Swami Jyotirmayananda was born in a pious family in Dumari Buzurg in District Saran, Bihar, India on February 3,1931. From his early childhood he showed various signs that he would be a saint in his future. He was calm and reflective, compassionate to all. He inspired all who came in contact with him. Besides his studies and practical duties he also put interest in life`s deeper purpose.
He took Sannyasa on February 3, 1953 at the age of 22 from an overwhelming feeling to serve for mankind through the betterment of spiritual life. He practiced severe austerities while living in the Himalayan retreats by the sacred river Ganges. Sri Swami Sivananda Maharaj was his Guru, who taught Yoga Vedanta to Swami Jyotirmayananda. In tireless service of his Guru, he also served at the Yoga Vedanta Forest Academy as a professor of religion. He gave lectures on Upanishads, Raja Yoga and all the important scriptures of India. He was also the editor of yoga Vedanta journal. Swami Jyotirmayananda also assisted foreign students to understand Yoga and Vedanta and he became very popular to them for his intuitive perception of their problems.
Swami Jyotirmayananda`s life was exemplary. He had love for all beings, great command of spiritual knowledge and dynamic exposition on Yoga and Vedanta Philosophy, which attracted interest of common people all over India. All India Vedanta Conferences frequently invited him for lecturing in Delhi, Ludhiana, and Amritsar and in other parts of India.
Swami Jyotirmayananda traveled abroad in 1962 to spread the knowledge of India to the west. He was the founder of Sanatan Dharma Mandir in Puerto Rico. Swami Jyotirmayananda offered unique service to humanity through his regular classes. He also used to give weekly lectures in English and in Spanish and performed numerous TV appearances.
In March 1969, Swami Jyotirmayananda moved to Miami, Florida in USA and established the ashram, which later became the center for the international activities in Yoga Research Foundation. He also established a publishing center there. Branches of this organization now had spread worldwide and had spread the teachings of Yoga to the aspirants everywhere.
Today Swami Jyotirmayananda is one of the most famous Gurus among the International personalities of wisdom. He is renowned as the foremost proponent of Integral Yoga. It is the way of life and thought that combines various aspects of ancient Yoga tradition into a comprehensive plan of personality integration.
Swami Jyotirmayananda delivers insightful lectures in his conferences that bring inspiration to the thousands of people. He also arranges for camps and philosophical gatherings. Swamiji has a vast knowledge of the great scriptures of the world, which he shares with his followers.
