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SUBRAMUNIYA SWAMY
Subramuniya Swamy was born on 5-1-1927 in Oakland, California, USA
Birth name – Robert Hansen
In 1947 at the age of 20, he travelled to India and to Sri Lanka in 1949. Robert Hansen training in classical Eastern and Western dance allowed him to join the San Francisco Ballet company. He was most inspired by the life of Swamy Vivekananda and his 4 volumes on:
- Raja Yoga
- Bhakti Yoga
- Karma Yoga
- Inspired Talks
And most particularly by Swamy Vivekananda’s masterful poem “THE SONG OF THE SANNYASIN.” At 20 years old he took the first ship to leave for India. He celebrated his twenty first birthday just days before arriving ashore and walking through the grand GATEWAY TO INDIA IN MUMBAI. From India he went to Sri Lanka and lived in many Buddhist temples. He was received by monks there and saw how they lived and dressed. This experience influenced the monastic protocol, that he later put into action in his own monastic order. Robert Hansen met Yogaswamy in the Columbuthurai Ashram on tamil May
visaham (வைகாசி விசாகம் ) day in 1949. Yogaswamy initiated Robert Hansen by a slap on the back and said, “This sound will be heard in America! Now go round the world and roar like a lion. You will build temples and feed thousands.” Yogaswamy gave him the name “Subramuniya.” This event was witnessed by devotees in the Columbuthurai Ashram.
He built a Sri Subramuniya Ashram in ALAVETTY, in Jaffna. During late 1949 he sailed back to America and embarked on 7 years of Yoga meditation.
In 1956, Subramuniya Swamy said, that he had a tremendous spiritual experience in Denver,
Colorado, where “the soul body would finally fully inhabit the physical body.”
In 1957, in San Francisco he founded “HIMALAYAN ACADEMY”, and opened America’s first Hindu temple at 3575, Sacramento Street, near Presidio Park.
He also opened 2 centres in San Francisco in 1957. One nominally Hindu and Subramuniya Yoga Order and the other nominally The Christian Yoga Church.
A typical Sunday worship at Christian Yoga Church included the singing of Christian hymns, reading from The New Testament and the Bhagavad Gita or Upanishads and a sermon related to Christian or Hindu mysticism.
Subramuniya Swamy in 1950s and 1960s might be placed in an American Metaphysical lineage that can be traced from nineteenth century Theosophy to the new age movement in the late 1970s.
Subramuniya Swamy moved his Ashram to KAUAI in 1970 establishing KAUAI Aadheenam on a river bank near the foot of an extinct volcano. It is also known as KAUAI’S HINDU MONASTERY. KAUAI Aadheenam is a 458 acre temple monastery complex on the HAWAI’S GARDEN ISLAND.
In 1979 he founded the HINDUISM TODAY magazine.
In 1985 he created the festival of PANJA GANAPATHY as the Hindu alternative to December holidays like Christmas. He was one of the Saivaism Guru’s and founder and leader of the Saiva Sithantha Church.
In 1986, he founded a branch in MAURITIUS, in response to the government’s request that he come to revive a languishing Hindu faith.
In 1986 New Delhi’s parliament of the world’s religions named Subramuniya Swamy one of the five modern day JAGADA CHADEMS, meaning world teachers, for international efforts in promoting Hinduism.
In 1988 in OXFORD, he represented Hinduism at the Global Forum of Spiritual and parliamentary leaders.
In 1990 he campaigned for the fair treatment of Temple Priests, particularly that they should receive respect as enjoyed by the clergy of other religions.
In 1997, Subramuniya Swamy responded to the US president’s call for religious opinions on the ethics of cloning from the Hindu point of view.
He spearheaded the hundred and twenty fifth anniversary of Satguru Yogaswamy and his Golden Icon’s diaspora pilgrimage through many of the over 75 Sri Lankan temples and societies around the globe.
In 2000, he published “How to become a Hindu,” showing the way for seekers formally enter this faith, confuting the notion that “You must be born a Hindu to be a Hindu”.
In 2001, he completed the 3000 master course trilogy of dancing with SIVA, living with SIVA, merging with SIVA volumes of daily lessons on Hindu philosophy, culture and Yoga respectively.
On 12-11-2001, he attained Samadhi on CHITHIRAI NAKSHATHIRA, surrounded by his monastic devotees. His holy Ash was enshrined in the place already prepared in the temple. Daily prayers continue in the temple.
Special monthly pooja on CHITHIRAI NAKSHATHIRA and annual CHITHIRAI GURU POOJA takes place in the KAUAI ASHRAM.
KAUAI ASHRAM also celebrates annual AYILLIUM POOJAS.
