The Divine Life Society works on different projects for the upliftment of poor and needy people. The society provides educational aid to the local poor children. The society also has Sivananda Charitable Hospital, serving poor patients. There is Sivananda Home, for homeless people, looking for a shelter.
About the founder, Swami Sivananda Saraswati:
Swami Sivanand ji was born in year 1887, in southern India. The young boy was named Kuppuswamy. His father was a great Shiva devotee and his mother was a God fearing lady. Kuppuswamy was born intelligent, and showed the signs of love and renunciation, right from his childhood. Kuppuswamy was a class topper and won prizes every year. Kuppuswamy went to Tanjore to study medicine. After his father passed away, Kuppaswamy got an opportunity to work in Singapore, being sympathetic towards poor, he used to give free treatment to poors.
During his youth he started reading the books of Swami Ramtirth, Swami Vivekananda, Bible among others. In year 1923, Dr Kuppuswamy left for India. After visiting India, he started his pilgrimage and visited places like Banaras, and often visited great mahatamas (self realized souls). In 1924, Dr Kuppuswamy reached Rishikesh, where he met his Guru - Sri Swami Visvananda Saraswati, who initiated Kuppuswamy into sanyas. It was his Guru, who renamed him to Swami Sivananda Saraswati.
Now Swami Sivanand ji’s spiritual journey actually started. He used to stay in a small hut, observed silence, and fasted. He used to stand for long time in river Ganga during winters to perform tapas. At the same time, he used to visit the huts of sadhus and served them. At this point, Swamiji entered nirvikalp Samadhi, thus ending his final spiritual destination.
Ashram Address:
THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
Hqrs, Rishikesh
P.O. Shivanandanagar -249 192,
District Tehri-Garhwal, Uttarakhand. India.
Phone: (91)-135-2430040 / 2431190
Fax: (91)-135-2442046
E-mail - generalsecretary@sivanandaonline.org
Website: http://www.sivanandaonline.org
