head of Divine Life Society of South Africa
• Satchidānanda Saraswati, founder of the Integral Yoga Institutes, around the world
• Satyānanda Saraswati, founder of Bihar School of Yoga
• Shantānanda Saraswati, founder of Temple of Fine Arts (Malaysia & Singapore)
• Śivānanda Radha Saraswati, founder of Yasodhara Āśrama, British Columbia, Canada
• Venkatesānanda Saraswati, inspirer of Ananda Kutir Āśrama in South Africa and Śivānanda Āśrama in Fremantle, Australia
• Vishnudevānanda Saraswati, founder of the Śivānanda Yoga Vedānta Centres, HQ Canada.
Footnotes
1. “Doctorem et Chirurgiae Magistrum” in Latin, meaning "Doctor of Medicine and Master of Surgery."
2. Autobiography.
3. According to Mircea Eliade in his book India: “At the age of thirty-five, his wife and child died. Then he left everything and went on foot, sleeping on the side of the road, eating from garbage, begging from gate to gate. He was ill for two years with rheumatism and malaria but healed himself with yoga practices.”
Also, Sarah Strauss in Journal of Folklore Research, Indiana Univ. Press, Vol. 39, No. 2/3 (May - Dec., 2002), pp. 217-241, mentions: “During my stay at the Āśrama in Rishikesh, one rumor held that Śivānanda had married and had children in Malaysia and left only after his entire family died in an epidemic. Beset with grief, he turned to the spiritual power of Rishikesh for solace. Another rumor asserted that Śivānanda had one more child who lived, a son who still visits the DLS [Divine Life Society] Āśrama regularly. Neither story is confirmed by official records, as each would contradict the projected image of a purely ascetic life.”
In the introduction to Autobiography of Śivānanda, Swami Sadananda Saraswati wrote in his Introduction about Śivānanda’s Studied Reticence:
“He considers it wasteful to write about such incidents in his life as are not directly beneficial for the spiritual progress of the reader. That is the reason why we do not hear a word about why he left the shores of India and went to far-off Malaya in those days when orthodox Brahmin families regarded it a sacrilege to cross the seas.
Again, what special circumstance made him give up a fairly lucrative job in Malaya and come back to our land bent upon pursuing the life of a Sannyasin? There are not a few disciples and admirers of his who wish to know whether he was a householder at any time and what happened to his family if he had one.
Even the least curious among those who have the highest regard for his spiritual eminence are eager to know what he did in the Himalayas by way of Tapasya (austerity) and Sādhana (spiritual practices) of the conventional type which is generally undertaken by a novice; for it is their opinion that the pinnacle of spiritual excellence that he has reached is impossible of attainment without arduous and unremitting effort in the right direction. Even these earnest seekers are denied by our Gurudev the pleasure of knowing what he did to make himself the superman that he is.
It is undeniable that his studied reticence regarding these particulars is not due to any shyness in his nature, for where he speaks about himself, he exercises no restraint upon his expressions. Perhaps, it is the other way. He often says things with an unparalleled boldness, unconcerned about the possibility of being regarded as boastful of his achievements. No, it is not shyness that has stood in the way. It is only his conviction that no useful purpose can be served by writing about them.
For instance, regarding the reason that prompted him to go to Malaya, suppose it was merely a spirit of adventure, a desire to see far-off lands: how are we as spiritual aspirants going to benefit by this knowledge? Suppose it was a feeling that he should serve the cause of the unfortunate Indian labourers who were in those days being practically decoyed by estate agents and their minions with promises of high wages and comfortable living but were actually subjected to considerable hardship. Even then, this knowledge will not help us to evolve into spiritual personalities. Knowing that a mention of this phase of his life will not prove useful to us, the author of this autobiography has not spoken a word about it.
Again, if there was a special circumstance which produced a radical change in his outlook upon life and made him eager to rush forth in all haste to become a Sannyasin, it is not necessary that everyone who has the urge to renounce the world should have the same experience that Śivānanda had. When there is the irresistible divine call, anyone will be drawn automatically. Thus, no useful purpose is served in mentioning the reason why the author renounced the world.”
Eliade and Strauss accounts have not been confirmed by the official records of the Divine Life Society.
4. An Āśrama in the tradition of the ancient Daśanāmī Sannyāsa system founded by Śaṅkarācārya.
5. Chief priest of a temple or the head of a monastery in Indian religions.
6. Viraja Homa is a Hindu fire-sacrifice which is performed during the ceremonies whereby a Hindu monk takes up the vows of renunciation (saṃnyāsa) and is part of the full saṃnyāsa dīkṣā (monastic initiation).
7. Svargā: going to heaven.
8. Kālī: "the Black" goddess, destroyer of the evil, frightening aspect of Durgā. Kamliwala: the saint with a black blanket. Kṣetra: pilgrimage place.
9. “The Creator’s Hour,” is the auspicious time for yoga practice. It begins 1 hour 36 minutes before sunrise and ends 48 minutes before sunrise.
10. Hare Rāma Hare Rāma; Rāma Rāma Hare Hare; Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa; Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare.
11. a traditional Indian greeting or gesture of respect, made by bringing the palms together before the face or chest and bowing.
12. Brass container of sacred water.
13. The great and final samādhi, is the act of consciously and intentionally leaving one's body at the moment of death. A realized and enlightened (jīvanmukta), yogi (male) or yoginī (female) who has attained the state of nirvikalpa samādhi, will, at an appropriate time, consciously exit from their body and attain Paramukti. This is known as mahāsamādhi. This is not the same as the physical death that occurs for an unenlightened person whose death comes when it may. In Hindu or Yogic traditions mahāsamādhi means that a realized master has consciously left their body; often while in a deep, conscious meditative state.
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
