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Swami Dayananda Saraswati
His Holiness Swami Dayananda Saraswati, from the private collection of Arsha Vidya Gurukulam.
Birth Date (1930-08-15)15 August 1930
Manjakkudi, Tamil Nadu, India
Died on 23 September 2015(2015-09-23) (aged 85)
Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India
Birth name Natarajan Gopala Iyer
Philosophy Advaita Vedanta

Swami Dayananda Saraswati (born August 15, 1930 – died September 23, 2015) was a respected Hindu monk. He was also known as Pujya Swamiji. He taught Advaita Vedanta, a traditional Hindu philosophy. He started the Arsha Vidya Gurukulams, which are special schools for learning. These schools are in Pennsylvania, USA; Rishikesh, Uttarakhand; and Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. He was also a spiritual guide to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In 2016, he received the Padma Bhushan, a high civilian award in India, for his work in spirituality.

Biography

Early Life

Swami Dayananda Saraswati was born Natarajan on August 15, 1930. His birthplace was Manjakkudi in the Thiruvarur district of Tamil Nadu, India. He was the oldest of four brothers. His father passed away when Natarajan was only eight years old. This meant he had to help his family while still going to school.

After finishing school at age seventeen, Natarajan moved to Chennai. He wanted to find work there. He learned English and started working as a journalist for a magazine called Dharmika Hindu. He also tried working for a news agency and a company called Volkart Brothers. During this time, his younger brother took care of their family's farm.

Learning with Swami Chinmayananda

Natarajan became very interested in Vedanta, a deep philosophy from ancient India. In 1952, he heard Swami Chinmayananda give public talks. Natarajan then joined the Chinmaya Mission and quickly became its secretary. He also took Sanskrit classes to learn more.

Swami Chinmayananda asked Natarajan to help set up a Chinmaya Mission branch in Madurai. In 1955, Natarajan traveled with Swami Chinmayananda to Uttarkashi. There, he met Swami Chinmayananda's own teacher, Tapovan Maharaj. Tapovan Maharaj told Natarajan that he should also take time to study and meditate. Natarajan promised to return and study with him later, and he did.

Becoming a Monk

In 1961, Natarajan went to study with Swami Pranavananda. He wanted to understand Vedanta better. He learned that Vedanta is a way to understand the truth about oneself. Natarajan realized that Vedanta was not just a system, but a direct path to knowledge.

In 1962, Swami Chinmayananda gave Natarajan Sannyasa. This is a special ceremony where someone becomes a renunciate monk. Natarajan was then given the name Swami Dayananda Saraswati. In 1963, he went to Mumbai. There, he helped edit the Chinmaya Mission's magazine, Tapovan Prasad. He also taught students how to chant the Bhagavad Gita and the Upanishads.

Later in 1963, Swami Dayananda went to Rishikesh. He lived in a simple hut and spent three years studying ancient texts. The place where he stayed is now called Swami Dayananda Ashram.

Teaching Others

Around 1967, Swami Dayananda started giving public talks. He traveled across India, sharing the teachings of the Gita and the Upanishads. In 1971, he began a long-term study program in Mumbai. He created a special course to teach Vedanta.

Between 1972 and 1979, he led two three-year courses in Mumbai. He said that students learned in two and a half years what might take a monk in the Himalayas nine years to learn. In 1979, he started a similar program in California, USA. After that, he returned to India and continued teaching through talks and lectures.

Final Days

Swami Dayananda Saraswati passed away on September 23, 2015. He was 85 years old. He was surrounded by his students and followers by the Ganga river. His final ceremonies were performed in the traditional way for a monk. He was buried in a special grave, while Vedic hymns were chanted. Many important people and his students came to pay their respects.

Arsha Vidya Centres

Teaching Philosophy

Swami Dayananda, along with his senior students, taught ten three-year programs. Eight of these were in India and two were in the United States. Many of his students now teach all over the world. More than 200 of his monk students teach Vedanta and Sanskrit grammar. They are part of the Arsha Vidya Sampradaya, which is like a family of teachers.

Learning Centers

Swami Dayananda started four main teaching centers. Many more centers have been opened by his students around the world. These centers focus on teaching Vedanta, Sanskrit, and related subjects. They are known as 'Arsha Vidya' or 'Arsha Vijnana'. 'Arsha' means "of the Rishis" (ancient sages).

The four main Arsha Vidya teaching centers he started are:

  • Arsha Vidya Peetham, Swami Dayananda Ashram, Rishikesh, India
  • Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Saylorsburg, Pennsylvania, USA
  • Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Anaikatti, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
  • Arsha Vijnana Gurukulam, Nagpur, Maharashtra, India

These centers offer long courses, short retreats, and weekend programs. They teach important texts like the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, and Brahma Sutras. They also teach the Sanskrit language and traditional grammar. Students at these centers also practice daily meditation and participate in spiritual gatherings. Some centers also teach yoga, Indian classical music, ayurveda, and jyotisha.

Swami Dayananda also started a center in his hometown, Manjakkudi. This center includes an arts college, two high schools, and a traditional Veda Pathasala. A Veda Pathasala is a school for learning the Vedas, which are ancient Hindu scriptures.

Many centers in India and around the world continue to teach Vedanta under the name "Arsha Vidya".

Notable Students

India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has been called a student of Swami Dayananda Saraswati. Many of Swami Dayananda's monk students now lead important centers. For example, Swami Suddhananda Saraswati used to lead the Swami Dayananda Ashram in Rishikesh. Swami Sakshatkrtananda Saraswati now leads it. Swami Viditatmananda Saraswati leads the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Saylorsburg.

Other important students include Swami Paramarthananda and Swami Tattvavidananda. All Arsha Vidya teachers teach Vedanta around the world.

Associated Organizations and Activities

All India Movement for Seva (AIM for Seva)

Swami Dayananda also started many projects to help people. In 2000, he founded the All India Movement for Seva (AIM for Seva). His goal was to help society by providing services, especially in rural areas. This organization focuses on education and health care for children in remote parts of India. They run free student hostels and schools.

In 2002, Swami Dayanandaji started "Swami Dayananda Krupa Home" in Sriperumbudur. This home helps men and children with developmental delays. AIM for Seva was recognized by the United Nations in 2005 for its work.

Arsha Vidya Research and Publication Trust

The Arsha Vidya Research and Publication Trust (AVRandPT) publishes Swami Dayananda's teachings. This non-profit organization is based in Chennai. It publishes his classes, lectures, and courses as books, audio, video, and e-books. They also have a mobile app called "Teachings of Swami Dayananda".

Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha

In 2000, Swami Dayananda Saraswati helped create the Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha. This is a group of top Hindu religious leaders from different traditions. They meet to discuss important issues facing Hinduism. They also work to provide leadership and service to society.

Dharma Rakshana Samiti

In 1999, Swami Dayananda Saraswati started the Dharma Rakshana Samiti. This group aims to protect and preserve Hinduism and its way of life. He believed that Hinduism needed to be protected by its followers in modern times.

Bhagavad Gita Home Study Program

Swami Dayananda created a special course called the Bhagavad Gita Home Study (BGHS) program. This program teaches the wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita. It is offered in many countries, including the US, India, and the United Kingdom. The study materials are available in many languages.

Working with Other Religions

Swami Dayananda supported discussions between different religions. He took part in Hindu-Jewish conferences. He also participated in two Hindu-Buddhist summits in Cambodia and Sri Lanka.

He also contributed to many other international meetings, including:

  • A United Nations gathering in 1980
  • The UNESCO Seoul Global Convention in 1995
  • The United Nations 50th Anniversary Celebration in 1995
  • The Millennium World Peace Summit in New York in 2000
  • He started the International Congress for the Preservation of Religious Diversity in Delhi in 2001
  • The Conference on the Preservation of Sacred Sites in Taipei in 2002
  • He started the World Council for Preservation of Religious Diversity in Bangkok in 2002
  • The Global Peace Initiative of Women in Geneva in 2002
  • He started a Hindu-Christian discussion with the World Council of Churches in Geneva in 2002
  • The Youth Peace Summit in Nairobi in 2003

Preserving Ancient Traditions

Swami Dayananda worked to preserve India's ancient cultures and religious practices. He started several Veda Pathashalas. These are centers for learning the Vedas and Agamas. He wanted to make sure these ancient traditions would not disappear.

He also helped support 35 oduvars (singers) in old Siva temples. They sang ancient songs explaining Saiva Siddhanta philosophy. He also helped build five chariots for the Sri Mahalingaswamy Temple in Thiruvidaimarudur in 2010.

Books

Swami Dayananda Saraswati wrote many books. Here is a list of some of them:

  • Can We?
  • Conversion is Violence
  • Gurupurnima
  • Do All Religions Have the Same Goal?
  • Danam
  • Japa
  • Moments With Krishna
  • the True Teacher
  • Hinduism and Its Uniqueness
  • Purnamadah Purnamidam
  • Dialogues With Swami Dayananda
  • Discourses On Important Topics
  • Action and Reaction
  • Crisis Management
  • Exploring Vedanta
  • Freedom
  • Freedom from Fear
  • Freedom from Helplessness
  • Freedom from Sadness
  • Freedom from Stress
  • Freedom in Relationship
  • Friendship: The Essence of Vedic Marriage
  • Fundamental Problem
  • in the Vision of Vedanta
  • Insights
  • Introduction to Vedanta: Understanding the Fundamental Problem
  • Teaching of the Bhagavad Gita
  • Vision of Gita
  • Kenopanishad
  • Mundakopanishad (2 volume set)
  • Taittiriya Upanishad (2 volume set)
  • Mandukya Upanishad (4 volume set)
  • Knowledge and Action: The Two Fold Commitment
  • Living Versus Getting On
  • Mahavakya Vichara
  • Morning Meditation Prayers
  • What's Meditation?
  • Living Intelligently
  • Successful Living
  • Discovering Love
  • Value of Values
  • Need for Cognitive Change
  • Vedic View and Way of Life
  • Need for Personal Reorganisation
  • Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya
  • Personal Re-Engineering in Management
  • Personnel Management
  • Prayer Guide
  • Problem is You, the Solution is You
  • Purpose of Prayer
  • Sadhana and the Sadhya
  • Sadhana Pancakam
  • Satyam and Mithya
  • Self-Knowledge
  • Sri Rudram
  • Sri Dakshinamurt Stotram
  • Drk-Drsya-Viveka
  • Vivekachudamani: Talks On 108 Selected Verses
  • Vishnusahasranama: With Translation and Commentary
  • Tattvabodha
  • Stress-Free Living
  • Surrender and Freedom
  • Talks and Essays (Vol. i)
  • Talks and Essays (Vol. ii)
  • Talks and Essays (Vol. iii)
  • Talks On "Who Am I?"
  • Talks On Meditation
  • Teaching Tradition of Advaita Vedanta
  • Understanding Between Parents and Children
  • Vedanta 24 X 7
  • Wedding Ceremony Based On Hindu Concepts
  • What You Love is the Pleased Self
  • Yoga of Objectivity
  • You Are the Whole

Books About Swami Dayananda Saraswati

  • Teacher of Teachers – a biography by Padma Narasimhan
  • Contributions and Writings – a biography by Sheela Balaji

See also

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