so she abandoned it in a bank of reeds. There
Karttikeya was born, so named because he was
weaned and raised as a child by a group of female
stars called the Krittikas. The demon was eventu-
ally defeated.
Shiva is famed as Lord of the Dance; as such
his NATARAJA form is known to all India and found
in grand representation in many temples. He is
also the Lord of chaos, who destroys all the uni-
verse with his final dance. But of course he may
dance that same universe into existence again, if
he so chooses.
Further reading: Stella Kramrisch, The Presence of Shiva
(Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1981);
Wendy Doniger O’Flaherty, Siva: The Erotic Ascetic
(New York: Oxford University Press, 1973).
Shivananda Saraswati, Swami (1887–
1963) founder of Divine Life Society
Swami Shivananda Saraswati was an Indian saint,
YOGA teacher, and author of more than 200 books
on spirituality. Through his disciples, he played
a major role in spreading Hinduism and YOGA
throughout the world.
Kuppuswami Iyer was born on September 8,
- His father was a pious Hindu government
official who sent him to college and to medical
school. His father died before he finished medi-
cal training and Kuppuswami was forced to leave
school. Nevertheless, he maintained his interest
in medicine and began a medical journal that
specialized in preventive medicine and the Indian
AYURVEDIC system of health. He administered a
hospital in Malaya, where his meeting with a
wandering holy man inspired his own spiritual
search.
Returning to India he began a pilgrimage
around the country. He settled in the holy city
of RISHIKESH, where he was initiated into SANNYAS
(renunciation) by Swami Viswananda Saraswati
and given the name Swami Shivananda Saraswati.
Living at Swargashram on the GANGES River, he
devoted himself to MEDITATION, study, and giving
of spiritual guidance to a growing group of disci-
ples. He emphasized BHAKTI YOGA and KARMA YOGA
and opened a dispensary to serve the residents of
the ASHRAM.
In 1934 he established his own ashram,
Ananda Kutir (Abode of Bliss), across the river
in Rishikesh. It had a dispensary and meditation
rooms for silent retreats. In 1936 he founded the
Divine Life Trust with the goal of spiritualizing
all of India. The Divine Life Society was begun as
an auxiliary to the trust, and a monthly periodi-
cal was begun. Swami Shivananda also began the
Forest Academy to train students in his teaching.
He died on July 14, 1963.
Although Swami Shivananda’s health pre-
vented him from visiting the West, he became
one of the most influential forces in the dis-
semination of Hinduism and yoga throughout
the world through his students and disciples. His
student Swami Shivananda RADHA (Sylvia Hill-
man) founded the YASODHARA ASHRAM SOCIETY in
Vancouver. Another student, Swami Vishnude-
vananda, founded a chain of SHIVANANDA YOGA
VEDANTA CENTERS in the United States and Can-
ada. In 1959, Swami Chidananda, Shivananda’s
successor as head of the Divine Life Society, orga-
nized the society in the United States. Another
student, Swami JYOTIRMAYANANDA, founded the
Yoga Research Society in 1962, and SWA M I SAT-
CHIDANANDA created the Integral Yoga Institute
in 1966. His disciple and secretary of the Divine
Life Society, Swami KRISHNANANDA, although he
did not travel to the West, wrote extensively and
welcomed seekers from the West to the ashram
in Rishikesh.Further reading: Wami Krishnananda, Swami Shiva-
nanda and the Spiritual Renaissance (Shivanandanagar:
Divine Life Society, 1959); Shiva Shivananda, Sadhana
(Shivanandanagar: Divine Life Society, 1958); ———,
Science of Yoga, 18 vols. (Shivanandanagar: Divine Life
Society, 1977); ———, Yoga Asanas (Shivanandanagar:
Divine Life Society, 1969); Swami Venkateshananda,Shivananda Saraswati, Swami 407 J