Glorious Vision- A Pictorial Guide to Swami Sivananda

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Vast, Inmeasurable space, encomposing within itself uncountable galaxies, solar systems, universes. A mystery! Even more of a mystery - the infinite greatness of God - realised saints; those who have transcended time and space to merge into cosmos or Universal conciousness; beings who have shed the many to become one. We feel their presence, even when they no longer walk among us, for they have become Pure spirit, Eternal. As we gaze upon their pictures- these faithful representatives of the self within - awareness begins to down. The mystery exists no more and we say, "Ah! Now, I know the face of the Divine."

Our Culture believes in honouring the memory of the unbroken line of sages and seers, living gods, who have inspired in us the purpose of life. For millennia, they have tended the light of god- realisation and kept in shining bright, enduring even today.

One such living God was worshipful Sri Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj. He brought the light into our lives- for He was himself the light. A book was sufficient to uplift us: from doubt to uncertainity: from hesitation to iron determinination: from despair to resolution. He dispelled the darkness. He gave us strength and light.

Worshipful Gurudev Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj was an illumined visionary, a being who had transcended consciousness to attain the portals of Brahman to shine as a manifestation of the Divine, or Divya Vibhuti.

His legacy comes to us in the form of a worldwide spiritual awakening and resurgence of moral and ethical values, even after His Mahasamadhi in 1963. This He achieved through the vast body of spiritual literature He penned, that continues to perpetuate the very ideals He lived by and Himself practised. He conceived of and constructed the Divine Life Society, ensuring that its aims, teachings and organisation were all clearly delineated in the blueprints. On the blank canvas of mortal Jiva, He painted a radiant portrait of Immortal Atman to show seekers: "You are not this body, you are not this mind; TAT TWAM ASI."

In this pictorial an attempt has been made to present a study of Swamiji’s personality according to certain themes around which the pictures are focussed. These themes relate to His philosophy; His main passion, the Organisation He founded and brought into being; His songs; and His teachings to the World. We sincerely hope that this attempt to depict Gurudev in all His varied and luminous aspects, proves an invaluable guide to all seekers, sadhaks and aspirants everywhere—and that, by their deeper understanding of this complete Man of God, they may be inspired to emulate Him in what He taught and practised.

Among books, a pictorial volume stands in a distinct category of its own. Here, the illustrations take precedence over the narrative. Books in the form of narratives are either biographies, auto-biographies or stories which may be entirely fictional. Nevertheless, the last-mentioned category may have its value either in terms of entertainment or in terms of instructions or to provide information that serves to enhance the knowledge of the reader. A PICTORIAL, however brings you directly face to face with your subject. To open a pictorial at any page provides you with an instant EXPERIENCE. If you happened to have personally seen and met the subject, then, it provides you an intimate experience. The pictorial makes you relive the moment and re-experience that living contact through recollection.

The nature of the experience depends upon the type of person who features in the pictorial. If it depicts a political personality, the experience will be political in nature. If it depicts a Commander-in-chief or an army general, the nature of experience will be martial and could be historical too. If it happens to be an artistic and cultural personality, the experience will be aesthetic in nature with a touch of beauty and joy. But, above all, if the pictorial happens to be of a great illumined spiritual person, the experience tends to be a sacred experience, at once elevating, uplifting the beholder’s heart and sanctifying his spirit. This present Pictorial of Sadgurudev H. H. Swami Sivanandaji, the Holy Master who lived on the banks of the sacred river Ganga for a period of 40 years from the year 1923 to 1963, is a spiritual experience, Inspiring, elevating and sanctifying.

Millions of pious people in India hold the firm belief that the very sight of a spiritual person, a saint or a sage will destroy all sins and shower blessings upon the beholder. They call it a darshan and liken it to beholding of a Deity enshrined in a temple. This pictorial provides you with such a darshan of a great saint, sage, and great lover and benefactor of all mankind.

**Contents and Sample Pages**