The Benevolent master

The Benevolent master

Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanand Maharaj

Blessed Divinity

The Himalayas and its peaks mount Everest are known for its heights but it does not have depth, where as pacific ocean has depth but does not have height. Gurudev Shri Swami Sivananadaji Maharaj is worshiped and honored for his Himalayan height of purity, conduct, truth and service to the mankind and pacific depth of knowledge, devotion and abundant love and generosity to the mankind.

He was an unmatched and unparalleled gem. Born in unknown corner of South India in very tiny village named Pattamadai in Tirunelvelly district on the bank of Tampraparani River, today after 116 year, his name has become a household name to the yoga lovers & the seekers of truth. He is light beacon to all who seek guidance in the path of spirituality.

He was an ideal monk. He was able to do everything through his thought vibrations. Never did he become a head of any institution or association but a number of heads and presidents of socio-religious and political institution came to him for his guidance, grace and blessings.

Swami Sivananadaji Maharaj never toured to the west but people from all corners of the world came to him after being inspired by his writings. He preached by his exemplary life. His life was embodiment of teaching. His mere sight elevated the minds of thousands. He was a living assurance for others for the realization of the absolute. Many drew inspiration from the sight of him during his holy presence and even today many more get inspiration from his holy Samadhi shrine from his holy abode at Sivananda Ashram, Rishikesh.

He was beautiful within and without, ever absorbed in His inner being and beyond the realm of his thought vibrations yet controlling everything with it. He was strong indeed; His divine thoughts transmitted to the long distance & purified the world and enter the minds of thousands. The world will rejoice his memory for a long time to come.

He healed by suggestion. In spite of being a doctor, He gave drugfree treatment. By powerful suggestions, he cured many people in the east & the west who sought refuge in him. He cured a variety of diseases. After having learned this great science of healing in his austerity, during his Tapasya, He always preached about the power of sincere prayer, prayers for peace and prosperities of mankind. He prayed for them, those who needed his prayer. He used to say, allopathic, homeopathy, ayurvedopathy or unanipathy may fail but NAMO PATHY- the holy name of the Lord will never fail. Sooner or later all prayers are answered. Such indomitable was his faith in prayers and power of the absolute with which he could move the mountain.

His mission of Divine Life stands for service and love to the mankind for charity, purity for meditation and finally the goal of self-realization. His very life itself was his message. He lived and breathed only for the good of the known and unknown countless people not only on this planet earth but perhaps also many other distant planets.

He lived through his physical and mental presence in small little thatched hut and most of his penance days hardly had square meal to satisfy his need but he has taken very tender care of each of his devotees & visitors providing them with the essential things. He served sick and poor, cows and dogs, known and unknown, far and wide. His name was Sivananda but widely he was known as Givananda and SEVANANDA (having bliss in service).

Swami Sivanandaji’s compassion was boundless. The scorpions, lizards, mice or snakes, used to scroll around fearlessly in his room in front of him. He would not disturb them and they would not bother Him. What an understanding! What compassion! What a care! To him everything was Brahman! He used to say, “Sarvam Braham-mayam re-re ladaka Brahman! Ladaki Brahman! Gadha Ghadhi bhi Brahman!”. Everything is Brahman, Boys or Girls, donkey or monkey, everything is bliss bliss bliss! Absolute!!! These were not merely funny words or attitude, but these were his very realization of the ultimate truth.

His life was a life of illumination and light. Divine qualities such as fearlessness and purity of the heart conferred liberation to him. The effect of Sattwa Guna made him established in truth and made him understand & distinguished between what is real and what is unreal.

Swami Sivananadaji Maharaj was an embodiment of pure Sattawa. Total purity. From head to foot he was heart, oozing with love and only love to serve and love, give and purify, meditate and realize Adorable Presence Divine, worshipful homage unto Thee! We who are inseparable parts of Thy eternal, infinite existence, one with You in essential nature, have forgotten our eternal relationship with Thee Who art our adi, madhya and anta (beginning, middle and end), Who art our all in all. Through this forgetfulness we have alienated ourselves from Thee and thus find ourselves to be in a state deprived of the bliss, peace and light that is our birthright, that is what we are. We have deprived ourselves of this Self-experience, and we are living a spurious, false, counterfeit experience filled with love and hate, laughing and weeping, anxiety and tension, fear and bondage, fighting and quarrelling, self-centredness, selfishness, anger and jealousy. It is a kritrimavastha, a vishamavastha—an unnatural state, an abnormal state. It is not sahaja (natural) to us, but kritrima (unnatural).

At the time when Sri Gurudev Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj came to limelight in this world, sometime in the earlier part of this century, it could be observed that there were certain movements in human history which required rectification. History is nothing but the march of the intentions of the Time-spirit which vigorously adjusts and adapts itself to the ultimate aim and goal towards which the entire universe is moving. At the beginning of this century, there were two trends in the social movement, which went to excesses, and they had to be checked. There was, on the one side, an excess of traditional orthodoxy, while, on other side, there was an extreme in the materialistic and economic outlook of life .We had both these things visible not only in India but all over the world. There were two sections of mankind thinking in two departments of life altogether, one going to the one extreme and other going to the other extreme. The religious orthodoxy tended to isolate itself from the realities of life and set up an almost impossible set of ideals of religiosity, a type of religion which made it almost an other – worldly affair, perhaps having nothing to do with the present life, as also bordering upon social disparities and satisfactions of human society in a manner which could not have been regarded as healthy from the point of view of the aims of the Time –Spirit. On the other hand, there was the other side, viz., science, physics, technical developments and industrial revolution, all of which gripped the minds of the modern Indian youth, who gradually lost contact with the vital springs of Indian culture and began to feel enamored of the demonstrations of modern achievements in the fields of applied science and technology. So, there was a section of people, youngsters included, which moved in the direction of the exterior world of sense – contacts, social amusement and physical comfort, making it the be-all and end-all of life, as it were, ignoring the spiritual value of life altogether, on account of the glamour of the western civilization which had its impact upon Indian culture due to peculiar circumstances of history in which India found itself in the beginning of this century. As mentioned, there was religious orthodoxy, even untouchabilities of various types, which was definitely not in consonance with the aims of Time-spirit or the will of God. The balance of life was swinging between the devil and the deep sea.

The Benevolent Master – Compassion, Guidance, and Spiritual Awakening

The Benevolent Master is a loving guide who leads seekers from confusion to clarity, from weakness to strength, and from ignorance to wisdom. Such a master does not merely give lectures or display learning. Their life itself becomes a source of inspiration. Their words heal, their silence teaches, and their presence gives courage to those who sincerely seek truth.

A true guide is benevolent because their heart is filled with compassion. They do not look at seekers with judgment, pride, or harshness. They understand human weakness and patiently help people rise above it. Even when they correct, their correction comes from love, not ego. Their aim is not to control others, but to awaken the higher nature hidden within them.

The Benevolent Master removes darkness through knowledge. Many people suffer because they identify with the body, mind, senses, ego, name, form, and temporary roles. They believe they are weak, incomplete, and dependent on outer things for happiness. The master points them toward the true self, which is pure consciousness, peaceful, eternal, and free.

Such a teacher does not create truth; they reveal what is already present. Just as the sun is always shining even when clouds cover it, the self is always pure even when ignorance hides it. The master helps the seeker remove the clouds of doubt, fear, attachment, and wrong understanding. Through this guidance, the seeker begins to recognize the light within.

The Benevolent Master teaches according to the capacity of the student. One seeker may need devotion, another may need meditation, another may need service, and another may need discrimination. A wise teacher does not force one method on everyone. They understand different temperaments and guide each soul with patience and practical wisdom.

The master’s kindness is not weakness. Sometimes compassion appears as gentle encouragement, and sometimes it appears as firm correction. If the seeker is lazy, proud, careless, or attached to wrong habits, the teacher may speak strongly. But behind the firmness there is grace. A loving correction can save the seeker from years of confusion.

The Benevolent Master inspires faith. A struggling aspirant may feel discouraged by repeated failures. The mind may fall again into anger, desire, fear, jealousy, or doubt. At such times, the teacher reminds the seeker that no sincere effort is wasted. Every prayer, every act of self-control, every noble thought, and every moment of remembrance purifies the heart.

A true guide also teaches by example. Their simplicity, humility, discipline, purity, compassion, and self-control speak louder than words. They do not seek personal fame or luxury. Their joy lies in serving, uplifting, and helping others discover peace. Their conduct shows that spiritual life is practical and possible.

The Benevolent Master encourages selfless service. Service reduces ego and expands the heart. When work is done only for personal gain, it binds the mind. But when action is offered to the Divine, it becomes worship. The teacher guides seekers to serve the poor, comfort the troubled, share wisdom, speak kindly, and perform duties sincerely.

The master also teaches devotion. Prayer, mantra repetition, surrender, worship, and remembrance of the Divine soften the heart and remove pride. Devotion gives sweetness to the path. It helps the seeker feel protected and guided even during difficulty. A heart filled with devotion becomes ready for higher knowledge.

The Benevolent Master never encourages blind dependence. A genuine teacher wants the seeker to grow in discrimination, strength, purity, and inner freedom. The outer guide points toward the inner guide. The final aim is not slavery to a personality, but awakening to the Divine presence and the true self within.

The seeker must approach such guidance with humility. Pride blocks learning. If a student thinks, “I already know everything,” even great wisdom may not enter the heart. Humility allows listening, reflection, correction, and growth. Faith, sincerity, discipline, and practice are necessary to receive the master’s grace properly.

A worthy student should also test teachings through practice. Listening alone is not enough. One must meditate, pray, serve, control speech, reduce anger, study noble thoughts, and examine the mind daily. When teachings are lived, they become power. When they remain only in memory, they do not transform life.

The presence of a compassionate guide brings hope to many. The weak feel strengthened, the confused feel directed, the sorrowful feel comforted, and the sincere feel inspired. Even a few words from such a master can change the course of life when received with faith and readiness.

In the end, The Benevolent Master is a blessing on the spiritual path. Such a guide removes ignorance, awakens devotion, strengthens discipline, and points the seeker toward self-realization. Through compassion, wisdom, correction, example, and grace, the master helps the soul rise from bondage to freedom. A seeker who follows with humility and sincerity gradually discovers peace, purity, and liberation.

Swami Sivanandaji 108 names