Vethathiri Maharishi

Shri Vethathiri Maharishi, was born in the year 1911 at Guduvancheri, a village near Chennai, South India. Constrained to go even without the barest necessities of life, despite toiling at the loom from early morning to late night, his formal schooling stopped with Standard III (Age 8). But his passion for learning was intense and he started educating himself from a very young age. A diligent student, he educated himself to the level of Standard IX. His pursuit of knowledge slowly become a pilgrimage towards Truth.

He worked for his livelihood and his career was a colorful one

• an apprentice-weaver
• a qualified practitioner for two systems of Indian indigenous medicine (Ayurveda, Siddha)
• a certified practitioner of Homeopathy
• a Government employee on a meagre salary
• a master-weaver owning more than 1000 looms.

When material fortune ceased to smile, he kept on smiling and continued his journey towards Truth. But through out his long journey his vision never wavered and his steps never faltered. With rare single-mindedness, he marched towards his goal, unmindful of the riches that came his way or the poverty that sought to overpower him often.

 

Swami Vethathiri is the exponent of the system of Simplified Kundalini Yoga which is the sure way to lasting peace and real happiness. He has also rediscovered the Simplified Kayakalpa Yoga given out by the siddhas of South India many centuries ago. The World Community Service Centre, which he founded in 1958, has Branches around the Globe, working to achieve World Peace. 

From 1972 to 1993 he travelled abroad as many as 21 times delivering speech and teaching extensively in U.S.A., Malaysia, Singapore, Mexico, Dem.Rep. of Korea and Japan. He also addressed the United Nations in the year 1974.

Enlightened through several years of intense meditation and introspection, he has spontaneously poured out over 2000 poems dealing with origin and functions of the cosmos as well as on all aspects of human life.As of date, he has authored 70 books in Tamil and English.

Several universities in India have made Maharishi's philosophy a part of their regular course. By unification of science and philosophy, Maharishi has made significant contributions to the contemporary philosophy, basic sciences and literature and thereby evolving a unified and holistic view of Nature. Based on Vethathiri Maharishi's philosophy, several scholars in the fields of literature, science and psychology are working for their Doctorate degrees.Hundreds of thousands of people in India and abroad have learned and benefited by practicing his philosophy and techniques.

Swamiji never renounced the world in the ordinary sense; he lived in this world fully sharing his wealth and his knowledge with his fellowmen. Even at his age of 95, he continued to serve humanity through his writings and discourses. He remained dedicated to serving his fellow beings by conveying his understanding of the One Supreme Power and its evolution through his speeches and writings. He completed his last book, 'History of God's transformation' just weeks before his demise.

The proceedings he earned as a author of his books were dedicated to the society's welfare.He continued to live a simple life in the foot hills of western ghats. On March 28th 2006, Yogiraj Shri Vethathiri Maharishi, the Greatest Spiritual Guru of the 20th century, left his fragile and aging body after a brief period of illness.