Swami Sivananda - A synthesizer par excellence

Swami Sivananda - A synthesizer par excellence

Swami Sivananda objectivity of a scientist, intuition of a clinician and compassion of the saint

The main glory of India is in her rishis and seers. Every century has witnessed one or more such seers who have served as channels for God’s divine wisdom over the years for the supreme welfare of the world. Swami Sivananda, a sage of Himalayas was one such mighty spiritual personality who continues to inspire aspirants round the globe. To offer prostrations to such a benefactor of mankind is tantamount to paying respects to unbroken spiritual lineage referred to as Guru or Sruti parampara.

Like Mahatma Gandhi, Swami Sivananda held that my life is my message and his autobiography is very lucid and full of subtle revelations leading to absolute truth analogous to my experiments with truth authored by Mahatma Gandhi. The life of great souls shows the right path to seekers and their wisdom teachings based on wholesome spiritual experiences serve as light on that path. Guru ever lives in form of his teachings and a true disciple obeys and not merely reveres his master.

Swami Sivananda was a personification of various ethical & spiritual values succinctly described as Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate and Realize in this ascending order in his own words. But most distinguishing characteristic of his life is that he was a synthesizer par excellence. His life was a radiant example of oneness of reality professed by the Upanishads. This absolute reality referred to asBrahman manifests as trinity of individual self, world and Iswara (Jiva, Jagat & Jagdish). Swami Sivananda beheld the one & non-dual reality as substratum in and through these three fold manifestations and could therefore become one with mankind, nature & Iswara.

He practiced & preached unity based on eternal unity of the Self. A synthesis was the logical & obvious outcome. He used to say that I like unity in all spheres of activity. He advocated yoga of synthesis based on four main spiritual paths for God realization – karma yoga, bhakti yoga, raja yoga & jnana yoga for the harmonious & integral development of body, heart mind & intellect that constitute composite human being.  In poetic expression he sang – ‘Excel in service, expand in love, advance in knowledge and realize the self”  Many modern saints like Swami Vivekananda advocate this integral yoga as it suits the modern times the most.

Swami Sivananda hailed unity of religions & ideal of brotherhood. He convened world parliament of religions in 1953 and branches of Divine life society have been carrying it forward. He gave rightful place to modern system of medicine (Allopathy), Homoeopathy & Ayurveda in his life. He studied modern medicine at Tanjore medical college; edited health magazine named ambrosia & served the poor farm laborers of malaya (now malaysia) with spirit of compassion & selfless service. Like Hahnemann, he cultivated a subtler vision that endeared him to homoeopathy and as shining representative of Indian culture he propagated Ayurveda as well in his books on health & hygiene & manufacture of Ayurvedic medicines.

He synthesized western & eastern philosophies, religion & spirituality, social & spiritual practices, yoga & vedanta, poetry & prose, English & Sanskrit,   art & science, object & subject in his creations.  He shared his intimate spiritual experiences in about 300 books on ethical and spiritual culture of India in an objective way relevant to the modern times. He had the objectivity of a scientist, intuition of a clinician and compassion of a saint   He communed with one & all, students, house holders, elders, businessman, professionals, reformers, saints & sages. This is because he wanted all of us to lead divine life and attain self-realization as the highest goal of human life. May it be so. Jai Sivananda.

Dr Jayant B Dave

This article was published with some modification in the Speaking Tree Column of The Times of India on 1.8.2013 

(The author is a member of board of management of The Divine Life Society Hqs and President trustee of DLS Vadodara branch)