Swami Sivananda Navaler was an unassuming yogi who was the spiritual head of the Saiva Sithantha Sungum in Durban, South Africa. At the front of the hall was a picture of Ardhaneeswara, denoting the cause of the universe as a function of both male and female concepts. On the side of the hall was Swami working as hard as ever, always with a band of people. He was found in the sungam/centre dressed in civilian clothes and blended with everyone else. Only on occasions or events did he dress in robes.

 

It was my great fortune to be associated with him in the 1980’s, although my parents had always known him very well. Our family had also rendered music for his launch of a spiritual magazine Hinduism Today. We had numerous discussions on various spiritual matters during those visits. He had sparked off a precious flow of thought in me towards the meaning of Nadaraja/Dancing Shiva. A pursuit that continues till this day. Unsurprisingly, Nadaraja is placed in front of the CERN institute in Switzerland. Physicist Carl Sagan would have smiled from heaven.

 

He had much encouragement for the continuing spiritual practice, and on occasions had coached on my pranayama practice. To that end, something that was not well documented was his advanced yogic/pranayama practice. Swami, together with a Professor from University of Natal, South Africa had carried out an experiment regarding arresting breath. He arrested his breath for an hour to the amazement of the research team. He then was buried in a glass box for a period of three days. These were the siddhis (powers in a sense) attained from his pranayama practice.  He was pretty normal after that experiment. He made it very clear that these results should not be promoted as the siddhi’s he had attained but as proof of the science of pranayama/yoga practice.

 

There were other experiments regarding chromatography of blood, beneficial effects of some chemicals on the body, and the effect of sound on the body. However these studies were not completed and results were not published.

 

Swami Sivananda Navalar had stressed simple living and high thinking, and regular spiritual practice. Being married and then becoming a swami gave him that understanding of people, the dynamics of marriage, couples and community. He was able to handle numerous issues with ease, and with positive outcomes. 

 

In October 1971 he had gifted my grandfather Guru Iyavoomurthi his recently launched book ‘Garland of Grace’ which was a book on some of the poems of Saint Vallalar. The book was signed without his title (Swami). Humility! Humility! Humility!

 

During my brief stay (1987) with Maharishi Kavi Yogi Suddhananda Bharathi in India, Kavi Yogi expressed a desire to visit South Africa. He insisted that he would live with Swami Sivananda Navalar in the Durban centre. Kavi Yogi’s words ‘I have a lot of work to do there you know!’.  On my return Swami Sivananda Navalar was happy to bring Kavi Yogi down when the centre was refurbished. Whilst questioning and discussing with Swami about Kavi Yogi, I was touched by his persona when he said “I have not asked anything from him (Kavi Yogi), not even blessings. I am just happy to serve his every need”

 

In 1990 Swami Sivananda Navalar had turned ill and had to be hospitalised for kidney failure. He refused a humble request from a prominent contemporary Swami, to be transferred to a private hospital. He preferred to be ‘with the people’ with doctors and healthcare workers in a public hospital. During that period in hospital I visited regularly either during or off visiting times. The day before he left his body there was a tremendous smile on his face.