Swami Sivananda, 1986 - Stamp, First Day Cover, Brochure

*I am born

"Śrī Appaya Dīkṣitar, one of the greatest names in the annals of South India, is the reputed author of more than 104 works, embracing the various branches of knowledge in the Sanskrit language. The height of his intellectual eminence is evidenced by his works on Vedanta and all the Schools of Vedanta have drawn inspiration from his unique and unrivalled works. 

....... I was born to Śrīmatī Pārvati Ammāḷ and P. S. Veṇgu Iyer, as their third son, on Thursday the 8th September, 1887...... My father Śrī P. S. Veṇgu Iyer of Pattamaḍai, was descended from Śrī Appaya Dīkṣitar.

The Bhagavad Gītā (6.41-42) says:

“Having attained to the worlds of the pure doing and having dwelt there for immemorial years, he who fell from Yoga is reborn in a pure and blessed house. Or he may be born in a family of wise Yogins; but such a birth as that is most difficult to obtain in this world.” 

प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः ।

शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते ॥

prāpya puṇya-kṛtāmṃ lokān uṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ

śucīnāḿ śrīmatāḿ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo’bhijāyate

अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम् ।
एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम् ॥

athavā yōginām ēva kulē bhavati dhīmatām

ētadd hi durlabhataraṃ lōkē janma yadīdṛśam

Śrī Appaya Dīkṣitar was one such. I have had the privilege to be born in such a great saint’s family. Śrī Appaya Dīkṣitar was born in Adaiyapalam near Ārṇi, North Arcot District ....."

The Stamp, FDC and the brochure issued on 08.09.1986 on the occasion of the 101st birth anniversary of the towering saint of the Himalayas. The postmark carries the DLS logo with the symbol, AUM.

Śrī Svāmī Śivānanda was a prolific writer who has authored about 300 books. A few Sanskrit translations -- 

The Brahmasūtras with Text and tr.

The Ten Upaniṣads with Text and tr.

The Bhagavadgītā with Text and tr.

The Nārada-Bhaktisūtras with Text and tr.

The Mokṣa-Gītā with Text and tr.

Beauties of Rāmāyaṇa with Text and tr.

*From Sri Swami Sivananda's Autobiography: http://www.dlshq.org/download/autobio.htm#_VPID_23

DLS = Divine Life Society
tr. = translation