Swami Sivananda Saraswati: The Yoga Guru Who Inspired Generations

Swami Sivananda Saraswati, a famous yoga teacher who received the Padma Shri award for his work, passed away on Sunday at the age of 128 in Varanasi. He was born on August 8, 1897, in what is now Bangladesh. Tragically, he lost both of his parents when he was just 6 years old. After their last rites, he moved to an ashram in Nabadwip, West Bengal, where he was cared for by Guru Omkaranand Goswami. Although he never attended school, he learned many practical and spiritual lessons about life and yoga.

Throughout his life, Swami Sivananda helped between 400 and 600 beggars suffering from leprosy by visiting them in their homes. In 2019, he received the Yoga Ratna Award in Bengaluru, and in 2022, he was honored with the Padma Shri award by President Ram Nath Kovind for his contributions to yoga. People reported that he had been attending the Maha Kumbh Mela, a major religious festival, for the last 100 years.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath shared his sadness over Swami Sivananda’s passing. He praised the yoga guru for his great contributions, saying, “It is extremely sad to lose Kashi’s renowned yoga teacher, Padma Shri Swami Shivanand. Your life and practice of yoga inspire all of us. You dedicated yourself to teaching yoga. I pray for strength for your followers during this difficult time.”