His Holiness Swami Krishnananda

His Holiness Swami Krishnananda occupies a significant place as an instructional master in our Swami Ramakrishananda’s spiritual life.
 

Born in Mathur Village (Dist: Palghat) in 1924, he was named Sekharan by his parents. He joined the ashram of Swami Sivananda on the November 27th, 1954 and the following year was ordained as a Brahmachari. On the sacred day of Maha-sivaratri in 1958, he took Sannyasa and was given the name of Swami Krishnananda. An authority in all aspects of yoga, he had a natural inclination towards Hatha Yoga, which he learned with great zeal and soon became an expert. Swamiji became the Hatha Yoga teacher of the Ashram when Swami Vishnudevananda left for the West as deputed by Swami Sivananda. 
 

In addition, Swami Krishnananda had a special gift for cooking, a service that Swami Sivananda had engaged him in after the retirement of Swami Govindananda in due to the latter’s old age- in 1959. Swamiji served Swami Sivananda with heart and soul, and he was so trustworthy that the Master took him in his personal service during his last days. Because of his services to Swami Sivananda in his Kutia, he gradually became known as Swami Krishna (Kutia), to distinguish him from other Swamis of the same name. 
 

In 1996, in Hrishikesh, India, His Divine Grace Swami Krishnananda personally trained Swami Ramakrishnananda in Hatha Yoga and instructed him in complex aspects of meditation. Swami Krishnananda left his body, and entered Maha-Samadhi on September 20th, 1999, leaving an eternal and indelible imprint of love and gratitude in Swami Ramakrishnananda’s heart.