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{{Short description|Hindu spiritual teacher}}{{For|the second President of Ramakrishna Math|Shivananda}}
{{Distinguish|Sivananda (yoga teacher)}}
{{EngvarB|date=August 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox Hindu leader
|name = Sivananda Saraswati
|image = Swami Shivananda Liebe.jpg
|caption =
|religion = [[Hinduism]]
|birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1887|9|8}}
|birth_place = [[Pattamadai]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]] (now in [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]])
|death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1963|7|14|1887|9|8}}<ref name="Ananthanarayan 1965"/>
|death_place = [[Muni Ki Reti]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]] (now in [[Uttarakhand]], India)
|birth_name = Kuppuswami
|nationality = [[Indian people|Indian]]
|guru = Vishwānanda Saraswati
|philosophy = [[Yoga of Synthesis]]
|founder = [[Divine Life Society]]
|disciples = [[Shantananda Saraswati]], [[Krishnananda Saraswati]], [[Chinmayananda Saraswati]], [[Satchidananda Saraswati]], [[Vishnudevananda Saraswati]], [[Sivananda Radha Saraswati]], [[Swami Satyananda Saraswati]], Jyotirmayananda Saraswati, [[Swami Sahajananda]], [[Swami Chidananda]], [[Venkatesananda Saraswati]]
}}
{{quote box|width=22em|title=Quotation|quote=Be Good, do Good, Be kind, be compassionate.}}
'''Sivananda Saraswati''' (or '''Swami Sivananda'''; 8 September 1887 – 14 July 1963<ref name="Ananthanarayan 1965"/>) was a [[Modern yoga gurus|yoga guru]],<ref name="IYA 2017">{{cite web |last=Chetan |first=Mahesh |title=10 Most Inspiring Yoga Gurus of India |url=https://www.indianyogaassociation.com/blog/yoga-gurus-in-india.html |publisher=Indian Yoga Association |access-date=16 August 2021 |date=5 March 2017}}</ref> a [[Hindu]] spiritual teacher, and a proponent of [[Vedanta]]. Sivananda was born in [[Pattamadai]], in the [[Tirunelveli]] district of [[Tamil Nadu]], and was named '''Kuppuswami'''. He studied medicine and served in [[British Malaya]] as a physician for several years before taking up monasticism.

He was the founder of the [[Divine Life Society]] (DLS) in 1936, [[Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy]] (1948) and author of over 200 books on yoga, Vedanta, and a variety of subjects. He established Sivananda Ashram, the headquarters of the DLS, on the bank of the [[Ganges]] at [[Muni Ki Reti]], {{convert|3|km|mi}} from [[Rishikesh]], and lived most of his life there.<ref>[http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/166607/Divine-Life-Society Divine Life Society] [[Britannica.com]]</ref><ref name="McKean 1996">{{cite book |last=McKean |first=Lise |title=Divine enterprise: gurus and the Hindu Nationalist Movement |publisher=[[University of Chicago Press]] |publication-place=Chicago |year=1996 |isbn=978-0-226-56009-0 |oclc=32859823 |pages=164–165}}</ref><ref name="Morris 2006">{{cite book |last=Morris |first=Brian |title=Religion and anthropology: a critical introduction |publisher=Cambridge University Press |publication-place=Cambridge |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-521-85241-8 |oclc=252536951 |page=144}}</ref>

[[Sivananda Yoga]], the yoga form propagated by his disciple [[Vishnudevananda]], is now spread in many parts of the world through [[Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres]]. These centres are not affiliated with Sivananda's [[ashram]]s, which are run by the Divine Life Society.

==Biography==

=== Early life ===

Swami Sivananda was born as Kuppuswami to a [[brahmin]] family<ref>{{cite web |title=His Holiness Sri Swami Sivananda Saraswati Maharaj |publisher=[[Divine Life Society]] |url=https://www.dlshq.org/saints/his-holiness-sri-swami-sivananda-saraswati-maharaj/ |access-date=16 January 2022}}</ref> on 8 September 1887. His birth took place during the early hours of the morning as the Bharani star was rising in [[Pattamadai]] village on the banks of the [[Tamraparni]] river in [[Tirunelveli]] district, [[Tamil Nadu]]. His father, Sri P.S. Vengu [[Iyer]], worked as a revenue officer, and was a great Shiva Bhakta ([[Bhakti]]) himself. His mother, Srimati Parvati Ammal, was religious. Kuppuswami was the third and last child of his parents.<ref name="DLS">{{cite web |title=H. H. Sri Swami Sivananda Saraswati |url=http://sivanandaonline.org/public_html/?cmd=displaysection&section_id=1645 |publisher=[[Divine Life Society]] |access-date=25 August 2019 |date=2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Swami Sivananda |url=http://www.yogaesoteric.net/content.aspx?item=3658&lang=EN |publisher=Yoga Magazine (issue 18) |date= |access-date=25 August 2019}}</ref>

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 sense that medicine was healing on a superficial level grew in Dr. Kuppuswami, urging him to look elsewhere to fill the void, and in 1923 he left Malaya and returned to India to pursue his spiritual quest.<ref name="DLS"/>

=== Initiation ===

Upon his return to India in 1924, he went to [[Rishikesh]] where he met his [[guru]], Vishvananda Saraswati, who initiated him into the [[Sannyasa]] order, and gave him his monastic name. The full ceremony was conducted by Vishnudevananda, the mahant (abbot) of Sri Kailas Ashram.<ref name="DLS"/> Sivananda settled in Rishikesh, and immersed himself in intense spiritual practices. Sivānanda performed austerities for many years while continuing to nurse the sick. In 1927, with some money from an insurance policy, he ran a charitable dispensary at [[Lakshman Jhula]].<ref name="DLS"/>



{{anchor|Yoga of Synthesis}}
{{multiple image
| align = center
| perrow = 4
| total_width = 800
| header =
| image1 = Krishnananda and Sivananda 1945.jpg
| caption1 = [[Krishnananda]] and Sivananda (right), circa 1945
| image2 = Swami Sivananda Swami Vishnudevananda am Ganges.jpg
| caption2 = Swami Sivananda and [[Swami Vishnudevananda]] along the [[Ganges]], circa 1950
| image3 = Sivananda Saraswati 1986 stamp of India.jpg
| caption3 = Sivananda on a 1986 stamp of India
| image4 = SwamiSivananda ValMorin 20070805.jpg
| caption4 = [[Murti]] of Swami Saraswati at the Sivananda Ashram in [[Quebec]]
}}

=== Founding the Divine Life Society ===
Sivananda founded the [[Divine Life Society]] in 1936 on the banks of the [[Ganges River]], distributing spiritual literature for free.<ref name="DLS"/> Early disciples included [[Satyananda Saraswati]], founder of [[Satyananda Yoga]].

In 1945, he created the Sivananda [[Ayurvedic]] Pharmacy, and organised the All-world Religions Federation.<ref name="DLS"/> He established the All-world Sadhus Federation in 1947 and the [[Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy]] in 1948.<ref name="DLS"/> He called his yoga the ''Yoga of Synthesis'', combining the [[Four Yogas (Hinduism)|Four Yogas of Hinduism]] ([[Karma Yoga]], [[Bhakti Yoga]], [[Jnana Yoga]], [[Rāja Yoga]]), for action, devotion, knowledge, and meditation respectively.<ref name="yogasynt">{{cite web |author=Sivananda |url=http://www.dlshq.org/teachings/yogasynt.htm |title=Yoga of Synthesis |date=29 May 2017}}</ref>

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, to the extent that his detractors nicknamed him "Swami Propagandananda".<ref name="Goldberg 2016">{{cite book |last=Goldberg |first=Elliott |title=The Path of Modern Yoga: the history of an embodied spiritual practice |title-link=The Path of Modern Yoga |publisher=[[Inner Traditions – Bear & Company|Inner Traditions]] |location=Rochester, Vermont |year=2016 |isbn=978-1-62055-567-5 |oclc=926062252 |pages=326–335}}</ref> His Belgian devotee [[André Van Lysebeth]] wrote that his critics "disapproved of both his modern methods of diffusion, and his propagation of yoga on such a grand scale to the general public", explaining that Sivananda was advocating a practice that everybody could do, combining "some asanas, a little [[pranayama]], a little meditation and bhakti; well, a little of everything".<ref name="Goldberg 2016"/><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Van Lysebeth |first1=André |title=The Yogic Dynamo |journal=Yoga |date=1981 |issue=September 1981}}</ref>

===Vegetarianism===
Sivananda insisted on a strict [[Lacto vegetarianism|lacto-vegetarian]] diet for moral and spiritual reasons, arguing that "meat-eating is highly deleterious to health".<ref>Rosen, Steven. (2011). ''Food for the Soul: Vegetarianism and Yoga Traditions''. Praeger. p. 22. {{ISBN|978-0313397035}}</ref><ref>McGonigle, Andrew; Huy, Matthew. (2022). ''The Physiology of Yoga''. Human Kinetics. p. 169. {{ISBN|978-1492599838}}</ref><ref>[https://www.sivanandaonline.org//?cmd=displaysection&section_id=1210 "Meat-Eating"]. sivanandaonline.org. Retrieved 22 January 2023.</ref><ref name="vegetarianism">[https://www.dlshq.org/messages/vegetarianism/ "Vegetarianism"]. dlshq.org. Retrieved 22 January 2023.</ref> Divine Life Society thus advocates a vegetarian diet.<ref name="vegetarianism"/>

===Mahasamadhi===
Swami Sivananda died, described as entering [[Mahasamadhi]], on 14 July 1963 beside the [[Ganges|River Ganges]] at his Sivananda Ashram near [[Muni Ki Reti]].<ref name="Ananthanarayan 1965">{{cite book |last1=Ananthanarayan |first1=Sri N. |title=I Live to Serve – A Promise and A Fulfilment |date=1965 |publisher=Divine Life Society |location=Sivanandanagar, Tehri-Garhwal, U.A. India |quote=Intimate Glimpses into Gurudev Sivananda’s Last Days Ë How the Holy Master Lived a Life of Unremitting Service to the Very End |url=https://ia601802.us.archive.org/13/items/i-live-to-serve/i-live-to-serve.pdf}}</ref>

== 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]]
* Karunananda Saraswati, founder of The Valley of Peace yoga ashram in the Moonbi Ranges north of Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia
* [[Sahajananda Saraswati]], Spiritual Head of Divine Life Society of South Africa
* [[Satchidananda Saraswati]], founder of the [[Integral Yoga|Integral Yoga Institutes]], around the world<ref name="nyt-2002">{{cite news |last=Martin |first=Douglas |title=Swami Satchidananda, Woodstock's Guru, Dies at 87 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/08/21/world/swami-satchidananda-woodstock-s-guru-dies-at-87.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=21 August 2002}}</ref>
* [[Satyananda Saraswati]], founder of [[Bihar School of Yoga]]<ref>{{cite encyclopedia | last=Melton | first=J. Gordon | title=Religions of the World: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices | chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=v2yiyLLOj88C&pg=PA1483 | year=2010| volume=4 | chapter=International Yoga Fellowship Movement | edition=2nd | publisher=[[ABC-Clio]] | editor1-last=Melton | editor2-last=Baumann | editor1-first=J. Gordon | editor2-first=Martin | isbn=978-1-59884-204-3 |page=1483}}</ref>
* [[Shantananda Saraswati]], founder of Temple of Fine Arts (Malaysia & Singapore)
* [[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]], HQ Canada<ref>{{cite book |last=Krishna |first=Gopala |title=The Yogi: Portraits of Swami Vishnu-devananda |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=e8_s5a7rwv0C |year=1995 |publisher=Yes International Publishers |isbn=978-0-936663-12-8 |pages=15–17}}</ref>


== Works ==

Sivananda wrote 296 books on subjects including [[metaphysics]], [[yoga]], [[vedanta]], religion, [[western philosophy]], [[psychology]], [[eschatology]], [[fine arts]], [[ethics]], education, health, [[sayings]], poems, [[epistles]], autobiography, biography, stories, dramas, messages, lectures, [[dialogues]], essays and anthology. His books emphasised the practical application of Yoga philosophy over theoretical knowledge.<ref>{{cite web |title=au:Sivananda Saraswati |url=https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=au%3ASivananda+Saraswati&qt=advanced&dblist=638 |publisher=WorldCat |access-date=2 November 2019}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist|28em}}

==Bibliography==

{{Refbegin|30em}}
* (1944) Yogic Home Exercises. Easy Course of Physical Culture for Men & Women, Bombay, Taraporevala Sons & Co.
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami.)|title=Siva-Gita: an epistolary autobiography|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rsYvHQAACAAJ|year=1946|publisher=The Sivananda Publication League|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami.)|title=Principal Upanishads: with text, meaning notes and commentary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fhOBPgAACAAJ|year=1950|publisher=Yoga Vedanta Forest University, Divine Life Society|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author1=Sivananda (Swami.)|title=Raja Yoga: theory and practice|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vu6mOwAACAAJ|year=1950|publisher=Yoga Vedanta Forest University, Divine Life Society|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami)|title=Inspiring songs and kirtans|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=L5q9PQAACAAJ|year=1953|publisher=Yoga-Vedanta Forest University|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami)|title=Music as yoga|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=D3AuNAAACAAJ|year=1956|publisher=The Yoga-Vedanta Forest University for the Sivananda Mahasamsthanam|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami)|title=Yoga of synthesis|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=anmYGwAACAAJ|year=1956|publisher=Yoga-Vedanta Forest University|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami)|title=Story of my tour|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2pKaPQAACAAJ|year=1957|publisher=Yoga-Vedanta Forest University|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author1=Sivananda (Swami.)|author2=Sivananda-Kumudini Devi|title=Sivananda's letters ro Sivananda-Kumudini Devi|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=26NZPgAACAAJ|year=1960|publisher=Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami)|author2=India |title=Lord Siva and his worship|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9yVbHQAACAAJ|year=1962|publisher=Yoga-Vedanta forest academy, Divine life Society|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami.)|title=Yoga practice, for developing and increasing physical, mental and spiritual powers|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=En25SgAACAAJ|year=1966|publisher=D.B. Taraporevala Sons|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami)|title=Fourteen lessons in raja yoga|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=INv4AAAAIAAJ|year=1970|publisher=Divine Life Society|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami)|title=Inspiring songs and sayings|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ue8APwAACAAJ|year=1970|publisher=The Divine Life Society|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami)|title=Yoga Vedanta dictionary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lir5TgEACAAJ|year=1970|publisher=Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami.)|title=Kundalini yoga|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5anWAAAAMAAJ|year=1971|publisher=Divine Life Society|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami.)|title=The science of pranayama|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Nu84cgAACAAJ|year=1971|publisher=Divine Life Society|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami)|title=Ten upanishads: with notes and commentary 8th ed.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cAdqOgAACAAJ|year=1973|publisher=Divine Life Society|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami)|title=Sivananda vani: the cream of Sri Swami Sivananda's immortal, practical instructions on the yoga of synthesis in his own handwriting|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2XpfYgEACAAJ|year=1978|publisher=Divine Life Society|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Swami Sivananda|title=Practice of yoga|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=oBr9OwAACAAJ|year=1979|publisher=The Divine Life Society|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami.)|title=Autobiography of Swami Sivananda|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TGUqAAAAYAAJ|year=1980|publisher=Divine Life Society|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami.)|title=Japa Yoga: a comprehensive treatise on mantra-sastra|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZsoXQwAACAAJ|year=1981|publisher=Divine Life Society|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami)|title=Science of Yoga: Raja yoga; Jnana yoga; Concentration and meditation|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tAWaQQAACAAJ|year=1981|publisher=Divine Life Society|author-mask=0|isbn=9781465479358 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami.)|title=Moksha gita|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qnVjQwAACAAJ|year=1982|publisher=Divine Life Society|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami.)|title=Samadhi yoga|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dV33QgAACAAJ|year=1983|publisher=The Divine Life Society|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami)|title=Yoga samhita|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3IkxSQAACAAJ|year=1984|publisher=Divine Life Society|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda|title=The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: Sanskrit text, English translation, and commentary|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DFopAAAAYAAJ|year=1985|publisher=Divine Life Society|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami.)|title=Karma yoga|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eXnXAAAAMAAJ|year=1985|publisher=Divine Life Society|isbn=978-0-949027-05-4|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami)|title=Bhakti yoga|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IKRbQQAACAAJ|date=1 January 1987|publisher=Divine Life Society, Fremantle Branch|isbn=978-0-949027-08-5|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Sivananda (Swami)|title=Lord Shanmukha and his worship|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pp_LPAAACAAJ|year=1996|publisher=Divine Life Society|isbn=978-81-7052-115-0|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
*{{cite book|author=Swami Sivananda|title=Raja Yoga|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=IoOYPwAACAAJ|date=December 2005|publisher=Kessinger Publishing|isbn=978-1-4253-5982-9|author-mask=0 |ref=none }}
* ''Sivananda and the Divine Life Society: A Paradigm of the "secularism," "puritanism" and "cultural Dissimulation" of a Neo-Hindu Religious Society'', by Robert John Fornaro. Published by Syracuse University, 1969.
* ''From Man to God-man: the inspiring life-story of Swami Sivananda'', by N. Ananthanarayanan. Published by Indian Publ. Trading Corp., 1970.
* ''Swami Sivananda and the Divine Life Society: An Illustration of Revitalization Movement'', by Satish Chandra Gyan. Published by s.n, 1979.
* ''Life and Works of Swami Sivananda'', by Sivānanda, Divine Life Society (W.A.). Fremantle Branch. Published by Divine Life Society, Fremantle Branch, 1985. {{ISBN|0-949027-04-9}}
* ''[http://www.dlshq.org/download/modernsage.pdf Sivananda: Biography of a Modern Sage]'', by Swami Venkatesānanda. Published by Divine Life Society, 1985. {{ISBN|0-949027-01-4}}
{{Refend|author-mask=0}}

== External links ==
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{{Wikiversity|Buddha oracle#33 Plan of the Day (Swami Sivananda)}}

* {{curlie|Society/Religion_and_Spirituality/Hinduism/Gurus_and_Saints/Swami_Sivananda|Swami Sivananda}}
* {{Internet Archive author}}
* [https://www.sivananda.org/teachings/swami-sivananda.html Biography and spiritual instructions]

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[[Category:1887 births]]
[[Category:1963 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century Hindu philosophers and theologians]]
[[Category:Indian autobiographers]]
[[Category:Indian Hindu monks]]
[[Category:Indian Hindu spiritual teachers]]
[[Category:Indian spiritual writers]]
[[Category:Indian vegetarianism activists]]
[[Category:Indian yoga gurus]]
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[[Category:Modern yoga pioneers]]
[[Category:Neo-Vedanta]]
[[Category:People from Tirunelveli district]]
[[Category:Scholars from Dehradun]]

Sivananda Saraswati - Revision history

Ajay Kumar: Created a new article