Celebrating The First International Day of Yoga

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THE YOUNG SWAMIJI As a child Swamiji loved bhakti stories like Kabirdas. He also loved to go for Utsavam (Temple celebrations) to see the chariot being pulled and he loved to take friends to go and see it as well. Determination It was his powerful determination that Swamiji’s mother was referring to when she described him as ‘a very adamant fellow’. Illustrating with an incident from his infancy Mataji told of how once the young Swami Kuttan had refused to eat until some of the food on his plate was removed. There was too much, he had said, take some away. Mataji explained that the dog could have what was left, and instructed him to eat. Again he refused: there was too much food, and some should be removed. Mataji, in her own words, ‘beat him on the leg’ until his leg swelled. Still he would not eat, nor did he cry. It became clear that beating was useless. Mataji relented and removed some of the food. Swami ate, and Mataji resolved never to beat him again. Hand in hand with this resolute determination came a remark - able fearlessness. Swamiji’s cousin, Sri Achuthan recalled: In his younger days Swami had no fear at all. There was a mango tree near the house where we lived. If you climbed right to the top you could see our house from the top of that tree. Once he saw me when I was climbing down. I told him that I had climbed up to try and pick some mangoes. He asked ‘Did you get any?’ I told him ‘No’, I didn’t manage to get any. They are a bit too high to reach.’ So Swami climbed up and the branch broke and the stick he used to collect the mangoes also broke. When the branch broke he fell down to the ground after getting hit by other branches on the way to the ground. He broke his arm. It became a huge event and everyone gathered around. My father was very good with medicines. He had some medicinal oils that he got from Mysore. There was a toddy shop nearby and that man was good at tying splints. So he came and with my dad applied oils and using a white cloth tied a splint. Swami did not cry. Not a drop of tears fell from his eyes. In spite of so much pain he did not cry. From birth Swami’s diet consisted of milk, fruits, sweets and ghee. He refused to drink coffee and tea, and did not like strong spices or salt. If some butter was added he would eat rice. He would eat idli and dosa. He was golden in colour. One day Kunji Amma, a neighbour, looking at Mataji with Swami Kuttan on her lap enquired whether she was the child’s mother, and what food he was being given. The child was looking beautiful, Kunji Amma said, while Mataji looked like his servant. ‘Chovvari’ (sago payasam) and milk Mataji replied. In his early years Swami Kuttan lived in Kumaramputhoor farm, his father’s farm at Pallavur. Because the local school was three miles away Swamiji’s mother engaged a tutor to teach him at home. One day his father’s nephew, Balan, took the young boy to his primary school in Thalloor to attend Navaratri Puja. The next day he ran to go to school. Mataji recalled: ‘I did not permit, as he had to walk three miles and I thought to let him complete one more year. But he ran again and I chased him and brought him back. Again he ran and thereafter he attended school regularly. He started going to school by himself at the age of five. After passing 4th class he started attending school at Nemmara from Pallavoor crossing the Gayatri River and streams. If there is water in the river someone would help him to cross. He had no fear even while young.’ The tank near the Subramanya Temple in Kanninmanglam where Swamiji bathed, and chased the boys catching fish The paddy fields which once formed part of Swamiji’s family land Discrimination ‘He did not like talking ill of others. One day when we ladies were chatting he shouted, “Mother! Mother!” loudly and when asked what he wants he advised us not to talk ill of others. He will only tell the truth. When the shopkeeper returned the balance once with more money after the purchase of provisions, Swami asked that the excess amount be returned immediately. He would not ask for money to visit the cinema. Only books and fees he will ask. He is studying along with rich family children. They may eat from hotels, but Swami is satisfied with what I give. He will not demand anything from me.’ He was not fond of show or make-up. His dress was simple. It was not because he could not afford, but he had no desire for costly costumes. He was fond of books. If he took up a book he wouldn’t leave it until it was finished. Compassion ‘When the woman sweeping the courtyard was sick, Swami applied oil and massaged her legs. He would not harm animals, nor permit others to harm them. Whenever he took a bath in the tank, if he found friends catching fish, he would catch them and bring them home. He would advise them not to do it, and he would pay money not to kill. He would not allow anyone to harm even ants and flies. Swamiji’s elder sister Lakshmi Kutty was advised not to eat fish and meat and also not to conduct adharma poojas with animal sacrifice; only oothama poojas to be conducted for the gods. No animal was to be harmed or killed. When Swami was in the army Balan was laid up with TB. Swami came back from the Punjab on leave and kept Balan’s head on his lap and looked after him until death, reciting God’s name. Earlier, when he was studying, his uncle Murukandi was in hospital. He looked after his uncle the whole night. He helped other patients also. He looked after them until death. He was not at all afraid. In his younger days he had no fear at all.’ n Kamala Devi runs an affiliated Sivananda Yoga Centre in Katoomba, NSW, Australia. She is a long time disciple of Swamiji Vishnudevananda and has helped a lot with the organisation of the archives of Swamiji’s work. email: kamalaDevi@bigpond.com 16 YOGALife |Autumn/Winter 2015
Sivananda Teachers’ Training Course August 15 – September 10, 2016 Course language: English and Spanish Enjoy sunshine, health, inner learning and spiritual fellowship. The tiny picturesque village Aluenda is located at 900 m above sea level, nestled in the “Sierra de Vicor” How to get there: Flight plus high speed train: Madrid (1hr) or Barcelona (2hrs). Aluenda Barcelona Yoga Vacation 17 August – 11 September 2015 Free choice of dates Teaching language: Spanish Madrid Spain Balearic Sea CENTRO DE YOGA SIVANANDA VEDANTA MADRID · Founder: Swami Vishnudevananda · C/ Eraso 4, 28028 Madrid, Spain Phone +34 91 361 51 50 · E-mail: madrid@sivananda.net · www.sivananda.org/madrid · www.sivananda.eu YOGALife |Autumn/Winter 2015 17
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Page 4 and 5: EDITOR’S LETTER International Siv
Page 6 and 7: UNITY OF EXISTENCE Unity of Existen
Page 8 and 9: MENTAL PROCESSES IN YOGA Mental Pro
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Page 12 and 13: SWAMI SIVANANDA SWAMI VISHNUDEVANAN
Page 14 and 15: THE YOUNG SWAMIJI Nemarra High Scho
Page 18 and 19: NERVE IMPULSE AND PRANA IMPULSE Ner
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Page 22 and 23: DIET AND NUTRITION The Failure of P
Page 24 and 25: THE DIAPHRAGM The Diaphragm An Amaz
Page 26 and 27: SPECIAL REPORT: INTERNATIONAL DAY O
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Page 41 and 42: SIVANANDA YOGA VEDANTA CENTRES CHAR
Page 43 and 44: STAFF REFRESHER, 2015: SPECIAL REPO
Page 45 and 46: Ashram de Yoga Sivananda Swami Siva
Page 47 and 48: ASHRAM DE YOGA SIVANANDA, FRANCE Ho
Page 49 and 50: LET MY LIFE BE A PRAYER sing. I rem
Page 51 and 52: OM NAMO NARAYANAYA MANTRA BANK Goin
Page 53 and 54: PEACE DÉJÀ VU As a child I made a
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ASHRAM AND CENTRE NEWS Ashram and C
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