On Saturday, 24 May 2025, Divine Life Society of South Africa participated in the Annual Career Fair hosted by the Nelson Mandela Community and Youth Centre in Chatsworth, from 9am to 1pm. This well-supported event brought together a wide range of educational and vocational organisations, and was attended primarily by learners accompanied by their parents, many of whom were exploring opportunities for skills’ development and personal growth.

Devotees of Divine Life Society of South Africa, including those from its Sivananda Sunlit Path Centre in Chatsworth represented the Society and shared information about its community-based programmes. Among the offerings that drew interest were the Sewing Classes and Computer Skills’ Courses, which provide valuable vocational skills aligned with the Fair’s theme of empowerment and development.

Visitors engaged with devotees, expressing appreciation for the Society’s ongoing contribution to community upliftment. In addition to skills’ training, the Society also offers counselling services to individuals facing emotional, health, or personal challenges further demonstrating its commitment to holistic support and care.

 A range of publications was made available, particularly those focused on youth development, self-discipline, and moral living - messages that resonated with both learners and parents.

Amongst those who visited our stall, were representatives of the South African military services. The participation of the Sivananda Sunlit Path Centre in this Annual Career Fair once again provided a sacred opportunity to foster spiritual and vocational upliftment, promote values-based education, and share the life-transforming teachings of Sri Swami Sivananda with members of the wider community.

The auspicious Guru Purnima and Sri Swami Sahajananda’s 100th Birth Anniversary were celebrated at both Sivanandashram, Reservoir Hills and Sivananda International Cultural Centre (SICC) on Thursday, 10 July 2025. 

The morning Sadhana programme at Sivanandashram, Reservoir Hills was from 6am to 8am, comprising Invocation, Akhanda Chanting, Darshan at Sahaja Kutir, Pujya Swamiji’s sacred Kutir and the Sivananda-Sahajananda Diamond Jubilee Centre. Havan and Paduka Puja ensued from 7am to 8am. Scores of devotees, well-wishers, donors and visitors braved the cold winter weather to attend this most sacred, divine and historic occasion. 

At SICC, Ganga Arati commenced at 2.30pm followed by Satsang from 4pm to 6.20pm. The programme comprised Kirtans, Bhajans, a dance, Sri Gurudev’s Guru Purnima messages, Pujya Swami Sahajananda’s audio message, a poetry recital with musical accompaniment  and the release of a Centenary Celebrations’ CD and booklet.

Sri Swami Sivananda’s Guru Purnima Message gave deep insight into this important occasion. The Master said, “The day of worship of one’s preceptor, is a day of pure joy to the sincere spiritual aspirant. Thrilled by the expectation of offering his reverent homage to the beloved Guru, aspirants await this occasion with eagerness and devotion. It is the Guru alone that breaks the binding cords of attachment and releases the aspirant from the trammels of earthly existence”.

Referring to the importance of a Guru, the Master explained, “The Grace of a Guru is very necessary. That does not mean that the disciple should sit idle. He must do rigid spiritual practices. All the work must be done by the student. The Guru and the scriptures can show you the path and remove your doubts. Direct experience or direct intuitive knowledge is left for your own experience. A hungry man will have to eat for himself. No doubt, the Guru's blessings can do everything. But how can one have his blessings? By pleasing the Guru. A Guru can be pleased with his disciple only if the latter carries out his spiritual instructions implicitly. Therefore, follow the instructions of the Guru carefully. Act up to his instructions. Only then will you deserve his blessings which can do everything. 

“The best form of worship of the Guru is to follow his teachings, to shine as the very embodiment of his teachings, and to propagate his glory and his message. A true disciple is one who serves his Guru till the end of his life. If the disciple survives after the Guru gives up his mortal coil, he should lead the remaining portion of his life strictly in accordance with his Guru's instructions and live to preach them to others by practising them himself”. 

The Master’s message concluded with his poem, My Disciple, “If anyone is rude and discourteous, if he cannot do prostrations to elders and saints, if he does not do Nishkamya Karma Yoga, if he does not know Asanas and Pranayama, if he has no knowledge of the Yoga of Synthesis, if he does not serve the poor and the sick, if he is not generous and charitable, if he cannot feel the unity of the Self in all beings, he cannot be my disciple”.

In a reference to this rare alignment of these two sacred events, the message from the Society reflected on Pujya Swamiji’s faith, loyalty and obedience to Sri Gurudev, as is evident in, “… it comes as no surprise that the 100th Birth Anniversary of beloved Pujya Swami Sahajananda coincides with Sri Guru Purnima this year. Devotees of Divine Life Society of South Africa were highly inspired by the Dasya Bhav and total self-surrender of Pujya Swamiji to our Divine Master, Sri Swami Sivananda, akin to the service of Sri Hanuman to Lord Rama”.

The message also focused on the importance of a Guru as emphasised in the Guru Gita, “By the devotion practised towards the Guru, one attains the state of Mukti even without knowledge. For those who tread the path of unflinching devotion to the Guru, no other Sadhana is needed than the Grace of the Guru”.  The message also paid tribute to Sri Gurudev and Pujya Swami Sahajananda for their bounteous gifts to us, and to devotees for their unflinching devotion and commitment to the continuation of Sri Gurudev’s and Pujya Swamiji’s legacies. “Today we pay homage to our Divine Master for making Swamiji take birth here in South Africa 100 years ago. Because of this grace, our country has benefited from more than 700 completed infrastructure projects, with this number continuing to grow into the future. Swamiji’s golden touch is reflected in our Ashram activities and programmes that are all progressing well”.

Pujya Swami Sahajananda’s audio message, pregnant with deep meaning, again focused on his relationship with, and unconditional loyalty to Sri Gurudev. He said that if he had to write a book, it would be entitled, The Mysteries and Marvels of the Guru’s Grace, for the Master chose him, so that he can be an ideal “specimen” to demonstrate the Master’s marvels. The Master was in complete control of his life, even to the extent of spelling his name differently. He said that, “Whatever came, came from Gurudev”. Regarding Pujya Swamiji’s initial request for Sannyas, the Master cautioned, saying, “Sannyas is made of sterner stuff”. Pujya Swamiji said that nobody could oppose Gurudev’s will, and that his (Pujya Swamiji’s) performance in the matriculation examination was a blessing in disguise. He said, “What appeared as a great tragedy then was a great blessing”, indicative of his complete surrender to the Master. He recounted how he first found the Master’s book, Practice of Karma Yoga in a Vedic Bookshop, and was instantly attracted to the Master, whom he adopted as his Guru. His faith in the Master has been ever steadfast, unconditional and unwavering.

Two Centenary Celebrations’ releases were made on this day. Prayers and Affirmations, a publication compiled from several of the Divine Master’s writings, including Science of Yoga, Sadhana, Daily Meditations, Hindu Fasts & Festivals and Light, Power & Wisdom, amongst others. Some prayers by Pujya Swami Sahajananda extracted from Path of Divine Grace, Guidance in Daily Life and Faith & Self-surrender are also included. A CD containing messages by Sri Swami Sivananda and Sri Swami Sahajananda, as well as two plays, Home Sadhana and Back to Basics, which are the gestalt of the Master’s and Pujya Swamiji’s cardinal teachings, was also released.

A beautiful dance, Mangal Bhavan Amangal Hari, dedicated to Lord Rama, Pujya Swamiji’s Ishta Devata, added colour to the programme and appropriately brought the programme to a beautiful climax. The dancers sought to invoke the Lord’s Divine Blessings to remove all inauspiciousness from our lives. Telicia Mahabeer, Kajal Raghubir, and Yaditha Singh from the Nateshwar Dance Academy made a splendid offering.

The Pietermaritzburg Branch’s excellent musical rendition comprising a poem dedicated to Sri Gurudev, entitled Siva Divine composed by Pujya Swamiji, and a birthday song dedicated to Pujya Swamiji, were both inspirational and insightful.  Some of the words of the poem are captured herewith: 

Siva Divine
To serve with love his Lotus feet,
In pleasure and pain, in cold and heat,
To serve the sick, to serve the poor,
To spread God's Knowledge from door to door.

This is the teaching of Siva Divine,
O, let it enter this heart of mine.

To sing with joy, his glorious Name,
Without any fear, without any shame,
To love the Lord with all our soul,
To take him as our only goal.

This is the teaching of Siva Divine,
This is the teaching of Siva Divine,
This is the teaching of Siva Divine.
O, Let it enter this heart of mine.

To sit serene and calm and still,
And try the vicious mind to kill,
To merge in him within the heart,
Never to think him ever apart.

This is the teaching of Siva Divine…

This two-fold celebration of Guru Purnima and Pujya Swami Sahajananda’s 100th birth anniversary, is indeed a unique occasion in the annals of the history of Divine Life Society of South Africa. No doubt this is an awe-inspiring, rare and spiritually potent occasion, when the calendar aligns itself to bring together two major spiritual observances on the same day. For devotees, this convergence can be considered highly sacred and transformative, offering an unparalleled opportunity for Sadhana, spiritual growth, merit, and inner purification. The rare confluence of these two major spiritual events in our calendar on one day is not merely a calendrical coincidence, but a celestial invitation to us all to immerse ourselves in the divine. For the devotee, it represents a window of Divine Grace-a moment to pause, purify, and forge ahead on the path of spiritual evolution

This celebration created a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for devotees to honour the Guru-principle while commemorating the life of a living embodiment of that high ideal-Sri Swami Sahajananda. Both occasions individually radiate spiritual potency. Their confluence creates a spiritually charged atmosphere that magnify the blessings, merit, and inner transformation for all who observe and celebrate it, and is an ideal time for introspection, prayer, and re-commitment to the Guru’s teachings. While Guru Purnima celebrates the eternal Guru-Shishya (teacher-disciple) tradition, Sri Swami Sahajananda’s Birth Centenary embodies its living continuity. The event serves as a bridge between tradition and contemporary relevance, inspiring future generations to walk the spiritual path boldly and with conviction. The confluence serves as a powerful reminder of what is possible when a life is surrendered to a higher cause. Sri Swami Sahajananda’s life exemplifies humility, Seva (service), and devotion to the Guru, making this observance not only a celebration, but a call to action. This sacred confluence is not merely a coincidence, nay, it is a divine orchestration, offering devotees an unmatched spiritual moment. It encourages deeper devotion to the Guru, renewed spiritual resolve, gratitude for divine guidance, and the celebration of a century of spiritual legacy. It is a milestone in time, etched not just in calendars, but in the hearts of those who recognise the rare blessing of walking the path under the light of a true Guru-an occasion that we will have to wait another hundred years, if at all possible, to experience.

May the blessings of Sri Swami Sivananda and Pujya Swami Sahajananda be upon us all.

The 20th Anniversary of Sivananda Ghat, the 76th Anniversary of Divine Life Society of South Africa and Ganga Dussehra were jointly celebrated at Sivanandashram, Reservoir Hills on Thursday, 5 June 2025. Ganga Arati commenced at 5.30pm followed by Satsang. The Satsang programme comprised a message from the Society, readings, Pujya Swami Sahajananda’s audio message, a DVD on Mother Ganga, Kirtans, Bhajans and the Ganga Chalisa. 

The message from the Society paid tribute to our Divine Master, Sri Swami Sivananda, to Pujya Swami Sahajananda, and to all devotees, donors, well-wishers and volunteers, for their sterling contributions and selfless service over the past 76 years. The following relevant excerpts attest to these. “On this the 76th Anniversary of Divine Life Society of South Africa, we offer our humble obeisance to Sri Gurudev and Pujya Swamiji for their Divine Grace and blessings in providing us with this magnificent Ashram, and for rescuing us from the trammels of worldly life so that we may grow in spirituality, and work out some of our past Karma in this birth.

“We offer our deep gratitude and appreciation to Sri Gurudev and Pujya Swamiji, for their visionary leadership in providing us with the unique facilities at our Sivananda Ghat, which was inaugurated exactly 20 years ago today. The Sivananda Ghat is providing great comfort and solace to bereaved families, giving them the opportunity to perform their religious duties to the departed in a dignified and safe manner, lending itself to closure as well. Over the last 20 years, in excess of 41 690 ash disposals and 11 270 rituals have been completed at the Sivananda Ghat since inception”. At the Sivananda Ghat, Ganga Arati was performed daily at 10am from 1 to 5 June 2025 and lamps on boats were floated to mark the 20th Anniversary of Sivananda Ghat.

In respect of Ganga Dussehra, the message from the Society highlighted its spiritual significance, as is evident in, “Today marks Ganga Dussehra as well, and we offer our humble obeisance to Mother Ganga on this auspicious day, marking her descent to the earth plane, where She continues to reside in the form of the River Ganga. Our eternal gratitude to Sri Gurudev and Pujya Swamiji for bringing Ganga Mata to South Africa in the form of our Ganga Ranis. Pujya Swamiji reminded us also that the Ganga River is only her physical form, and that Ganga Mata is a great Goddess. It is said that Mother Ganga places all the sins of man deposited in Her at the lotus feet of a saint. Sri Muniji of Parmath Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh, during his visit to our Ashram, stated that it is not that Swamiji brought Ganga Mata to South Africa, but rather that Ganga Mata came to Swami Sahajananda in South Africa”. 

Excerpts of our Divine Master’s letter dated 5 June 1951 to Pujya Swamiji requesting a branch of Divine Life Society be opened in this country, are reproduced herewith. Sri Gurudev said, “Words cannot adequately describe the sincerity of your devotion and your ardent zeal and enthusiasm to disseminate spiritual knowledge. Keep the Divine flame within you growing strong daily. May it guide the rest towards Eternal Bliss”. The Master continued, “An interesting feature in the spiritual path is that the world looks frightening to an aspirant at the outset; but, once he takes to chanting His Name and does total surrender unto Him, everything appears as His Lila. Having installed Him firmly in your heart, what is there to worry you? March boldly with majestic steps towards Him. There He stands to give you a warm welcome and to bless you with peace, joy and immortality”. 

In his handwritten instruction in the same letter, the Master said, “Kindly send a copy of your photo, postcard size in black and white. Kindly open a branch of DLS in South Africa and do some silent work”. 

Pujya Swamiji’s audio message focused on his relationship with the Master, his unconditional loyalty to Sri Gurudev and his instruction to open a branch in this country. He said to the Master that he should go back (while on a visit to Rishikesh) as he didn’t have the necessary qualifications, to which the Master replied, “They will come”.  He also alluded to the early beginnings of his spiritual life, when he went to the Umgeni Road Temple with his two friends and conducted the evening Satsangs, in some instances alone. The Master assured him that if he was sincere, then people will join him later on.  Pujya Swamiji was reluctant to open a branch, but the Master told him, “Don’t be rebellious”. Pujya Swamiji said that Sri Gurudev knew that he was trying to escape from his responsibilities. In 1949, Pujya Swamiji had asked for Sannyas initiation but the Master said, “Kindly wait. Please wait. Sannyas is made of sterner stuff”. Pujya Swamiji indicated that Grace of the Guru comes through an enormous amount of Tapas and unconditional loyalty. He went to Sri Gurudev with just one mission, and that was his desire to realise God. This assurance was given to Pujya Swamiji by both Sri Gurudev and Swami Ramdas. Pujya Swamiji’s unconditional love and devotion to Sri Gurudev are overwhelmingly evident in this short audio message.

The reading on Ganga Dussehra from Mother Ganga by Sri Swami Sivananda, traced the origins of Mother Ganga, the curse of Kapila, Bhagiratha’s penance and how Lord Siva received the Ganga. On the latter topic, Sri Gurudev said, “Again Bhagiratha did rigorous penance for a full hundred years. It is needless to say that Lord Siva, the protector of all His devotees, was immensely pleased with the king and readily accepted to check and control Ganga through His matted locks. With surge, fury and foam, Ganga began to descend from celestial regions. Flashes of lightening, thunders from clouds, and the uncontrollable flow seemed as if a deluge was about to devour the whole world. But Lord Siva coolly received Her in His matted locks and let Her drip over Him”.

The reading was complemented with a beautiful DVD on Mother Ganga, highlighting Her majestic beauty, prowess and Her protective nature over ardent devotees as the bestower of Bliss and joy. Goddess Ganga is considered a Divine Mother who blesses devotees with Grace, well-being, and prosperity.

The Ganga Chalisa, recited during the Satsang, is a devotional hymn of forty verses dedicated to Goddess Ganga. Personified as a Goddess and revered as a purifier of sins, the Ganga Chalisa seeks blessings, purification, and spiritual emancipation. The Ganga Chalisa begins with respectful salutations and praises of Goddess Ganga, having descended from the heavens to earth, flowing from the matted locks of Lord Shiva. Her Divine Nature is evident when Ganga is described as the source of purity and salvation. Her waters cleanse sins, cure diseases, and bring spiritual liberation to those who bathe in Her or even chant Her name. It also recounts mythological stories and its spiritual benefits when worshipping or remembering the sacred river with devotion, leading to the removal of sins and granting Moksha or liberation. It is also a call for devotion when the devotees ask Mother Ganga to remove their inner impurities, guide them towards righteousness, and bless their lives with peace, devotion, and spiritual prosperity. 

The three-fold celebration is indeed a unique occasion in the annals of the history of Divine Life Society of South Africa. No doubt this is a rare and spiritually potent occasion, when the calendar aligns to bring together three major spiritual observances on the same day, namely the 20th Anniversary of Sivananda Ghat, 76th Anniversary of Divine Life Society of South Africa and Ganga Dussehra. For devotees, this convergence can be considered highly sacred and transformative, offering them an unparalleled opportunity for Sadhana, spiritual growth, merit, and inner purification. The rare confluence of these three major spiritual events in our calendar on one day is not merely a calendrical coincidence, but a celestial invitation to immerse oneself in the divine. For the devotee, it represents a window of divine grace - a moment to pause, purify, and propel forward on the path of spiritual evolution.