Devotees gathered at Sivanandashram, Reservoir Hills for the morning Sadhana programme from 6am until 6.25am. Thereafter, all had Darshan at Sahaja Kutir and the Sivavananda-Sahajananda Diamond Jubilee Centre. There was Akhanda chanting from 5am until 5pm. Ganga Arati commenced at 5.30pm followed by Satsang, which comprised Pujya Swami Sahajananda’s audio message, Kirtans, Bhajans, a DVD presentation and a reading.
During the Satsang, the reading, entitled, “I am Born” from Autobiography of Swami Sivananda, traced the early life of the Master until his medical college days. Some of the excerpts follow herewith. “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 the Tirunelveli District. He has written many philosophical books in Sanskrit. Kuppuswamy was the name given to me by my parents.
“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 a tremendously industrious boy in the school. During my studies at the Tanjore Medical Institute, I never used to go home during the 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 to 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”.
Pujya Swami Sahajananda’s audio message was deep in meaning and knowledge. He drew a parallel between the Desert Fathers and our Hindu saints. The Desert Fathers did not hand down their knowledge and teachings to disciples as is the case with Hindu saints. The link between a Guru and disciple is stronger than filial bonds, and is difficult to be explained. This then is evident in the strong Guru-disciple link in the East. Sri Gurudev asked Swami Vishnudevananda to go to the West as there were Indian souls who have incarnated there, and that they were Indian souls in western bodies. In the case of Hindu disciples, “The homage that he pays to his Guru cannot be expressed in words”. The necessity of a Guru is paramount and “only direct experience will tell whether you need a Guru or not”. He also narrated the story of the mad Muslim boy who was cured by drinking water that was used to wash Papa Swami Ramdas’s Feet, given to the boy by Mother Krishnabai. Our love for the Guru is natural. A God-realised Guru is a tremendous being and “can give salvation to the whole world”. Pujya Swamiji paid homage to Sri Gurudev and all the great saints, and attested to the greatness of our Master and the Guru-disciple relationship.
In Sri Swami Sivananda’s message on Karma Yoga in the DVD, he said “half-hearted service is no service at all”. The Master emphasised that “the goal of life is God-realisation”, and that we should give the mind to God and hands to work. We should prepare the mind for Karma Yoga, as the mind will distract us as it expects something as a reward for our actions. The correct mental attitude is important in Karma Yoga. We should divinise all work, even in the workplace. He quoted the case of the butcher who realised God in his shop. He said that “selfishness is the bane of society and the root cause of human suffering”. The latter part of the DVD had a song by Sri Gurudev on the theme of Karma Yoga, and was a fitting conclusion to this potent and inspiring lesson.
The annual celebration of Sri Swami Sivananda’s birthday is not merely a commemoration of his birth, but a spiritual reminder and a call to live his teachings in our daily lives. For spiritual aspirants, this occasion is a beacon of inspiration. It urges us to re-dedicate ourselves to discipline, to deepen our meditation, to strengthen our devotion, and to cultivate the divine virtues that Sri Swami Sivananda so perfectly embodied: love, service, humility, and God-consciousness. For householders, this day carries a special message: he taught us that spirituality is not confined to the forest or the monastery, but it must flourish in the home and the workplace. Every act of love, patience, sacrifice and duty, when done in the spirit of service to God, becomes a form of worship. His birthday reminds us to infuse our family and work lives with higher values, to live simply, to give generously, and to bring harmony and devotion into our lives.
Let us not only celebrate Sri Swami Sivananda’s birthday with prayers and offerings, but let us resolve to live his immortal message: “Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realise”. By walking in his footsteps, we can all transform our lives into a radiant expression of divine joy and peace.
May the blessings of our beloved Sri Swami Sivananda guide and bless us always.
