WOMEN and the IDEAL of PURITY

Born on the 8th September, 1887, in the illustrious family of Saga Appayya Diskhita and several other renowned saints and savants, Sri Swami Sivananda had a natural flair for a life devoted to the study and practice of Vedanta. Added to this was an inborn eagerness to serve all and an innate feeling of unity with all mankind. His passion for service drew him to the medical career; and soon he gravitated to where he thought that his service was most needed. Malaya claimed him. He had earlier been editing a Health Journal and wrote extensively on health problems. He discovered that people needed right knowledge most of all; dissemination of that knowledge he espoused as his own mission. It was divine dispensation and the blessing of God upon mankind that the doctor of body and mind renounced his career and took to a life of renunciation to qualify himself for ministering to the soul of man. He settled down at Rishikesh in 1924, practiced intense austerities and shone as a great Yogi, Saint, Sage and Jivanmukta. In 1932 he started the Sivanandashram. In 1936 was born The Divine Life Society. In 1948 the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy was organized. Dissemination of spiritual knowledge and training of people in Yoga and Vedanta were their aim and object. In 1950 he undertook a lightning tour of India and Ceylon. In 1953 he convened a 'World Parliament Reliogions'. He is the author of over 300 volumes and has disciples all over the world, belonging to all nationalities, religions and creeds. To read his works is to drink at the fountain of Wisdom Supreme. On 14th July, 1963 he entered Mahasamadhi.

Publishers' Note:

This powerful book, Women and the Ideal of Purity, has been brought out under the inspiration and guidance of the President of The Divine Life Society, His Holiness Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj. In 1997 the Sivananda Matri Satsanga had brought out a similar book in Hindi called Naari Aur Pavitrata Ka Aadarsh. This book, the first one of its kind, was so well compiled this larger book in English for the benefit of women of all stages and in all walks of life.

The present book contains 108 articles including the lives and teachings of more than 30 women saints. Relevant portions have been selected, edited and compiled from the profound teachings of Sri Gurudev Swami Sivanandaji Maharaj, Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj, Sri Swami Krishnanandaji Maharaj, Sri Swami Venkatesanandaji Maharaj and other senior Swamijis of our Ashram as well as other great saints and sages.

The Divine Life Society respectfully offers this publication to women of both today as well as of tomorrow. We hope it will be found useful and beneficial.---THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY

Swami Madhavananda