In 1948, Sri V. Srinivasan entered the Vedic Bookshop in Durban and picked up the book, Practise of Karma Yoga, written by the great Saint of India, Sri Swami Sivananda. The book sent a strange thrill through Srinivasan, for he knew that he had found the Guru he was searching for. Srinivasan began corresponding with the Master, Sri Swami Sivananda, and following his instructions.

In 1949, the Master instructed Srinivasan to start a branch of Divine Life Society. Thus began the saga of the Divine Life Society of South Africa. In 1956, the Master initiated Srinivasan into the holy order of Sannyas, with Swami Sahajananda being his monastic name. During his first visit to the Master in 1948, the only instruction received from the Master was "Learn to type and make tea." Years later, Swami Sahajananda understood that the Divine Master's cryptic words were pregnant with deep spiritual meaning. It meant dissemination of spiritual knowledge through his literature, and service of the underprivileged.

Swami Sahajananda followed these instructions diligently, and established state of the art printing presses for the dissemination of the Master's spiritual literature, and undertaking projects such as building schools, clinics, creches, children's homes, peace & skills training centres, etc. for the underprivileged in KwaZulu-Natal. Through the Grace of the Master, Pujye Swamiji also built beautiful Ashrams and spiritual centres (pictured above) that continue to nourish devotees and seekers with spiritual food. In Swami Sahajananda's own words, "We are not tired of reiterating that the formation, growth and present status of Divine Life Society of South Africa is due entirely to the Grace of our Master, Sri Swami Sivananda."