104th Birthday Anniversary of Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj (2026)

 
From: "Sivananda" <pannir@PROTECTED>
Date: April 25th 2026

Om Sri Ganeshaya Namah!
Om Namo Bhagavate Sivanandaya!
Om Namo Bhagavate Krishnanandaya!

Namaste!

Homage to Swami Krishnananda
by S. Bhagyalakshmi

Born to parents highly orthodox and deeply religious, Swami Krishnananda inherits an illustrious lineage of Vedic and scholarship of exceptional calibre. On April 25, 1922, in the village of Keminje a child later named Subbaraya Putturaya was born. He now lives at the Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh, as His Holiness Swami Krishnananda Sarasvati. The village Keminje is in South Kanara in the erstwhile Mysore State on the western coast of South India. His ancestors on both sides belonged to the high Brahman caste and enjoyed the respect and patronage of kings.

Swami Krishnananda's maternal grandfather belonged to a line of priests who were the highest authorities in all Vedic rituals and the Shastras, particularly the Tantra Shastra, and also in the Vedantic philosophy. His paternal grandfather was a rare Bhakta of infinite faith, his devotion and dedication to God unsurpassed. In addition he was a truly magnanimous man by nature; he sold his own property to be able to help those in need. Thus, nobility, religion and piety run in the blood of Sri Swami Krishnananda who is a Jnanayogi single-mindedly devoted to the Brahman, the Supreme Being of the Advaita Vedanta School of Philosophy.

In those (ancient) days, pilgrimages were undertaken on foot. Little toddlers or even the 5-7 year olds were carried on the shoulders of the elders. And Subbaraya Putturaya also was taken on pilgrimages in this fashion by his the members of his family. At the age of three, the child visited Talakkaveri, the source of the river Kaveri, held sacred in South India even as the river Ganga is held sacred all over India. On two more such pilgrimages during the fifth and seventh years of childhood, Subbaraya Putturaya was taken to the very sacred temple at Tirupati on the northernmost border of South India. The philosophical bent was very strong even in the earlier years and inspired his trekking to holy places in search of deeper knowledge and richer experience; Badrinath, Kedarnath and Gangotri were the last in his pilgrimages undertaken as “Swami Krishnananda”.

True to the Brahminic tradition Subbaraya was initiated in the Vedas by his father and maternal grandfather. His grandfather had passed away when Subbaraya's father was hardly two or three years old. The grind that this required was strictly enforced on the young boy even from the age of seven or so. Thus did this Brahmin boy learn the Vedic lore at a very early age. But he played as many pranks in his school and with his playmates and borthers as any other boy did. Playing the story of Ramayana was one of his favourites. He asked a puckish question of the missionary visiting his school, “Why was Jesus born in Jerusalam, Sir” The priest taken by surprise replied, “Because, it is the centre of earth”. The boy accepted this statement sceptically.

His college education lasted only for two years; Subbaraya was only an undergraduate when he took up a petty Government job which in the early twenties of this century was a big honour. A Brahmin by caste was allowed only certain professions, such as would not in any way impair the codes of the caste, as laid down in the scriptures.

However, Subbaraya was not interested in a career; even though he was employed to do a Government job at the age of eighteen or so, he conducted discourses on the Bhagvatlgita in the evenings! His insatiable thirst for knowledge kept him absorbed in the libraryof an elderly lawyer in his hometown, during his student days. Today he is rated by all who hear him speak or read his books as one of the best scholars in English. He is also an authority on all schools of philosophy, particularly the Vedic Scriptures, Vedanta, Upanishads, Srutis and Smritis as also the Epics and Puranas besides books on History, Geography, Science and other branches of learning.

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Today, 25th April 2026, marks the auspicious 104th birthday anniversary of Revered Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj. There are several new uploads to Sri Swamiji's website:

 

Yours in the service of Gurudev,

Pannirselvam

BOOK SYNOPSIS

Total Thinking
by Sri Swami Krishnananda

‘Total Thinking’ comprises of a series of discourses given by Worshipful Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj during Sadhana Week in 1980. In these illuminating lectures, Pujya Swamiji Maharaj imparts valuable techniques for spiritual practices for the spiritual aspirants and seekers to illumine their journey unto the Supreme.

It is our sincere hope that the readers will find this book a treasure-trove of wisdom teachings and they will also be immensely benefited by implementing those eternal teachings in their lives.

"What do we see in this world, and what is the kind of experience that we are passing through every day? We do not see God here anywhere, and we also cannot see religion and spirituality. When we open our eyes, it is not religion that we are seeing. We are seeing something painful, something that takes us aback, that makes us shudder in our hearts and keeps us in a state of anxiety even about the next day itself. It is an obvious truth spoken to the hearts of everyone that our lives are not as secure as they are made to appear on the surface. No one sleeps with a confident heart regarding the conditions of tomorrow in one’s life. Man suspects man and intrigues against his own brother and, with a smile on his lips, secretly manoeuvres to cut the throat of his own neighbour. Man has turned out to be a shrewd politician and a ruthless, selfish individual. No matter how often he may frequent the church or the temple, whatever be the scriptures that he may read and the number of times he may roll the beads, he has not ceased to be what he is. He shows his true colours when the time for it comes." - Swami Krishnananda

For more information, please see: Total Thinking

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"Gurudev Swami Sivananda called him “Vedanta Kesari” and also “Dakshinamurti” on different occasions. On several occasions, Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj vindicates the Master's intuitive understanding of the true nature of his illustrious disciple. Krishnananda Swamiji's silence is as eloquent as his spoken word, and his spoken word is as wise and unfathomable as his silence. When he speaks, one is reminded of Lord Buddha's Simhanada (lion's roar) and one appreciates why Gurudev called him the Lion of Vedanta. When one is enveloped by Swamiji's silence which stirs one's own innermost depths, one understands Dakshinamurti's secret of stupendous silence." – Swami Venkatesananda

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