History

The place was named Shivapuri after Swami Shivanand Yogendra Maharaj, the father of Parama Sadguru Shree Gajanan Maharaj.

Shivanand Maharaj was the highest among Yogis. He was a Nada Brahma Yogi who examplified the Shabda Brahma concept.
Shabda Brahma means "the word that was in the beginning, which was with God, which was God and by which everything was made that was made" (John 1).

People held him in highest esteem as the incarnation of Jamadagni, the great sage of Bhrugu dynasty, who enunciated the Akshar Brahma concept ( concept of the indestructible word). Literally the word Jamadagni in Sanskrit means the blazing yajnya fire.
The Vedic word Shiva also connotes yajna fire. Hence Shivanand means fire which grants Ananda or 'eternal bliss'.

Shivanand Yogendra Maharaj possessed astonishing Yogic powers. Even while he used to be in deep sleep one could hear the chant of Mantra in his breathing rhythm.
This great Yogi once declared "Death shall not conquer us".

The devotees believe that he is still in the state of Samadhi in Shivapuri in the cellar where the holy body is preserved before the place was sealed with stone. It seems that there is some mission yet to be performed by the holy body in the cellar called Shiva Gumpha.

One can see in the Shivapumpha a radiating Linga, in the Shiva Gumpha, called Shivajyotirlinga. Jyotirlinga is a radiating point in the subtle energy circuit that manipulates the atmosphere beneficially. In the upper portion of shivgumpha there is another radiating point called Somnath-Linga which was established to commemorate the great Somayaga of 1969.

Before actually purchasing this small piece of land in the year 1953 as a proposed site for preparing Swami Shivanand's Samadhi many auspicious signs were shown to Shree. He had seen the 'Rising of the sun' on the horizon as he first cast his glance on the piece of land which later was to be known as Shivpuri.

To Shree that symbolised the ushering in of the New Era.

As if it was the rising sun of Satya Dharma. Shree many times had stated that a special sky is created over Shivpuri.
The Seven Stars (the 'Sapta-Rishi' or the seven seers) radiate upon Shivapuri with a special blessing eye! Shree had further stated that if any seed of Sat Karma (Good Karma) is sown in the land of Shivapuri, it sprouts and blossoms in to a big tree within no time and effort.

This land is special. It is conducive to right action and right thought. Shree once said, "Shivapuri in future will be the most Holy place of pilgrimage for innumerable followers of Five fold Path spread all over the world.

They will come to pay their respects to this holy land from where their beloved Master reiterated the eternal and universal message of Vedas. Shivapuri will henceforth be associated with our name like Bodhi gaya is with Lord Buddha, Mathura with Lord Krishna, Jerusalem with Lord Jesus Christ and Mecca with Prophet Mohammed. Purity and sanctity of this place will remain charged for thousands of year to come.

The land on which an Avatara walks remains energised and holy for thousands of years".