Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami’s relationships with other Hindu leaders and gurus were grounded first and foremost in his own firmly established lineage. As a successor in the Nandinatha Sampradaya’s Kailasa Paramparā, receiving initiation from Jnanaguru Yogaswami of Jaffna, he drew his spiritual authority from this guru-paramparā rather than from affiliation with multiple contemporary movements. This clear rootedness allowed him to relate to other leaders from a position of both humility and confidence, honoring their paths while remaining unwaveringly loyal to the Saiva Siddhanta tradition he embodied. His founding of the Saiva Siddhanta Church and Kauai Aadheenam can thus be seen as an institutional continuation of that lineage rather than a break from it.

Within the broader Hindu world, he cultivated respectful and often collaborative ties with traditional Saivite authorities in South India and Sri Lanka, including priests, mathadhipatis, and certain Adheenams in Tamil Nadu. His efforts to preserve Agamic Saiva temple worship, support priest training, and uphold Tamil Saiva Siddhanta texts earned him recognition as an orthodox Saivite teacher, even though his monastery was based in the West. Through these connections he engaged with other Saiva Siddhanta teachers and institutions, reinforcing a shared commitment to temple-centered practice and scriptural fidelity. His correspondence and exchanges with ashrams and spiritual centers further extended these relationships into a global network.

At the same time, his relationships were not limited to Saivism alone. He interacted with leaders from various Hindu organizations and traditions, including swamis from other orders and heads of traditional mathas, often in the context of Hindu councils, conferences, and interfaith gatherings. In such settings he participated alongside other Hindu leaders in articulating Hindu perspectives on contemporary issues and in strengthening Hindu identity, especially in the diaspora. His role in global Hindu advocacy, particularly through initiatives connected with Hindu councils and forums, positioned him as a visible representative of Hinduism outside the Indian subcontinent. These engagements reflected an ecumenical spirit that valued unity across diverse sampradāyas.

A distinctive feature of his relationship with other leaders was the way his institution functioned: cooperative in spirit yet organizationally independent. He did not subordinate his monastery or mission to any other modern movement, instead maintaining a self-contained Saivite institution that nevertheless remained open and cordial toward others. His magazine, Hinduism Today, became a vehicle for highlighting a wide range of Hindu gurus, mathas, and traditions, thereby fostering goodwill and mutual recognition across the Hindu world. Through this combination of rootedness in a single lineage, respectful engagement with traditional authorities, and broad, inclusive outreach, his relationships with other Hindu leaders and gurus were marked by both fidelity to his own path and a sincere commitment to Hindu solidarity.