Sivananda: His Mission and Message

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Hardback: 542 pages
ISBN: NA
Book Dimensions: 9.0 x 5.8 x 1.3 inches
Shipping Weight: 900 grams

Table of Contents

Dedication	5
Publishers’ Note	7
Guru Vandana	8
Ode to the Master –M. Ramakrishna Bhatt, M.A	10
Golden Era is at Hand –Birthday Message	14
Salutations to Siva –A. Venkararama Sastri	25
Swami Sivananda: A Siddha Jnani –Sir. C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyar	29
Mission of Swami Sivananda –Justice N. Chandrasekhara Aiyer	33
Sivananda on Education –R.K. Joshi, B.A.	34
Yoga in Denmark –Bjerring Hansen	41
My Visit to Ananda Kutir –P.N. Janakiraman, B.A.	43
Dynamic Missionary –K.R.R. Sastri, M.A., M.L.	45
Perfect Guide –Edward James	46
A Tribute –Mohanlal Saksena, M.P.	48
Impetus to Evolution –B.S. Mathur, M.A.	48
Light of the Himalayas –B. Sitabai	50
Champion of Jnana Yajna –Capt. V.S. Mani, L.M.S.	53
Living Example of the Eastern Lore –H.M. Munro	55
Service to Humanity –Somnath Dhar, M.A.	56
Divine Savant –R. Lunin	58
Bear Insult: Bear Injury –Shantilata Duara, M.A.	60
Spiritual Historian of our Age –Nalini M. Bhatt, M.A.	63
The Spiritual Dynamo –Duncan Greenless, M.A.	66
Sage of Ananda Kutir –Dr. P. Govindarajulu	67
The Universal Teacher –S. P. Jain Nasim	70
The Connecting Link between East and West –Saroja Nayar, B.A.	71
The Doctor of Doctors –Dr. M. C. Davar	72
Saviour of our Age –Guhadasa	74
Sidelights of a Saintly Life –Dr. V.V. Narasingh Rao, B.A.	75
Some Notes on the Horoscope of Swami Sivananda –Aldo Lavagnini	77
Teachings of Sivananda	80
Light of Twentieth Century –Sivanandam Tambya	90
Homage from Varanasi –Devi Narayan	91
Outstanding Features of Siva’s Personality –C.H. Divanji	93
Master of the Masses and His Message –K.A. Tawker	95
Master’s Magnanimity –V. Ganesh	100
Apostle of Peace –Hussain K. Iranshahr	101
As I Saw Him in My Dream –Krishna Vijayalakshmi	102
Vision of My Gurudev –Swami Tejomayananda	103
When the Educated Sang and Danced –Swami Swarupananda	104
Long Live Sivananda –Indrajit Sharma	108
Guru-Bhakti –Dr. Ramjas, L.C.P.S.	110
Miracle of Personal Service –Swami Venkatesananda	112
Sivanandam –R. Narayanswami, M.A.	113
Grace of My Master –K.B. Chellaramani	114
Birthday Prayer –K.S.D. Iyer	116
The Point Within the Circle –Sister Marie	117
Swamiji Has Rekindled My Inner Light –Dr. Madhusudan, M.B.B.S.	119
Make Me Thy Flute –Swami Satchidananda	120
Saviour Supreme –Jayaram	121
I Found My Gurudev –J. Subramaniam	122
Saint Sivananda –Rajani Mohan Chakravarti, B.A.	124
Realisation Through Service –C.E. Diem	125
Siva Can Show the Light –S.P. Saha	126
Knight of the Himalayas –P.V.R. Krishna Rao, B.A.	128
Princely Seer –Indrajit Sharma, M.A.	129
The Universal Message –L.V. Van Beest	132
Sivananda the Doctor –Oscar G. Pfaus, Ph.D., D. Litt.	133
Hymns to the Saintly One –Srinivasananda	136
Guru Bhakti Yoga –Govinda Krishna Iyer	140
Practical Ascetic –A. Venkatesh	141
Sivananda an Analytical Study –Lt. Col. A.N.S. Murthi	142
In Humble Homage –A.V. Raman, M.A.	151
Siva Has been a Crystalising Influence to Me –Bhagirathlal Batra	154
The Saga of a Renascent Spirit –Murari Lall	157
In the service of the Common man –Jagannath Kaul, M.A.	160
Mystic of the Himalayas –Paripurnanand Painuli	166
Greetings from the National Leaders	169
Echo of Sivananda	171
Approaching the Guru –Swami Paramananda	175
The Divine Life Movement	184
Garland of Vedanta –Swami Sivananda	185
Modern Saint with a Message for Modern Man –Swami Venkatesananda	196
Sivananda’s Career and Mission in Life	199
Sivananda’s Services to the Common Man –Dr. M. Hafiz Syed, Ph.D., D. Litt	202
Grand World Teacher –A.K. Sinha, M.A.	205
The Giver of Light –Robert Galsworthy	207
A Living Krishna –Don Cross	207
Jnana Yagna on a Global Scale –Dr. D.G. Londhey, Ph. D.	208
A Study of Sivananda –Kedarnath	209
Writings of Siva –R. W. Cornwall	215
Apostle of Indian Culture –National Cultural Organisation	217
Siva’s Disciple	219
Highest Culture of Upanishads –Swami Sivananda	220
The Universal Guru –L.C. Narang	228
A Miracle-Healing –Capt. Subramaniam, D.P.H.	231
Letters of Sivananda	233
The Sage: His Mission and Message –Swami Turiyananda	238
Yoga in Scandinavia –Louis Brinkfort	244
The Light of the East –William Hookens, MA.	245
Our Great Spiritual Leader and Guide –V.K. Erady, B.A., B.L.	249
How Best to Celebrate the Sivananda Jayanti –A.T. Mulla, B. Com.	251
I Found My Way to Life-in-Spirit –Dr. Erling G. Madsen, M.D.	252
A Holy Day –Dr. W. Luftig, M.D.	256
My Visit to Uttarakhand –C R. Pattabhi Raman	256
Secret of Popularity of Sivananda’s Works –Edith Enna	257
Divine Life –Vinoy Vihari, M. Sc.	258
Voice of the Himalayas –Swami Sivananda	261
Happy Birthday Greetings –S. Rajeswari	269
Blessed Ananda Kutir –Lt. Comm. J.J. Burman	269
Atma-Jnana-Vali –Swami Sivananda	270
A Sacred Day –My Magazine	271
Culture –Swami Sivananda	272
Sivananda Tara Haram –Subbarayudu, B.A.	273
Modern Messiah –A.B.N. Sinha	276
Master and the Ashram –S. Bihari Lai Varma, M.A.	279
A Birthday Flower –Swami Santananda	283
My Vision of Sivananda –V.R. Subbarayudu, B.A.	284
To the Sadguru –Suryakanta B. Shah, B.A.	289
Fountain of Eternal Bliss –Maj. Gen. A.N. Sharma	290
Swamiji Has Created History –N. C. Ghosh, M. A.	291
Need of the World –Dr. B.L. Atreya, Ph. D.	292
Manna for the Western Mind –Florence la Fontaine Randall	293
Obiter Dicta –Swami Sivananda	294
The Path to the Abode of Bliss –Dr. Hetram Agarwal, M.D.	296
Our Greatest Good Fortune –C.R. Pattabhiraman	301
Voice of Sivananda	303
A Glorious Missionary –Champion	306
Hail to the Rajarishi –Gopi Chand B. Sadhwani	308
A Divine Emissary –Rishal Singh Verma	309
Birthday Greetings –Padma Bharataraja	311
Swami Sivananda as Marga Bandhu –Y. Mahalinga Sastri, M.A.	312
Jnana Pushpa –Swami Sivananda	315
Truth is Stranger than Fiction –Swami Venkatesananda	317
Miracles of the Maharishi –Ram	361
A Great Riddle –Narsingdas Varma	377
Prarthana Ashtakam –Narsingdas Varma	417
Homage to Swami Sivananda –F.G. Natesa Aiyar	419
The Tamer’ of Worldly Men –Anantarama Dikshitar	425
Seven Self-Cultures –Swami Sivananda	426
Sivananda: A Portraiture –Kaushik	428
Place of Sat Guru in Sadhana –R.R.	433
Sivananda: Day-to-Day –Swami Venkatesananda	435
Never Hurt Others	436
Siva’s Ambition	437
The Place Of Ambition In Sadhu’s Life	438
Never Rest On Your Laurels	439
Song of a Jnana Yogin –Swami Sivananda	440
A Disciple’s Outpourings –S.C.	441
Distinguished Visitors at Ananda Kutir	442
Sermon on Sannyasa Initiation –Swami Sivananda	449
Landmarks in the Progress of Sivananda’s Mission	451
Obstacles to Meditation –Swami Sivananda	456
The Siva Avatara –A. Venkatarama Sastri	458
A Letter to an Aspirant –Swami Sivananda	459
The Message of the Master –A. Rama Rao	460
Sublime Thoughts from Upanishads –Swami Sivananda	462
Successor to Mahatma Gandhi –P.C. Divanji	463
Twenty Spiritual Instructions –Swami Sivananda	465
Swami Sivananda’s Works In Foreign Languages	466
Prayer for World Peace –Swami Sivananda	468
The Advent of a World Teacher –Institute of Life Science	468
What is Samadhi –Swami Sivananda	470
A Peep Into Swamiji’s Previous Birth –V S. Krishnaswamy, M.A.	473
The Call of Sivananda –Champion	475
The Two Birthdays –Dr. M.S. Natarajan, Ph.D.	477
Song of Sadhana –Swami Sivananda	478
Song of Upadesamritam –Swami Sivananda	478
Swamiji’s Appeal is Universal –Dr. D.G. Londhey, Ph.D.	479
The Heart of Sivananda	479
Enrichment of Humanity –Sister Cynthia	480
Glory to Guru –Pushpa Anand, M.A.	483
Sivananda and the West –Dr. Max Borkman M.D.	483
Spiritual Leader of the Modern Times –Krishna Prem	485
Arise! Awake! Plunge In Selfless Service –Swami Sivananda	488
Sivananda’s Contribution to Indian Culture –Dr. W. Knutsford, Ph.D., D. Litt.	492
Practical Vedanta –Swami Sivananda	495
India’s Spiritual Leader and Guide –V.K. Erady, B.A., B.L.	497
Prophet of Practical Philosophy –Dr. Brij Behari Lal	503
Foremost Among Spiritual Leaders –B. Subbarao	504
How I Chose My Preceptor –Dr.V. Ramadas, M.B.B.S.	505
Birthday Choir –Santananda, M.A., L.T.	507
My First Visit to Ananda Kutir –S.G. Ramalingam, B.A.	508
Victory to Siva –C.Jayalakshmi	510
An Estimation of the Inestimable –Srinivasananda	511
A Homage from South America –Dr. Edward …Bittencourt, D. Litt.	513
Scintilla of the Acorn Sprout –S.P.	515
Birthday Song –Kamala and Gita	527
Sixty-sixth Birthday Celebrations at D.L.S. Branches	527
Greetings from Far and Near –Cables and Telegrams	532
As the World Beholds the Sage	534
APPENDIX	540

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Dedicated
To the World-Teacher
Who said
That
To raise the fallen,
To lead the blind,
To share what he had with others,
To bring solace to the afflicted,
To cheer up the suffering,
and
To serve God in all humanity,
Was his life’s mission.

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Publishers’ Note

The present work owes its origin to the Souvenir Number of The Divine Life, published in commemoration of Sri Swami Sivanandaji’s sixty-sixth birthday in September 1952. A large number of contributions were received from far and near, of which only a few could be incorporated in the journal. The rest are presented herein.

This publication is more or less a record of the various shades of opinion expressed by His Holiness’ disciples, admirers and associates, eminent and common. Here indeed is a study of the Master from different angles of estimation, some extraordinarily devout and ardent, while some others quite reticent and mellow.

The life story of a saint who has dedicated himself to the service of humanity rising above self-centred ambitions and tumults of earthly passions and pairs, is a perennial font of glorious inspiration, optimism and courage to the entire humanity. Thus the purpose of this compilation is amply clear.

No literary portraiture is complete unless it contains the enlivening touch of the subject himself. It is, therefore, quite a good many contributions from the pen of Sri Swami Sivanandaji have also been incorporated herein.

They will provide the reader with a first-hand knowledge of his teachings and speak for themselves his life’s mission.

20th January 1953

–The Divine Life Society

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Guru Vandana

OM Namo Brahmaadibhyo Brahmavidyaa-sampradaaya-kartribhyo
Vamsha-Rishibhyo namo mahadbhyo namo gurubhyah.
Sarvopaplavarahitah prajnaanaghanah Pratyagartho Brahmaivaahamas

OM Naaraayanam Padmabhavam Vasishtham
Shaktim cha tatputraparaasharam cha,
Vyaasam Shukam Gaudapadam mahaantam
Govindayogeendramathaasya sishyam;

Shri Shankaraachaaryamathaasya
Padmapaadam cha hastaamalakam cha sishyam,
Tam trotakam vaarttikakaaramanyaan
Asmat-guroon Santatamaanatosmi.

Shrutismritipuraanaanaam aalayam karunaalayam,
Namaami bhagavatpaadam Shankaram Lokashankaram.

Shankaram Shankaraachaaryam Keshavam baadaraayanam.
Sootrabhaashyakritau vande Bhagavantau punah punah.

Ishwaro Gururaatmeti moortibhedavibhaagine, Vyomavadvyaaptadehaaya Dakshinaamoortaye namah.

OM. Prostration to Brahma and others, the great Gurus, the givers of knowledge of Brahman, through tradition [i.e., the line of Guru-Sishya Parampara], the Rishis of [our] line. I am that Brahman Itself, the Internal Substance, the Mass of Consciousness, free from all faults.

I prostrate myself to Lord Narayana, Brahma, Vasishtha, Shakti, his son Parashara, Vyasa, Shuka, Gaudapada, Govindapada, his disciple Sri Shankaracharya, his disciples Padmapadacharya, Hastamalaka, Trotaka, Sureshwaracharya, the commentator, and all other Brahmavidya Gurus.

I salute Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada, the bestower of peace and auspiciousness to the world at large, the ocean of mercy, and the seat of all learning inculcated in the Shruti, Smriti and Puranas.

I adore, again and again, the Lord Siva who is Shankaracharya and the Lord Vishnu who is Badarayana [Bhagavan Vyasa], who wrote the Sutras [Vedanta] and the commentaries.

I prostrate myself to Dakshinamurti who manifests himself in three different forms as God, Preceptor and Self, and whose body is all-pervading like the sky.

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Ode to the Master

(Prof M. Ramakrishna Bhatt, M. A.)

1. I worship the unique Sage, who is pure both internally and externally, who has cast all self-interests to the winds with a laughter, whose body is as lustrous as gold, whose face resembles the full moon (whose mouth contains beautiful lores) and who renders significant, the name of Lord Siva, bestowing blessedness on the universe.

2. Recognizing him quickly as the Lord, consort of Parvati coming in another guise and remembering His power (penance) which had burnt down his own body, cupid ran away in fright and is now hiding himself in the ocean.

3. The intoxicated bees, peacocks and male-cuckoos sing sweetly on the forest trees, being taught, as it were, by this wise leader of ascetics, who sings the praise of the Moon-crested Lord, the causeless friend of all.

4. Pleasant winds possessed of the three qualities blow always in the hallowed Anandakutir in order to comfort the Great World Teacher, who looks upon all beings alike and who brings solace to the entire world.

5. Having attained tranquillity from the Master who has attained the spiritual purity of the heart and who is ever tranquil, inborn enemies like the elephant and the lion, live happily with great mutual friendliness, as they are drawn by the special virtue of his company in the regions of the penance-grove.

6. The entire world has now become obedient to the great Sage without the help of the valour of massive-arms, on account of his teaching, righteous conduct (Dharma) and the Yoga of Synthesis and his loving the people as the Lord Himself.

7. In him, who is a great hero that has conquered the internal enemies, shines the creeper of learning which yields all desires, destroys sufferings, is bright with exceptional effulgence and hence flourishes by making the life of human beings worthwhile through the removal of their blindness, as does a sharp sword in the hands of a great hero who has subdued his foes. (The adjectives are common to learning and sword).

8. I Pray at heart to the Master, who is in the state of Sahaja Samadhi and who teaches us thus–“One who desires to progress along the path of spirituality that is resorted to by great men, should eschew ego and mineness and do deep discrimination as “Who am I ?”

9. I take refuge in Master Siva, who is ever performing his favourite sacrifice at the altar of the intellect of man with the sacred fire of knowledge burning bright with the oblations of the Upanishads and with the aid of a number of sacrificing priests in the form of excellent books.

10. Our Master nourishes supreme, having established his Ashram which is beneficial to the entire mankind, in the Abode of Sages called Rishikesh on the slopes of the Himalayas containing rarest gems inside, where many a sage had practised severe austerities.

11. Many a wise man, intent on finding out the Truth, wanders far and wide and comes at last by good fortune to the presence of Siva and crosses both sorrow and ignorance, the cause of mundane existence, in such a manner that there is no question of falling back again.

12. Should any person, whosoever he might be approach the Master but once with devotion, with the words, “Instruct me thy disciple”, he would soon attain the Supreme Brahman, with all the dirt of his Bins dried up by his holy glances, for, our Master is a performer of such miracles!

13. May this “Nosegay of Twelve Verses to the Master” of mine offered with a devout heart on this occasion of the Master’s Birthday Festivities, lead to my spiritual beatitude by His grace!

Om Tat Sat.

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Saviour of Our Age

(Sri Guhadasa, Sengalipuram)

The Gita assures us that the Supreme Lord manifests Himself in the darkest hour of crisis when the evil forces of falsehood and injustice have their complete sway over truth and justice. To dispel the darkness of Adharma He had manifested Himself as Sri Rama in Treta Yuga and as Sri Krishna in Dwapara Yuga. As saviours like Buddha and Christ He had appeared to bring into the fold of Dharma large masses of humanity. Sometimes these manifestations had the fullest expression of the Supreme Divinity, and sometimes there had been partial manifestations, which we call Poornavatara and Amsavatara, respectively.

Who does not know Swami Sivanandaji, the well-known seer of our age, who for the past so many years have been serving the great cause of the dissemination of spiritual knowledge all over the world? Having realised the Highest Truth through Karma, Bhakti and Jnana Margas, he is now always immersed in Adhyatmic Bhava and is ever engaged in selfless service of the suffering humanity. There is in him not a tinge of contempt, disregard or indifference towards any religion, any method of worship or any philosophy. In all faiths and beliefs he beholds the spirit, of oneness and advises others to look only to the essentials and disregard the non-essentials which may come in conflict with each other.

Swamiji preaches the Yoga of Synthesis, which alone can assure a harmonious development of the human personality. For the dissemination of spiritual knowledge he has published nearly two hundred books dealing practically on every aspect of religion, philosophy, ethics and medicine. The number of free literature distributed by him spontaneously in all parts of the world is inestimable. Suffice it to say that the audited reports of the accounts of his Ashrama show that books worth sixty to sixty-five thousands of rupees are distributed free every year.

The Sivanandashram serves the sick and the afflicted through an allopathic free hospital, an Ayurvedic Pharmacy and a homeopathic clinic as well. Numerous Sadhus and Daridranarayanas are everyday fed at the Annakshetra. Poor students are educated free with lodging and boarding facilities. There are many such activities directed by Sri Swamiji towards the service of humanity. The branches of the Divine Life Society in nearly all parts of the world are also following a similar routine of selfless service. Countless students are trained in different branches of Yoga. The spirit of Nishkamya Seva is always the driving force of all these activities.

I consider Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj as a saviour of our age, a Poorna Avatara of the Lord. May His teachings spread in every village, town and city in all parts of the world.

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