This article is about an Indian swami. For the philosophical concept, see Satcitananda.
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Swami Satchidananda (22 December1914–19 August2002) was an Indian religious figure, spiritual teacher and yoga adept, who gained fame and followers in the West, especially in the United States. He was the author of many books, including one popular illustrated book on Hatha Yoga.
Early Years
Satchidananda's name at birth was C. K. Ramaswamy Gounder. He was born in Chettipalayam in the Tamil Nadu region of southern India in 1914 to privileged and observant Hindu parents who called him Ramu. Like other children from religious families, young Ramu loved to play guru and disciple with his friends. He did not become involved in spiritual matters immediately upon reaching adulthood, however. After graduating from agricultural college, he took a position with his uncle's firm, which imported motorcycles. At 23, then a chain-smoking manager at India’s National Electric Works, he married, but his wife died suddenly after five years of marriage, having given birth to two sons.
Spiritual Quest
After his wife’s death, Ramaswamy left his children with his mother and travelled throughout India to meditate at holy shrines and to study with spiritual teachers. For years, Ramaswamy searched out people revered as sages, saints and spiritual masters. Eventually, he discovered his guru, Sri Swami Sivananda, who ordained him into the order of sannyasa.
During the late 1950s and most of the '60s, Swami Satchidananda headed the Kandy Thapovanam, one of Swami Sivananda's ashrams situated in the hill country of Sri Lanka. Here, Swami Satchidananda taught yoga, pursued interfaith activities and modernized the ancient mode of living that renunciates had followed for many years. For example, Swami Satchidanda drove a car, wore a watch and actively engaged the questions of seekers. These modernizations were at first unacceptable to many individuals in the orthodoxy but he felt them to be necessary for the more effective dissemination of the message of Integral Yoga.
The United States
After serving his guru for many years, in 1966 he visited New York City at the request of a U.S. disciple, the artist Peter Max. Soon after his initial visit, Swamiji, as he was known to disciples, formally moved to the United States and eventually became a citizen. From his new home he spread his teachings of yoga and enlightenment.
Satchidananda first came to public attention as the opening speaker[1] at the Woodstock music and arts festival in 1969. Over the years he wrote numerous books and gave hundreds of lectures. He also ordained a number of western disciples into the order of sannyasa. He was the founder of the Integral Yoga Institute[2] and in 1986 opened the Light of Truth Universal Shrine (LOTUS) at Yogaville in Buckingham, Virginia.
Although Satchidananda is thought to have briefly met Sri Aurobindo, he viewed his brand of teaching as a unique entity. Swami Satchidananda characterized Integral Yoga as "...a flexible combination of specific methods to develop every aspect of the individual: physical, intellectual, and spiritual. It is a scientific system which integrates the various branches of Yoga in order to bring about a complete and harmonious development of the individual."
This would make it very similar to Sri Aurobindo's concept of Integral Yoga, which clearly preceded the work of Swami Satchidananda. Sri Aurobindo describes the nature and practice of integral yoga in his opus The Synthesis of Yoga. As the title of that work indicates, his integral yoga is a yoga of synthesis, intended to harmonize the paths of karma, jnana, and bhaktiyoga as described in the Bhagavad Gita. It can also be considered a synthesis between Vedanta and Tantra, and between Eastern and Western approaches to spirituality.
There are also similarities in the symbolism used by Sri Aurobindo and Swami Satchidananda. In addition, Satchidananda's center was given the name "Yogaville." (Aurobindo's "Auroville" had been founded in 1968.)
Satchidananda's group trademarked the term "Integral Yoga" in the United States.[3][4]
Credo
Integral Yoga believes:
"The goal and the birthright of all individuals is to realize the spiritual unity behind the diversity throughout creation and to live harmoniously as members of one universal family. This goal is achieved by the maintaining of our natural condition:
a body of optimal health and strength,
senses under total control,
a mind well disciplined, clear, and calm,
an intellect as sharp as a razor,
a will as strong and pliable as steel,
a heart full of unconditional love and compassion,
Prof. L. Shinn is his overviewA of the contemporary state of the Prabhupada's movement confirms this while relating his first meeting with Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami:
Thing that caused me to correct my initial prejudices about the Krishnas was that those who joined the movement came through several modes of conversion and from many different backgrounds. Satsvarupa dasa Goswami, who later was appointed as one of Prabhupada's guru successors, was one of the earliest devotees I met. He was in his late twenties when I met him in New York City. He had discovered the Krishnas as a result of a spiritual quest which was satisfied within this Indian tradition.
Prof. Larry Shinn (January, 1994). "The Maturation of the Hare Krishnas in America". ICJ.
Literary contributions to ISKCON
Chaitanya Vaisnava sampradaya is also called sampradaya of the book. All previous adepts of the line of succession were writers or reclusive poets, or both. Satsvarupa Dasa Goswamis writing [5] represents a unique contemporary variety from commentaries on scriptures to a free flowing poetry and prose.B His writings were translated in over forty languages by Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. He was also requested by Bhaktivedanta Book Trust to complete a number of worksD, started by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.[6]
Biographies
Probably most widely read and translated of all his books is Srila Prabhupada-Lilamrta. It’s a biography of the founder of the Hare Krishna movement in the West, depicting him through different stages of his life. Written with a help of a large research team for over six years Srila Prabhupada-lilamrta is based on material given by interviewers and researchers and is based on a system of ascertaining whether a Prabhupada story is authentic. By researching tape recordings of Srila Prabhupada author provided accurate quotes of his statements wherever possible. Author would always look for several reliable witnesses, in addition to the one who is recalling a particular event. This is done by the interviewer bringing up the same incident in numerous interviews.C In fact, the phenomenon of interviewing a devotee of Srila Prabhupada was itself a remarkable testimony in gauging the authenticity of remembrances of Srila Prabhupada. Satsvarupa, Dasa Goswami (1984), Srila Prabhupada Nectar, Vol 1, Philadelphia: GN Press, Inc, p. Preface, ISBN 0-911233-22-9
Other biographical works are almost equally popular among Prabhupadas followers, and they include among others He Lives Forever, Life with the Perfect Master and five volumes of Prabhupada Nectar.C
Dr. L. Shinn. on Lilarmita “What springs from page after page is the willing devotion of young men and women to a man whom they admire for his deep faith and humility, not his autocratic or forceful demands.”(L.Shinn)
Scriptural writings
Books included in this category include titles published by Bhaktivedanta Book Trust such as Narada Bhakti Sutra[2] and Mukunda Mala Strotra[3], both unfinished works of his preceptorD, as well as the multivolume A Poor Man Reads the Bhagavatam – elaboration on the Bhaktivedanta Purports of Bhagavata Purana.
Academic presentation
First book published in 1975 during manifested presence of Srila Prabhupada was Readings in Vedic Literature: the Tradition Speaks for Itself.[7] Srila Prabhpada was greatly appreciative of the review of the book by academic circles. Satsvarupa dasa Goswami was supportive of the foundation of Oxford Centre of Vaisnava and Hindu Studies and some of his works were reprinted[4], published[8] and reviewed[5] by academia in ICJ academic journal.E
Personal writings
Number of books are considered pioneering or even avant-garde for the Vaishnava tradition. Diaries and letters published and spanning from the very beginning of the movement in the West provide valuable subjective and accurate detailed account of ISKCON movement from the very first years to present days. Satsvarupa dasa Goswami honestly and transparently published diary records of his own difficulties and struggles in his personal spiritual evolution. Entering the Life of Prayer deserves a special mention. F
Art and poetry
Number of poetical works were published in modern American idiom. He was also published in prominent Haiku magazines, the poetry dedicated to Srila Prabhupada glorification received positive reviews.J
Other services within ISKCON
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami was a pioneer in the early days of the movement, and is the senior most member of the movement at present. He was one of the original members appointed as (GBC) Governing Body Commission created by Prabhupada in 1972 to gradually take on the responsibility of the spiritual management duties in ISKCON.[6]
While traveling, lecturing on Krishna consciousness, and instructing disciples and followers worldwide, he has published over 150 books including poems, memoirs, essays, novels, and studies based on the Vaisnava scriptures.
Brief history in ISKCON
Early days
Since ISKCON incorporation in July 1966 at 26 Second Avenue Satsvarupa dasa was engaged as Prabhupadas personal typist and ISKCON secretary. Later he was managing ISKCON Boston and ISKCON Press, that grew to be later registered as Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. Upon assuming duties of (GBC) Governing Body Commission in 1972, Satsvarupa was asked by Prabhupada to accept order of sannyasa, along with other GBC members, all of whom were married man, Tamal Krishna Goswami and Hridayananda dasa Goswami. At the time Prabhupada awarded him and other followers the title Goswami with the single line instruction: Preach, preach, preach! (see:) Srila Prabhupada Lilamrta Vol 5. BBT, p.95.
Preaching and traveling
Main preaching activities by means of traveling sankirtana parties were centered in United States. BBT Bhaktivedanta Book Trust Library Party headed by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami in mid 1970s was active in establishing distribution network mainly to the Universities of the United States, with some members of the team such as Bhakti Tirtha Swami[7] and Suhotra Dasa traveling as far as Eastern Europe.
In 1974 Satsvarupa dasa Goswami was requested by Prabhupada to join him as traveling GBC servant, replacing pervious servant Srutakirti Dasa [8][9].
Managing BTG
From the early days Back to Godhead magazine was the project that required a lot of both contribution and supervision. Satsvarupa dasa Goswami was editor in chief and one of the main contributors to the principle ISKCON magazine till 1991, when assisted editor Jayadvaita Swami took over [10] as editor in chief.
Dealing with early zonal acarya days
In accordance with ISKCON GBC Governing Body Commission resolutions march 1978 Satsvarupa dasa Goswami along with other eleven Governing Body Commissioners assumed duties and services of initiating disciples in assigned zones after the departure of Prabhupada from the planet. (See: Back to Godhead, Notes from the Editor, #1301/02 1978) The assumption of equal status to Srila Prabhupada and a title of acharya is still surrounded in controversy. While following the direction of Governing Body Commission, Satsvarupa dasa Goswami was one of the pioneers who attempted to reform this system, by assuming more humble and appropriate role of a guru as per recorded instructions of the founder-acharya.[11]
Guru reform
Following seven years of controversial zonal acarya system, number of newly appointed GBC members with the support of Satsvarupa dasa Goswami reformed ISKCON guru system, lowering unprecedented level of worship. Satsvarupa dasa Goswami recorded this period in his book Guru Reform Notebook (1987). Throughout the years that followed, up until the end of the century, new ISKCON guru system was formulated based on the initial propositions.[12]
Vrindavana Bhajan
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami, along with a number of other GBC members, Tamal Krishna Goswami, Giriraj Swami, Sivarama Swami and others were involved in extensive practice of Vrindavana Bhajan under friendly instruction from Gaudiya Vaisnavas outside of ISKCON.[13] In 1994 Satsvarupa dasa Goswami conferred personal resolution to remain under sole shelter of the founder acarya. When unpublished GBC 1987 resolution allowing instruction outside of ISKCON was revoked, all other GBC members remained in ISKCON preserving movement integrity. In 1999 Governing Body Commission confirmed GBC Emeritus status of his membership of the Governing Body of ISKCON.[14][15]
European Preaching and Bhajan
Extensive traveling in Europe in 1990s included areas of Scandinavia, Eastern, Central Europe and Italy, but mainly centered in preaching in Ireland and UK. In 1998 due to deteriorating health and with a desire for natural poetic and devotional inspiration, Satsvarupa dasa Goswami retired in the Vaisnava community of Wicklow.[16][17] In following years, his devotional life has included the creation of hundreds of paintings, drawings, and sculptures [18] that capture and express the artist's vision of Krishna consciousness. His latest literary work is centered on his commentary on Bhagavata Purana known as A Poor Man Reads the Bhagavatam.[19]
Personal difficulties
Satsvarupa dasa Goswami began suffering from headaches resulted from an anxiety disorder in the early 80s. Over the years many devotees have taken the opportunity to focus more upon their relationship with him, appreciating humility of both his life and his writings.[20]
California and Central Mexico
During the period of intensive health and recovery Satsvarupa dasa Goswami, now retired lived with his caretakers team of disciples and friends in a rural communities of North California and Central Mexico. Many disciples traveled to visit him to the communities as well as many ISKCON leaders looking for his advice and reconciliation. He undertook a number of preaching tours, contrary to nursing advice, but to fulfill his sannyasa order instruction given him by Prabhupada at the sannyasi initiation in 1972: Preach, preach, preach! [21]
Preaching in the United States
Following the period of health recovery and being in advanced age of 68 years old Satsvarupa dasa Goswami took residence in East Coast United States where he despite being now retired is engaging in a number of preaching activities, such as regular lecturing and traveling to the holy dhamas. All of the associated preaching and traveling is complimenting his main service of commenting and answering disciple’s questions on Bhaktivedanta Purports being published as volumes of A Poor Man Reads the Bhagavatam.[22]
Selected bibliography
Satsvarupa, Dasa Goswami (1995-). A Poor Man Reads the Bhagavatam. Vols.
Satsvarupa, Dasa Goswami (December 1992). Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name’, 340 pages. ISBN 0911233989.
Satsvarupa, Dasa Goswami (November 1995). Churning the Milk Ocean,, 606 pages. ISBN 0911233636.
Satsvarupa, Dasa Goswami (November 1997). Cc Asraya: A Diary While Attempting to Read Sri Caitanya-Caritamrta,, 200 pages. ISBN 0911233342.
Satsvarupa, Dasa Goswami (1996). Dear Sky: Letters from a Sannyasi.
Satsvarupa, Dasa Goswami (1987). Entering the Life of Prayer. GN Press, Inc. ISBN 0911233970.
Satsvarupa, Dasa Goswami (1997-2003). Every Day, Just Write vols. 1-19. GNP. ISBN vary.
Satsvarupa, Dasa Goswami (May 1999). From Imperfection, Purity Will Come About. ISBN 0911233520.
Satsvarupa, Dasa Goswami (326 pages). From Copper to Touchstone: Favorite Selections from the Caitanya-Caritamrta. ISBN 0911233660.
Satsvarupa, Dasa Goswami (November 1999). From Matter to Spirit: Paintings, Poems, and Improvisations. ISBN 0911233393.
Satyaraja Dasa is the author of 20 books on Vaishnavism and related subjects, including Vaishnavi: Women and the Worship of Krishna (1996); Gita on the Green: The Mystical Tradition Behind Bagger Vance (2000); Holy War: Violence and the Bhagavad Gita (2002); The Hidden Glory of India (2002); From Nothingness to Personhood: A Collection of Essays on Buddhism From a Vaishnava Perspective (2003); and Black Lotus: The Spiritual Journey of an Urban Mystic (2007), which is the life story of Bhakti Tirtha Swami.[citation needed]
Satyaraja Dasa has a strong view on vegetarianism and has written Diet for Transcendence: Vegetarianism and the World Religions (1997, previously published as Food for the Spirit) and Holy Cow: The Hare Krishna Contribution to Vegetarianism and Animal Rights (2004), wherein he systematically explains the practice of vegetarianism in various religious groups, such as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Judaism, with special attention to the traditions of India.[citation needed]
Several years ago he was called upon by Greenwood Press, a major academic publisher, to write the Hinduism volume for their "Introduction to the World's Major Religions" series. The book did so well that they further commissioned him to write Essential Hinduism, a more comprehensive treatment of the same subject, under the auspices of their prestigious parent company (Praeger), and the book is now receiving worldwide acclaim. Rosen's books have appeared in several languages, including Spanish, German, Hungarian, Czech, Swedish, Chinese, and Russian.[citation needed]
According to Srila Prabhupada, one can gauge a person's spiritual status by how they react to finding money on the street: Do they keep it for themselves? Do they leave it lying there? Or do they look for the original owner? What would you do?
She became enamoured with Hinduism and Nazism, trying to synthesise the two, and proclaiming Adolf Hitler an avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. Her writings have influenced neo-Nazism and Nazi mysticism. Although mystical in her conception of Nazism, Savitri Devi saw Nazism as a practical faith without the requirement of metaphysics. Among Savitri Devi's ideas was the classifications of "men above time", "men in time" and "men against time". She is credited with pioneering neo-Nazi interest in occultism, Deep Ecology, and the New Age movement. She influenced the Chilean diplomat Miguel Serrano. In 1982, Francisco Freda published a German translation of Gold in the Furnace; the fourth volume of his annual review, Risguardo (1980-), was devoted to Savitri Devi as the "missionary of Aryan Paganism".
Her works, in conjunction with those of Julius Evola, have been major influences on the Libertarian National Socialist Green Party and activist Bill White. Far-rightist Italian and self-described "Nazi Maoist" Claudio Mutti was influenced by reading Pilgrimage as an idealistic teenager. As a young bodyguard for Colin Jordan, David Myatt enthusiastically embraced the values expressed in The Lightning and the Sun. In the U.S., James Mason (whose Universal Order bears strong resemblance to the sentiments of Savitri Devi) paid tribute to her in Siege. Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme of the Charles Manson gang has recommended The Lightning and the Sun. Revilo P. Oliver wrote that he saw the potentiality of a future religion venerating Adolf Hitler "in the works of a highly intelligent and learned lady of Greek ancestry, Dr. Savitri Devi."
Born as Maximine Julia Portaz, Savitri Devi was the daughter of a Greek/LombardItalian father and an English mother. She was born two and a half months premature, weighing only 930 grams (2.05 lbs) and expected to not live. She formed her political views early on. From childhood and throughout her life, she was a passionate advocate for animal rights, which was related to her views of Jews as the practitioners of Kosherslaughter. Her earliest political affiliations were with Greeknationalism.[1] During World War I, she was outraged by the Triple Entente's invasion of neutral Greece.
Portaz studied philosophy and chemistry, earning two Masters Degrees and a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Lyons. Her first two books were her doctoral dissertations: Essai-critique sur Théophile Kaïris (Critical Essay on Theophilius Kaïris) (Lyons: Maximine Portaz, 1935) and La simplicité mathématique (Mathematical Simplicity) (Lyons: Maximine Portaz, 1935). Portas impressed her teachers with her vibrant, penetrating mind.
After World War II, she travelled to Europe in late 1945 (as the wife of an Indian — she was Savitri Devi Mukherji now — she had a British passport). Her first stop was England, where she made contacts. She then visited her mother in France and then travelled on to Iceland where she witnessed the eruption of Mount Hekla. She then returned to England, then travelled to Sweden where she met with Sven Hedin.
On June 15, 1948, she took the Nord-Expreß from Denmark to Germany, where she distributed many thousands of copies of handwritten leaflets encouraging the “Men and women of Germany” to “hold fast to our glorious National Socialist faith, and resist!” She penned her experience in Gold in the Furnace (which has been reedited in honour of her 100th birthday under the title Gold in the Furnace: Experiences in Post-War Germany).
Arrested for posting bills, she was tried (in Düsseldorf on April 5, 1949), for the promotion of Nazi ideas on German territory subject to the Allied Control Council, and sentenced to two years imprisonment. She served eight months in Werl prison, where she befriended her fellow Nazi and SS prisoners, (recounted in Defiance) before being released and expelled from Germany. She went to stay in Lyon, France.
In April of 1953, she obtained a Greek passport in her maiden name in order to re-enter Germany, and she began a pilgrimage, as she called it, of Nazi holy sites. She flew from Athens to Rome then travelled by rail over the Brenner Pass into "Greater Germany", which she regarded as "[t]he spiritual home of all racially conscious modern Aryans". However, the Avesta makes no mention of Europe as a part of the Airyana-shayana ("abode of the Aryans") nor do the Vedas. She travelled to a number of sites significant in the life of Adolf Hitler and the NSDAP (German Nazi Party), as well as German nationalist and heathen monuments, as recounted in her 1958 book Pilgrimage.
Savitri Devi took employment teaching in France during the 1960s, spending her summer holidays with friends at Berchtesgaden. In the spring of 1961, while on her Easter holiday in London she learned of the British National Party. This group emerged after the Second World War when a handful of former members of the British Union of Fascists took on the name. (The original BNP was absorbed quite quickly into the Union Movement - it is not connected with the present BNP.) She met with the British National Party president Andrew Fountaine. Beginning a correspondence with Colin Jordan, she became a devoted supporter of the National Socialist Movement.
In August 1962, Savitri Devi attended the international Nazi conference in Gloucestershire and was a founder-signatory of the Cotswold Agreement that established the World Union of National Socialists (WUNS). At this conference she met, and was greatly impressed with George Lincoln Rockwell. When Rockwell became leader of WUNS, he appointed William Luther Pierce editor of its new magazine: National Socialist World (1966-68). Along with articles by Jordan and Rockwell, Pierce devoted nearly eighty pages of the first issue to a condensed edition of The Lightning and the Sun. Because of the enthusiastic response, Pierce included chapters from Gold in the Furnace and Defiance in subsequent issues.
After retiring from teaching in 1970, Savitri Devi spent nine months at the Normandy home of close friend Françoise Dior while working on her memoirs. Concluding that her pension would go much further in India, she flew from Paris to Bombay on 23 June 1971. In August she moved to New Delhi, where she lived alone, with a number of cats and at least one cobra.
Savitri Devi continued correspondence with Nazi enthusiasts in Europe, the Americas and Jordan, John Tyndall, Matt Koehl, Miguel Serrano and Ernst Zündel. She was the first to claim to Zündel that the Nazi genocide of the Jews was untrue; he proposed a series of taped interviews (conducted in November of 1978) and published a new illustrated edition of The Lightning and the Sun in 1979. A number of neo-Nazi pilgrims traveled to meet her, among them Christian Bouchet.
A work synthesizing the Hindu philosophy of cyclical history with National Socialism. Contains biographies of Genghis Khan, Akhnaton, and Adolf Hitler. Famous for the claim that Hitler was an avatar of the God Vishnu.
Goodrick-Clarke, Nicholas, Black Sun: Aryan Cults, Esoteric Nazism and the Politics of Identity, "Savitri Devi and the Hitler Avatar", chapter 5 (New York University Press, 2002, hardcover: ISBN 0-8147-3124-4; reissue edition, 2003, paperback: ISBN 0-8147-3155-4).
This time our parikrama party went to Kamsa Tila which is just very near our Sri Keshavji Gaudiya Math. This whole area where Sri Keshavji Gaudiya Math and Kamsa Tila is situated was the wrestling arena of King Kamsa. And in this place, Krsna killed this demon Kamsa who represents all anarthas or misgivings in one's heart. Therefore those who get darshan of this place and remember this pastime of Krsna's killing of Kamsa will have their hearts purified from all anarthas and sins.
en español 
en inglés 
en francés - en alemán
By Satyaraja Dasa
