Renowned yoga guru and Padma Shri awardee Swami Sivananda Saraswati passed away on 3 May 2025 night due to pneumonia followed by cardiac arrest at the Sir Sunderlal Hospital (SSL) of Banaras Hindu University. He was 128 years old, according to his disciples.
Swami Sivananda, widely revered for his austere lifestyle and dedication to yoga, breathed his last around midnight. His body has been kept at his residence in Kabirnagar Colony, Varanasi, for followers and well-wishers to pay their final respects. His cremation will be held on Monday morning at Manikarnika Ghat, according to Debashish Das of Bangiya Samaj, who is also associated with the ashram. The final rites were postponed to allow disciples traveling from distant locations—including Assam, the northeastern states, and even London—to attend.
Born on 8 August 1896 (as per disciples; some records note 1897) in Sylhet district of undivided British India, now in Bangladesh, Swami Sivananda was orphaned at the age of six due to starvation. He was brought to Nabadwip, West Bengal, where he was raised by Guru Omkaranand Goswami, who imparted to him spiritual and practical knowledge, including yoga, despite the absence of formal schooling.
He later settled in Varanasi’s Kabirnagar Bhelupur area in 1979, where he continued his life of discipline and spiritual practice. From 1925 to 1959, Swami Sivananda is said to have lived in France, Greece, Malta, Japan, and other countries, spreading spiritual teachings before returning to India.
Swami Sivananda was known for his remarkable daily routine. He woke up at 3 AM and practiced yoga—including ardhchandra asana, pranayama, and free-hand exercises—for one to two hours daily. He spent the rest of his time in worship, reading, and chanting hymns. He never accepted monetary offerings and lived on a minimal diet—consuming only boiled rice, boiled vegetables, and boiled water. He slept on a mat and managed all his personal chores independently.
His commitment to service was equally notable. Over five decades, he selflessly served around 400 to 600 leprosy-affected beggars, regularly visiting their hutments to offer assistance. He never missed a Kumbh Mela, participating in the major religious gatherings at Prayagraj, Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain for over a century. His most recent participation was at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj earlier this year.
In recognition of his lifelong dedication to yoga and social service, Swami Sivananda received numerous accolades. He was honoured with the Yoga Ratna Award in Bengaluru in 2019. In 2022, he was conferred the Padma Shri by then-President Ram Nath Kovind. His humble gesture of prostrating before the President and Prime Minister during the award ceremony earned him a standing ovation and widespread admiration across the country.
Even during the COVID-19 pandemic, Swami Sivananda surprised health workers by personally visiting a primary health center to receive his vaccine in June 2021 at over 125 years of age.
As news of his passing spread, a wave of condolences poured in including messages from PM Modi and UP CM Yogi Adityanath.
योग साधक और काशी निवासी शिवानंद बाबा जी के निधन से अत्यंत दुख हुआ है। योग और साधना को समर्पित उनका जीवन देश की हर पीढ़ी को प्रेरित करता रहेगा। योग के जरिए समाज की सेवा के लिए उन्हें पद्मश्री से सम्मानित भी किया गया था।
शिवानंद बाबा का शिवलोक प्रयाण हम सब काशीवासियों और उनसे… pic.twitter.com/nm9fI3ySiK
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 4, 2025
'योग' के क्षेत्र में अप्रतिम योगदान देने वाले काशी के प्रख्यात योग गुरु 'पद्म श्री' स्वामी शिवानंद जी का निधन अत्यंत दुःखद है।
उन्हें विनम्र श्रद्धांजलि!
आपकी साधना एवं योगमय जीवन संपूर्ण समाज के लिए महान प्रेरणा है। आपने अपना पूरा जीवन योग के विस्तार में समर्पित कर दिया।…
— Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) May 4, 2025
A stream of mourners, including BJP MLAs Neelkanth Tiwari and Saurabh Srivastava, district magistrate Satyendra Kumar, and other public representatives, visited his ashram in Varanasi to pay respects.
Swami Sivananda Saraswati leaves behind a legacy of humility, spiritual discipline, and unwavering service—an enduring inspiration to yogis and seekers across the world.
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