The 62nd Mahasamadhi Anniversary of Sri Swami Sivananda, according to the Sanskrit Calendar, was observed at Sivanandashram, Reservoir Hills on Saturday, 19 July 2025. Ganga Arati commenced at 5.30pm followed by Satsang. The Satsang programme comprised a reading, Pujya Swami Sahajananda’s audio message, Kirtans, Bhajans and a video on the Master’s last days in his physical body and his Mahasamadhi.

The reading from the book, From Man to God-Man by N. Ananthanarayanan traced the Master’s last day on the mortal plane, as is evident in, “On July 14, Colonel Puri came to examine the Master. As he tapped with his rod to test the reflexes, the Master said, ‘Doctors are very cruel”’.

‘“Yes, Swamiji, what can be done? It is our duty”’, said the doctor, and added, ‘"Swamiji, you will be all right shortly’”. 

‘“Yes, I must”’, said the Master, “"I have many things to do”’.

“’You will do, Swamiji, but with a handicap”’. The Master heard the doctor's words clearly and gave him a steady look. Then in his unfailing hospitality saw to it that the doctor was offered uppama, coffee and books. He finally concluded with a farewell and an Om Namo Narayanaya. 

“After the doctor had left, and before he could take his own food, the Master developed fever and began to shiver. The breathing hardened. He took two or three spoonsful of Horlicks, and at about 3pm asked for water. As was the usual practice the disciples wanted to give him barley water or jeera water, but he wished to have Ganges water, pure and simple. The water was brought. The Master, who had experienced difficulty in taking the smallest quantity of solid or liquid, gulped down half a glassful of Ganges water without apparent trouble - and with that the Being that was Swami Sivananda laid aside its mortal vesture. It was now 11.15pm. 

“The time the Master chose to merge with the Supreme proved to be a holy Muhurta of extreme auspiciousness. It presented an exalted planetary position on the last limit of Uttarayana, and just before the commencement of the ‘Southern Path’. 

“An expert horologist, who was also a capable astrologer, had mentioned only upon the morning of that fateful Sunday, that round about midnight there was going to be such an unparalleled and auspicious planetary conjunction that any Yogi who was getting ready to depart would never miss it. The prediction proved correct, and the Master chose the moment”.

Pujya Swami Sahajananda’s audio message focused on the concept of fear, self-transformation and surrender. He said that we should not run away from our fears but should face them to oppose our fears. He narrated the experience of Sri Swami Vivekananda who was being chased by monkeys. A saint who met him on the way told him to “face the brutes”, which he did. The monkeys then ran away. He also advised that we should surrender completely to God. We must harmonise our thoughts to be in tune with God. One must do rigorous Sadhana to transform oneself. It is of little benefit if a Pundit chanted Mantras in our homes whilst we are occupied with other activities. We must chant the Divine Name to experience the power of Ram Nam. He said, “Cling to God’s Name and you will see change….external situations we cannot control …. The only thing we can have control of is your own mind… God will see to everything”.  God has given us the assurance, even in the Bhagavad Gita that He will protect us. 

A potent and powerful video of the Master’s last days, his Mahasamadhi and ceremonial bath, was both moving and gripping. The reverence of the devotees, the sense of quiet dignity and decorum with which his last rites were conducted, left indelible impressions on the minds of viewers. The sounds of conches, Vedic Chants and Mantras reverberated in the precincts of the Master’s sacred Ashram. The Master’s words in the video, “Do not be afraid of death. If you think of God constantly, you will think of Him at the time of death also…your duty is to remember Him constantly”, are soul-inspiring and a testimony to his lasting spiritual teachings and legacy.

The greatness of Swami Sivananda’s teachings and legacies lie in their timeless relevance, universal application, and transformative power. He was not just a philosopher or monk, but a divine light who lived what he preached. His life continues to inspire the world to lead a divine life with love, service and realisation as its pillars. His voice echoes through eternity: "Be good. Do good. Be kind. Be compassionate. Enquire, 'Who am I?' and realise your divine nature”. We will observe many more Mahasamadhi anniversaries. What is the road ahead? It is incumbent upon us to translate into practical reality, the Master’s and Sri Swami Sahajananda’s teachings and legacies, by fathomless Guru Bhakti, like that of Pujya Swami Sahajananda, for Sri Swami Sahajananda was not just a disciple; he was Sri Swami Sivananda in action. His life is a glowing testimony to the power of Guru Bhakti, silent service, and God-conscious living. Today, both Sri Swami Sivananda’s and Pujya Swami Sahajananda’s legacies continue to inspire, and their lives stand as beacons of light in a world in need of true spiritual heroes.

SIVANANDASHRAM, SANDTON;BRANCH LAUNCHES SANDTON BRANCH SIVANANDA WISDOM GROUP (SWG): WEDNESDAY, 12 JUNE 2025

Divine Life Society of South Africa launched its Sivananda Wisdom Group (SWG) at Sivanandashram, Sandton Branch on Wednesday, 12 June 2025. The inaugural session, held from 10am to 12 noon, was attended by thirty devotees and guests, many of whom are long-standing members and former residents of KwaZulu-Natal.

The Sivananda Wisdom Group is a spiritual initiative open to all age groups, aimed at promoting collective study, reflection, and the practical application of the teachings of Sri Swami Sivananda and Pujya Swami Sahajananda. The Sandton SWG is the third to be established within the Society, following the formation of the first group at the Sivananda Sunlit Path Centre in Arena Park over a decade ago, and the second at the Society’s Headquarters in Reservoir Hills in October 2024. At Sivanandashram, Sandton, the SWG will be held on a fortnightly basis on Tuesdays.

The core principles of the SWG will be Sri Gurudev’s teachings on Divine Life, and fostering spiritual harmony and unity. The establishment of the Sandton Sivananda Wisdom Group marks a meaningful step in strengthening the Society’s spiritual outreach. It is anticipated that this initiative will inspire ongoing growth through shared learning, devotion, and service, in the noble tradition of Sri Swami Sivananda’s divine teachings.

Youth Day was celebrated on Sunday, 15 June 2025 at Sivanandashram, Reservoir Hills. This coincided with the Sunday morning Satsang. Registration and breakfast commenced at 8.30am. Ganga Arati began at 8.50am followed by Satsang at 9am. The second part of the programme was from 10.30am until 12.30pm. 

The Satsang programme comprised Kirtans, Bhajans, readings and a presentation on the Four Yugas by the youth boys. On the latter topic, the presentation focused on the concept of time in Hindu cosmology, where time is cyclical and divided into four Yugas, known collectively as the Chatur Yuga or Maha Yuga. These Yugas represent ages or epochs, each with a progressive decline in virtue, Dharma (righteousness), and spiritual knowledge. In Satya Yuga (also known as Krita Yuga), truth and Dharma reigned supreme and was characterised by the "Golden Age" of truth and perfection. People were spiritually advanced, lived long and were free of suffering. Truth was innate. The Treta Yuga saw a slight decline in virtue, emergence of rituals and sacrifices (Yajnas). The Dvapara Yuga was characterised by further decline in morality and lifespan. There was a rise in disease, suffering and conflict. The Mahabharata and Lord Krishna belong to this Yuga. Kali Yuga, which we are presently in, is the "Dark Age" of ignorance, strife, and materialism. Spirituality is diminished and virtue is at its lowest. 

The presentation highlighted the ills of Kali Yuga, namely humanity’s chaos and loss of moral and spiritual values. By the time Kali Yuga ends, the Vedas will be forgotten completely, and man will be mostly atheistic. The following predictions in the presentation attest to these scenarios, “The leaders will be thieves; the occupation of men will be stealing, lying and needless violence, and all the social classes will be reduced to the lowest level. Cows will be killed, and spiritual institutions will be no different from mundane houses. Family ties will extend no further than the immediate bonds of marriage. Seasons will go awry; homes will be devoid of piety and there will be no morality.

“At that time, the Supreme Personality of Godhead will appear on earth and rescue the eternal Dharma. It is in this age that Lord Vishnu will incarnate on this earthly plane as the Avatar Kalki. This will be the only descent of supreme consciousness during the Kali Yuga. Riding a white horse named Devadutta with a drawn sword, Kalki will mow down the evil and corrupt and ensure the reign of Dharma. The Kalki Avatar will establish the principles of eternal Dharma once again and the people of earth will turn to the path of righteousness. This will mark the beginning of Satya Yuga, an era of virtue, enlightenment and spirituality”.

The address on Sleep Health, in the second session focused on why we feel sleepy at night, and what happens to the body, mind, emotions and spirit when we are asleep. The following questions were also addressed: What happens if we do not sleep? What prevents us from getting a good night’s sleep? What are the benefits of sleep?  How can we improve the quality and quantity of our sleep without sleeping tablets? Swami Sivananda’s advice on sleep and Yoga techniques for sleep, were also addressed. 

On the topic of sleep, Sri Swami Sivananda said, “Next to breathing, sleep is the greatest biological necessity. If breathing enables life to continue, sleep provides the most essential interval for the life-force to carry out the general repairs to the system. If breathing preserves life, sleep recoups the life's energy spent during the day's activity. If breathing points to the power that pulsates in all creation, sleep gives us a clue to the unmoving tranquil Reality. If breathing manifests the infinite diversity of phenomena, sleep describes to us the essential unity of existence. If breathing draws to us energy, vitality and power from the cosmic Power House (Hiranyagarbha) that surrounds us, sleep derives them from the Atman within. 

“Glory to the Lord! Glory to the Prana Sakti who maintains the universe! Glory to Nidra Devi who lulls you into unconsciousness so that you may be revitalised for the morrow's service! 

“The happiness of sleep is really the bliss of the Soul”.

The second session also had an interesting talk, entitled, Social Media. The presenter alluded to Pujya Swami Sahajananda’s warning of the harmful effects of cell phones and excessive television viewing. Applying Pujya Swamiji’s logic we can conclude that social media has the danger in social interactions, of feeding the ego and weakening our will-power. It robs us of time that could be used for productive activities such as prayer, study or Sadhana. The presenter advised that social media can be used positively, for example, in promoting Dharma., in that before posting, we need to ask ourselves: Is this true? It this kind? Is this necessary? Will this post bring the viewer closer to God or will it bring me closer to my ego? Rather than using our platforms to promote ourselves, we can promote truth, peace, love and wisdom. The presenter advised that one can use platforms to share the messages of Gurudev, Sri Swami Sivananda and Pujya Swami Sahajananda. She further advised us to share a message of hope, and advised us to “Make your social media grid a spiritual garden. We can also turn our scroll time into soul time”. The notion of social media fasting (abstinence from indulgence in social media) for a day or more, was also suggested. 

The final item of the day was a game, The Amazing Race, wherein two teams (males and females) competed against each other in a series of challenges and obstacles. Teams were given cues leading to a specific location. Once at the correct location, teams faced a range of challenges. Team building, group dynamics, leadership, speed and efficiency were also tested.  Teams worked together to make strategic decisions to succeed. The Amazing Race was an exciting and spiritually inspiring exercise that gently pushed teams to their limits, testing their physical and mental abilities, teamwork, and strategic thinking.

The youth are complimented on an eventful and stimulating Youth Day Celebration comprising a diverse range of topics, catering to different age groups. The attention to detail in all aspects of organisation and execution of the day’s activities, is highly commendable.