Teachings of Swami Sivananda

myNachiketa
7 hours ago
4 min read

Swami Sivananda was a kind and wise saint who helped many people live a good and peaceful life. He was born in Tamil Nadu, India, in the year 1887 and was called Kuppuswami. He became a doctor and helped many poor people without asking for money. But soon, he felt a deep desire to know God and understand the truth of life.

He went to Rishikesh, near the River Ganga, to live a simple life and meditate. There, he became a great yogi and teacher.

Swami Sivananda started the Divine Life Society in 1936 to spread messages of love, peace, and service. His most famous book is "Bliss Divine", and he wrote over 200 books to help people live better lives.

myNachileta presents Teachings of Swami Sivananda for children to read and learn about kindness, simplicity, and love for God.

All religions teach the same

Swami Sivananda taught us that all Religions teach of Serve, Love, Purify, Realise.

1. Serve: When we help others, we serve them. Imagine helping a friend with their homework or sharing your toys with your siblings. That’s serving! It makes everyone feel good.

2. Love: Swami Sivananda believed that love is a powerful force. When we love our family, friends, and even animals, we create a warm and joyful world.

3. Purify: Purifying means keeping our hearts and minds clean. Just like we wash our hands to stay healthy, we should also think kind thoughts and say nice things. This helps us to grow into loving individuals.

4. Realise: Realisation means understanding our true self. When we know who we are inside, we can be our best selves. It’s about understanding that we all have something special inside us.

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Speak Truth (Satyam)

Swami Sivananda said that the truth is very important. It is not just about telling the truth—it is the base of a good and happy life. When we are truthful in what we think, say, and do, we become brave, kind, and pure. Truth helps all other good qualities grow in us. It’s just like the root of a tree. When the root is strong, the whole tree grows well. In the same way, truth helps us become better and brings us closer to God.

Ahimsa (Non‑violence) — Love All, Harm No One

Swami Sivananda teaches that real non‑violence isn’t just about not hurting others physically. It’s also about being kind with what we think and say. Avoiding mean thoughts or harsh words is just as important. When we practice this gentle and loving attitude toward all living beings, we grow brave, pure, and at peace. This peaceful and loving way of living fills our hearts with joy and helps us grow closer to God.

A true shishya (disciple) must listen to the Guru with love

Swami Sivananda taught that a real student (shishya) follows the teacher’s instructions in their heart and life, without delay, without questions, and without selfish motives. Being obedient with love helps the disciple overcome their ego and grow spiritually. When we trust and follow our teacher fully, we open our hearts to learning, inner strength, and happiness.

Practice of Sadhana to free oneself of ego

Swami Sivananda said that when someone has a strong sense of "I" and "mine" (this is called ego or ahankara), it brings problems—like pride, anger, jealousy, and trouble. But if we learn to let go of this ego—with kind actions, simple living, thinking “I am not just this little me,” and saying “I am part of the big Self”—we can become peaceful, loving, and close to true happiness. This can be done with the help of meditation.

Do Yoga for a better life

Swami Sivananda taught that when we learn to breathe slowly, deeply, and in a calm rhythm, it gives us more energy, a clear mind, and a peaceful heart. By practicing special breathing exercises, we can become more relaxed, focused, and strong—just like charging up a battery inside us. He said that you should eat healthy food like fruits and vegetables. They help us grow strong. He also said that exercise is a part of yoga: Move your body! Play sports, dance, or go for a walk.

Meditation fills the mind with peace and strength

He taught that when we focus our attention on one thing—like a candle flame, a flower, or the word “OM”—and keep our mind from wandering, that focus turns into meditation. Meditation helps us become calm, strong, and happy. Just a little daily practice—like 5 to 10 minutes—can fill our hearts with peace for the whole week.

Love is God

According to Swami Sivananda, love isn’t just a nice feeling; it’s the most important thing in life! He taught that God lives in everyone and everything around us. When you love yourself and others, you create happiness all around and are closer to God.

Conclusion

Swami Sivananda’s teachings guide us to be kind, truthful, healthy, and lead a happy life without ego. We can serve our friends, love our family, give to those in need, purify our hearts, meditate for peace, let go of our ego, and realise our true nature.