Swami Venkatesananda

Swami Satchidananda – 1

Swami Venkatesananda and Swami Satchidananda–The first of four photographs taken at Swami Vishnudevananda’s Sivananda Ashram Yoga Camp in Val Morin Canada in August of 1969

Swami Vishnudevananda had invited Swami Sivananda’s senior disciples to join him for a reunion on the occasion of his True World Order Convention in promotion world peace. Swamis Satchidananda and Venkatesananda were among those who came—Swami Satchidananda coming directly from opening the Woodstock Music Festival in the Catskill Mountains of New York State.

 Swami Venkatesananda and Swami Satchidananda—2

The love between these two swamis shines through these photos. They were brother disciples at the feet of Swami Sivananda and brothers in the world-wide dissemination of Yoga, often appearing together at conferences and retreats with other representatives of the world’s varied spiritual traditions.

When Swami Sivananda first sent Swami Venkatesananda to teach outside India in 1961, both knew that they would never see each other again in the flesh. Before embarking for Australia and South Africa, Swamiji stepped into the loving presence of his brother disciple, Swami Satchidananda. In 1982 when Swami Venkatesananda knew that he had only a few days left on this earth, his wish was to speak again with his brother who was teaching in Australia at the time. They spoke together in Tamil, their common native language, sharing joy and laughter and a bond that had lasted nearly a lifetime.

Swami Venkatesananda and Swami Satchidananda—3

The bond between these two spiritual brothers was so much more than their shared history and culture. Though hard to pin down in words, it was easy to spot in the laugher that bubbled up whenever they were together and in the joy that lit up their eyes.

Swami Venkatesananda and Swami Satchidananda—4

The look on their faces says it all.

Swami Venkatesananda and Swami Krishnananda–Rishikesh, 1982

Each morning Swami Sivananda attended an “open office” to conduct Ashram business. It was also his time to greet and speak with visitors, making it one of the highlights of the day.

As General Secretary of the Divine Life Society, Swami Krishnananda continued this tradition and Swami Venkatesananda often joined him on his verandah overlooking the Ganges. Unfortunately, troupes of monkeys, attracted by the contents of the visitors’ bags, descended from the trees and searched the bags for bananas and other treats. Swami Krishnananda called them the custom officers and they were not to be argued with!

Swami Krishnananda -2

Swami Krishnananda leans in to answer someone’s question.

Swami Chinmayananda and Swami Krishnananda

Swami Chinmayananda paid a sudden, surprise visit to the Ashram in 1982, joining Swami Krishnananda and Swami Venkatesananda for the morning office-satsang—a joyful reunion of these three Masters who grew to spiritual maturity at the feet of Swami Sivananda.

Swami Vishnu-Devananda

Swami Venkatesananda and Swami Vishnudevananda walking hand in hand. They had known each other since 1946 when Swami Vishnudevananda first visited Sivananda Ashram while on leave from the army. From that day forward, they retained the boyish camaraderie of their early days in the Ashram.

Swami Venkatesananda and Swami Jyotirmayananda

Swami Venkatesananda was delighted to reunite with brother disciple, Swami Jyotirmayananda in Miami, Florida in 1970. Swami Jyotirmayananda joined Sivananda Ashram in 1952, editing the Yoga Vedanta Journal and translating a number of Swami Sivananda’s books into Hindi. He left India for the West in 1962, settling in Miami where he founded the Yoga Research Foundation in 1969. Swami Lalitananda is pictured on Swami Jyotirmananda’s right.

Swami Venkatesananda and Swami Chidananda

When Swami Venkatesananda joined his Master in Rishikesh in 1945, he first met Swami Chidananda, his senior in the Ashram by two years. These two brilliant young men became spiritual brothers, known for their tireless and dedicated work serving Swami Sivananda and spreading his message of Divine Light–each in his own unique capacity. Their close relationship continued throughout Swami Venkatesananda’s lifetime as they both traveled the world teaching and sharing the life-altering message of Yoga.

Swami Shankarananda, Swami Venkatesananda, Swami Sahajananda (from left)

In 1960, Swamis Shankarananda and Sahajananda of the Divine Life Society, Durban, South Africa, wrote to Swami Sivananda requesting that he send Swami Venkatesananda to South Africa, on a six-month “loan” to bolster the fledgling mission of Divine Life in South Africa. Swami Sivananda asked Swami Venkatesananda if he would be willing to go and Swamiji said yes. He left Rishikesh on March 9, 1961, with his first destination Perth, Australia and then on by steamer to Durban, South Africa. Six months stretched into three years and Swami Venkatesananda and Swami Sivananda met again on the physical plane.

Swami Venkatesananda and Swami Madhavananda, Rishikesh 1981

Here the brother disciples share a joyous moment on the occasion of Swami Madhavananda’s Birthday. Swami Venkatesananda had orchestrated a flamboyant and creative celebration, even supervising the creation of unique cake which was brought to the evening satsang in procession with song and dance. Brothers since Swami Madhavananda’s arrival in the Ashram in 1950, they had shared a full life together in service to their Master, Swami Madhavananda serving more in an administrative capacity (culminating in his role as Vice-President), and Swami Venkatesananda serving as his Master’s literary right hand.

Swami Venkatesananda and Swami Satyananda

Not only brothers at the feet of Swami Sivananda, but brothers in Sannyas, both receiving initiation from Swami Sivananda on his birthday, September 8, 1947. Swami Satyananda is renowned for founding the Bihar School of Yoga in Munger, India, an international center for Yoga training. He is also recognized as the author of a widely acclaimed, systematic manual of Yoga, Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha. Later in life, both swamis traveled and taught in many countries, often coming together at conferences like the annual congress of The European Union of Yoga, in Zinal, Switzerland.

Left to right: Swami Satyananda, Swami Satchidananda, Swami Venkatesananda

Gathered for the annual European Union of Yoga Congress in Zinal, Switzerland, these three esteemed brothers in Yoga pose with the spectacular Alps in the background.

Swami Umashankarananda and Swami Venkatesananda at the entrance to her cave-dwelling

A young aspirant from Germany joined Swami Sivananda in 1959. An artist and budding musician, she shared her talent, creating life-size images of Durga Devi and Sarasvati Devi in the Ashram Bhajan Hall. In 1960 Swami Sivananda initiated her into Sannyas, giving her the name Swami Umashankarananada.

After Swami Sivananda’s Mahasamadhi in 1963, life in the Ashram became difficult for her and she retired to a cave high up the steep hillside opposite the Ashram, living the life of an ascetic recluse. With her artistic skills and sheer determination, she transformed the inside of her cave into a breathtaking temple, carving sculptures of the deities out of the stone walls. Music was part of her worship and strains of the Veena and flute could be heard coming from her cave.

Swami Venkatesananda, always a brother in her Ashram years, used to visit her in her cave, Ganesha Guha, with welcome additions to her larder and good humor when he visited Rishikesh.

From left: Swami Pranavananda, founding member and President of the Divine Life Society of Malasia, the Ven. K. Dhammananda Thera, Chief Buddhist High Priest in Malasia, and Swami Venkatesananda

Swami Pranavananda and Swami Venkatesananda were brother disciples of Swami Sivananda. Though Swami Pranavananda had lived in Malasia since 1925, he met Swami Sivananda in Rishikesh in 1953 and took Sannyas from him in 1959. He departed this world just a few months before Swami Venkatesananda, in 1982.

Ganga White and Swami Hyridananda

This photo, taken at Univ of Calif at Davis on the very first Earth Day, where Swami Venkatesananda and Swami Hyridananda had both been invited to speak, also has a young Ganga White who was then director of the Sivananda Yoga Centre in Los Angles before leaving and forming the White Lotus Foundation.

Second Draft

The first Earth Day, 1970

History in the making—Swami Venkatesananda’s first tour of the United States and the first Earth Day, here celebrated at the University of California at Davis. Swami Venkatesananda and Swami Hridayananda, both close disciples of Swami Sivananda, were invited speakers and they were joined by Ganga White, then director of the Sivananda Yoga Center in Los Angeles.

Ganga White of  White Lotus Foundation

Ganga’s association with Swami Venkatesananda lasted for more than two decades and the two were to meet many times during those years.  Like most of the people in this Gallery,  even an abbreviated bio of Ganga would not fit in the space available. We’ll have to severely edit his bio found on at his website,  White Lotus Foundation, so that we can  include some salient points.  In addition to studying yoga from Swami Venkatesananda, that bio mentions the following:  Ganga ” has received the teaching title, Yoga Acharya, three times from the Sivananda Ashram, the Yoga Vedanta Forest University, Rishikesh, Himalayas, and the Yoga Niketan in India. He had years of personal study with many great teachers including Swami Venkatesananda, J. Krishnamurti and BKS Iyengar, Joel Kramer, and K. Pattabhi Jois. And he is the author of  “Double Yoga” and “Yoga Beyond Belief.”

Second draft

Swami Venkatesananda and Ganga White

Ganga met Swami Venkatesananda in 1969 when Swami Vishnudevananda invited Swami Venkatesananda and eight other close disciples of Swami Sivananda to the True World Order Conference (promoting world peace and understanding) in Val Morin, Canada. Over the years, Ganga studied with many of the great contemporary masters of Yoga, including Swami Vishnudevananda, Swami Venkatesananda, K. Pattabhi Jois, Joel Kramer, BKS Iyengar, and J. Krishnamurti. He founded the White Lotus Foundation to propagate the study and teaching of Yoga. Ganga traveled extensively and was awarded the teaching title “Yoga Acharya” by three different institutions in India. He is the author of two respected books, “Double Yoga,” and “Yoga Beyond Belief.”

J. Krishnamurti

(describe the amazing similarities of the two, being a light unto yourself as being foundational in the notion of discipleship … contrary to what many understand about it, and the amazing affection that the two had with each other and for the truth but maybe we can touch upon it).  I’ve held off trying to write something because it’s to put it even a part of that into this space, but maybe Sushila has some idea how to approach these topics).

B.K.S. Iyengar – 1

The author of Light On Yoga and recognized as one of the leading exponents of Hatha yoga  world wide.  (add more on Iyengar and the relationship with SV)

B.K.S. Iyengar – 2

B.K.S. Iyengar – 3

Swami Ranganathananda – 1

The 13th President of the Ramakrishna Mission, a scholar and author of many books on the spiritual path, Swami Ranganathananda has been recognized an important figure in advancing yoga and spirituality worldwide.

Swami Ranganathananda – 2

Swami Dayananda of the Chinmaya Mission

Swami Gangeshwarananda

Swami Nishreyasananda
(can’t find a bio, although that’s more often than not a good sign, meaning more likely than not he was not seeking name and fame … heaven knows that the same is true regarding Swamiji.  Nishreyasananda is connected with the  Ramakrishna Mission, and he’s the author of “Man and His Mind”

Kavi Yogi Maharishi Dr. Shuddhananda Bharat
Incredibly prolific, he was the other of over 250 works in Tamil, English, French and Hindi, and in addition, conversant in Sanskrit, Kannada, Malayalam, and Urdo, as well as accomplished in verse, lyrical dramas, operas, comedies, essays and biographies, and therefore, no suprise that he holds a doctorate in literature. His autobiography “The Pilgrim Soul” tells of his many encounters with some of the past century’s most famous spiritual men and women.

(wondering what Sushila knows of his friendship with Swamiji).

Baba Ramdass
No doubt, they both knew about each other long before their first actual meeting, which was either at Rudi’s Big Indian in the Catskills or at the Sivananda Yoga Centre during Swami Muktananda’s first visit to Los Angeles, as Baba Ramdass was traveling with Muktandanda at that time.  A student  in Los Angeles recalls that both Swami Venkatesananda and Ramdass had both simultaneously decided to be the first to prostrate before the other one, and so when they caught sight of each other, both jumped up and tried prostrate first, causing them to lock arms with each other and more or less wrestle the other for that honor.  Locked in that wrestling embrace, much like two sumo wrestlers looking to throw the other one off their game, they both started laughing uncontrollably along with the entire entourage of yogis and yoga students who couldn’t help being amused by this remarkable wrestling match, with neither one willing to let the other one prostrate first. (Sushila, feel free to delete all of this and add your own description).

Swami Muktananda – 1

(Figuring that Sushila might have more to add here than will fit here, I have added three photos of Swamiji and Muktananda so that we can use all three pages for the description of their relationship.

Swami Muktananda – 2

Swami Muktananda – 3

Mani Finger

Paramahamsa  Hariharananda – 1

Paramahamsa  Hariharananda – 2

Paramahamsa  Hariharananda – 3

Paramahamsa  Hariharananda – 4

Mani Finger and Nisrayasananda

Pir Valayat Khan

Kirpal Singh

Alan Watts

Pope Paul VI – 1

Pope Paul VI – 23

Geshe Rabten & Geshe Thubten Ngawang

Dalai Lama – 1

Dalai Lama – 3

Group 4: Well Known in Yoga But With No Personal Relationship with Swami Venkatesananda

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan

“Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan was one of the most distinguished diplomats, scholars and teachers of India, apart from being the first Vice President and the second President of the country.”
and
“In 1918, Doctor Radha Krishnan was appointed as the Professor of Philosophy, in the University of Mysore. Three years later, he was appointed as a Professor to King George V Chair of Mental and Moral Science in the University of Calcutta.In 1929, Dr. Radhakrishnan was invited to take the post vacated by Principal J. estin Carpenter, in Manchester College, Oxford. In Oxford, Dr. Radhakrishnan lectured the students on Comparative Religion. From 1936-39, he served as the Spalding Professor of eastern Religions and ethic,s at Oxford University. In 1939, he was elected Fellow of the British Academy.

Group 4: Well Known in Yoga But With No Personal Relationship with Swami Venkatesananda

Swami “Papa” Ramdas

Group 4: Well Known in Yoga But With No Personal Relationship with Swami Venkatesananda

Mataji Sri Andanda Mayi Ma

Group 4: Well Known in Yoga But With No Personal Relationship with Swami Venkatesananda

Prabupada Bhakti Vedanta Swami

Group 4: Well Known in Yoga But With No Personal Relationship with Swami Venkatesananda

Maharishi Mahesh Yoga

Group 4: Well Known in Yoga But With No Personal Relationship with Swami Venkatesananda

Yogendra

Group 4: Well Known in Yoga But With No Personal Relationship with Swami Venkatesananda

Yoginin Indra Devi

Group 4: Well Known in Yoga But With No Personal Relationship with Swami Venkatesananda

Krishnamacharya and Desikachar

Group 4: Well Known in Yoga But With No Personal Relationship with Swami Venkatesananda

Desikachar

Group 4: Well Known in Yoga But With No Personal Relationship with Swami Venkatesananda

Haridass Baba

Group 4: Well Known in Yoga But With No Personal Relationship with Swami Venkatesananda

Swami Prabhavananda  (Vedanta Society)

Group 4: Well Known in Yoga But With No Personal Relationship with Swami Venkatesananda

Swami Vireshwarananda

(Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Society