Sivananda Swami.

Swami Sivananda Saraswati, born Kuppuswami, was a prominent Hindu spiritual teacher, yoga guru, and advocate of Vedanta. Initially trained as a physician, he practiced medicine in British Malaya for a decade before dedicating himself to monastic life and spiritual pursuits in India. He established the Divine Life Society in 1936, along with other organizations like the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy, and based his ashram near Rishikesh on the banks of the Ganges River. Sivananda authored a vast number of books, exceeding 200, covering yoga, Vedanta, and various spiritual topics. His teachings, often termed the Yoga of Synthesis, aimed to integrate different paths of yoga for broader accessibility. His influence extended globally through numerous disciples who founded their own spiritual organizations.

Born Kuppuswami in Tamil Nadu in 1887 to a religious family, he displayed early academic and athletic promise. He pursued medical studies, excelled, and even managed a medical journal. After graduating, Dr. Kuppuswami served as a physician in British Malaya for ten years, known for treating the poor without charge. However, he began to feel that medicine only addressed superficial ailments, prompting a deeper search for spiritual fulfillment. This internal shift led him to return to India in 1923 to embark on his spiritual journey.

Upon returning to India in 1924, Sivananda settled in Rishikesh and found his guru, Vishvananda Saraswati, who initiated him into the Sannyasa order. He engaged in rigorous spiritual practices and austerities for many years, also continuing to care for the sick by running a charitable dispensary. In 1936, he founded the Divine Life Society on the banks of the Ganges, dedicated to the free distribution of spiritual literature. He also established the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy and promoted his unique approach, the Yoga of Synthesis, which blended various yogic paths.

Sivananda was a prolific writer, authoring over 200 books on yoga and Vedanta, many of which are still available. He actively promoted his teachings, travelling extensively and utilizing modern methods to spread his message, earning the moniker 'Swami Propagandananda'. His teachings emphasized a holistic approach to yoga, integrating asanas, pranayama, meditation, and devotion. He also advocated for a strict lacto-vegetarian diet for moral and spiritual reasons. His legacy continues through his numerous disciples, many of whom established their own influential spiritual organizations worldwide.