*********************************.************************ ~ - * * * * * r A STUDY OF THE DIVINE LIF~.rl" SOC I E T Y * * * ! WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO I TS : * * :* SOCIO-RELIGIOUS IMPLICATIONS :* * * :* IN SOUTH AFRICA I :* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * :* * * * * * * :* ~O O *: : i NEL ISTRA SINGH \ 11}0 : * ~ * * * * * :* * : bOO 'D \\I I \\J~ LI i-~ &'O tA lri'l - So ~IA A1-v\c ! -:* 00 \~.I DI A ~ S· So 11-\ A~ IcA · \ * :* boo ,\1 DVl51Y1 - ~al) l-\ Ar~\( A \ ~~Cl\ :* * * * * * * ! ~u b I ~\'1~ (M.AJ -- ~\) , ~ ~\) r\ron" I~UJv& \qU! ! toOD UY\( VQ· ax 1d v'rbCl - ~\jts. 1J1 I\t - '"b \ ~~e.r~a..~o ~ , ) : : Submitted in part ulft lment of the requirements for the degree : :* of Master of Arts in the Department of Science of Religion, :* :* Faculty of Arts at the University of Durban-Westville I* *• I* • I I : Ii · Supervisor Professor GC Oosthuizen i: I Da te Subm i tted November t 986 * I : I : ! \UNI VERSITY OF DURBAN- i ; WESTVillE LIBRARY : I : : BRN ... ..... ~ ..\ g .. .'. .. ~ J.......... ........ ·········· .. ··.. : ; CLASS No ... .1.... f.~ .~ : ... §.s.· -:.L._ .f f****************************** ~~~~~~~r.r~.. ~. *~*~*~*~**.* T8700 15 HIS HOL I NESS SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA (1887 - 1963) Founder of the Divine Life Society MASTER SIVANANDA "Serve .. Love . Give. Puri( . Meditate Realize" "Be Good Do Good ' HH SR I SW AM I SAHAJANANDA SPIRITUAL HEAD OF THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFRICA I \ \ , / ------ -------.- - ------ Dedicated to: HIS HOLINESS SRI SWAMI SAHAJANANDA and the selfless sadhakas of the Divine Life Society ASH I RVAD, SWABHAVIKA, SHAM AND MY PARENTS - with Love ( i ) ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the numerous people who have assisted me during the period of my research. A special word of thanks to my supervisor, Professor GC Oosthuizen for his continuous guidance and support throughout my studies. I am deeply indebted to H i s Holiness Sri Swami Sahajananda, Spiritual Head of the Divine Life Society for his encouragement and willingness to accommodate my numerous requests and interviews in spite of his busy schedule. Being in constant contact with Swamiji during the course of my research has been an invaluable and enriching spiritual experience. Further, my heartfelt thanks are extended to the numerous devotees of the Divine Life Society who willingly co-operated in completing the questionnaires and granting me i nterviews. In particular I would like to thank Professor P Pillay, Chairman of the Divine Life Society, Mrs Swaroop Singh, Principal of the Sivananda Children's C.ultural Centre, Mr Bipin Kapitan and Mr Gopa l a Govindasamy, sentor devotees of the Society. I would like to express my deepest appreciation to Mr Anil Sooklal, Lecturer in the Department of Hindu Studies, for his indefatigable enthusiasm, support and infinite patience in assisting me in the numerous facets of my work. My gratitude also to my family for the many sacrifices they under­ went to support my efforts towards my research. I would like to thank Mrs L Thomas for the efficient typing of the dissertation. Finally, a word of thanks to the Human Sciences Research Council for awarding me a bursary which assisted enormously in my research. ( ii ) CONTENTS Page ( i ) Acknow ledgements ( ii ) Contents ( i v) List of Tables Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 The Object of Study The Divine Life Society of South Africa 1 1. i Aim of Study 2 1.3 Methodology 3 1.4 Problems of Study 5 Chapter 2 State of India During the 19th Century 7 2.1 Abstract 7 2.2 India During the 19th Century 8 Chapter 3 Neo-Hinduism 18 3. 1 Ren a scen t H in d u i sm 18 3.2 Brahmo-Samaj 18 3.3 Arya-Samaj 24 3.4 Ramakrishna Mission 29 3.5 Sri Aurob indo 37 3.6 Rabindranath Tagore 38 3.7 Mahatma Gandhi 40 Chapter 4 The Divine Life Society in India 43 4.1 Hi storica I 43 4.2 The Divine Life Society: Its Aims and Objectives 55 4.3 Swami Sivananda's Concept of "Divine Life" 58 4.4 Cultural Tours 65 4.5 Correspondence by Post 66 4.6 The Ashram Hospital 66 4.7 Ascetic Disciples 70 4.8 Lay-Disciples 72 Chapter 5 Hinduism in South Africa Prior to the Rise of the Divine Life Society 75 5.1 Indian Immigration : Historical Background 75 5.2 Early Rei igious Practices 79 5.3 Hinduism in a Foreign Context 91 Chapter 6 The Divine Life Society in South Africa 100 6.1 Historical Background 100 6.2 The Guru 104 6.3 The Ashram 110 6.4 The Organisation of the Society 115 6.5 Finance 117 Chapter 7 Divine Life Society Branches 120 7.1 Main Branch (Reservoir Hills) 120 7.1.1 Sivananda Pillar 123 ( iii) 7. 1 .2 Divine Life Society Crest 123 7.2 Tongaat 125 7.3 P ietermari tzburg - Northda Ie Branch 126 7.3.1 P ietermari tzburg - Loop Street Branch 127 7.4 Chatsworth 128 7.5 Merebank 130 7.6 Stanger 130 7.7 The Sivananda Press 131 Chapter 8 Rei igio-Social Attitudes 136 8.1 Persona I 136 8.2 Specific Affi I i at ion 140 8.3 Religion and Personal Life 148 8.4 Modes of Worship (At Home) 150 8.5 Religion and Family Life 159 8.6 Ethics 162 Chapter 9 - Rei igio-Cultural Activities 173 9.1 The Satsang 173 9. 1 • 1 Format of the Satsang 178 9.2 The Guru 182 9.3 Sadhana (Yoga) Camp 184 9.4 Temple and Ashram 188 9.5 Sivananda Children's Cultural Centre 191 9.6 Litera ture 197 9.7 Women 199 Chapter 10 Rei igio-Social Activities 202 10.1 Social Work 202 10.2 Black Education 203 10.3 Med ica I-ReI ief 206 10.4 Poor-Feeding 209 10.5 General 215 10.6 Summary of Findings 216 Chapter 11 Conclusion 220 Summary 235 Appendices 237 Bibl iography 281 ( i v) L 1ST OF TABLES Page 8.1 Age Group of Devotees 137 8.2 Occupation of Devotees 140 8.3 Specific Affi I ia t ion of Devotees 141 8.4 How did you first acquaint yourself with the Divine Life Society 143 8.5 Attitude to other Religions 145 8.6 Reasons for join ing the D iv ine Life Society 146 8.7 Images of God in the Home-Shrine of the Devotees 150 8.8 Aspects of God to which Devotees pray 156 8.9 Religious Festivals o!=>served by the Devotees 160 8.10 Religious Ceremonies performed at home 161 8.11 Yoga system considered most effective by Devotees 163 8.12 Familiarity with the Concept of Purusharthas 166 8.13 Samskaras observed by the Devotees 172 9.1 Aspects of the Satsang which are most meaningful to Devotees 174 9.2 Reasons for attending the Satsang 175 9.3 Aspects of the Yoga Camp wh ich Devotees find most rewarding 188 1. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 THE OBJECT OF STUDY THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY OF SOUTH AFR I CA After the arrival of the Indians in South Africa in the latter half of the 19th century their exposure to western society and secularism resulted in a change, to an extent, in their religious practices and social-attitudes. Confronted with his new environment the Indian sought to retain his cultural identity and religious adherence. However, this proved difficult for a variety of reasons, the foremost being the foreign western secular environment, the breakdown of the joint-family and the political and economic position of the Indian South African. The Indian community has been affected more than any other group in South Africa by the Group Areas Act. By 1970 about 37 653 Indian families had been required- to move, which represented over 300 000 of the tota I I nd ian popu la t ion of 624 000 at that time. Apart from these various factors the comp lex posi t ion of the I nd i an was compounded by the fact that the older South African Indian is as a rule a marginal person ie. between the old and the new. During the early period of Hinduism in South Africa the Hindu temple served a vital role as it became an important forum for religious expression. Religious practices which covered a wide emotional and intellectual spectr.um, were in the main ritualistically orienta ted, emphasi s was p laced more on the externa I expression of rei ig ion than an understand ing of its ph i losophy. From the 1940s onwards there was a shift in emphasis due to the emergence of the Neo-Hindu Movements, -j ncluding the Divine Life Society. The emphasis shifts from the external expression of religion to an internal and philosophical interpretation of Hindu ism. The Divine Life Society founded by Swami Sivananda was chosen ,- () as the object of study because it is a religious movement tha t {'. 2. is strategically important within the broader framework of contemporary Hinduism in South Africa. The Divine Life Society aims at a revival of the mind of man through its teachings. In this regard the fundamental and primary aim of the Divin~ Life Society as a world wide organisation is the dissemination of spiritual knowledge. To bring this knowledge is to awaken the world and to make every man and woman a selfless and dedicated worker for the upliftment of mankind. Although essentially a rei igious Movement, the Divine Life Society is also actively involved in establishing a better social environ­ ment. With its emphasis on the yoga of synthesis, and its personal involvement in socio-religious matters it has not alienated itself from society.