The Birthday Celebrations held on 8 September at Sivanandashram, Reservoir Hills, continued at the Sivananda International Cultural Centre, La Mercy on Sunday, 10 September. The programme commenced at 6am in Sivananda Prayer Hall with the final chanting of the 41-day Sri Hanuman Chalisa, 11 times from 6 –7am. This was followed by Havan from 7 -8am. Devotees from all parts of the KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng turned up in large numbers and we thank them for sharing these wonderful spiritual moments with us. The 41-day Vrata will help strengthen and purify our minds and afford us protection against the forces that confront us daily. Saints and sages tell us that the chanting of the Name of the Lord is the easiest solution to the ills of Kali Yuga.

We received numerous reports on our live streaming programme of 8 September and 10 September from devotees :

Two hundred and eight learners (208) from the following schools in Ladysmith participated in our Sunlit Path Programme on Friday, 18 August at the Windsor Secondary School Hall: Windsor Secondary, Ladysmith Secondary, Steadville Secondary, Ladysmith High and Acaciavale Primary. The programme was designed by Swami Sahajananda to assist learners overcome drug addiction, alcoholism, depression and other social ills. At the end of the programme, 180 learners (86%) signed the pledge form to try to keep away from these social ills.

Om Namo Bhagavade Sivanandaya! Om Namo Bhagavade Vasudevaya!

Shri Krishna Janmashtami was celebrated at all Divine Life Society of S.A. Ashrams on Tuesday, 15 August. This is the birthday of Lord Krishna, the eighth Divine Incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Calculations indicate that the year of His birth was 3227 B.C. Krishna Janmashtami is one of the greatest of all Hindu festivals.