Concentration and meditation

Sri Swami Sivananda, belonging to the illustrious lineage of Appayya Dikshita, was born on 8th September 1887. After – a successful career as a doctor in Malaya, where his humanitarian service to the physically ill was amply recognized, he relinquished his profession and worldly pursuits; and propelled by the ineluctable momentum of the quest for the Absolute, nurtured and nourished from childhood, he reached Rishikesh in 1924. The intense Tapasya he undertook there burnished this incipient Yogi into an enlightened Master, a sage of modern times. Thus, the healer of the body now became the healer of souls.

The light of wisdom radiating -from Sri Swami Sivananda soon began to guide many seekers to the Holy Master’s feet. Their number became legion and Sivananda ashram (established 1932) and the Divine Life Society (established 1936) grew around him.

In his benevolent eagerness to share his wisdom with the world, Sri Swami Sivananda started a Jnana Yajna, his own prodigious efforts producing nearly 300 volumes on the philosophy and practice of ancient Indian culture. These volumes continue to inspire the seeker, wherever he is, with the invisible presence of the Master, his authentic experience imbuing each word with the sanctity of a scripture.