An Indian monk, claiming to be the oldest man in the world at age 122, spoke out to discuss the practices to which he believes he owes his great longevity. <br /><br />Swami Sivananda was born on August 8, 1896, according to his passport, which if correct and not a clerical error, makes the sprightly monk 122-years-old. <br /><br />This makes him the oldest man to have ever lived. India's passport authorities confirmed his age from a temple register, the only record many Indians have of their date of birth, but it will still be very difficult to independently verify his age. <br /><br />Sivananda grew up in extreme poverty and to this day sleeps on a mat on the floor with a wooden slab as a pillow in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh state in north India. <br /><br />In an interview conducted on February 18, 2017, he says "yoga, discipline, and celibacy" are the main reasons for his living to such a great age. <br /><br />Fit and healthy, the elderly man lives independently and enjoys his solitude. He also practices yoga for hours at a time, and advocates for a life uncluttered by technology and material possessions.
