"Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realise" says Swami Sivananda. Swami Sivananda, the second president of the Ramakrishna Order, was a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. In his youth, Swami Sivananda entirely suppressed lust. By hearing this Swami Vivekananda gave him the name Mahapurush. From then He is popularly known as `Mahapurush Maharaj`.

On 16the November 1854, Swami Sivananda was born at Barasat of West Bengal, in a respectable and deeply religious family to father Ramkanai Ghosal who was an attorney and devout worshipper of Kali and mother Vamasundari Devi. He was born as a result of prayers to Tarakeshwar Shiva and so was named Taraknath. His innate characteristics were that of a Shiva nature. Astrological horoscope of His signaled that the child would either be a monk or a king. Taraknath in later years did become a monk and ruled over an expanding spiritual empire subsequently as the second President of the Sangha. From his very young age, He was a Spiritual aspirant.

Swami Sibananda or Tarak, (his original name) got a good education, both secular and spiritual. He took up a job in Gaziabad while his family falling down on hard times. Then after He took job in Mugalsarai in North India and then later in Kolkata. Swami Sivananda used to spend his spare time in meditation and prayers. It has been increased intensely in an inexorable manner. This mental inclination finally brought him to Sri Ramakrishna. He got an opportunity due to a favorable combination of circumstances of seeing Sri Ramakrishna while working in Calcutta in an English Firm. He had already heard about Sri Ramakrishna. Sri Ramakrishna at Dakshineswar after meeting Taraknath, He was pleasantly surprised to learn that Taraknath was the son of Ramkanai Ghosal, who was his old friend.

It will be needles to say that for becoming a disciple of Sri Ramakrishna, Tarak had the full acceptance of his father. Swami Sivananda was the first to relinquish everything and spent his days in Dakshineswar and in a solitary place in Kolkata (Kankurgacchhi), purchased at Sri Ramakrishna`s authoritative direction by Ramachandra Dutta.

After the demise of the Master Sri Ramkrishna, Tarak was the first person to join the monastery at Baranagore. While receiving the monastic orders, He was given the name `Swami Sivananda`. He had in a successful manner kept up the consecrate of brahmacharya (celibacy), even though Tarak had been married. Swami Vivekananda was amazed with this and in later days made remark that he was a `Mahapurush.` This name adhered and he became known as `Mahapurush Maharaj.` He also spent a few years as an itinerant monk like his brother-disciples.

After the victorious return of Swami Vivekananda from the West, Swami Sivananda had to settle down at the monastery in 1897. He was in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) for some time also, prophesying Vedanta in order to obey the authoritative direction of Swami Vivekananda. In 1899, He also took an extending part in the first plague relief work of the Ramakrishna Mission. He has also started the Ashrama at Varanasi.

His Teachings are: