Swami Sivananda

Swami Sivananda's life was a shining example of service to humanity, both during his years as a doctor and later as a world­-renowned sage and jivanmukta. To serve all, love all, mix with all, and see God in all beings were the ideals he taught and lived by. Born on September 8, 1887, to an illustrious family in Tamil Nadu, South India, he displayed spiritual tendencies even as a young boy. He had a natural flair for a life devoted to the study and practice of Vedanta, along with an inborn eagerness to serve and an innate feeling of unity with all.
Though born into an orthodox family, his piety was balanced by an unusual broad-mindedness and lack of prejudice. Even as a young man, his driving force was humanity's service, which led him to become a medical doctor. He served the poor in Malaysia for many years but soon felt that this was not enough. Divinely blessed, he gave up his medical career and took to a life of renunciation.
He returned to India and spent a year wandering before settling in Rishikesh, Himalayas, in 1924. There he practiced intense austerities, found his guru, Swami Vishwananda, and was initiated into sannyasa. For the next seven years, Swami Sivananda spent most of his time in meditation. From the early 1930s onwards, he embarked on frequent and extensive tours of India and Sri Lanka, stirring thousands of hearts and souls with his spiritual magnetism, robust and vibrant voice, and public speaking abilities. Wherever he went, he conducted sankirtan (chanting), delivered lectures, and taught people how to stay strong and healthy by practicing yoga asanas, pranayama, and kriyas. Above all, he urged his audiences to strive constantly for spiritual development.

Source: https://sivananda.org.in/lineage/

Swami Sivananda's life was a shining example of service to humanity, both during his years as a doctor and later as a world­-renowned sage and jivanmukta. To serve all, love all, mix with all, and see God in all beings were the ideals he taught and lived by. Born on September 8, 1887, to an illustrious family in Tamil Nadu, South India, he displayed spiritual tendencies even as a young boy. He had a natural flair for a life devoted to the study and practice of Vedanta, along with an inborn eagerness to serve and an innate feeling of unity with all.
Though born into an orthodox family, his piety was balanced by an unusual broad-mindedness and lack of prejudice. Even as a young man, his driving force was humanity's service, which led him to become a medical doctor. He served the poor in Malaysia for many years but soon felt that this was not enough. Divinely blessed, he gave up his medical career and took to a life of renunciation.
He returned to India and spent a year wandering before settling in Rishikesh, Himalayas, in 1924. There he practiced intense austerities, found his guru, Swami Vishwananda, and was initiated into sannyasa. For the next seven years, Swami Sivananda spent most of his time in meditation. From the early 1930s onwards, he embarked on frequent and extensive tours of India and Sri Lanka, stirring thousands of hearts and souls with his spiritual magnetism, robust and vibrant voice, and public speaking abilities. Wherever he went, he conducted sankirtan (chanting), delivered lectures, and taught people how to stay strong and healthy by practicing yoga asanas, pranayama, and kriyas. Above all, he urged his audiences to strive constantly for spiritual development.

Source: https://sivananda.org.in/lineage/