Sivananda Saraswati’s Birth Anniversary: Lesser-Known Facts About Him

Sivananda Saraswati, popularly known as Swami Sivananda was a Hindu spiritual leader and also a renowned Vedanta and Yoga teacher. Born on 8 September 1887 in Tamil Nadu, he studied medicine and also served in the British Raj as a physician. Later he gave up his medical practice and embraced monasticism. On his birth anniversary, we are here to tell you some interesting things about him. Scroll down the article to read more about him.

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1. Swami Saraswati was born as Kuppuswamy in the early morning in Pattamadai village in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu.

2. His parents were Sri P.S Vengu Iyer (father), worked as a revenue officer and Smt. Parvati Ammal was a religious woman.

3. During his childhood days, he was quite active in gymnastics and academics. Later he studied in medical school in Tanjore.

4. He also ran Ambrosia, a medical journal while he studied medicine.

5. After graduating in medicine, he served as a physician in the British Malaya for ten years. He was known as the one who provided free medicines to poor people.

6. In the year 1923, he quit his medical practice and went ahead to walk on the path of spirituality.

7. In 1924, after his return to India, he went to Rishikesh and met his guru, Vishvananda Saraswati. Guru Saraswati then took him into the Sannyasa order and gave Kuppuswamy his monastic name i.e, Sivananda Saraswati.

8. Sivananda Saraswati then settled down in Rishikesh and became involved in strict and intense spiritual practices. While he practiced his austerity, he also treated the poor and needy people.

9. It was in 1927 when he started a charitable dispensary named Lakshman Jhula with the help of his insurance money.

10. He also travelled across the country and visited several religious places. He used to involve himself in deep meditation at those religious places. During this time, he came across many spiritual teachers and saints.

11. During his travels, he organised Sankirtan and also gave spiritual teachings during his travels.

12. In 1936, he founded the Divine Life Society on the banks of river Ganges.

13. On 14 July 1963, he died in his Kutir on the river banks of Ganges in Sivananda Nagar.

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