The Divine Life Society (DLS) is a Hindu spiritual organization and an ashram, founded by Swami Sivananda Saraswati in 1936, at Muni Ki Reti, Rishikesh, India.[1] The Society has branches around the world, with its headquarters in Rishikesh.
Sivananda Kutir at Sivananda Ghat, and Sivananda Ashram above, RishikeshInterior of the Sivananda Samadhi temple, Muni Ki Reti, RishikeshSivananda Jhula Bridge across the Ganges at Muni Ki Reti, built in 1980s, close to Sivananda's kutir
In 1936, after returning from a pilgrimage, Swami Sivananda stayed in an old hut on the banks of the Ganges in Rishikesh. The King of Tehri Garhwal granted him a plot of land to construct the present day Shivanandashram.[D 1]Chidananda Saraswati served as president of the society from August 1963 to 28 August 2008, while Krishnananda Saraswati served as the General-Secretary of the Society in Rishikesh from 1958 until 2001.[D 2]
Sivananda's disciples have started independent organizations in Mauritius, the United States, Australia, Canada, Malaysia, South Africa, South America, and Europe.[2][3][D 3]
Vegetarianism
Sivananda insisted on a strict lacto-vegetarian diet for moral and spiritual reasons, arguing that "meat-eating is highly deleterious to health".[4][5][D 4][D 5] Divine Life Society thus advocates a vegetarian diet.[D 5]
Teachings
Sivananda outlined 20 spiritual instructions for people of any religion:[D 6]
Fast: Fast on Ekadashi or the appropriate days for one's religion
Japa Mala: Keep a rosary and chant at every opportunity
Observe Mouna: Be silent for a couple of hours daily
Discipline of Speech: Speak a little, what is true, and what is sweet
Be content: have mental detachment and share with others
Practice Love: control anger and serve the sick and poor
Be self-reliant
Have self-analysis: understand one's mistakes and try to correct them
Do your duty
Remember God: remember God at all times
The teachings of yoga are explained at length by Swami Sivananda. Yoga is "the process by which the identity of the individual soul and the Supreme Soul is realized by the Yogi."[D 7]
Departments
The headquarters for Divine Life Society is Sivananda Ashram in Uttarakhand.[D 8]
Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy trains aspirants in yoga and provides knowledge of Indian culture to develop integrity[D 9]
Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy Press prints the cultural and spiritual books as well as the journals and other literature of the Divine Life Society.
Sivananda Publication League is the publishing arm of the Divine Life Society.
Sivananda Charitable Hospital renders free medical service to the public and conducts periodical medical relief camps freely.[D 10]
↑ Rosen, Steven. (2011). Food for the Soul: Vegetarianism and Yoga Traditions. Praeger. p. 22. ISBN978-0313397035
↑ McGonigle, Andrew; Huy, Matthew. (2022). The Physiology of Yoga. Human Kinetics. p. 169. ISBN978-1492599838
Further reading
Ananthanarayanan, N. (1970). From man to God-man: the inspiring life-story of Swami Sivananda. Indian Publ. Trading Corp.
Fornaro, Robert John (1969). Sivananda and the Divine Life Society: A Paradigm of the "secularism," "puritanism" and "cultural Dissimulation" of a Neo-Hindu Religious Society. Syracuse University.
Gyan, Satish Chandra (1979). Swami Sivananda and the Divine Life Society: An Illustration of Revitalization Movement. Temple University (PhD thesis).
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