Our Inspiration

Swami Sivananda was a towering spiritual force in the yogic renaissance which developed in India in the first half of the 20th century. After serving as a doctor in Malaya, he returned to India to pursue his spiritual aspirations, and in 1924 was initiated into Dashnami Sannyasa in Rishikesh. He founded the Divine Life Society, toured India extensively, wrote hundreds of books and inspired thousands around the world to practice Yoga and lead a divine life. Swami Sivananda’s eightfold path of Yoga- Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Do good, Be good, Meditate, Realize- expresses his philosophy of service to humanity and continues to guide the work of the Bihar School of Yoga.

Swami Sivananda Saraswati

Swami Satyananda Saraswati

Swami Satyananda was initiated into Dashnami Sannayasa by his Guru Swami Sivananda, in 1947. After serving his Guru’s mission in Rishikesh for twelve years, he founded the International Yoga Fellowship in 1956 and the Bihar School of Yoga in 1963. From that base he took the teachings to the rest of the world, fulfilling the mandate of his Guru to 'spread Yoga from door to door and shore to shore'

Through his genius and compassion, many ancient complex and esoteric practices were systematized, simplified and made available to people of all ages, cultures and creeds. Swami Satyananda’s blend of charisma and pragmatism attracted multitudes of devotees wherever he went, giving rise to a global movement and creating a far-reaching network of ashrams, yoga centres and teacher. Meanwhile, the headquarters in Bihar continued to expand its many program, including the publishing division, producing numerous books that both preserve and disseminate the incredibly rich seam of practical wisdom which flows through this lineage.

Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati

A yogi from earliest childhood, Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati joined the Bihar School of Yoga in 1964 and was initiated into Dashnami Sannyasa in 1971. At the age of eleven he was sent to live abroad by his Guru Swami Satyananda, giving him direct experience and understanding of people from a vast array of cultures and walks of life. Those years instilled in him a rare, cross-culture insight into human nature, enabling him to communicate and interact with the international community with familiarity, ease and humour.

Combined with his depth of spiritual and yogic knowledge, this background equipped Swami Niranjanananda to guide the Bihar School of Yoga and the international yoga movement from 1983 until 2008, when he began handling over the administration to the next generation. During this time he also authored many classic books on Yoga, Tantra and the Upanishads and founded Bihar Yoga Bharati, the world-first yoga university, while continuing extensive national and international touring.
Following retirement from his role at the Bihar School of Yoga, Swami Niranjanananda established Sannayasa Peeth for the development and training of Sannyasins, and for his own pursuit of the higher sadhanas os Sannyasa.
As the spiritual successor to Swami Satyananda, Swami Niranjanananda continues to inspire aspirants around the world.

Swami Satyasangananda Saraswati

Swami Satyasangananda (Satsangi) was born on 24th March 1953, in Chandorenagore, West Bengal. From the age of 22 she experienced a series of inner awakenings which led her to her guru, Swami Satyananda. From 1981 she travelled ceaselessly with her guru in India and overseas and developed into a scholar with deep insight into the yogic and tantric traditions as well as modern sciences and philosophies. She is an efficient channel for the transmission of her guru’s teachings. The establishment of Sivananda Math in Rikhia is her creation and mission, and she guides all its activities there, working tirelessly to uplift the weaker and underpriviledged areas. She embodies compassion with clear reason and is the foundation of her guru’s vision.

Swami Devshankaranand Saraswati

Born in a village of Bhatapara district of Chattisgarh state in 1939, was picked up by Sri Swami Satyananda for the propagation of yoga mission in and around steel city of Bhilai in the year 1969.
Throughout the year, he organized yoga shivirs for BSP school teachers and students, ladies, senior executives, Russian experts, social organizations, medical fraternity, as a torch bearer to the yoga mission of his guru, with peerless zeal and sincerity.
6 all India Yoga Conventions were organized under his leadership in the physical presence of Sri Swami Satyananda Saraswati and Sri Swami Niranjananda Saraswati.
Due to his untiring efforts, yoga became a day to day name in the steel city collective. The tradition set by him was warmly acclaimed by Swami Niranjananda Ji on the occasion of his demise and advised the next coming incumbent to carry forward the legacy left behind by him. The same is being carried out in it’s true spirit by the present Acharya of the Yogashram.