A DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY PUBLICATION
Sixth Edition: 1995
(4,000 Copies)
World Wide Web (WWW) Edition : 2000
Website: http://www.divinelifesociety.org/
This WWW reprint is for free distribution
© The Divine Life Trust Society
ISBN 81-7052-029-0
Published By
THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
P.O. Shivanandanagar—249 192
Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttaranchal,
Himalayas, India.
Contents
A saint's life is the ideal for all to emulate, a pattern for everyone
who would make his own life sublime. It is an open book from which to
learn the lessons of divine life. However much one tries to gain knowledge
of spiritual truths from scriptures and texts, it is not until one actually
sees someone in whom those truths shine exemplified that one is ready,
willing and eager to realise those truths in actual daily life.
That is the purpose that this inspiring book serves.
THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
eS:v:an:ndst:Øet:H
(Sri Swami Jnanananda)
(1) m:ay:akÝp:arm:gn:an:v:S:j:n:g:N:an:Î
*:at:Økam:ö )kam:ö
kay:ay:as:av:s:adö s:kl:m:ep: t:àN:ikáty: káty:)s:Vt:m:Î
Cay:an:aT::ðp:m:am:ö s:Øec:rm:et:m:Øda|By:st:y::ðg:as:n:aed-
vy:ay:am:av:apt:s:¶v:ö eS:v:m:n:v:rt:ö B:av:y:ð y::ðeg:v:y:üm:Î
(2) n:an:al::ðkay: en:ty:ö
)et:p:dm:D:Ørö S:aent:s:ndðS:p:*:ö
p:in:am::ðd)v:ah)g:ØeN:t:k,N:ö )ð\:y:nt:ö m:hant:m:Î
m:an:at:it:)B:av:ö m:n:es: m:n:es:j:araet:m:al::ðVy: g:aZö
Dy:an:aev:Äö )káÄ)káet:g:ØN:y:Øt:ö Â:i eS:v:an:ndm:iRð
(3) ev:Ã:araDy:ö ev:eS:Ä)et:B:m:B:y:dö
)aeN:n:am:aeÂ:t:an:aö
ev:Ã:as:am:*:m:aet:ü)S:m:n:en:rt:ö s:aD:Øl::ðkav:l:mb:m:Î
ev:Ã:aD:iS:)B:av:ö B:àS:m:eK:l:j:n:an:Î b::ðD:ey:tv:a||\:üD:m:
S:Ã:t:Î s:ösT:ap:y:ny:ö eS:v:m:Øen:m:en:S:ö B:av:y:ð edvy:-p:m:Î
(4) v:ðdant:aö B::ðeD:g:m:aüdev:rl:ev:l:s:¶:¶v:rtn:any:j:+ö
m::ðdadÙdÏD:àty: n:an:am:n:Øj:g:ØN:g:N:ay:anv:hö dat:Økam:m:Î
K:ðdav:ðS:av:S:an:am:em:t:s:ØK:krö en:ty:kly:aN:rög:ö
Â:idan::ðtkö m:Øn:indÓö eS:v:m:eK:l:j:g:¸ðeS:kö B:av:y:ð|hm:Î
(Sri Swami Jnanananda)
(1) màyàkåpàramagnànava÷ajanagaõàn
tràtukàmaü prakàmaü
kàyàyàsàvasàdaü sakalamapi tçõãkçtya kçtyaprasaktam
chàyànàthopamàmaü suciramatimudà.abhyastayogàsanàdi-
vyàyàmàvàptasattvaü ÷ivamanavarataü bhàvaye yogivaryam
(2) nànàlokàya
nityaü pratipadamadhuraü ÷àntisande÷apatraü
pãnàmodapravàhapraguõitakaruõaü preùayantaü mahàntam
mànàtãtaprabhàvaü manasi manasijàràtimàlokya gàóhaü
dhyànàviùñaü prakçùñaprakçtiguõayutaü ÷rã ÷ivànandamãóe
(3) vi÷vàràdhyaü
vi÷iùñapratibhamabhayadaü pràõinàmà÷ritànàü
vi÷vàsàmatramàrtipra÷amananirataü sàdhulokàvalambam
vi÷vàdhã÷aprabhàvaü bhç÷amakhilajanàn bodhayitvà.a.arùadhama
÷a÷vat saüsthàpayanyaü ÷ivamunimani÷aü bhàvaye divyaråpam
(4) vedàntàü
bhodhigarmàdaviralavilasattattvaratnànyajasraü
modàduddhçtya nànàmanujaguõagaõàyànvahaü dàtukàmam
khedàve÷àva÷ànàmamitasukhakaraü nityakalyàõaraügaü
÷rãdànotkaü munãndraü ÷ivamakhilajagadde÷ikaü bhàvaye.aham
1. I have seen God in my own Self.
2. I have negated name and form, and what remains is Existence-Knowledge-Bliss
Absolute and nothing else.
3. I behold God everywhere. There is no veil.
4. I am One. There is no duality.
5. I rest in my own Self. My bliss is beyond description.
6. The world of dreams has gone. I alone exist.
Swami Sivananda
Delight in good.
Make up your mind to tread the spiritual path.
Be patient.
Go slowly. Go ahead. Be deliberate. Assert. Recognize.
Realise: I am the immortal Soul.
This is the discipline.
This is Siva's message.
Swami Sivananda
(Swami Sivananda)
It would be easy to dismiss the question by saying: "Yes, after a prolonged
period of intense austerities and meditation, while I was living at
Swaragashram and when I had the Darshan and blessings of a number of
Maharishis, the Lord appeared before me in the form of Sri Krishna.
But that would not be the whole truth, nor a sufficient answer to a
question relating to God, who is infinite, unlimited and beyond the
reach of speech and mind.
Cosmic Consciousness is not an accident or chance. It is the summit,
accessible by a thorny path that has steps-slippery steps. I ascended
them step by step the hard way; but at every stage I experienced God
coming into my life and lifting me easily to the next stage.
My father was fond of ceremonial worship in which he was very regular.
To my child-mind the image he worshipped was God; and I delighted in
helping father in the worship by bringing him flowers and other articles
of worship. The deep inner satisfaction that he and I derived from such
worship implanted in my heart a strong conviction that God was in such
images devoutly worshipped by His devotees. Thus did God first come
into my life and place my foot on the first rung of the spiritual ladder.
As an adult I was fond of gymnastics and vigorous exercises. I learnt
fencing from a teacher who belonged to a low caste. He was a Harijan.
I could go to him only for a few days before I was made to understand
that it was unbecoming of a caste-Brahmin to play the student to an
untouchable. I thought deeply over the matter. One moment I felt that
the God whom we worshipped in the image in my father's worship room
had jumped over to the heart of this untouchable. He was my Guru all
right. So I immediately went to him with flowers, sweets and clothes
and garlanded him, placed flowers at his feet and prostrated myself
before him. Thus did God come into my life to remove the veil of caste
distinctions.
How very valuable this step was I could realise soon after this, for
I was to enter the medical profession and serve all, and the persistence
of caste distinctions would have made that service a mockery. With this
mist cleared by the light of God, it was easy and natural for me to
serve everyone. I took keen delight in every kind of service connected
with the healing and alleviation of human misery. If there was a good
prescription for malaria, I felt that the whole world should know it
the next moment. Any knowledge about the prevention of diseases, promotion
of health and healing of diseases I was eager to acquire and share with
all.
Then in Malaya, God came to me in the form of the sick. It is difficult
for me now to single out any instance, and perhaps it is unnecessary.
Time and space are concepts of the mind and have no meaning in God.
I can look back now upon the whole period of my stay in Malaya as a
single event in which God came to me in the form of the sick and suffering.
People are sick physically and mentally. To some, life is lingering
death; and to others, death is more welcome than life; some invite death
and commit suicide, unable to face life.
The aspiration grew within me that if God had not made this world merely
as a hell where wicked people would be thrown to suffer, and if there
is (as I intuitively felt there should be) something other than this
misery and this helpless existence, it should be known well and experienced.
It was at this crucial point in my life that God came to me as a religious
mendicant who gave me the first lesson in Vedanta. The positive aspects
of life here and the real end and aim of human life were made apparent.
This drew me from Malaya to the Himalaya. God now came to me in the
form of an all-consuming aspiration to realise Him as the Self of all.
Meditation and service went apace; and then came various spiritual
experiences. The body, mind and intellect as the limiting adjuncts,
vanished, and the whole universe shone as His Light. God then came in
the form of this Light in which everything assumed a divine shape and
the pain and suffering that seem to haunt everybody appeared to be a
mirage, the illusion that ignorance creates on account of low sensual
appetites that lurk in man.
One more milestone had to be passed in order to know that "everything
is Brahman." Early in 1950-on the 8th of January-the Lord came to me
in the form of a half-demented assailant, who disturbed the night Satsang
at the Ashram. His attempt failed. I bowed to him, worshipped him and
sent him home. Evil exists in order to glorify the good. Evil is a superficial
appearance. Beneath its veil the one Self shines in all.
A noteworthy fact ought to be mentioned here. In this evolution nothing
gained previously was entirely discarded at any later stage. One coalesced
into the next, and the Yoga of Synthesis was the fruit. Idol-worship,
service of the sick, practice of meditation, the cultivation of cosmic
love that transcended the barriers of caste, creed and religion, with
the ultimate aim of attaining the state of Cosmic Consciousness, was
revealed. This knowledge had to be shared immediately. All this had
to become an integral part of my being.
The mission had been gathering strength and spreading. It was in 1951
that I undertook the All-India Tour. Then God came to me in His Virat-Swarupa-as
multitudes of devotees-eager to listen to the tenets of divine life.
At every centre I felt that God spoke through me, and He Himself in
His cosmic form spread out before me as the multitude, listened to me.
He sang with me, He prayed with me; He spoke and He also listened. "Sarvam
Khalvidam Brahma-all indeed is Brahman."
(Swami Sivananda)
It was, I should say, by a flash that I came to the conclusion early
in my life that human life is not complete with its observable activities
and that there is something above human perception controlling and directing
all that is visible. I may boldly say that I began to perceive the realities
behind what we call life on earth. The unrest and feverish anxiety that
characterise man's ordinary existence here bespeak a higher goal that
he has to reach one day or the other.
When man gets entangled in selfishness, greed, hatred and lust, he
naturally forgets what is beneath his own skin. Materialism and scepticism
reign supreme. He gets irritated over little things and begins to fight
and quarrel; in short, man becomes miserable.
The doctor's profession gave me ample evidence of the great sufferings
of this world. I was blessed with a new vision and perspective. I was
deeply convinced that there must be a place-a sweet home of pristine
glory, purity and divine splendour-where absolute security, perfect
peace and happiness can be enjoyed eternally. Therefore, in conformity
with the dictum of the Sruti, I renounced the world-and felt
that I now belonged to the whole world.
A course of severe self-discipline and penance endowed me with enough
strength to move unscathed amidst the vicissitudes of the world-phenomena.
And I began to feel the great good it would do to humanity if I could
share this new vision with one and all. I called my instrument of work
"The Divine Life Society."
Side by side, the stirring events since the advent of the twentieth
century, had their effects upon all keen-minded people. The horrors
of the past and possible wars, and the consequent suffering, touched
the minds of people. It was not difficult to see that the pains of mankind
were mostly brought on by its own deeds. To awaken man to his errors
and follies, and to make him mend his ways so that he may utilise his
life for attaining worthier ends, was felt to be the urgent need of
the time. As if in answer to this need, I saw the birth of the Divine
Life Mission, with its task of rescuing man from the forces of the lower
nature and raising him to the consciousness of his true relationship
with the Cosmos. This is the work of rousing the religious consciousness,
of bringing man to an awareness of his essential divinity.
Not by mere argument or discussion can religion be taught or understood.
Not by precepts or canons of teaching alone can you make one religious.
It requires a peculiar atonement with one's vast environment, an ability
to feel the deepest as well as the vastest. It requires a genuine sympathy
with creation. Religion is living, not speaking or showing. I hold that
whatever be one's religion, whoever be the prophet one adores, whatever
be one's language or country, age or sex, one can be religious provided
the true implication of that hallowed term "Tapas," which essentially
means any form of self-control, is made capable of being practised in
daily life to the extent possible for one, in the environment and under
the circumstances in which one is placed.
I hold that real religion is the religion of the heart. The heart must
be purified first. Truth, love and purity are the basis of real religion.
Control over the baser nature, conquest of the mind, cultivation of
virtues, service of humanity, goodwill, fellowship and amity, constitute
the fundamentals of true religion. These ideals are included in the
principles of the Divine Life Society. And I try to teach them mostly
by example, which I consider to be weightier than all precepts.
The modern thinker has neither the requisite time nor the patience
to perform rigorous Tapas and austere religious practices; and many
of these are even being relegated to the level of superstition. In order
to give the present generation the benefit of real Tapas in the true
religious sense, to reveal to them its real significance, and to convince
them of its meaning and efficacy, I hold up my torch of divine life,
which is a system of religious life suited to one and all, which can
be practised by the recluse and the office-goer alike, which is intelligible
to the scholar and the rustic, in its different stages and phases. This
is a religion which is not other than what is essential to give true
meaning to the daily duties of the human being.
The beauty of divine life is its simplicity and applicability to the
everyday affairs of the ordinary man. It is immaterial whether one goes
to the church or the mosque or the temple for offering one's prayers,
for all sincere prayers are heard by the Divine.
The average seeker after Truth is very often deceived by the caprices
of his mind. A person who takes to the spiritual path is bewildered
before he reaches the end of his journey. He is naturally tempted to
relax his efforts half-way. Many are the pitfalls, but those who plod
on steadily are sure to reach the goal of life, which is universality
of being, knowledge and joy. I have laid great emphasis in all my writings
upon the discipline of the turbulent senses, conquest of the mind, purification
of the heart, and attainment of inner peace and strength, suited to
the different stages in evolution.
I have understood that it is the foremost duty of man to learn to give,
to give in charity, to give in plenty, to give with love and without
expectation of any reward, because one does not lose anything by giving,-on
the other hand the giver is given back a thousandfold. Charity is not
merely an act of offering certain material goods, for charity is incomplete
without charity of disposition, of feeling, and of understanding and
knowledge. Charity is self-sacrifice in the different levels of one's
being. Charity in the highest sense I understand to be equivalent to
Jnana Yajna, the sacrifice of wisdom.
Similarly, I consider that goodness of being and doing constitute the
rock-bottom of one's life. By goodness I mean the capacity to feel with
others and to live and feel as others do, and be in a position to act
so that no one is hurt by the act. Goodness is the face of Godliness.
I think that to be good in reality, in the innermost recesses of one's
heart, is not easy, though it may appear to be simple as a teaching.
It is one of the hardest things on earth, if only one would be honest
with oneself.
There is no physical world for me. What I see I see as the glorious
manifestation of the Almighty. I rejoice when I behold the Purusha with
thousands of heads and thousands of eyes and feet, that Sahasrarasirsha
Purusha. When I serve persons, I see not the persons, but Him of whom
they are the limbs. I learn to be humble before the mighty Being whose
breath we breathe and whose joy we enjoy. I do not think there is anything
more to teach or to learn. Here is the cream of religion, the quintessence
of philosophy that anyone really needs.
The philosophy I hold is neither a dreamy, subjective, world-negating
doctrine of illusion, nor a crude world-affirming theory of sense-ridden
humanism. It is the fact of the divinity of the universe, the immortality
of the soul of man, the unity of creation with the Absolute, that I
feel is the only doctrine worth considering. As the one all-pervading
Brahman appears as the diverse universe in all the planes of Its manifestation,
the aspirant has to pay his homage to the lower manifestations before
he steps into the higher.
Sound health, clear understanding, deep knowledge, a pure, powerful
will and moral integrity, are all necessary parts of the process of
the realisation of the ideal of humanity as a whole.
To adjust, adapt and accommodate, to see good in everything, to bring
to effective use all the principles of nature in the process of evolution
towards Self-realisation along the path of an integrated adjustment
of the human powers and faculties, are some of the main factors that
go to build up a philosophy of life. To me, philosophy is not merely
a love of wisdom, but actual possession of it. In all my writings I
have prescribed methods for overcoming and mastering the physical, intellectual,
mental and vital layers of consciousness, in order to be able to proceed
with the Sadhana for self-perfection.
To behold the Lord in every being or form, to feel Him everywhere,
at all times and in all conditions of life, to see, hear, taste and
feel everything as God, is my creed.
To live in God, to melt in God, and to dissolve in God, is my creed.
By dwelling in such union, to utilise the hands, mind, senses and the
body in the service of humanity, to sing the Names of the Lord, to elevate
devotees, to give instructions to sincere aspirants, and disseminate
knowledge throughout the world, is my creed, if you can call it one.
To be a cosmic friend and cosmic benefactor, a friend of the poor,
the forlorn, the helpless and the fallen, is my creed.
It is my sacred creed to serve the sick, to nurse them with care, sympathy
and love, to cheer up the depressed, to infuse power and joy in all,
to feel oneness with each and everyone, and to treat all with equal
vision.
In my highest creed there are neither peasants nor kings, neither beggars
nor emperors, neither males nor females, neither teachers nor students.
I love to live, move and have my being in this realm indescribable.
The first step is often the most difficult one. But once it is taken
the rest becomes easy. There is a need for more courage and patience
on the part of people. They usually shirk, hesitate and are frightened.
All this is due to ignorance of one's true duty. A certain amount of
education and culture is necessary to have a sufficiently clear grasp
of one's position in this world. Our educational system needs an overhaul,
for it is now floating on the surface without touching the depths of
man. To achieve this, cooperation should come not only from society
but also from the government.
Success is difficult without mutual help. The head and heart should
go hand in hand, and the ideal and the reality should have a close relation.
To work with this knowledge is Karma Yoga. The Lord has declared this
truth in the Bhagavad Gita.
I pray that this supreme ideal be actualised in the daily life of every
individual. I pray that there be heaven on earth. This is not merely
a wish,-this is a possibility and a fact that cannot be gainsaid. It
is to be realised if life is to mean what it ought to mean.
(Swami Sadananda Saraswati)
When I received the set of manuscripts bearing the title Autobiography
of Swami Sivananda, I jumped with joy because I expected, as I believe
many would expect, that there was a chance to know many of the details
of the Master's life which in spite of my fairly long stay with him
(running into many years) I was unable to learn, either from him or
from anyone else. But how great was my surprise-not to say disappointment-when
I found that I could not obtain even a glimpse of what my little mind
was curious to know. Yet, after laying down the manuscripts and thinking
about the matter for a while in the manner in which he has trained me
to think, I realised the wisdom of his reticence. The one trait which
is totally absent in him, and which he completely dislikes in anyone,
is idle curiosity and profitless talk.
Sage Tiruvalluvar, who is justly regarded in the Tamil country as not
merely a poet but also a lawgiver, has in his immortal poem, Tirukkural,
devoted Chapter 20 in "Illaraviyar" (rules about householder's life),
a section of "Arathuppal" (Dharma or code of conduct), to what is called
"Payanila Sollamai" which means "non-utterance of what is fruitless."
The truths which that poet expounds in the ten stanzas of that chapter
are of inestimable value.
The eighth stanza says: "The wise who are competent to distinguish
between what is useful and what is not will never give utterance
to futile words."
Swami Sivananda adopts this rule of conduct in his life and never,
even in forgetfulness, swerves from it. He considers it wasteful to
write about such incidents in his life as are not directly beneficial
for the spiritual progress of the reader. That is the reason why we
do not hear a word about why he left the shores of India and went to
far-off Malaya in those days when orthodox Brahmin families regarded
it a sacrilege to cross the seas. It is well known that Sivananda came
from one of the most orthodox Brahmin families.
Again, what special circumstance made him give up a fairly lucrative
job in Malaya and come back to our land bent upon pursuing the life
of a Sannyasin? There are not a few disciples and admirers of his who
wish to know whether he was a householder at any time and what happened
to his family if he had one. Even the least curious among those who
have the highest regard for his spiritual eminence are eager to know
what he did in the Himalayas by way of Tapasya (austerity) and Sadhana
(spiritual practices) of the conventional type which is generally undertaken
by a novice; for it is their opinion that the pinnacle of spiritual
excellence that he has reached is impossible of attainment without arduous
and unremitting effort in the right direction. Even these earnest seekers
are denied by our Gurudev the pleasure of knowing what he did to make
himself the superman that he is.
It is undeniable that his studied reticence regarding these particulars
is not due to any shyness in his nature, for where he speaks about himself
he exercises no restraint upon his expressions. Perhaps, it is the other
way. He often says things with an unparalleled boldness, unconcerned
about the possibility of being regarded as boastful of his achievements.
No, it is not shyness that has stood in the way. It is only his conviction
that no useful purpose can be served by writing about them.
For instance, regarding the reason that prompted him to go to Malaya,
suppose it was merely a spirit of adventure, a desire to see far-off
lands: how are we as spiritual aspirants going to benefit by this knowledge?
Suppose it was a feeling that he should serve the cause of the unfortunate
Indian labourers who were in those days being practically decoyed by
estate agents and their minions with promises of high wages and comfortable
living but were actually subjected to considerable hardship. Even then,
this knowledge will not help us to evolve into spiritual personalities.
Knowing that a mention of this phase of his life will not prove useful
to us, the author of this autobiography has not spoken a word about
it.
Again, if there was a special circumstance which produced a radical
change in his outlook upon life and made him eager to rush forth in
all haste to become a Sannyasin, it is not necessary that everyone who
has the urge to renounce the world should have the same experience that
Sivananda had. When there is the irresistible divine call, anyone will
be drawn automatically. Thus no useful purpose is served in mentioning
the reason why the author renounced the world.
The same is the answer to the other questions, including the Sadhana
that he must have adopted. What one has to remember is that though books
are written-and Swami Sivananda has also written many such treatises-about
Sadhana with the object of instructing spiritual aspirants, the Sadhana
which will be really effective, will be purely subjective and will relate
to the particular individual himself and not to any other. All Sadhana
is intended to make one's mind most helpful and least harmful. One's
mind is one's own and not of anyone else. It reflects the consequences
of one's actions in the past lives and in the present life. Each mind
has to be handled in a special way and only the possessor of the particular
mind will know from experience and practice that special way. Therefore,
even if Swami Sivananda wrote elaborately about what obstacles he had
to face in exercising control over his mind and how he faced them, it
would be merely a bit of personal history and not anything which would
help us in any way, however eager we may be to profit therefrom.
Yet, one cannot say that Sivananda has been completely silent in this
matter. In the course of the autobiography, he has given us sufficient
information here and there. He says: "The life of a mendicant during
pilgrimages helped me to develop in a great measure forbearance, equal
vision and a balanced mind in pleasure and pain. I met many Mahatmas
and learnt wonderful lessons. On some days I had to go without food
and walk mile after mile. With a smile I faced all hardships."
Surely this is a very brief account. But it is highly revelatory. It
is not easy to walk mile after mile on an empty stomach and still preserve
equanimity of temper. That is real Sadhana. It elevates the individual
more than a hundred malas of Japa sitting in a cosy corner without
the pinchings of hunger. One can from such passages of the author understand
the nature of the severe austerity that he must have undergone.
In another place he writes: "Self-realisation is a transcendental experience.
You can march on the spiritual path only by placing implicit faith in
the words of the sages who have realised the truth and have knowledge
of the Self". These words are written in connection with his search
for a Guru. Here we have an insight into the nature of his faith. It
is by no means the faith of an ignorant person. He knew all the teachings
about the Self that are in the Upanishads. Yet he fully recognized
the need of a Guru. He knew that unless implicit faith is placed in
the words of a Guru, the ego cannot be curbed. He teaches us this truth
when he writes about his search for a Guru.
It is in this fashion that we have to learn about the Sadhana that
he practised. The fact is that Swami Sivananda is a very practical person.
What he learnt from books or men would be put into practice so that
he might know how far the teaching suited him. If it did not suit him,
he would not condemn it but merely shelve it. So far as he was concerned
it was ineffective. That was all. So, whatever he writes about is experienced
by him. He does not like torturing the body with the desire to attain
spiritual powers and perform miracles. He writes about this too in this
book.
Sometimes a doubt arises in me as to whether a saint should write an
autobiography at all. Is there not, I ask myself, a tinge of vanity
in writing about oneself and one's achievements? It may be pardonable
for a worldly man to speak about himself in such a way as to obtain
the good opinion of others. But is it right for a self-denying saint
to do the same thing?
In answering this question, I find that Swami Sivananda is without
any blame whatsoever because his book is only in name an autobiography.
It does not contain anything which can be construed to have the motive
of obtaining the respect and good opinion of the readers. He has had
only one motive. He knows that though he did not plan anything, God
had made him found the Divine Life Society, establish the Forest University
(now known as Forest Academy), and do similar things all of which are
at present satisfying the crying need of people all over the world:
to live a life without fear and with faith in the protection of the
Lord. He finds that whether he wanted it or not he is at the head of
a great mission and, before he leaves the world, he would like to make
people know how this noble movement can be used for the benefit of mankind.
That is the main purpose, as I understand it, of his publishing this
book with the title Autobiography of Swami Sivananda. Naturally
the book cannot be compared with autobiographies of others which sprang
from different motives.
It is now possible to examine the value of the book. From the very
beginning to the end, the book is of great educative value to the person
who wishes to benefit himself. The great regard Sivananda has for his
great ancestor, Appayya Dikshitar, is revealed in the opening chapter.
Intentionally brief is his account of his parentage and boyhood. His
love of the medical profession and the way in which ideal doctors are
to do the job are revealed in his account of his Malayan career. How
his faith in the injunction of the Srutis-"The day on which you
get dispassion, renounce the world"-transformed him is seen in the section
"Dawn of a New Vision." His life as a wandering mendicant, the benefits
he derived from pilgrimages, his search for a Guru and his choice of
Rishikesh for final stay are stated quite simply, without any embellishments
of style. Yet they all have something to teach us. His observations
upon the foolishly spiritually ambitious, his decision to adopt a synthesized
Sadhana, the way in which he lived it at Swarg Ashram, the lecture tours
and the journey to Kailas reveal his early attempts to combine Sadhana
with service.
After this formative period in his spiritual evolution, we find him
launching upon a career of mass dissemination of spiritual knowledge.
He has well described the different stages in which he started the Divine
Life mission. Especially valuable are his remarks upon how his unselfishness
and largeness of heart won for him the lasting attachment and devotion
of his disciples.
The third stage-"The Birth of a Great Institution"-having been reached,
he is happy, in witnessing now the noble and invaluable work done therein.
He then discovers himself as the cosmic friend and cosmic benefactor
because he constantly lives in the spirit of the Upanishadic thought:
"Aham Brahma Asmi-I am Brahman." He also engages himself in improving
the natures of those who are by his side. What he does for them and
with them is narrated in "Collective Sadhana" and the succeeding chapters.
In due course the Divine Life movement gains strength and is found to
meet the need of the hour because of the universality of its ideals
and of the efficacy of its methods for spiritual perfection.
The author writes just as if he is writing an annual report, but the
beauty of the book consists in the fact that the narration reveals in
every sentence the nobility of his mind, the sincerity and seriousness
with which he goes through his self-chosen task of benefiting mankind,
and the love and respect with which he is regarded by his disciples,
admirers and even casual visitors. In fact, it is the greatness of the
man and his work that are seen through the unvarnished account of what
actually happens in his Ashram. The rapid growth of the mission, which
he states quite simply in a brief chapter, is proof to us that when
a good man does something good there is always God behind to help him.
The chapters dealing with the nature of the Divine Life movement, which
has no secret doctrines, which explains what true religion is, and which
in reality is only a simple and practical way of living with ease and
true happiness, are highly illuminating.
When we go on reading about the spiritual conferences, lecture tours,
the organisations for Nagar Kirtan, Prabhat Pheri, etc., we see the
dynamic work that has been done by Sivananda for ensuring that the maximum
use is made of one's time to live up to the ideals of the Divine Life
movement.
The author also gives us instructions about how aspirants are to be
cared for, how universal love should be practised and help rendered
to all, and how disciples at a distance are to be looked after. The
reproduction of some letters which he had written to his disciples reveals
the great solicitude that he had for the spiritual and even material
welfare of those who attached themselves to his service.
In the later part of the book, the author deals with many diverse matters
such as the spirit of accommodation, glory of renunciation, need for
renunciation even when one is young, the qualifications to be a good
disciple, the need for the purification of the heart, the right attitude
towards women, whether women can renounce the world, and many other
topics of practical interest. Some of these chapters evidence his breadth
of outlook and even a bold departure from time-honoured conventions,
suited to the needs of modern times.
There is much valuable advice to Sannyasins about proper meditation,
real service, about who can start Ashrams and who should not, about
the relation between Sannyasins and politics, the value of initiation
by a Guru, and other similar matters. The book, whatever its title,
is a mine of most valuable advice and instructions.
Some chapters are devoted to the Master's books and other publications.
There we find how he is very different from others, for he has no attachment
for copyright. He has no commercial motive. He wants that, even after
his passing away from the world, there must be a permanent stock of
useful knowledge available to people in every part of the world. That
is why he is a ceaseless writer. His books appear every year in increasing
numbers and get distributed freely to thousands in India and elsewhere.
A part of the book deals with practical advice to his disciples not
to quarrel, scandalise or even entertain thoughts of hate.
It is not possible to deal here with all the matters that are written
about in this book. But this can safely be said: any page may be opened
at random and there will be some teaching or other which will transform
our inner nature. Every word that is written comes from the author's
inner experience. He has, it is clear from the book, ever been at pains
to keep his mind pure, exalted and noble, and been equally at pains
to impart this same purity and nobility to his disciples.
It is usual for the Master to warn us and also write in his books that
a real spiritual aspirant ought not to hanker after Siddhis or supernatural
powers because, when they are desired, further spiritual progress is
arrested. He has seen some instances in which people who were making
good progress were caught by the temptation to acquire these powers
and from then on they had a serious fall. Nobody can dispute the correctness
of the Master's opinion on this matter. But a doubt comes to me from
time to time. Numerous are the letters received at the Ashram from people
in different places mentioning many miracles performed by the Master.
It cannot be that all who write such letters are uttering falsehood
or are under any hallucination. It is likely that there is a small percentage
of self-deceiving persons. But judging from the nature of the events
reported to have happened-reported with many details and meticulous
care in the narration-I have to come to the conclusion that the Master
is exercising supernatural powers. If so, will he have a fall? I can
safely assert that he cannot have a fall, because he has risen above
the states of rising and falling. Since he has reached the stage in
which he can identify himself with the Supreme-call It Atman or Satchidananda
or Ishwara, as you like-where is the question of rising and falling?
When the ego is negated how can there be any kind of danger?
Of one thing we can be certain: The real Siddha who does not want or
care for Siddhis but who manifests them for unselfish reasons and as
a result of communion with the Lord, is an entirely different person
from the little man who has psychic powers to do things which are extraordinary
or who has control over spirits. The power over spirits (good or bad)
is entirely different from spiritual power. And no real Siddha goes
about calling himself a Bhagavan or parading his powers. It can be said
that the Siddha does not know that he performs miracles since they are
not miracles to him-they are just ordinary things for him because he
lives in the plane beyond the reach of the common man. I have to conclude
that Swami Sivananda is one such. But he does not reveal himself as
such to all and sundry.
Before concluding this introduction I cannot help stating that the
author is-very probably unconsciously-revealing his real personality
through every sentence he has written. And what a grand personality
it is! In this sense, this book is indeed a real autobiography.
We see in him, through his writings, that outstanding trait of his:
the passion to help all-small and great, learned and unlearned-to realise,
each in his own humble and limited way, that he is heir to the supreme
bliss that pervades the entire universe, the bliss "from which all this
(what we see as the world) has come, by which it is sustained and into
which it merges." We see in him the unceasing endeavour to transform
little natures into noble beings so that they may easily get over their
different forms of bondage and live for ever in the eternal abode of
bliss which is their birthright as the children of God.
(Sri N.C. Ghosh)
The Yoga-Vedanta Forest University, Shivanandanagar, has done India
a signal service in giving us this fine autobiography of a great savant.
Being an original product of Swamiji's genius, the book combines a searching
analysis of his experiences with a depth of sincerity that at once carries
conviction. The whole book is instinct with the prophetic vision of
a seer, a man of Self-realisation, and the expression is so lucid and
poetical that quite a new life has been breathed into the dry bones
of philosophical discussion, and that too on the most abstruse subject
ever known.
Now the cultural heritage of India is glorified with the presentation
of the inspiring life-story of Paramahamsa Swami Sivananda. It will
do incalculable good to the whole world as it has in its characteristics
many things unprecedented in other biographies. The Master's pen gives
us an insight into his own personality, hints on practical spirituality,
and an idea of the great spiritual heritage of India. It also provides
us with a basis for universal understanding and sympathy, and a fascinating
story of the foundation of the Divine Life Society, its subsequent development
and the activities of this divine mission.
Amid the din and bustle of this atomic era, a spiritual institution
like the Divine Life Society is almost a paradox. Its expression of
the infinite Spirit through a limited medium of philanthropic work and
aesthetic culture is putting a stop to the downhill trend of many features
of modern civilisation. It is not easy for the general public to have
sufficient opportunities to get first-hand knowledge of the diverse
activities of this institution and its illustrious Founder-President.
In these circumstances this book will be found extremely handy and valuable.
Within its short compass, the learned author has compressed much useful
information on divine life and opened up a perspective that grips the
attention of the reader to the end. He has described from his direct
experience some incidents and events of his own life which are at once
miraculous and instructive. Readers of a religious bent of mind all
over the world will derive immense delight from the book, as it is a
treasure of practical lessons for spiritual uplift.
The author brings out the essential features of India's spiritual culture
for the common run of readers who, being steeped in worldliness but
yet aspiring to walk the way of divine life, are unable or have no time
to dive into the profundities of the great books like the Vedas.
In a word, the book is a portrayal, however partial, of the Divinity
whom the devotee should love and worship and cherish in his purified
heart, and as such it is destined to awaken an aspiration for spiritual
Sadhana in the reader.
For the benefit of mankind Swamiji has tried to make the book helpful
to all aspirants, giving a lot of information on the practical side
of Sadhana. This autobiography gives a vivid picture of how his great
heart bled for the suffering millions in India and abroad, and also
what his plan was for the uplift of his motherland and the restoration
of her past glory. If our young men wish to win the respect and admiration
of the world let them draw inspiration from the wonderful life of Swami
Sivanandaji, who is not only a seer and the greatest torch-bearer of
Vedanta in the East, but the very personification of all that is great
and noble in life. The magic personality of Swamiji, his vitality and
endurance are wonderfully portrayed here. Written in chaste English
and replete with soul-stirring incidents, this autobiography is sure
to captivate the mind of the reader.
His novel and revolutionary methods of training his disciples which
are depicted in this book shed a flood of light on our spiritual life
also. Christ once said: "He that followeth me shall walk in darkness,
but shall have the Light of life." The contemplative saint who has written
this book throws light-well-focussed and going to manifold transformations-on
the various aspects of Truth, which is unity. We are full of admiration
for Swamiji. He is riding on the surging waves of popularity because
the deepest truths of the profoundest philosophy have been so well blended
with a stimulating story and written in such sweet and simple style
that even the beginner can assimilate the lessons. The devotee, the
Jnani, the Karma Yogi and others will immensely enjoy this book which
is a mine of gold to introduce them to a new world of delight and ecstasy.
They will have the one thing that is needful.
When Sivananda speaks, the world listens. His resplendent personality
and pristine perspective, brilliant intellect and all-compassionate
disposition coupled with his impetuous fervour to uplift mankind have
made him a veritable God-man.
Swamiji says: "To raise the fallen, to lead the blind, to share what
I have with others, to bring solace to the afflicted, to cheer up the
suffering, to love my neighbour as my own Self, to protect cows, animals,
women and children-these are my aims and ideals. I will help you and
guide you. I live to serve you all. I live to make you all happy. This
body is meant for service."
This is his thrilling message to the people of this atomic age Swamiji
has, by years of arduous work, created a new world-"Ananda Kutir" or
the "abode of bliss"-for the quick spiritual progress of all types of
seekers after Truth, suitable to various tastes, temperaments and stages
of evolution. Spiritual truth is eternal, but it has to be restated
and redemonstrated in a human life in order that it may be a living
and shining example before all of us. Swamiji's life is one of long
stillness of prayer perfectly blended with dynamic activity through
selfless service. The story is one of strenuous spiritual endeavour
and service in the cause of suffering humanity often in the face of
great trials. The supreme devotion and efficient organising capacity
of his worthy disciples on whom has descended the Grace of the Master
have amazed everyone who has paid a visit to Swamiji's Ashram. It may
be said without any hesitation that Swamiji's mission is well on its
way to becoming a world-force.
The story of Paramahamsa Sivananda's life is a study of religion in
practice. Swamiji has astonished the world by the versatility of his
genius, by the many-sidedness of his faculties and by the contributions,
innumerable and diverse in character, which he has made to the world.
Having attained realisation he has striven to impart the benefit of
the citadel of Truth. The Siddha Jnanis, of whom there are great examples
in human history, are personages like Lord Buddha, Jesus Christ, Ramakrishna
Paramahamsa and others. Swami Sivananda himself, judging from the work
he is doing, exemplifies the ideal type of Siddha Jnani.
It is the job of India to change the way of the world through her spirituality.
India's true mission is to deliver her spiritual message to the world.
The times need a change of heart. We wanted freedom because we thought
that we had certain truths to preach, certain messages which were good
not only for India, but for the whole world. India should achieve her
true and noble mission by disseminating this message. In that mission,
God-intoxicated men like Swami Sivananda are giving us the real lead.
If India in bondage needed a Gandhi to lead her to freedom, resurgent
India needs a Sivananda to make her conscious of her precious heritage
and resume her spiritual mission.
Never was a man like him needed more urgently than today when the world,
armed to the teeth with atomic weapons, hovers over the brink of a suicidal
war. He is, as it were, a link between heaven and earth, and if anybody
can contribute substantially to the peace and spiritual uplift of mankind,
it is certainly Sivananda.
Even though there is poverty and misery in India, Indians are happy
because they still have illustrious living saints like Swami Sivananda
who in his clarion call asks us to seek the happiness of the soul and
not material enjoyment. He is a saint of international outlook and is
one of the pioneers who have brought the Yoga practices from the seclusion
of the monastery within the reach of the common man. He is not lost
in meditative contemplation to see the Unknown. He is a saint for the
masses and has come down amongst us with a mission to show the truth
in falsehood, to throw light on darkness and to establish immortality
in this mortal world. In a word, he is the modern world-prophet. Just
go to the Sivananda Ashram and get a thorough physical, mental and spiritual
overhaul-the picturesque Ashram in Rishikesh at the foot of the majestic
Himalayas with the Ganga in the foreground and the Visvanath Mandir
in the background, flanking the colony of saints who, under the divine
leadership of Sadguru Sivananda Maharaj, live and work for the welfare
of humanity.
The Divine Life Society was established by His Holiness in 1936 and
it exists today to serve mankind by the dissemination of spiritual knowledge
and by training spiritual aspirants in Yoga and Vedanta in the Yoga-Vedanta
Forest University. I humbly draw the attention of the world to this
living saint and sage who is ever ready to extend his helping hand to
every sincere seeker after Truth. His is a unique institution in that
it is the great gift of a divine being who, paradoxically, combines
in himself the cosmic consciousness of a sage, the dynamism of an enterprising
industrialist, the daring of an adventurer, and a novel and refreshingly
new approach to religious life. Therefore, it beautifully blends the
essentials of the different ways of viewing and approaching God.
The two epoch-making events in Swami Sivanandaji's life are his All-India
Ceylon Tour in 1950, and the Parliament of Religions convened by him
in 1953. The warm reception that His Holiness received everywhere during
his tour is not at all surprising. He held discourses at several universities
and learned bodies, speaking mainly on universal peace and the message
of Hindu philosophy. He won the respect of everyone who heard him because
of his vast knowledge and his thought-provoking remarks.
A new chapter opened at Sivananda Ashram on April 3rd, 1953, a blessed
day for India, when the Parliament of Religions was inaugurated. Indeed,
it was for the first time in the history of this country that such a
congregation of distinguished men and women from different parts of
the world took place on the soil of India. This Parliament will, no
doubt, be appraised by the world's philosophers and other intellectuals
as one of the greatest achievements of the twentieth century.
Human language is an altogether inadequate vehicle to express supersensory
perception. The reader will find mentioned in this work many visions
and experiences that fall outside the ken of physical science and even
psychology. With the development of modern knowledge the borderline
between the natural and the supernatural is ever shifting. Genuine mystical
experiences are not as suspect now as they were half a century ago.
The words of Swami Sivananda have already exerted a tremendous influence
in the land of his birth. Savants of Europe have found in his words
the ring of universal truth. But these words are not the product of
intellectual cogitation; they are rooted in direct experience. Hence,
to students of religion, psychology and physical science, these experiences
of the Master are of immense value for an understanding of religious
phenomena in general.
In the spiritual firmament Swami Sivananda is a waxing crescent. He
is a living embodiment of godliness and his message has spread across
land and sea. There already exists a network of the branches of the
Divine Life Society throughout India and abroad. Thousands have found
solace in his teachings and experienced the miraculous powers of Swamiji
ward off evils on their material and spiritual paths. The lofty ideals
of peace and harmony which His Holiness exemplifies in his life have
today become the watchwords of a world institution like the United Nations
Organisation. He is being recognized as a compeer of Krishna, Buddha
and Christ.
Service of humanity has been his one burning passion and this he has
sought to fulfil by every means possible. The world-renowned Yoga-Vedanta
Forest University has published over two hundred of his books on various
subjects of absorbing interest but this book is their monumental epic,
dwarfing all previous publications. It is indeed a true picture of Indian
culture, tradition and dignity. In their breadth and depth they are
unique. Great spiritual truths are here described in simple words and
vivid stories, and the conflicts of religions are here solved in the
light of direct experience. In those pages every man, whatever his religious
creed, will find courage, faith, hope and illumination. Swamiji's life
is a laboratory of religious experiment and his message is a silent
force animating the national life of India. It is the precursor of a
new age of light and understanding for the whole world.
Attracted by his irresistible spiritual power, hosts of people-men
and women, young and old, educated and illiterate, agnostic and orthodox-have
flocked to him. All have felt the radiation of his spirit and are uplifted
in his presence. His love knows no barriers of race, colour or creed,
and he gives without stint to all who seek him.
I am sure all pilgrims on earth will find the necessary "elixir divine"
in the following pages at a time when it is so much needed in this materialism-ridden
world. This book carries a message of inspiration for every day in the
year and each message will leave a lasting impression on the reader's
mind and may be a turning point in his life.
CHAPTER ONE
On this blessed earth from which alone one can strive for and obtain
Mukti, in which even Devas wish and have to be born for getting their
final beatitude, appear, from time to time, some rare great Mahatmas,
whose sole object of existence is to radiate love, light, joy and mercy
all around, to serve the poor and the helpless, to bring solace to the
forlorn and the depressed, to uplift the ignorant, to disseminate spiritual
knowledge among the people and to bring unalloyed felicity and happiness
to suffering humanity. These are the Saints and Sages, Arhats and Buddhas,
Fakirs and Bhagavatas, Swamis and Yogins who have adorned this earth,
at different times and in different climes. The Bhagavad Gita says:
"Having attained to the worlds of the pure doing and having dwelt there
for immemorial years, he who fell from Yoga is reborn in a pure and
blessed house. Or he may be born in a family of wise Yogins; but such
a birth as that is most difficult to obtain in this world." (Chap. VI-41,
42)
Sri Appaya Dikshitar was one such. I have had the privilege to be born
in such a great saint's family. Sri Appaya Dikshitar was born in Adaipalam
near Arni, North Arcot District.
Sri Appaya Dikshitar, one of the greatest names in the annals of South
India, is the reputed author of more than 104 works, embracing the various
branches of knowledge in the Sanskrit language. The height of his intellectual
eminence is evidenced by his works on Vedanta and all the Schools of
Vedanta have drawn inspiration from his unique and unrivalled works.
Of his Vedanta works, the 'Chaturmatasarasangraha' is justly famous
for the scrupulous fairness with which he has expounded the tenets of
the four great schools, Dvaita, Visishtadvaita, Siva-advaita and Advaita,
respectively in his 'Nyayamuktavali', 'Nyamayukhamalika', 'Nyayamanimala',
and 'Nyayamanjari' (which together form the Chaturmatasarasangraha).
In almost all the branches of Sanskrit literature, poetry, rhetoric,
philosophy, he was peerless not only among his contemporaries but even
among scholars of several decades before and after him. 'Kuvalayananda'
is generally regarded as one of the best works on rhetoric. His poems
in praise of Siva are great favourites with worshippers of Siva. He
has also written a learned commentary, entitled 'Parimala', on the Vedanta;
it is a unique monument of philosophic erudition.
Sri Appaya Dikshitar's was a mighty intellect. Great is the reverence
paid to him even now. He was equally revered in his own days. Once he
went to a village, which was the birthplace of his wife. A grand reception
was accorded to him by the villagers who were proud of calling him as
one of themselves. There was a great excitement: "The Great Dikshitar
is coming to us." The distinguished guest-Dikshitar-was greeted by crowds
of people who flocked to have a sight of the great "Lion of Vedanta."
An old dame, curious to a degree, came out, staff in hand, to see the
"phenomenon." With the freedom that is conceded to her age, she made
her way easily through the crowd and looked at Sri Appaya steadily for
some minutes. Dim recollections of a known face floated in her mind.
She mused I have seen this face somewhere and suddenly cried out, "Wait,
O yes, are you not the husband of Achcha?" The great scholar confirmed
her surmise with a smile. The good lady was disappointed; with her face
and spirits fallen, she retraced her steps homewards remarking: "What
ado they make, why it is only Achcha's husband! Sri Appaya summarised
a world of wisdom when he perpetuated the incident in a half verse-'Asmin
Grame Achcha Prasiddha'-In this village name and precedence are
Achcha's.
Sri Appaya is considered by many to be an Avatara of Lord Siva. When
he went to Tirupati temple, in South India, the Vaishnavas refused him
admission, as he was a Saiva. But, lo! In the morning the Vishnu Murti
was found to have changed into the form of Siva. The Mahant was astounded
and, begging Dikshitar's pardon, prayed to him to change the Murti again
into Vishnu, which needless to say, the great saint did.
Sri Dikshitar lived in the middle of the 16th century. He was a great
rival of Panditaraja Jagannatha in the field of poetry. He had no independent
views on the doctrinal side of Sankara-Vedanta but carried on fierce
controversies with the followers of Vallabha at Jaypore and other places.
His 'Siddhantalesha' is the most admirable digest of the doctrinal differences
among the followers of Sankara. He was one among the greatest spiritual
luminaries India has ever produced. Though a detailed account of his
life-history is lacking, his works remain as sufficient testimony to
his greatness.
Pattamadai is a lovely place with green paddy fields and mango groves
all around; it is ten miles away from Tinnevelly Junction (in Tamil
Nadu). A beautiful canal from Tambraparni known as Kanadiankal encircles
Pattamadai like a garland just as Sarayu or Kaveri encircles Ayodhya
or Srirangam. Tambraparni is known as Dakshina Ganga (Southern Ganga).
As it passes through rocky beds which contain copper; it has the significant
name, Tambraparni (Tambra means copper). The water is very sweet
and health-giving. Pattamadai is famous as the place where the finest
grass mats are made. People greatly admire the silk-like mat exhibited
at the Sivananda Regalia.
My father Sri P.S. Vengu Iyer of Pattamadai, was descended from Sri
Appaya Dikshitar. He was the Tahsildar (revenue officer) of Ettiapuram
Estate. He was a virtuous pure soul, a Siva-Bhakta and a Jnani. He was
worshipped by the Rajah Sahib of Ettiapuram and the public at large.
People used to say: "Vengu Iyer is a Mahan, a Maha Purusha." Justice
Subramania Iyer was his classmate and had the greatest regard for him.
He used to shed tears profuse-Ananda-bhashpam-whenever he uttered:
"Sivoham, Sivoham." His grandfather was a big Zamindar of Pattamadai.
He was known as Pannai Subbier. Pannaiar means a landlord or Zamindar.
At Pattamadai there is an excellent High School, founded and then conducted
by the erudite scholar, late Ramasesha Iyer, B.A., L.T. Another important
feature of this place is that all children of the soil of Pattamadai
have a good ear for music and can sing well. Pattamadai has produced
many eminent musicians.
I was born to Srimati Parvati Ammal and P.S. Vengu Iyer, as their third
son, on Thursday the 8th September, 1887, at the time of sunrise, when
the Star Bharani was in ascendance. My elder brother, Sri P.V. Veeraraghava
Iyer, was the personal assistant to the Rajah of Ettiapuram. My other
brother, Sri P.V. Sivarama Iyer, was an Inspector of Post Offices. My
uncle Appaya Sivam was a great Sanskrit Scholar. He was much revered
by the people in Tinnevelly District. He has written many philosophical
books in Sanskrit. Kuppuswamy was the name given to me by my parents.
In my youth I brought flowers and Bael leaves and prepared beautiful
garlands and served my parents in their Siva Pooja.
Born in the family of devotees, saints and philosophers as a pet child,
I was brought up carefully by my parents and received very good training.
People used to admire my wonderful physique, well-developed chest and
sinewy arms. The Rajah of Ettiapuram was all admiration for my well-developed
body, my good manners and habits. I was bold, courageous, carefree and
amiable by nature. In former days, especially in villages, there was
no room for developing any evil habit at all. The environment and atmosphere
were highly favourable for progress in education and culture. I was
unusually active as a boy and had a highly pushing nature.
Even now I clearly remember, that when Lord Ampthill, the then Governor
of Madras, came to Kurumalai Hills in 1901 for hunting, I was chosen
to read the Welcome Address. I also sang a beautiful Welcome Song in
English at the station platform of Kumarapuram, next to Koilpatti Railway
Station. In the School Annual Prize Distribution, I used to get a lot
of books as presents. Once I got the Globe Edition of Shakespeare and
Macaulay's Speeches and Writings. I passed my Matriculation Examination
in 1903 from the Rajah's High School, Ettiapuram. Then I joined the
S.P.G. College, Trichinopoly, of which the Rev. H. Packenham Walsh was
then Principal, who is now a Bishop.
I was interested in dramatic performances in the College. In 1905,
when the Midsummer Night's Dream of Shakespeare was staged in the College,
I played the part of Helena. I passed the Madurai Tamil Sangam examination
creditably. I chose the medical course and ran a Medical Journal, Ambrosia,
at Trichinopoly, for three years. I was very ambitious and enthusiastic.
I was a tremendously industrious boy in the school. During my studies
at the Tanjore Medical Institute, I never used to go home in holidays.
I would spend the entire period in the hospital. I had free admission
into the operation theatre. I would run about here and there and acquire
knowledge of surgery which only a senior student would possess. An old
Assistant Surgeon had to appear for a departmental test; he used to
make me read his text books for him. This enabled me to compete with
the senior students in theoretical proficiency. I was first in all subjects.
I had heard of an enterprising assistant in the Mannargudi Hospital.
I wanted to become like him. With all humility I may mention that I
possessed greater knowledge than many doctors with covetable degrees.
At home my mother and brothers would persuade me to take up some work
in some other line, but I was adamant in my resolve to stick to the
medical line, as I had a great liking for it. All my leisure hours were
spent in studying all kinds of medical books.
In the first year of my study in the Medical School I could answer
papers which the final year student could not. I topped the class in
all subjects. I studied Osler's medicine with Dr. Tirumudiswami in my
first year. That was a rare privilege for me. Lt.-Col. Hazel Wright,
I.M.S. loved me. Dr. Jnanam admired me as an ornament of the Institution.
Even during holidays, I worked in the Hospital and learnt many new lessons.
I hit upon a plan that I should start a medical journal. I soon worked
out the details. I got from my mother one hundred rupees for the initial
expenses. I used to approach Ayurvedic physicians for articles on Ayurveda.
I myself used to write articles on various themes and publish them in
the "Ambrosia" under different pseudonyms.
The Magazine quickly gained popularity soon after its inception in
1909. Distinguished contributors started contributing for it. Once my
mother wanted to celebrate some festival and was in need of about one
hundred and fifty rupees to meet the expenses. I was ready with this
sum.
The "Ambrosia" journal was successfully run for four years until I
sailed for Malaya. It was of demi-quarto size, thirty-two pages each
issue, and was quite beautifully got up. The material that its contents
presented to the reader every month was attractive and highly useful
to all medical practitioners. A significant spiritual touch could be
felt in the pages of the "Ambrosia." Unlike other medical journals,
the entire outlook was based on the teachings of the sages of yore.
Spirituality was ingrained in me even in my youth.
I was not satisfied with the running of the journal. I wanted to take
up some job, with a view to maintain myself and to stabilise the journal.
I, therefore, left Trichinopoly and went to Madras to join Dr. Haller's
Pharmacy. Here I had to manage the accounts, dispense medicines and
attend on the patients. Very hard work I had to do. I would finish all
these, and yet find time to continue the editorial and circulation work
of the "Ambrosia." I brought the old copies from Trichinopoly and despatched
them to high officials and people of distinction in order to enlist
their support. I resolved to seek a better position somewhere else.
Finally, I decided to try my luck in the Straits Settlements of Malaya,
and wrote to a friend, Dr. Iyengar who had his establishment next to
Dr. Haller sometime ago and later settled in Singapore. I wrote to Dr.
Iyengar that I was planning to go to Malaya. I left Madras by S.S. "Tara."
I was unaccustomed to such long travels. I had no idea of the food
I was to take on the way, of what preparations I was to make to begin
my Career in Malaya, and how much money was needed. I packed my things
and did not forget to take a good consignment of sweets which my mother
lovingly prepared for me. I belonged to an orthodox family and was frightened
to take the non-vegetarian food on board the ship and so I carried a
good quantity of sweets. In youth I liked immensely sweet preparations.
Throughout the voyage, I managed to live with the sweets and drank plenty
of water. Being unaccustomed to this diet, I reached Singapore almost
half dead!
It was a bold adventurous bid to throw oneself on the high seas of
uncertainty. I had no money to fall back upon in case of a reverse in
my expectations. However, I had tremendous hopes and took a plunge to
test the mettle of my destiny. Strength of will and a fiery determination
played a lot in moulding my life and spiritual career. No easy-going
prospect was awaiting me in the distant swamps of Malaya, as I was altogether
unknown and friendless, with no financial safeguard whatsoever. I had
to start from the very scratch and encounter disappointing setbacks
in the beginning. But the later events turned out much in my favour
and I felt my position secure.
Immediately after disembarking I went to the residence of Dr. Iyengar.
He gave me a letter of introduction to an acquaintance of his, Dr. Harold
Parsons, a medical practitioner in Seremban, the capital of Negri Sembilan.
When I reached Seremban, I found that Dr. Parsons was absent. By this
time, the little money I had was spent away. I was highly optimistic
about my getting a job. Dr. Parsons himself did not need an assistant.
I was able to impress this physician in such a manner that he took me
to Mr. A.G. Robins, the Manager of a nearby Rubber Estate which had
its own hospital.
Fortunately for me, Mr. A.G. Robins was just then in need of an assistant
to work in the Estate Hospital. He was a terrible man with a violent
temper, a giant figure, tall and stout. He asked me: 'Can you manage
a hospital all by yourself?' I replied: 'Yes. I can manage even three
hospitals.' I was appointed at once. I had been told by a local Indian
resident that I ought not to accept, in accordance with their policy,
anything less than a hundred dollars a month. Mr. Robins agreed to give
me one hundred and fifty dollars to start with.
The doctor who was in charge of the Estate Hospital had just then left.
Moreover, I was told that he was not very competent. I quickly acquired
a good knowledge of the hospital equipment and the stock of medicines,
and found myself absorbed in the job. Here again hard work awaited me.
I had to dispense medicines, in addition to keeping accounts and personally
attending on patients as I did for Dr. Haller in Madras. Unusual handicaps
began to tell upon me and I felt like resigning the job after some time,
but Mr. A.G. Robins did not allow me to go.
Later on, when I was in Johore Medical Office, my assistants used to
take too much advantage of my kindness and leniency and were super-lethargic
in their duties. I had to do all their work as well. There I could not
even complain of overwork lest my employer should be harsh towards them.
The problem of my overwork was never solved in Malaya, still I continued
in the same job.
I served in the Estate Hospital near Seremban for nearly seven years,
after which I joined the Johore Medical Office, Ltd., at the instigation
of Dr. Parsons who had by then returned from war service. I served in
Johore for three years before renouncing the world.
In Malaya I came in direct contact with hundreds of the poor natives
and indentured labourers as well as the local citizens. I learnt the
Malaya language and conversed with the natives in their own tongue.
I served the workers of the estate nicely and endeared myself to them
all. I gained the esteem of the employer and the employee alike. I was
always fond of service. This moment I would be in the hospital; and
the very next moment in some poor patient's house to attend on him and
his family. Dr. Parsons who was a visiting physician to the estate hospital,
loved me very much. I used to assist him in his private work also. Off
and on I gave my earnings to help friends and the patients. I even went
to the extent of pawning some of my own valuables.
I was a friend of both the management as well as the labourers. If
the scavengers went on strike, the estate manager would come only to
me. I would somehow run about here and there and bring them back to
work. In addition to my own work, I would go about visiting other hospitals
and acquire special knowledge in bacteriological and other subjects.
There was not a single available English medical book at that time
that I had not read and digested. In addition to all this I would help
my assistants too and train them for sometime daily, and then send them
to other hospitals with a recommendation letter, providing from my pocket
their railway fare as well as some emergency money. Soon I became well-known
in Seremban and Johore Bahru. The Bank Manager would oblige me at any
time even on holidays, by honouring my cheques. I became everybody's
friend through my sociable disposition and service. I got rapid promotions
and with that my salary and private practice increased by leaps and
bounds. All this was not achieved in a single day. It meant very hard
work, unflagging tenacity, strenuous effort and indomitable faith in
the principles of goodness and virtue and their practical application
in my daily life.
During my career in Malaya, I contributed many articles on 'Public
Health' to "Malaya Tribune," Singapore.
I specialised in microscopical study and Tropical Medicine. Subsequently
I moved to Johore Bahru, near Singapore, to join Drs. Parsons and Green
and lived there for three years. Doctors Parsons, Green, Garlik and
Glenny complimented me as highly competent for the medical profession
and admired me for my agile, nimble and efficient nature. I was happy,
cheerful and contented. I carefully attended on all patients. I never
demanded fee from my clients. I felt happy when they were free from
disease and trouble. To serve people and to share what I have is my
inborn nature.
I used to cheer up people with my wit and humour, and elevate the sick
with loving and encouraging words. The sick persons at once felt a new
health, hope, spirit, vigour and vitality. Everywhere people declared
that I had a special gift from God for the miraculous cure effected
in the patients and acclaimed me as a very kind and sympathetic doctor
with a charming and majestic personality. In serious cases I used to
keep vigil at night. In the company of the sick, I understood their
feelings and endeavoured to relieve their sufferings.
I became a Member of the Royal Institute of Public Health (M.R.I.P.H.),
London, a Member of the Royal Asiatic Society (M.R.A.S.), London, and
an Associate of Royal Sanitary Institute (A.R.San.I.), London. During
my stay in Malaya, I published some medical books such as "Household
Remedies," "Fruits and Health" "Diseases and their Tamil Terms," "Obstetric
Ready-Reckoner," "Fourteen Lectures on Public Health." I gave shelter
to many people during their days of unemployment and gave them food
and clothing and fixed them up in one office or another.
I was liberal in my views. The spirit of Sannyasa was ingrained in
me. Crookedness, diplomacy, double-dealing, are not known to me. I was
very candid, straightforward, simple and open-hearted. I trained many
young persons in the Hospital where I worked and fixed them up in various
Estate Hospitals. I spent all my energy and time in relieving human
sufferings by serving the poor and the sick, day and night, with a sympathetic
heart. This kind of selfless service gave me purification of heart and
mind, and led me to the spiritual path.
In my youth I had a great liking for high class dress, collection of
curious and fancy articles of gold, silver and sandalwood. Sometimes
I used to purchase various kinds of gold rings and necklaces and wear
them all at a time. When I entered shops, I never used to waste any
time in selection. I gathered all that I saw. I did not like haggling
and bargaining. I paid the shopkeepers' bills without any scrutiny.
Even now, whenever I enter a book-shop, I purchase a lot of books and
add them to the Forest University Library for the benefit of the students
in the Ashram.
I had many hats, but never wore them. Sometimes I used my felt cap
and the Silk Turban like a Rajput Prince. I prepared my own food for
a long period. Biking was my best exercise. I entertained guests and
served them with great love and devotion. Malaya was a land of temptation,
but nothing could tempt me. I was as pure as a crystal and did my daily
worship, prayers, study of scriptures. I used to conduct Nandan Charitram
and played on Harmonium and sang Bhajans and Kirtans. Even in Malaya
I practised Anahat Laya Yoga and Svara Sadhana.
"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 this earth-plane, with various
kinds of diseases, anxieties, worries, fear and disappointments! The
world of names and forms is constantly changing. Time is fleeting. All
hopes of happiness in this world terminate in pain, despair and sorrow."
Such were the thoughts constantly rising in my mind. The doctor's profession
gave me ample evidence of the sufferings of this world. For a Vairagi
who has a sympathetic heart, the world is full of pain. True and lasting
happiness cannot be found merely in gathering wealth. With the purification
of heart through selfless service, I had a new vision. I was deeply
convinced that there must be a place-a sweet home of pristine glory
and purity and divine splendour-where absolute security, perfect peace
and lasting happiness can be had through Self-realisation.
I frequently remembered the Sruti Vakya: "Yadahareva Virajet Tadahareva
Pravrajet-The day on which one gets Vairagya, that very day one
should renounce the world." I constantly thought of: "Sravanartham
Sannyasam Kuryat-For hearing the Srutis, one should take Sannyasa."
The words of scriptures have great value. I gave up the life of ease,
comfort and luxury, and reached India in search of an ideal centre for
purposes of prayer and contemplation, study and a higher form of service
to the whole world.
In 1923, I renounced the life of ease and money-making and took to
the life of a mendicant, a true seeker after Truth. I left my luggage
in Malaya with a friend. A School Master in Malaya who came to the Ashram
in 1939 told me: "Mr. S. is still keeping all your articles intact,
awaiting your return!"
From Singapore, I reached Banaras and had Darshan of Lord Siva. Then
I proceeded to Nasik, Poona and other important religious centres. From
Poona I walked to Pandarpore, a distance of seventy miles. On my way
I stayed for a couple of days in the Ashram of Yogi Narayan Maharaj
at Khedgaon. Then I spent some four months in Dhalaj on the banks of
Chandrabhaga. During my incessant travels, I learnt how to adjust and
adapt myself to various types of people.
I learnt a lot from the lives of Yogins, Mahatmas and great men. The
spirit of service ingrained in me enabled me to lead a smooth life of
peace everywhere. The life of a mendicant during pilgrimage helped me
to develop in a great measure Titiksha (forbearance), equal vision and
a balanced state of mind in pleasure and pain. I met many Mahatmas and
learnt wonderful lessons. On some days I had to go without food and
walk mile after mile. With a smile, I faced all hardships.
Mahatmas and devotees go on pilgrimage and visit sacred places as a
part of spiritual Sadhana. They have different objects in view. Mahatmas
come in contact with sincere devotees at various centres and impart
their knowledge and experiences, and guide them. They select suitable
places for meditation where they find inspiration and facility for intense
Sadhana. They clear the doubts of the householders, give their blessings
and guide them. Devotees who take to pilgrimage get Darshan of Mahatmas
and have their doubts cleared. They receive inspiration by seeing holy
men and sacred places and develop various kinds of divine qualities
by mixing with various types of people. They are trained to adopt a
simple living and bear hardships.
There are some who spend their entire life in pilgrimage by wandering
frequently from Kadirkamam (in Ceylon) to Mount Kailas (in Tibet), Puri
to Dwaraka, Amarnath (in Kashmir) to Allahabad, Banaras to Rameswaram.
I have seen many persons repenting in old age that they had so wasted
their youth in such a wandering life. I led the life of a wandering
monk, just for a short period, in search of my Guru and of a suitable
place charged with spiritual vibrations, for s
