Swami Sivananda
Krishnananda and Sivananda (right), circa 1945
Born	(1887-09-08)8 September 1887 Pattamadai, Tamil Nadu, India
Died	14 July 1963(1963-07-14) (aged 75) Rishikesh
Birth name	Kuppuswami
Guru	Swami Vishwananda Saraswati
Philosophy	Yoga of Synthesis
Quotation	Be Good, Do Good.

Swami Sivananda Saraswati (September 8, 1887 – July 14, 1963) was a Hindu spiritual teacher and a proponent of Yoga and Vedanta. Sivananda was born Kuppuswami in Pattamadai, in the Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. He studied medicine and served in Malaya as a physician for several years before taking up monasticism. He lived most of the later part of his life near Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh.

He is the founder of The Divine Life Society (1936), Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy (1948) and author of over 200 books on yoga, vedanta and a variety of other subjects. He established Sivananda Ashram, the location of the headquarters of The Divine Life Society (DLS), on the bank of the Ganges at Shivanandanagar, at a distance of 3 kilometres from Rishikesh.^[1][2][3]

Sivananda Yoga, the yoga form propagated by him, are now spread in many parts of the world through Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres, but these centres are not affiliated with Swami Sivananda's original ashrams which are run by the Divine Life Society.

Early life[link]

Part of a series on
Hindu philosophy
Schools
Samkhya · Yoga · Nyaya · Vaisheshika · Mimāṃsā · Vedanta (Advaita · Vishishtadvaita · Dvaita · Dvaitadvaita · Achintya Bheda Abheda)  · Saiva (Pratyabhijña · Pasupata · Siddhanta) · Tantra
Personalities
Philosophers-Acharyas Samkhya Kapila · Yoga Patañjali · Nyaya Akṣapāda Gotama · Jayanta Bhatta · Raghunatha Siromani · Vaiseshika Kanada · Mimamsa Jaimini · Kumārila Bhaṭṭa · Prabhakara · Maharshi Dayananda · Advaita Vedanta Gaudapada · Adi Shankara · Vachaspati Mishra · Vidyaranya · Madhusudana · Vivekananda · Nigamananda · Ramana Maharshi · Narayana Guru · Sivananda · Chinmayananda · Nisargadatta Maharaj · Swami Dayananda · Vishishta-Advaita Nammalwar · Yamunacharya · Ramanuja · Pillai Lokacharya · Vedanta Desika · Manavala Mamunigal · Dvaita Madhvacharya · Jayatirtha · Vyasathirtha · Raghavendra Swami · Dvaita-Advaita Nimbarka · Shuddha-Advaita Vallabha Achintya-Bhedabheda Chaitanya · Nigamananda · Prabhupada · Tantra / Shakta Abhinavagupta · Nigamananda · Ramprasad Sen · Kamalakanta Bhattacharya · Bamakhepa · Anandamayi Ma · Poet-Saints Purandara Dasa · Kanakadasa · Jagannatha_Dasa · Basava · Dnyaneshwar · Srimanta Sankardeva · Jayadeva · Namdev · Ramananda · Kabir · Tulsidas · Guru Ravidas · Mira Bai · Narsinh Mehta · Surdas · Samarth Ramdas · Tukaram · Tyagaraja · Annamacharya · Bhadrachala Ramadas · Alvars · Nayanmars · Muthuswami Dikshitar · Syama Sastri · Yoga-Guru Nigamananda · Integral-Yoga Sri Aurobindo · Kriya-Yoga Yogananda · Academician-Philosophers Coomaraswamy · Radhakrishnan ·
v t e

Sivananda was born Kuppuswamy in Pattamadai near Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, India, as the third son to his parents on 8 September 1887.^[4] 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 Malaya for ten years, with a reputation for waiving his fee for poor patients needing treatment.^[4] Over time, a sense that medicine was healing on a superficial level grew in him,^[4] urging him to look elsewhere to fill the void, and in 1923 he left Malaya and returned to India to pursue a spiritual quest.

Initiation[link]

Upon his return to India in 1924, he visited Varanasi, Nashik, and then Rishikesh, where he met his Guru, Swami Vishwananda Saraswati. It was Swami Vishwananda who initiated him into the Sannyasa order, and gave him his monastic name.^[4] However, since Sivananda spent only a few hours with Swami Vishwananda, the full Viraja Homa ceremonies were performed later^[when?] by Swami Vishnudevananda, the Mandaleswara of Sri Kailas Ashram .^[4] After initiation, Sivananda settled in Rishikesh, and immersed himself in intense spiritual practices. Sivananda performed austerities for many years but he also continued to help the sick. With some money from his insurance policy that had matured, he started a charitable dispensary at Lakshman Jhula in 1927, serving pilgrims, holy men and the poor using his medical expertise.

Travels[link]

After a few years, Sivananda went on an extensive pilgrimage and traveled the length and breadth of India to meditate at holy shrines and study with spiritual teachers throughout India. During this Parivrajaka (wandering monk) life, Sivananda visited important places of pilgrimage in the south, including Rameshvaram.^[4] He conducted Sankirtan and delivered lectures during his travels. He visited the Sri Aurobindo Ashram, and met Maharishi Suddhananda Bharati. At the Ramana Ashram, he had the darshan of Ramana Maharshi on Maharshi's birthday.^[5] He sang bhajans and danced in ecstasy with Maharshi's bhaktas. He also went on pilgrimages to various places in northern India including Kedarnath and Badrinath. He visited Kailash-Manasarovar in 1931.

Foundations[link]

Sivananda Kutir at Sivananda Ghat, and Sivananda Ashram above, Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh

During Sivananda's stay in Rishikesh and his travels around India, many came to him for guidance in the spiritual path. He permitted some of them to live near him and instructed them. Sivananda asked his students take copies of his short articles and send them for publication. Over time, large numbers of people started coming to him and his circle started growing.

Sivananda founded the Divine Life Society in 1936 on the banks of the Ganges River. The free distribution of spiritual literature drew a steady flow of disciples to the Swami, such as Swami Satyananda Saraswati, founder of Satyananda Yoga.

In 1945, Swami Sivananda created the Sivananda Ayurvedic Pharmacy, and organized the All-world Religions Federation. He established the All-world Sadhus Federation in 1947 and Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy in 1948. He called his yoga the Yoga of Synthesis.

Disciples[link]

Interiors of the Sivananda Samadhi temple, Divine Life Society, Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh

Swami Sivananda's two chief acting organizational disciples were Swami Chidananda and Swami Krishnananda. Swami Chidananda was appointed President of the Divine Life Society by Swami Sivananda in 1963 and served in this capacity until his death in 2008. Swami Krishnananda was appointed General Secretary of the Divine Life Society by Swami Sivananda in 1958 and served in this capacity until his death in 2001. Swami Krishnananda is widely regarded as one of the most important theologians and philosophers of the 20th century.^[6][7]

Other prominent disciples were Swami Venkatesananda Saraswati (South Africa, Mauritius, Madagascar, Australia), Swami Pranavananda Saraswati (Malaysia) and Swami Sivananda Radha (Canada). Another prominent disciple was Swami Sahajananda Saraswati (South Africa), who was directed by Swami Sivananda to establish the Divine Life Society of South Africa.

Disciples who went on to grow new organisations

• Swami Chinmayananda Saraswati, founder of the Chinmaya Mission
• Swami Jyotirmayananda Saraswati, President of the Yoga Research Foundation, Miami, USA
• Swami Lalitananda Saraswati, Vice President of the Yoga Research Foundation
• Swami Omkarananda Saraswati, founder of Omkarananda Ashram, Himalayas
• Swami Satchidananda Saraswati, founder of the Integral Yoga Institutes, USA
• Swami Satyananda Saraswati, founder of Bihar School of Yoga
• Swami Shantananda Saraswati, founder of Temple of Fine Arts (Malaysia & Singapore)
• Swami Sivananda Radha, founder of Yasodhara Ashram, British Columbia, Canada
• Swami Vishnudevananda Saraswati, founder of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres, HQ Canada

Authorship[link]

A prolific author, Swami Sivananda wrote 296 books on a variety of subjects: metaphysics, yoga, religion, western philosophy, psychology, eschatology, fine arts, ethics, education, health, sayings, poems, epistles, autobiography, biography, stories, dramas, messages, lectures, dialogues, essays and anthology.^[8] His books emphasized the practical application of Yoga philosophy over mere theoretical knowledge. He was known to have said, An ounce of practice is better than tons of theory. Practice Yoga, Religion and Philosophy in daily life, and attain Self-realization.^[9]

Death[link]

Swami Sivananda died on 14 July 1963 in his Kutir on the bank of the Ganges, in Shivanandanagar.^[5]

Bibliography[link]

• Sivananda (Swami.) (1946). Siva-Gita: an epistolary autobiography. The Sivananda Publication League. http://books.google.com/books?id=rsYvHQAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami.) (1950). Principal Upanishads: with text, meaning notes and commentary. Yoga Vedanta Forest University, Divine Life Society. http://books.google.com/books?id=fhOBPgAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami.); Patañjali (1950). Raja Yoga: theory and practice. Yoga Vedanta Forest University, Divine Life Society. http://books.google.com/books?id=Vu6mOwAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami) (1953). Inspiring songs and kirtans. Yoga-Vedanta Forest University. http://books.google.com/books?id=L5q9PQAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami) (1956). Music as yoga. The Yoga-Vedanta Forest University for the Sivananda Mahasamsthanam. http://books.google.com/books?id=D3AuNAAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami) (1956). Yoga of synthesis. Yoga-Vedanta Forest University. http://books.google.com/books?id=anmYGwAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami) (1957). Story of my tour. Yoga-Vedanta Forest University. http://books.google.com/books?id=2pKaPQAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami.); Sivananda-Kumudini Devi (1960). Sivananda's letters ro Sivananda-Kumudini Devi. Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy. http://books.google.com/books?id=26NZPgAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami); India (1962). Lord Siva and his worship. Yoga-Vedanta forest academy, Divine life Society. http://books.google.com/books?id=9yVbHQAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami.) (1966). Yoga practice, for developing and increasing physical, mental and spiritual powers. D.B. Taraporevala Sons. http://books.google.com/books?id=En25SgAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami) (1970). Fourteen lessons in raja yoga. Divine Life Society. http://books.google.com/books?id=INv4AAAAIAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami) (1970). Inspiring songs and sayings. The Divine Life Society. http://books.google.com/books?id=ue8APwAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami) (1970). Yoga Vedanta dictionary. Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy. http://books.google.com/books?id=lir5TgEACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami.) (1971). Kundalini yoga. Divine Life Society. http://books.google.com/books?id=5anWAAAAMAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami.) (1971). The science of pranayama. Divine Life Society. http://books.google.com/books?id=Nu84cgAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami) (1973). Ten upanishads: with notes and commentary 8th ed.. Divine Life Society. http://books.google.com/books?id=cAdqOgAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami) (1978). Sivananda vani: the cream of Sri Swami Sivananda's immortal, practical instructions on the yoga of synthesis in his own handwriting. Divine Life Society. http://books.google.com/books?id=2XpfYgEACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Swami Sivananda (1979). Practice of yoga. The Divine Life Society. http://books.google.com/books?id=oBr9OwAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami.) (1980). Autobiography of Swami Sivananda. Divine Life Society. http://books.google.com/books?id=TGUqAAAAYAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami.) (1981). Japa Yoga: a comprehnsive treatise on mantra-sastra. Divine Life Society. http://books.google.com/books?id=ZsoXQwAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami) (1981). Science of Yoga: Raja yoga ; Jnana yoga ; Concentration and meditation. Divine Life Society. http://books.google.com/books?id=tAWaQQAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami.) (1982). Moksha gita. Divine Life Society. http://books.google.com/books?id=qnVjQwAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami.) (1983). Samadhi yoga. The Divine Life Society. http://books.google.com/books?id=dV33QgAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami) (1984). Yoga samhita. Divine Life Society. http://books.google.com/books?id=3IkxSQAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (1985). The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: Sanskrit text, English translation, and commentary. Divine Life Society. http://books.google.com/books?id=DFopAAAAYAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami.) (1985). Karma yoga. Divine Life Society. ISBN 978-0-949027-05-4. http://books.google.com/books?id=eXnXAAAAMAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami) (1 January 1987). Bhakti yoga. Divine Life Society, Fremantle Branch. ISBN 978-0-949027-08-5. http://books.google.com/books?id=IKRbQQAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Sivananda (Swami) (1996). Lord Shanmukha and his worship. Divine Life Society. ISBN 978-81-7052-115-0. http://books.google.com/books?id=pp_LPAAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Swami Sivananda (December 2005). Raja Yoga. Kessinger Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4253-5982-9. http://books.google.com/books?id=IoOYPwAACAAJ. Retrieved 13 April 2011. 
• Downloadable Books by Swami Sivananda Divine Life Society

Notes[link]

Further reading[link]

• 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 Sivananda, Divine Life Society (W.A.). Fremantle Branch. Published by Divine Life Society, Fremantle Branch, 1985. ISBN 0-949027-04-9.
• Sivananda: Biography of a Modern Sage, by Swami Venkatesananda. Published by Divine Life Society, 1985. ISBN 0-949027-01-4. Online

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sivananda Saraswati

Wikiversity has learning materials about Buddha oracle#33 Plan of the Day (Swami Sivananda)

• Sivananda Ashram Rishikesh
• Divine Life Society
• Swami Sivananda at the Open Directory Project
• Dedication to Swami Sivananda

Swami Shivananda
Swami Shivananda
Born	1854 Barasat, Bengal, British India
Died	1934
Birth name	Tarak Nath Ghosal
Order	Ramakrishna Mission
Guru	Sri Ramakrishna
Philosophy	Vedanta
Prominent Disciple(s)	Uncountable

Swami Shivananda (1854 – 1934) was born Tarak Nath Ghosal in the village of Barasat in West Bengal. He was a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, and became the second president of the Ramakrishna Mission. His devotees refer to him as Mahapurush Maharaj (Great Soul). Swami Shivananda and Swami Subodhananda were the only direct disciples of Sri Ramakrishna to be filmed. He was a Brahmajnani (knower of Brahman or the Supreme Being).^[1] Swami Shivananda introduced the celebration of the birth anniversaries of his brother-monks. He was known to have laid the foundation stone of Shri Ramakrishna Temple at Belur Math, which was designed by Swami Vijnanananda.

Early Life[link]

Swami Shivananda or Tarak's father was Ramakanai Ghoshal, a pious Brahmin who also had a substantial income as a lawyer. He was a follower of Tantra in his personal live. He and his first wife Vamasundari Devi who was the mother of Tarak, provided free boarding and lodging to twenty five to thirty poor students.^[2] Ramkanai also knew Sri Ramakrishna personally as he used to visit Dakshineswar on matters of business. Tarak was contemplative and meditative in his childhood and was not attracted towards conventional education. Like other young boys of his age he was drawn towards Brahmo Samaj. After completing his school studies, Tarak took up a job with Mackinnon Mackenzie in Calcutta in order to help his father, though he used to practise spiritual disciplines most of the time. He had heard about Sri Ramakrishna when he was working in Delhi and now he came to know about him through a relative of Ramchandra Dutta, a foremost householder disciple of Sri Ramakrishna.

Sri Ramakrishna's influence[link]

He saw Sri Ramakrishna for the first time at the house of Ramchandra Dutta in May 1880. A few days later he went to Dakshineswar to visit Kali Temple and surrendered himself fully to Sri Ramakrishna. From then on he began to practise intense prayer and meditation under Sri Ramakrishna’s guidance. Sri Ramakrishna also initiated him at this stage and this increased his spiritual yearnings. About the Master he wrote later in his life, "I have not yet come to a final understanding whether he was a man or a superman, a god or the God Himself, but I have known him to be a man of complete self-effacement, master of the highest renunciation, possessed of supreme wisdom, and the supreme incarnation of love."^[2]

Marriage[link]

Family circumstances compelled Tarak to marry in 1881-82. Because of the poor financial conditions of the family his father could not afford a dowry for the marriage of his sister as per the prevailing customs. Tarak therefore agreed to marry a daughter of the prospective bridegroom's family. However his marriage was not consumed and the perfect purity of married life earned him the epithet of Mahapurush or Great Man in his later life. Three years later his wife died and Tarak renounced hearth and home and started living sometimes in a devotee’s house and sometimes in lonely places, till the Baranagar Math was started.^[3]

Renunciation[link]

Tarak continued to visit Dakshineswar till the Master fell ill and was brought, first to the Shyampukur house and then later to the Cossipore Garden House. In Cossipore, Tarak joined the brother disciples including Narendranath Dutta, who later became famous as Swami Vivekananda to serve Sri Ramakrishna. As Tarak disclosed his intention of renouncing the world to his father, the latter was outwardly moved but heartily gave his blessings.^[2] Tarak also related this to the Master who was pleased. After the passing away of Sri Ramakrishna in 1886, the small group of direct disciples who decided to embrace monastic life gathered round in a dilapidated house in Baranagar and Tarak was one of the first to settle down there. Thus began the Baranagar monastery of the Ramakrishna Math.

Life of a Sannyasin (Ascetic)[link]

As a wandering monk[link]

During his days of itineracy Swami Shivananda visited various places in North India. He went to Almora where he was acquainted with a local rich man, Lala Badrilal Shah, who became a great admirer of the disciples of Sri Ramakrishna. During the later part of 1893 Tarak Maharaj also met E.T. Sturdy, an Englishman interested in Theosophy. Sturdy later became an admirer and follower of Swami Vivekananda after he met him in England.^[2] He was inclined towards leading a contemplative life and went to Himalayas several times. He also went to Amarnath in 1909 along with Swami Turiyananda (Hari Maharaj).

Establishment of Ramakrishna Math and Mission[link]

Tarak Maharaj's itinerant life came to an end when Swami Vivekananda returned to India in 1897. He went to Madras to receive Swami Vivekananda and came back with him to Calcutta. Swami Vivekananda sent Swami Shivananda to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) to spread Vedanta there. There he held classes on Gita and the Raja Yoga. He returned to the newly established Ramakrishna Math or monastery in Belur in 1898. In 1899 a plague broke out in Calcutta and Swami Shivananda, upon request from Swami Vivekananda, helped in organizing relief efforts. In 1900 he travelled along with Swami VIvekananda to Mayavati. While returning, Swami Vivekananda left him in Pillibhit requesting him to raise some funds for the Belur Math, which he did.

Advaita Ashrama, Benaras[link]

In 1902, just before Swami Vivekananda’s death, he went to Varanasi to start the Advaita Ashrama utilizing the donation by Raja of Bhinga to Swami Vivekananda. There he remained as the head for seven years. There in the beginning he along with the inmates had to undergo tremendous hardship on account of the non availability of funds and therefore resorted to great austerities. ^[2] About this time he also translated Swami Vivekananda's Chicago lectures in local Hindi. He continued to look into the affairs of the Ashrama till 1909.

Office bearer of Ramakrishna Mission[link]

In 1910 he was elected Vice-President of Ramakrishna Mission. Swami Shivananda was also one of the original trustees of Belur Math. In 1917 when Baburam Maharaj (Swami Premananda) fell ill and died, his duties of managing the affairs of the Math and Mission came to rest with Swami Shivananda. In 1922, after the passing of Swami Brahmananda, he became the second President of Ramakrishna Math and Mission. Like Swami Brahmananda, he stressed meditation along with his daily work. He was full of love and compassion, and had the power of blessing and forgiving. He also went to Dhaka and Mymensingh in erstwhile East Bengal and initiated for a first time a lot of spiritual seekers. Sincere seekers flocked to him in the hope of getting initiation.^[3] In 1924 and 1927 he went on two long tours to South and first established the Ramakrishna Math in Ootakamund and then later in Bombay and Nagpur. In 1925 he went to Deoghar and opened a new building for the local chapter of Ramakrishna Mission.

The title of Mahapurush[link]

Tarak was married in his teens but, with the consent of his young wife, he lived an absolutely chaste life.^[3]

After the foundation of Belur Math, one day as the brother-monks were chatting about holy life he happened to say this to Swami Vivekananda who immediately called him ‘Mahapurush’ which meant ‘great soul’, and since then he came to be known as ‘Mahapurush Maharaj’.^[4] King Albert I of Belgium, after meeting Swami Shivananda at the Belur Math said 'for the first time.....I have met one with whom I could talk as man to man'.^[5]

His Last Years[link]

From 1930 onwards his health broke down rapidly. During his last years he initiated quite a large number of people. He had to perform so much of work that it was quite impossible for him to eat at a proper time, and sometimes he even forgot to eat. In April 1933 he suffered a stroke and developed paralysis of one side. On 20 February 1934, a few days after Sri Ramakrishna’s birthday, Mahapurush Maharaj died. His memory is kept alive at Belur Math in the small room adjacent to the Old Shrine as the 'Room of Shivananda'.^[3]

Character and Legacy[link]

Work[link]

Under the presidentship of Swami Shivananda, Ramakrishna Mission slowly expanded in various other locations. He himself established centres in Ootacamund, Nagpur and Bombay. Centres were also opened in various foreign locations. In 1915 he established a Ramakrishna mission centre in Almora. After the demise of Swami Brahmananda, he initiated a large number of people.

Quotes[link]

• It will not do to be restless. One has to get deeply absorbed in spiritual exercises;one must strengthen one's spiritual attitude in one's own mind. One may get a temporary enthusiasm by noticing someone else's spiritual fervour, but then one must remember that all such men had to pass through hard struggle ^[6]
• Behind work there should be meditation. Without meditation work cannot be performed in a way which conduces to spiritual growth. Nor is work nicely performed without having a spiritual background^[2]

Character[link]

Swami Shivananda was austere and seemimgly serious but he had a soft heart. He himself washed the clothes of a new inmate to his monastery in Benaras when the latter being ill soiled them unconsciously. He loved dogs and nursed a sick one back to its health. He started a free nursery school for the poor children in Benaras. ^[6] His trait of humility was evident by his refusal to proclaim himself as the president of Ramakrishna Mission after the demise of Swami Brahmananda as he considered himself as merely a representative of Swami Brahmananda.^[2] He was in favour of disciplines in monastic life and he himself practised them rigorously till he was physically unable to do.

References[link]

Related links[link]

• RKM: President's site - Swami Shivananda
• Shivananda, a short biography & teachings
• The saga of a Great Soul, Swami Shivananda - Swami Vividishananda ISBN 0-87481-584-3
• Mahapurush Maharaj as we saw him ISBN 0-87481-053-1
• God lived with them - Swami Chetanananda ISBN 0-916356-80-9
• Reminiscences of Swami Shivananda by Swami Shambhavananda
• http://belurmath.org/shivananda.htm

See also[link]

• Swami Advaitananda (Buro Gopal)
• Swami Turiyananda (Hari Maharaj)
• Swami Ramakrishnananda
• Swami Yogananda (Yogin Maharaj)
• Swami Adbhutananda
• Swami Brahmananda
• Swami Niranjananda (Niranjan Maharaj)
• Swami Abhedananda
• Swami Vijnanananda
• Swami Subodhananda
• Swami Nirmalananda
• Baburam Maharaj (Swami Premananda)
• Swami Akhandananda
• Swami Saradananda (Sarat Maharaj)
• Swami Trigunatitananda