Sri Swamiji

" People ask - who are you?

Think and you will experience Swamiji for yourself. Some people say yogi, man of miracles, healer, doctor, yoga man, magician; other say he follows the vedic way; some say confusion man - all are correct. Each person has his own way of looking at me but I say I am not a spiritual business man. "

His Holiness Sri Sri Ganapathi Sachchidananda Swamiji of Mysore, one of the greatest spiritual leaders of the present day is an asset to India and the world at large. He is an incarnation of the Great Cosmic Power. Revival of culture, reformation of society, establishing peace and happiness among humankind and spiritually transforming individuals is his mission. His methods include: establishing Dharma (righteous action) and Bhakti (devotion) by singing devotional hymns and reciting the names of the Lord Almighty (namasankirtana).

Sri Swamiji is traveling the world to help seekers discover that everything is God. In Him devotees find compassion, love and divine wisdom as He guides them on the path of Yoga sadhana - to discover and realize their true Self. Sri Swamiji conveys an important part of His message through His music, being noted for His namasankirtana. Sri Swamiji's music is devotional and used for spiritual energy transmission. This great master sings self-composed bhajans in Sanskrit, Hindi, Telugu, Kannada and English and plays healing ragas on an electronic synthesizer, accompanied by musicians on classical Indian instruments. Devotees around the world claim to have received immense benefit through his concerts, everything from physical healing to spiritual guidance, and great outpourings of divine love.

It is easier to describe what He does than to say who He is. To begin to know who he is one must experience him; one must adopt the attitude of a seeker of God. Sri Swamiji speaks simply and to the heart. In fact He is a silent teacher who teaches through your own love and devotion. To experience Him is to begin to know one's own true self.

Sri Swamiji was born at Mekedatu in southern India on May 26, 1942. A Muslim saint had predicted to His parents that their child would have supreme wisdom and knowledge and was destined to uplift mankind.

The Actual Birth

- occurred on a rock in the Kaveri river. His mother Jayalakshmi was in deep meditation and the child was born covered with holy ash. The child was named Satyanarayana. His mother, whom the Swamiji calls His first Guru, initiated Him into spiritual life before her passing in 1953. Satyanarayana completed His education like other children, but found school had nothing to offer Him. He was endowed at birth with great knowledge and power. Even as a child, he organized satsangs and taught bhajans to His friends, and performed " siddhis " to entertain them, such as turning tree leaves into sweets.

For some time He performed various mundane jobs to earn a living, such as school teacher and postal worker. All along, however, he had been serving his fellow humans, helping them with their problems. Through his miraculous powers He was able to understand their situations, knowing their past, present , and future and helped them to overcome difficulties. Some of them became his first disciples who were soon to be followed by more. He sang bhajans and kirtans for them and started giving yoga classes in small village huts or on river banks. He acquired a following which demanded all of His time and attention.

In 1966 He moved to the present site of the Mysore Ashram, which in the early days was only a straw hut in a field. It was there at Mysore that He became Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji . Since then Sri Swamiji has been helping people in His unique way. People come to Him for help with their worldly affairs, or to become healed of physical afflictions, or for guidance in their spiritual practice. Many come to hear His beautiful and powerful songs, which draw the heart and mind to God or to celebrate the special Hindu holidays in the Vedic traditions.

The Ashram

has grown over years to an impressive size and encompasses many aspects of the spiritual life. There one can study Yoga, the Vedas and Sanskrit. There is a Universal Prayer Hall containing the Sri Kalagni Shyamana Datta Temple, Sri Datta Venkateshwara Ksheram, and Karya Siddhi Hanuman Temple where traditional Pujas and Homas (special Hindu worship services) are performed. Dattatreya represents the primordial and eternal teacher, the Manifestation of the Triple Principle of Sat (Existence), Chit (Knowledge) and Ananda (Bliss) as well as the energies of creation, sustenance, and dissolution.

At the Mysore ashram, Swamiji offers daily Sri Chakra Puja and Ganapathi Homa on Sundays. Although this great yogi practices Hindu rituals, He embraces everyone - the agnostic, the atheist, the disbeliever, as well as those of any faith. All are welcome at the ashram. Sri Swamiji stresses that His teachings and the Vedas are truly universal. The Ashrama is open to all people of all religions and on special Hindu holidays, like Shivaratri, Navaratri, Guru Purnima and Datta Jayanti as well as Sri Swamiji’s birthday, thousands of devotees from all over the globe come to the Avadhoota Datta Peetham.