Swami Omkarananda was initiated into Sannyasa by the world-renowned Sage Sri Swami Sivananda who recognized in him an embodiment of the high spirit of renunciation, profound divine wisdom, touching purity of heart, made him known as Bala Yogi, Bala Jnani, titled him as Adhyatma Kavita-Bhaskara and crowned him with Sannyasa-Diksha in the year 1947 at the tender age of 17; later he received his Sri Vidya Mantra Diksha from the omnipresent Divine Mother Meenakshi of Madurai Temple and secrets of higher Tantric and Vedic Yagnas from Siddha Purushas.

He promulgated the teachings of Great Guru Adi Shankaracharya and was attached to the lotus feet of the Divine Mother Maha Tripurasundari. He went to Switzerland in May 1965 at the request of a group of Swiss scientists and educationalists, but returned to India afterwards. He again went to Switzerland in 1966 and founded Omkarananda International Ashram in Winterthur, Switzerland on divine orders to teach eager seekers of Truth in Europe.

Gurudev Paramahamsa Omkarananda is a legend. He is the supreme embodiment of the highest Truth and the divine Reality. He carried the light of Vedantic thought and philosophy to the Western world. Swamiji devoted his entire life to the quest of spreading Gyana (Knowledge) and Sanatana Dharma (Eternal Religion). He is a symbol of true renunciation, leading a very simple and frugal life, always engaged in one of the many pursuits he has espoused - meditation, discourses, dissemination of divine knowledge to the seekers, reading, writing and looking after so many institutions, he has founded in India and abroad.

In his shortest autobiography in the world Swami Omkarananda Saraswati writes:

"Purity is the soul of my strength. Truth is the source of my power. God is my life, and I have no existence apart from Him. His Consciousness is my Light. His all-sustaining and all-creative Beauty constitutes my joy. Prayer is my breath and meditation forms the bread of my Life. All humanity is my family. The Forces of Nature are my Friends. The Godhead in all of you is the object of my adoration."

For more information about Swami Omkarananda Saraswati, you may click on any of the following links on the website of Omkarananda Ashram Himalayas: