The Divine Life Society/Rishikesh/India; 1st edition (April 1, 2008)
Edition
Hardcover
Book description
This book gives the truth about the New Awakening in India and the truth about the Mission of Divine Life in the inspired words of the saintly originator himself.The absorbing narration of the tour undertaken by the Swamiji with a view to mass dissemination of spiritual knowledge,provides a happy revelation of the joyous fact that whatever be the surface confusions and agitations in the scene of India's external life,yet,deep within,her cultural heart is sound and alive. In these pages are revealed the heart of Sivananda through his invaluable,inspiring and extremely instructive percepts,lessons and teachings,showing the commonsense methods of self-perfection and attaining the life's highest goal,Self-realisation. Anyone wishing to lead the divine life of spiritual richness and selfless,unattached activity is sure to find the book invaluable.
About the Author
Born on the 8th September, 1887, in the noble family of Sage Appayya Dikshitar and several other renowned saints and savants, Sri Swami Sivananda had a natural flair for a life devoted to the study and practice of Vedanta. Added to this was an inborn eagerness to serve all and an innate feeling of unity with all mankind. Though born in an orthodox family, Swamiji was broad-minded and catholic, pious and devout.Born on the 8th September, 1887, in the noble family of Sage Appayya Dikshitar and several other renowned saints and savants, Sri Swami Sivananda had a natural flair for a life devoted to the study and practice of Vedanta. Added to this was an inborn eagerness to serve all and an innate feeling of unity with all mankind. Though born in an orthodox family, Swamiji was broad-minded and catholic, pious and devout. His passion for service drew him to the medical career; and soon he gravitated to those parts of the world which most needed his service. Malaya claimed him. He had also commenced editing a Health Journal and wrote extensively on health problems. He discovered he espoused it as his own mission. It was divine dispensation and the blessing of God upon mankind that the doctor of body an mind renounced his career and took to a life of renunciation to qualify himself for ministering to the soul of man. He settled down at Rishikesh in 1924, practised intense austerities and shone as a great Yogi, Saint, Sage and Jivanmukta. Swami Sivananda dressed to cloth himself, ate to live, and to serve humanity. A small dilapidated Kutir, not resorted to by others, and infested with scorpions protected him from rain and sun. With all his intense Tapas, Swamiji, did not neglect service of the sick. He visited the huts of the Sadhus with medicines, served them and shampooed their legs. He begged food on their behalf and fed them with his own hands when they fell sick. When necessary, he kept vigil throughout the night by the side of the bed of the ailing Sadhus. He served the pilgrims and saw Lord Narayana in them. Swamiji traveled the whole length and breadth of India during his Parivrajaka life. He conducted Sankirtan and delivered lectures. Swamiji, then, went on a trip to Kailas and Badri. He returned after the pilgrimage and started the Sivanand Ashram in the year 1932 on the right bank of the holy Ganga. In 1936 was born The Divine Life Society. He found and old Kutir, dilapidated and disused, which looked like an abandoned cowshed.
