Sri Swami Krishnananda (April 1922 – November 2001) became a disciple of Sri Swami Sivananda in 1944. He served as the General Secretary of the Divine Life Society in Rishikesh, India from 1958 until 2001

Sri Swami Krishnananda had an extraordinary intellect and a profound understaning of the Vedantic scriptures, as well as Western philosophy. He was versed in sanskrit from small, and as a boy had memorised the entire Bhagavad Gita which he used to recite daily. He had an an intense desire to serve humanity and did so also by way of writing over 41 books and giving discourses yoga, vedanta, philosophy and religion.

A sadhak wanted to stay at the Sivananda Ashram. He had long hair and a beard. Swami Krishnananda told him that he must first shave off his hair and beard. The sadhak was taken aback. ‘What, shave off my hair and beard?’ … he was not allowed to stay at the ashram.