Varanasi, May 4:
Renowned yoga guru and Padma Shri recipient Swami Sivananda Saraswati passed away on Saturday aged 128 years in Varanasi. His death has been widely mourned, with the first to take the initiative of paying homage being Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
PM Modi was saddened and stated, "Swami Sivananda Ji's life, based on yoga, discipline, and service, will continue to inspire generations. His simplicity and commitment to humankind were truly exemplary. His passing is an irreplaceable loss to the country."
Born on the 8th of August, 1897, in Sylhet, now Bangladesh, Swami Sivananda lost his parents at the early age of six and was subsequently adopted by a spiritual master at Nabadwip, West Bengal. He spent his entire life spreading yoga, spirituality, and selfless service. He was renowned for leading a disciplined life, and he lived without depending on any luxury of modern times and had been curing leprosy patients and the poor for decades.
Swami Sivananda became a national icon when he was awarded the Padma Shri in 2022 for his precious contribution to yoga and humanity. His gentle nature and humility surprised millions, especially when he merely bowed before Prime Minister Modi at the function, which everybody preferred in greater numbers.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also paid respects to him, referring to him as "a great inspiration to society."
Swami Sivananda's contribution as a yogi, healer, and spiritual master will continue to influence India's spiritual and cultural life for centuries to come.
