View source for Sivananda Saraswati

{{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
|honorific_prefix = [[Swami]]
|name        = Sivananda Saraswati
|image       = Swami Shivananda Liebe.jpg
|caption     = 
|religion    = [[Hinduism]]
|birth_date  = {{Birth date|df=yes|18<!-- That's right, the prize was given to another person of the same name! यह सही है, पुरस्कार उसी नाम के किसी अन्य व्यक्ति को दिया गया था! -->87|9|8}}
|birth_place = [[Pattamadai]], [[Madras<!--The man called Sivananda born in Delhi is a different person--> Presidency]], [[British Raj|British India]] (now in [[Tamil Nadu]]) 
|death_date  = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1963|7|14|1887<!-- That's right, the prize was given to another person of the same name! यह सही है, पुरस्कार उसी नाम के किसी अन्य व्यक्ति को दिया गया था! -->|9|8}}<ref name="Ananthanarayan 1965"/>
|death_place = [[Muni Ki Reti]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], India (now in [[Uttarakhand]])
|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.
}}
[[Swami]] '''Sivananda Saraswati''' ({{IAST3|Svāmī Śivānanda Sarasvatī}}; 8 September 1887 – 14 July<!-- That's right, the prize was given to another person of the same name! --> 1963<ref name="Ananthanarayan 1965"/>), also called '''Swami Sivananda''', 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 [[Hinduism|Hindu]] spiritual teacher, and a proponent of ''[[Vedanta]]''. Sivananda was born in [[Pattamadai]], in the [[Tirunelveli]] district of modern [[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 the 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 [[41 Arietis|Bharani star]] was rising in [[Pattamadai]] village in [[Tirunelveli]] district, [[Tamil Nadu]]. His father, P.S. Vengu Iyer, worked as a revenue officer and was a [[Bhakti|devotee]] of [[Shiva]]. His mother, Parvati Ammal, was also 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= February 2008|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"/>

<!--=== Travels === can any of this be supported by reliable sources?

After a few years, Sivananda went on an extensive pilgrimage and travelled the length and breadth of India to meditate at holy shrines and came in contact with spiritual teachers throughout India.  During this Parivrajaka (wandering monk) life, Sivānanda visited important places of pilgrimage in the south, including [[Rameswaram]]. He conducted [[Sankirtan]] and delivered lectures during his travels. He visited the [[Sri Aurobindo]] Ashram, and met [[Shuddhananda Bharati|Maharishi Shuddhananda Bharati]] to whom he gave the title of [[Maharishi]].  At the [[Sri Ramana Ashram|Ramana Ashram]], he had the [[Darśana|darshan]] of [[Ramana Maharshi]] on Maharshi's birthday. He sang [[bhajan]]s and danced in ecstasy with Maharshi's [[bhakta]]s. He also went on pilgrimages to various places in northern India including [[Kedarnath]] and [[Badrinath]]. He visited [[Mount Kailash|Kailash]]-[[Lake Manasarovar|Manasarovar]] in 1931.{{citation needed|date=December 2014}} -->
<gallery class=center mode=nolines widths=220 heights=200>
File:Krishnananda and Sivananda 1945.jpg|[[Krishnananda]] and Sivananda (right), {{circa}} 1945
File:Swami Sivananda Swami Vishnudevananda am Ganges.jpg|Sivananda and [[Vishnudevananda]] by the [[Ganges]], {{circa}} 1950
File:Sivananda Saraswati 1986 stamp of India.jpg|Sivananda on a 1986 stamp of India
File:SwamiSivananda ValMorin 20070805.jpg|[[Murti]] of Swami Saraswati at the [[Quebec]] ashram
</gallery>

=== 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]].<ref name="RoW IYFM"/><ref name="Aveling 1994">{{cite book |first=Harry |last=Aveling |title=The Laughing Swamis: Australian Sannyasin Disciples of Swami Satyananda Saraswati and Osho Rajneesh |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |year=1994 |isbn=978-8-12081-118-8 |page=61 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_ehB5Gt2qE8C&pg=PA61}}</ref>

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, adopting modern techniques to such an extent that he gained the nickname '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><ref name="Van Lysebeth 1981"/> 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 name="Van Lysebeth 1981">{{cite journal |last=Van Lysebeth |first=André |author-link=André Van Lysebeth |title=The Yogic Dynamo |journal=Yoga |date=1981 |issue=September 1981 |url=http://www.yogamag.net/archives/1980s/1981/8109/8109ydyn.html}}</ref>

The 9th All-India Divine Life Convention was held at Venkatagiri on March 16, 1957, which was presided by [[Sathya Sai Baba]] and attended by [[Satchidananda Saraswati]] and Swami Sadananda.<ref>{{cite web |title=8. From Cape to Kilanmarg |url=https://saispeaks.sathyasai.org/discourse/cape-kilanmarg |website=Sri Sathya Sai Speaks |access-date=15 April 2025}}</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>

== Works ==

Sivananda wrote over 200 books on yoga.<ref>{{cite web  |title=Swami Sivananda  |url=https://www.sivananda.at/en/swami-sivanandas-works/  |access-date=15 April 2025}}</ref> Many of the books are available free on the Divine Life Society's website.<ref>{{cite web  |title=Download Books  |url=https://www.dlshq.org/download/  |publisher=The Divine Life Society  |access-date=15 April 2025}}</ref>

{{Refbegin |author-mask=0 |30em}}
* ''Yogic Home Exercises. Easy Course of Physical Culture for Men & Women'', Bombay, Taraporevala Sons & Co, 1944.
* {{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 |orig-year=1957 |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=978-1465479358 |ref=none}}
* {{cite book |author=Sivananda (Swami.) |title=Moksha gita |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qnVjQwAACAAJ |year=1982 |orig-year=1949 |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}}
* ''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}}
* ''All About Hinduism''
* ''Amrita Gita''
* ''Bhagavad Gita'' (transliterated and translated by Sivananda, with chapter summaries)
* ''Brahma Sutras'', 1949
* ''Conquest of Anger''
* ''Conquest of Fear''
* ''Easy Steps to Yoga''
* ''Essence of Yoga''
* ''God Exists''
* ''A Great Guru and His Ideal Disciple'' (letters from Sivananda to Prananvananda)
* ''Guru-Bhakti Yoga''
* ''Guru Tattva''
* ''Gyana Jyoti, Wisdom Light'', 1950
* ''Hindu Fasts & Festivals''
* ''How to Become Rich'', 1950
* ''How to Get Vairagya (Dispassion)''
* ''Ideal of Married Life''
* ''Karmas and Diseases''
* ''Kingly Science Kingly Secret''
* ''Life and Teachings of Lord Jesus''
* ''Life and Teachings of Swami Sivananda'', 1964
* ''Light, Power and Wisdom''
* ''Lord Krishna, His Lilas and Teachings''
* ''The Master Said...'' (1954 speech)
* ''May I Answer That?''
* ''Mind, its Mysteries and Control'', 1946
* ''Parables of Sivananda'', 1955
* ''The Philosophy and Significance of Idol Worship''
* ''Philosophy of Dreams''
* ''Practical Ayurveda''. 
* ''Practical Lessons in Yoga''
* ''Radio Talks'', 1951
* ''Saints and Sages'', 1951
* ''Satsanga and Svadhyaya''
* ''Sayings of Swami Sivananda'', 1947
* ''Self-Knowledge''
* ''Sivananda Upanishad. A universal scripture in the Sage's own handwriting'', (Vishnudevananda (ed.)) 1955
* ''Sixty-Three Nayanar Saints''
* ''Swami Sivananda. His Life, Mission and Message, in pictures'', 1953
* ''Temples in India''
* ''Thought Power''
* ''Thus Awakens Swami Sivananda''
* ''Thus Inspires Swami Sivananda'', 1962
* ''Thus Spake Sivananda''
* ''Vedanta for Beginners''
* ''Waves of Bliss'', 1949
* ''What Becomes of the Soul After Death'', 1950
* ''Yoga in Daily Life''
* ''Yoga: Your Home Practice Companion''. DK Publishing, 2018
{{Refend}}

== 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:
<!-- (in alphabetical order) -->
* [[Chinmayananda Saraswati]], founder of the [[Chinmaya Mission]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-04 |title=Chinmayananda: Indian spiritual thinker |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Chinmayananda |access-date=2023-06-02 |website=www.britannica.com }}</ref>
* Jyotirmayananda Saraswati, founder of Yoga Research Foundation, Miami, Florida, USA<ref>{{Cite web |title=His Holiness Sri Swami Jyotirmayananda Saraswati Maharaj – The Divine Life Society |url=https://www.dlshq.org/saints/his-holiness-sri-swami-jyotirmayananda-saraswati-maharaj/ |access-date=2024-06-03 |language=en-US}}</ref>
* 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 (Satchidananda)|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 name="RoW IYFM">{{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<!-- not Shantananda Saraswati (1913–1997) -->, founder of Temple of Fine Arts (Malaysia & Singapore)
* [[Sivananda Radha Saraswati]], founder of Yasodhara Ashram, British Columbia, Canada<ref name="Gates 2006">{{cite book |last=Gates |first=Janice |author-link=Janice Gates |title=Yogini: Women Visionaries of the Yoga World |year=2006 |publisher=Mandala |isbn=978-1932771886 |pages=152–154}}</ref>
* [[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>
<!-- (in alphabetical order) -->

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

== Further reading ==

* Fornaro, Robert John (1969) ''Sivananda and the Divine Life Society: A Paradigm of the "secularism," "puritanism" and "cultural Dissimulation" of a Neo-Hindu Religious Society''. [[Syracuse University]].
* Ananthanarayanan, N. (1970) ''From Man to God-man: the inspiring life-story of Swami Sivananda'', Indian Publ. Trading Corp.
* Gyan, Satish Chandra (1979) ''Swami Sivananda and the Divine Life Society: An Illustration of Revitalization Movement''.
* Swami Venkatesānanda (1985) ''[http://www.dlshq.org/download/modernsage.pdf Sivananda: Biography of a Modern Sage] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927172809/https://www.dlshq.org/download/modernsage.pdf |date=27 September 2020 }}'', Divine Life Society. {{ISBN|0-949027-01-4}}

== External links ==

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{{wikiquote}}
{{Wikiversity|Buddha oracle#33 Plan of the Day (Swami Sivananda)}}
* {{Internet Archive author}} 
* [https://www.sivananda.org/teachings/swami-sivananda.html Biography and spiritual instructions]

{{Hindu reform movements}}
{{Modern Hindu writers}} 
{{Modern yoga gurus}}
{{Yoga}}

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[[Category:1887 births]]
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[[Category:20th-century Hindu philosophers and theologians]]
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[[Category:Neo-Vedanta]]
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