The Youth and the Time Prior to Renunciation
Swami Sivananda was born on the September 8th, 1887 in the place called Pattamadai, in Tamil Nadu. He was born in the orthodox Brahmin family. The life of the family centered on worship, prayer and the study of the Vedas.
From the very early age Swami Sivananda demonstrated great qualities that will eventually contribute to his highest realization. He was extremely generous as a child and liked to share whatever he had with others. From the early age he enjoyed physical exercise, such as running, fencing and gymnastics. “God came to me in many forms,” so says Swami Sivananda.
As a child he learnt fencing from a teacher who belonged to a low caste (harijan). After a few days he was made to understand that it was unbecoming of an orthodox Brahmin to be his student. He felt big sadness at his first perception of inequality of humanity.
After deep thinking he felt that God who his family worshipped in the image in his father’s room had jumped over into the heart of his teacher. So the little boy immediately went to his teacher with flowers, sweets and cloth, and garlanded him. Swami Sivananda later on said about this incident that, “God came into my life to remove the veil of caste distinction.”
Master Sivananda studied medicine and after he became a medical doctor went to Malasya to run a hospital.
At the same time he sought the company of sadhus and sannyasins (renunciates) and begun to read a lot and gradually became more introspective.
He wrote at the time the following: “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 the earth-plane with various kinds of diseases, anxieties, worries, fears and disappointments!”
Around that time there came to him a sannyasin who was nursed back to health by the young doctor (Sivananda). The sannyasi gave him a set of books on Vedanta. Soon after that (1923) he felt the urge to renounce the world and dedicate his life to the pursuit of Self-realization.
Swami Sivananda Becomes a Sannyasi (Renunciate) .It was in 1924 that he arrived to Rishikesh, North India where he met his guru Swami Vishwananda.
Swami Sivananda plunged himself into intense spiritual practices unlocking the great powers of spirit within. He did the practices such as standing in the ice-cold water of Ganga doing japa for hours daily. After six years of rigorous tapas, he emerged as a liberated soul.
A couple of years later (1932) Swami Sivananda started his ashram The Divine Life Society, also known as the Sivananda Ashram, and started to publish his books and insights about the yoga and Vedanta philosophy. A prolific writer, rich in his inner experiences and realizations, Master Sivananda generously shared his knowledge with all and wrote over 250 books. He considered the gift of knowledge as the greatest gift.
Swami Sivananda taught by example and he trained many disciples who became the beacon-lights in the field of yoga.
The quality of giving remained one of his main character traits. His was later fondly called Swami Givananda (one who rejoices in giving). The following are his own words about giving:
“Give, give, give. Giving is the very nature of love. Giving expands and purifies the heart. Ask for no return. Ask for no gratitude. Where there is no free giving, there is no room for God. Giving is the secret of abundance.”
Master Sivananda had a great passion for serving lepers. He built a hospital for a colony of lepers that lived in Rishikesh. He would often chant with them and give them a medical care.