Jnana Yajna 14

Jnana Yajna 14

Year & Dates:

October 30, 1955 to November 30, 1955

Yajna Topic:

Bhagavad Gita- Chapters 3 & 4

Place:

Delhi University, New Delhi, India.

It was the first time that the Convocation Hall in Delhi University had been transformed into a site of spiritual satsanga for thirty continuous days. Young and old had gathered enthusiastically in an academic setting to learn the Highest Knowledge from a contemporary sage.  Swami Chinmayananda had already caught the attention of the intelligent youth with His call to independently estimate the Science of Religion.  The way He invited them in His opening day address to “chalk out for themselves the right way of application of the sacred values in the daily scheme of their lives” showed His confidence in their ability to reflect. 

Inspired Call to Action

Continuing with the Gita Jnana Yajna series that began in the Modern School, Delhi, Pujya Gurudev now launched into the uplifting verses of Chapters 3 & 4 of the Bhagavad Gita. Sharing the wisdom of Karma Yoga (Chapter 3), He emphasized on the path of right, dedicated action as the means for self-development and preparation for Knowledge. Then, with fluent excellence, Pujya Gurudev unfolded the path of greater Truth and Knowledge in chapter 4, ‘Jnana Yoga.’  

A notable event that happened during the 14th yajna was Pujya Gurudev’s address during the All India Vedanta Sammelana at Amritsar. He left Delhi on the night of November 12, 1955, and traveled all night by car across 300 miles to roar to about eight to ten thousand people, especially the youth, about the importance of living Vedanta. Right after that stirring speech, Pujya Gurudev dashed back to Delhi University in time to continue His 6 pm Gita discourse in the joyful glow of the Deepavali lamps on November 13. Modeling the way to bring Gita to life, every action of Pujya Gurudev was selfless and stimulating, steeped in Knowledge. 

In Admiration 

A devotee of Delhi recalls, “Swami Chinmayananda’s discourses on Gita and various Upanishads are narrated in such a masterly and convincing style, that they penetrate our hearts and minds deeply and thus have a lasting effect on ourselves. The various stanzas are taken up one by one by him, and their meanings explained in detail with various present day examples in a simple and beautiful style. He sits as it were on the throne of spiritual and knowledge and distributes the flowers and honey of wisdom in handfuls.”

Photo Gallery

“Think,” Says Pujya Gurudev 

The method of controlling the mind by the body is Karma Yoga, and it is fit for those who are extremely body-conscious and world-conscious. Controlling the mind from the mind is Bhakti Yoga, and it is conducive to those who are of an emotional temperament. The method of controlling the mind from the intellectual zone is called Jnana Yoga which can appeal to all intellectuals. 

But whatever be the path purchased, and whatever be the type to which the seekers belong, the ultimate experience of the Spiritual Perfection gained by every one of them, at the moment of illumination, is one and the same. This is an incontrovertible fact inasmuch as the mystical literature of the world reads as though every saint has borrowed and copies from all the earlier Masters across the world!!

Tyagi Magazine- March 15, 1956, p. 28

The significance of the stanza as “a prayer to be said before food” is amply self-evident. To live we must eat. Food is an unavoidable necessity of existence. Whatever be the type of food, when one is hungry one will enjoy one’s meals. The suggestion is that even at this moment of natural enjoyment we are not to forget the great Truth that it is Brahman eating Brahman, and that during our meals we are offering to Brahman the food that is Brahman invoking nothing but the grace of Brahman. To keep this idea constantly in the mind is to get ourselves perfectly detached from the enjoyment and raise ourselves to a greater and endless beatitude which is the reward of the Super-manhood. 

Tyagi Magazine- April 15, 1956 V. 24 Ch. 4, p. 13

Have courage to follow Dharma?

Explore the enigmatic realm of divine incarnations, a timeless mystery that has captivated the hearts of seekers throughout the ages. Discover the sacred promise made by Lord Narayana to secure the victory of righteousness, and unravel the profound significance of divine intervention as a guiding light in times of moral crisis. Join us in this exploration of spirituality and delve into the eternal wisdom that reveals the divine’s role in upholding righteousness across the ages.


Jnana Yajna 13

Jnana Yajna 13

Year & Dates:

September 18, 1955 to October 28, 1955

Yajna Topic:

Bhagavad Gita- Chapters 1 & 2

Place:

Modern School, New Delhi, India.

The words, “Gita Yajna ” were on a placard at the gate. A huge, artistically constructed shamiana on the front lawns of the Modern School, Barakhamba Road, New Delhi, stood ready to welcome all seekers. An eminent artist of Delhi had created a strikingly lifelike oil painting of the famed Krishna- Arjuna- Samvaad to serve as the stage’s backdrop. In such a captivating atmosphere, on the evening of September 18,1955,  His Holiness Swami Chinmayanandaji of Uttarkashi began His first Gita Jnana Yajna addressing a vast crowd of Delhi’s elite thinkers. In an incredibly methodical way, He summarized the story of Mahabharata and highlighted the way Bhagavad Gita was the essence of the Upanishads made directly relevant and practically applicable to a seeker in distress. 

Gita’s Glory Unveiled

Describing Chapter 1 as the case history of the typical Arjuna-disease, Pujya Gurudev made the audience reflect deeply on the anxiety-ridden, shattered personality which results from confusion regarding duties in life. Then, as He uncovered the wealth of philosophy contained in the second chapter of the Gita, the “extremely efficient Krishna-cure for the soul-killing Arjuna disease” was awe-inspiring. Every word that Pujya Gurudev uttered during those enlightening discourses were published in ‘Tyagi,’ a fortnightly magazine that was first launched on September 1, 1955. The non-sectarian, non-denominational spiritual magazine which also carried philosophical articles by other writers, had the sole rights to imprint the message of Gita in the world psyche in a never-before experienced way. Word-by-word, verse-by-verse, the most sublime and yet practical song of Bhagavan was shared from that Yajna Shala in Delhi. A matchless Gitacharya reintroduced Bhagavad Gita in a historic manner.

In Admiration 

Shri Panna Lal Sen Gupta, who accidentally found himself at Pujya Gurudev’s Gita Jnana Yajna recounts: Before this I had heard discourses on Gita here and there and I had also tried to understand it by reading commentaries. But that did not unfold to me the inner meaning and potentialities of its shlokas. Swamiji’s inimitable way of speaking and clear exposition of shlokas struck me with wonder. It has been possible for me to realize from these Yajnas that by practicing the teachings of Gita, faithfully and scrupulously, one can certainly enlighten himself to the ultimate supreme Reality.

Photo Gallery

“Think,” Says Pujya Gurudev 

The Gita Sankalpa Vakya is a beautiful statement of pregnant words conveying a wealth of detail regarding the very text-book. Srimad Bhagavad Gita has been considered here as Upanishad. Nay, each chapter in the Gita is considered as an Upanishad, and among the eighteen Upanishads, together constituting the Divine Song, here we end the First of them, entitled “the Yoga of Arjuna’s Despondency,” These chapters are called Upanishads because these are declarations concealing such deep significance that a hasty reader will miss their full import unless he gives long and intense meditation over this suggestive wealth of meaning that lie concealed behind the simple looking stanzas of the Gita. Just as in the Upanishads, here also we need the help of a sympathetic teacher who can train us in the art of opening the seven-hundred lockers in the treasure chamber of the Gita.

From Tyagi Magazine- Nov. 11, 1955, P. 25

Thus standing between the two forces, the good and the bad, arrayed for a battle to death, Arjuna surrendered completely, to the Lord, the subtler discriminative intellect, the charioteer, who held the five senses back and halted the body in a perfect stand-still. The stunned and confused ego-Arjuna-when it totally surrenders to Krishna, the Lord with a smile reassures the Jiva of its final victory, and declares the entire message of spiritual redemption, the Gita.

From Tyagi Magazine- Nov 15, 1955, P. 32

The Source of Sorrow

Explore the Bhagavad Gita’s timeless wisdom as Lord Krishna dispels Arjuna’s unnecessary grief. Understand why wise individuals don’t mourn for the departed or the living and embrace the transformative teachings that bring solace and understanding.


Jnana Yajna 12

Jnana Yajna 12

Year & Dates:

June 12, 1955 to July 02, 1955

Yajna Topic:

Vivekachudamani

Place:

Chennai, India.

With every yajna, Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda adapted the format, technique, and topic to bring about the maximum benefit to the maximum number of people. In His quest of awakening people to their spiritual essence, the daring way in which He taught eight major Upanishads in the first ten Jnana Yajnas made people sit up. They wondered, “How can we reconnect with the vibrant, scientific core of Hinduism as Swami Chinmayananda explained it and reconstruct ourselves?” A Master Teacher that He was, Pujya Gurudev recognized that the curiosity of the people was kindled. However, the foundation had to be strengthened for the flag of Sanatana Dharma to fly high. So, when He came to Chennai for the 12th Jnana Yajna, He planned it to be a mobile Yajna, a first of its kind. 

Spirituality, Widespread & Mobile

Aiming to reach the maximum, Pujya Gurudev spoke in three Yajnashalas at Egmore, Saidapet, and T’Nagar, three key areas of Chennai (then Madras). For the topic, He chose select verses from “Vivekachudamani,” a detailed and beautiful Prakarana Grantha (introductory text) written by Adi Shankaracharya. While educating the audience about the fundamental concepts of Vedanta, Pujya Gurudev had a greater objective. The 12th Jnana Yajna in a ‘mobile format’ facilitated the training of the members of Chinmaya Mission to be competent enough to hold street-corner meetings on the guiding principles of Hinduism across the city. Indeed, that far-reaching vision of spreading Vedanta shaped the motto of Chinmaya Mission: “To give maximum happiness to maximum people for maximum time.”

In Admiration 

Miss Padmini of Chennai shares about the impact the Mobile Yajna has on her: This Yajna served further to strengthen my conviction that Vedanta is not a mere Utopian dream, but a practical Reality. Without religion life has no meaning. With religion it has both a meaning and a purpose. Our duty is to attain that perfection or Godhood, where alone one can have lasting happiness.

“Think,” Says Pujya Gurudev 

The ocean does not put a ban upon the quantity of water that you can carry from it; the limitations are the limitations of your own pot. The sun does not ration its light from house to house or from room to room, but it is the walls that deny the entry of sunlight into a room. The river flows; everything depends on the canals you can cut to take its waters to your land. Similarly, the Guru, living in perfection, gives out knowledge in the language of his own intimate experience, and it is up to the individual seekers to get for themselves as much benefit as they can. 

From Vivekachudamani Book, p. 46-47

A spiritual seeker has a healthy attitude towards things, and he keeps a balanced relationship with everything around him in life. He loves all and he fulfills his duties towards them. But he never allows the world of relationships around to bind him and loot him of his freedom to grow. He keeps ample elbow room to wage war against his own lower nature. Such an individual, intelligently organizing his connections with the world will certainly run fleet-footed towards the Goal to enter the state of freedom and experience supreme Vishnu-hood.

From Vivekachudamani Book, p. 126

Eternal Bliss Beyond Maya’s Veil

Unmask the illusions of Maya as we explore the timeless truths of Satya, Chit-Sukha, Ananda, and Avyaya. This revelation invites you to assert your innate nature, recognizing the eternal reality that transcends the temporal illusions of life. Listen to this excerpt from Vivekachoodamani talks of 1988.


Jnana Yajna 11

Jnana Yajna 11

Year & Dates:

May 14, 1955 to June 04, 1955

Yajna Topic:

Mundakopanishad

Place:

Ooty, India.

“What is That, my Lord, knowing which all these become known?” enquired the great householder Shaunaka after he respectfully approached Sage Angiras. So opens Mundakopanishad. Describing and detailing the thought-provoking Upanishad in his 11th Jnana Yajna, Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda prompted the audience in Ooty to reflect and evolve. An important outcome by the end of this 21-day yajna was the publication of the “Mundakopanishad” book which compiled all of Pujya Gurudev’s commentary taught during both the second Jnana Yajna in Chennai and the 11th yajna in Ooty. In His introduction to the book, Pujya Gurudev wrote: “The very concept of Jnana Yajna was conceived by me in a moment of love, and these Yajnas were worked out in an atmosphere of love depending upon love, demanding only love, and the workers working merely for love.”  

Yajnas in Lasting Pages

Throughout the ten Jnana Yajnas that had awakened people to the glory of their Vedic heritage, Pujya Gurudev had envisioned with loving foresight that the word should spread far and wide. Hence, He systematized the reflections of every Yajna in the ‘Yajna Prasad” booklets that were distributed first free and then at nominal cost to thousands of seekers. It is an incredible feat how Pujya Gurudev would spend countless hours to dictate and record the scriptural teachings after His discourses for the world to keep reaping the benefits of those priceless reflections. The earliest ‘Yagna Prasad’ booklets sowed the seeds for his prolific writing that gave rise to “Chinmaya Publications.” To keep the spark of Awareness alive in all our pursuits in life, Pujya Gurudev gifted us with the precious pages, year after year. Like the famous imagery in Mundakopanishad, the sparks from the Vedantic fire that He kindled still glow in the pages of His Prasad booklets, books, and all His words.

In Admiration 

Karthiayini G Nayar who was blessed to listen to Pujya Gurudev’s discourses in Ooty shares these impressions:
Listening to Swamiji speak, one would feel self reliant, self confident, bold enough to face any crisis knowing that everything in the world is ephemeral. An knowing what is good company or Satsang, one would not enjoy the company of ordinary people where the conversation is often about irrelevant and flimsy matters

Photo Gallery

“Think,” Says Pujya Gurudev 

Let us try an example: A driver at the steering-wheel, while driving, cannot be run over the same car.The moment the driver leaves his seat and rushes to the front of the car, since the car has no motion of its own, it stop and so cannot knock him down and run over him! Similarly, the Atman, the dynamic power behind the mind that vitalises the mind- that makes it possible for the mind to grasp things- cannot be grasped independently by the mind. Should the mind grasp the Reality, it should stand apart from the object it so grasp: and the moment the mind divorces itself from its connections with the Atman, it becomes a dead inert stuff which cannot grasp any idea anymore. Hence we say that the Supreme is ungraspable.

From Mundakopanishad Book 

The Word ‘diligently’ (niyatam) is very pregnant. It does not merely suggest a faithful and blind performance, but insists upon a regular practice which is continuous, intelligent, fresh and cheerful. Rituals followed as a routine lose all their potency.

A routine in itself cannot constructively re-create a developed human personality. It is only a deliberate intelligent training of the head and heart of an individual, grained through diligent abhyas that can bring about this desired effect. A dull habit, or an inert routine pursued under the blind force of a dead faith is ineffectual and quite undesirable as a measure in the spiritual revival of an individual.

Rituals in themselves cannot and will not lead a seeker to his goal. An act, however noble, cannot, in its result, procure the Eternal, the act being itself a finite one.

From Mundakopanishad Book

The Light beyond light!

Explore the mystical realm of Mundakopanishad as we decode its enlightening verse that challenges our understanding of light, fire, and divinity. Witness the symbolic significance of aarati and the flame, realizing how our attempts to see the divine mirror our journey from the material to the infinite.


Jnana Yajna 10

Jnana Yajna 10

Year & Dates:

April 14, 1955 to May 04, 1955

Yajna Topic:

Kenopanishad

Place:

Mattancherry, India.

In the diverse crowd, the youth outnumbered the old. They came eagerly, forgetting for 21 days, the thrills of their usual pastimes like sports, cinema, or fun get-togethers. Women of all ages hurried to the front rows, knowing that they too belonged in the Vedantic discussions. This was another cornerstone achievement of Pujya Gurudev – to open the portals of Vedanta to the young and old, to women as much as men.  From a varied audience of 300 seated on the sand-floored yajnashala on the inaugural day to 1500 spilling over extensions added on the sides in a week, the scene was getting familiar.

A Charismatic, Universal Appeal

The trend set in the very first yajna in Pune was becoming the norm by the tenth Jnana Yajna in Mattancherry, Kerala.  Hearing Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda reintroduce the ancient truths of Hinduism in a relatable, catchy way, the audience understood the great relevance of scriptures in daily life. From the scholars to the simple-minded, each one resonated with Pujya Gurudev’s way of expression. The scholars were astounded at His breadth of scriptural knowledge. The scientists, businessmen, lawyers, and administrators were surprised at the way He kept abreast of latest advancements, economic, and societal changes. The women, whether at home or office, were convinced that Pujya Gurudev was their cherished spokesperson. The youth were captivated by His charisma, his fearless, sharp wit, and His approachability. The old were relieved that Hinduism had found its commanding voice. His striking similes, detailed examples, dramatic stories, and animated jokes – His every expression with undiluted Vedanta touched hearts and transformed lives. He encouraged, instructed, comforted, and uplifted – In Mattancherry too, He was the center of attraction, as He let the verses of Kenopanishad flow in and through the receptive minds of His adoring audience.

In Admiration 

Mrs. Janaki Menon’s impressions of the Mattancherry Yajna:
This 21 days Yajna was a milestone in the spiritual progress and awakening of the town. People who once prided themselves upon their atheistic and materialistic beliefs had suddenly become ardent supporters of Swamiji and his methods. Unlike the teachers of the old, Chinmaya examines the Vedas and the Upanishads, which form the foundation of Hinduism, in the cold light of scientific reasoning, and with dispassionate and critical analysis their validity is tested.

Photo Gallery

“Think,” Says Pujya Gurudev 

A salt-doll tied to a string and dipped into the ocean will not come back when pulled up to report the depth!! The doll gets melted into the very form of the ocean; the salt-doll was ever the ocean; it was born from the ocean. But it had for a period an identity of its own and a form. But once having reached the bosom of its own “Nature” and remaining there for a time, it becomes the very ocean that it Eternally was!!

That is, the doll-ego which exists as a superimposition upon Truth, Pure Salt, assumes for a time certain false forms and names. But when actually at last it entered the mass of its own nature it got merged there with its own svaroopa.

From Kenopanishad Yajna Prasad, p. 153, 154

All efforts in meditation are only for the beginner; a swimmer drowns and gulps down water only during the first days of his learning himself to float in water! Having mastered his art, a rope dancer is bored to repeat night after night his acrobatic and feats of balance although he must have had his own falls and bruises, thrills and joys, during his attempts at mastering his art. Similarly, a meditator may have a struggle to keep his mind in balance and in peace in his early attempts but ere long, as he gains more and more confidence and balance, he shall with a joyous ease float into himself, and there, in an effortless effort meet face to face with the One, his own self.

From Kenopanishad Yajna Prasad, p. 195

Chant for an Alert, Vigilant Mind

Unlock the secrets of success with the powerful chant of sahanaavavatu. This enlightening excerpt from Kenopanishad talk series from Houston, 1981 explores the deep meaning behind the invocation verse or shaanti paatha, guiding both the teacher and student toward an alert and vigilant state of mind. Join us on this spiritual quest for knowledge, wisdom, and ultimate success.


Jnana Yajna 9

Jnana Yajna 9

Year & Dates:

March 6, 1955 to March 29, 1955

Yajna Topics:

Aitareya Upanishad

Place:

Kozhikode, India.

In Kozhikode, during the 21-day long ninth yajna, Pujya Gurudev extolled the glory of Aitareya Upanishad, bringing out the essence that “Consciousness is Brahman.” People from all walks of life were shown the grand vision of a spiritual unity above all visible differences.

Notable was the discipline in the growing audience who rushed out of their homes to be in perfect time every evening for Pujya Gurudev’s masterly presentation of the thought-provoking scripture. The punctuality and discipline that Pujya Gurudev personified was making a mark on the yajna audiences everywhere.  Along with timeliness, the sense of sacredness for the Hindu rituals was also being revived. 

Discipline and Devotion

The Akhanda Kirtan with hundreds chanting with faith and fervor, the orderly and spectacular procession of people on foot, in cars, trucks, and cycles energizing the atmosphere of Kozhikode  – the glorious vitality of a disciplined Hindu outlook was evident. As in all earlier yajnas, when Pujya Gurudev walked among the seated devotees sprinkling Ganga waters from Gangotri, it was an incomparable blessing that purified all. The people were also entranced by the five-day Mahamrtyunjaya Havan that had concluded earlier. Carrying the sacred ashes from the Havan-kund, a most enthusiastic crowd accompanied Pujya Gurudev to Guruvayoor in eleven buses after the yajna concluded. Chanting the Tryambaka mantra, hundreds of devotees immersed the Havana’s ashes in the Guruvayoor temple tank; they took the Avabhruta Snanam, a sacred bath and entered the holy temple for a great darshan of Lord Krishna as Guruvayoorappa. It was an extraordinary experience of devotion, so different from a noisy worship, all because Pujya Gurudev could instill a devoted sense of discipline, both inside and outside the Yajna Shala.

In Admiration 

K Vasudevan Nair records his early memories of what kept a varied audience engrossed in Pujya Gurudev’s talks: His audience generally were not merely retired officials and old men and women without much work or a vocation. Energetic youth who hurried from their officers to the Yajna Shala, without even taking their evening tea, lest they miss the introductory remarks of the Swamiji that day and lost the trend of the discourse, young students who gladly kept away from their football, tennis and other games, Cinema fans who willingly stayed away from theatres etc., besides practicing lawyers, half-starved teachers, profit-loving merchants and men and women from all walks of life vied with each other in being punctual at the Yajna Shala before Swamiji took the Adhyaksha Peetham. What is the secret behind the great Swami Chinmayananda and his hold over a large concourse of people? The discourses on tough subjects like the Upanishads and the Gita when treated by him in his simple but masterly style, combined with his ready wit and sparkling humor, enable a man or woman with average intelligence to understand and digest them. The fire in us is kindled by Swamiji. The ball is set rolling, we ponder over things.

Photo Gallery

“Think,” Says Pujya Gurudev 

In a portion of the city, when we want to create a park, the contractor and his creative activity are limited by the type of people that are to come and seek their recreation therein. If children are to visit, he has to create the park with the fittings common in a children’s park; if youngsters are to come to play and sweat, the contractor has to lay out fields for cricket, hockey and football, with facilities for other vigorous games, such as basket-ball, volley-ball, tennis and badminton; if old, retired people are to use the park there are to be plenty of trees and comfortable chairs in which those superannuated men can sit round and air their views and their  senile bodies! Similarly, the Lord, the Creator…the Supreme, conditioned by the total Vasana’s in the Cosmos…is not free to create a world for the better or the worse, but He has to serve the totality as a contractor would his principle. 

From Aitareya Upanishad Yajna Prasad Vol. 1, No. 2, p. 20,21

Similarly, in a scriptural discourse between the Guru and Shishya, the teacher sometimes flies to a point very much high where a sincere cannot easily reach in one single flight; and yet, the teacher, with the instinctive love of a mother-bird, will encourage the inner personality of the student to fly up slowly and steadily to the peak where the master stands. At rare occasions the teacher, in all love, flies back where the disciple, in sheer despair, has fallen down in intellectual exhaustion. At such moments the Guru prescribes a dose of Upasana to revive the pilgrim to greater exertion and more vigorous endeavor. 

From Aitareya Upanishad Yajna Prasad Vol. 1, No. 2, p. 15

Consciousness Unveiled: “Tat Tvam Asi”

Uncover the profound teaching of “Tat Tvam Asi,” guiding you on a journey from the ego-driven existence to the essence of consciousness. Experience the joyous realm of self-discovery in this enlightening exploration of Upanishadic wisdom.


Jnana Yajna 8

Jnana Yajna 8

Year & Dates:

December 16, 1954 to January 25, 1955

Yajna Topics:

Taittiriya Upanishad

 

Place:

Chennai, India.

It was an exhilarating, energetic unfoldment for 41 days in Thyagarayanagar, Chennai (Madras). The huge Pandal (enclosure) could not hold the teeming crowds; more than a thousand of the nearly 4000 people would stand for close to two hours engrossed in the inexpressible bliss of the melodic Taittiriya Upanishad. As Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda explained about the different kinds of Upasana in the first section of the Upanishad, the listeners were inspired. He also highlighted the ancient, convocation address of 25 key instructions given to students in  Section 11 of Shikshavalli, pointing out that they were “Vedanta in Practice.” Those sacred commandments began with the teacher’s reminder, “Satyam Vada ” and pointed to how one can live a noble, integrated life. 

Deeper Study, Increasing Crowds

Having prepared the audience to lift themselves to a higher vision of life, Pujya Gurudev guided them into the sublime, direct definition of Truth as “Satyam, Jnanam, Anantam.” Sharing the depth of the second section, “Brahmananda Valli,” He also challenged seekers to journey within and enquire intensely. Pujya Gurudev’s systematic, scientific analysis of the five sheaths (Panchakosa) within the human personality was gripping. The way He described the ascending scale of joy in the evolution toward the Absolute amazed the audience. The immortal discussion between Varuna, the Teacher, and Bhrigu, the Disciple outlining the steps to enquire and realize the Highest goal of life was embedded in the minds of the attentive audience. The thirst to realize that “The Source of all joy in the entire universe is but the Bliss of the Self ” was created in that momentous yajna. The earnest seekers who had already begun devoted study of the Upanishads after Pujya Gurudev’s second yajna in Chennai were further motivated to learn, analyze, and apply the scriptural teachings. The phenomenon called Chinmaya Study Groups would soon spread around the country and later the world.

In Admiration 

Smt. Meenambal of Chennai vividly captures the transformative voyage guided by Pujya Gurudev Swamiji Chinmayananda, steering her weather-beaten vessel through life’s stormy ocean. “At first it was his learned exposition couched in the finest poetry that drew me to him. The fatigue of the day’s work or the distance that had to be walked or the rains could not stop me. I was drawn by some irresistible force, as it were. I felt I has at last landed on a sequestered harbour. What the temples, the Bhajans and the discourses failed to give me, the lucid explanations of the Upanishad by Chinmaya gave me. The mysteries of the grand universe, of which this little “I” forms a part, were slowly unravelled by my Guru, who, by his inimitable examples, made easy the most un-understandable portions of our Hindu philosophy.”

Photo Gallery

“Think,” Says Pujya Gurudev 

All Upanishads start with a ‘peace invocation’, a prayer to the Cosmic Powers to ward off all obstacles on the path of study, and this prayer id daily chanted together by the teacher and the taught. A prayer is an invocation, and not a contract. Now-a-days, we are misusing this technique of prayer in our own ignorance and therefore we find that our Gods are deaf to our prayers. This is true today with all religions. The science of prayer explains, that when an individual surrenders himself-meaning, all his identifications with his body, mind and intellect-through devotion, reverence and understanding-love, he removes from himself all the causes for his limitations and what is thus left over is the Absolute perfection which is the essence of his very being. Thus, prayer is the active part of the divine action, while the final successful invocation is its fulfilment. 

Taittiriya Upanishad Book, p. 8

In the definition of this bliss the scripture also gives us indirectly the conditions necessary for true material enjoyment. Wealth in itself is no joy unless the rich man is young enough. Mere youthfulness dissipates itself in wealth unless he is well-educated to live the healthy values of life. Mere knowledge and youthfulness cannot contribute to the enjoyment of the wealth unless he is well-disciplined and has developed sufficiently his willpower. One who has youthfulness, education, discipline, and power of self-control and self-assertion, if he is strong in body, mind and intellect, he alone is capable of enjoying wealth. To all others wealth is an added burden weighing down their shoulders. A donkey carrying golden bricks is in no way better and luckier than the donkey which is carrying mudbricks! The Prarabdha of the pigs cannot be improved because they are housed in Prime Minister’s own drawing-room. 

Taittiriya Upanishad Vol. 1, No. 4 Yajna Prasad, p. 168

Curious About Fearless Wisdom?

Beyond ordinary joy lies the profound experience of Ananda Brahman. In this enlightening discourse from Taittiriya Upanishad, witness how the Vidvan, the true knower, conquers fears and transcends regrets, unveiling a life of eternal bliss. Dive into the culmination of the Upanishad with us, exploring the timeless wisdom that leads to self-realization. The excerpt presented here is an audio except from Taiittiriya Upanishad discourses given in Chennai, 1963.


Jnana Yajna 7

Jnana Yajna 7

Year & Dates:

September 26, 1954 to November 26, 1954

Yajna Topics:

Kathopanishad

Place:

New Delhi, India.

A warm welcome in New Delhi signaled a happy start to Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda’s seventh Jnana Yajna. The pace during the 61-day discourse series was brisk. Keeping with His unique style of introducing the main Upanishad with a series of preliminary talks, Pujya Gurudev spoke about the “Scientists of Life,” the rishis who studied and analyzed life exhaustively. Particularly in that age of reason over tradition, His preliminary talks gathered the attention of all who went from being simply curious to very committed. His evening discourses on Kathopanishad brought to life the thought-provoking discussion between the young seeker Nachiketa and the God of Death, Dharmaraja, inspiring not just Hindus but also people of varied faiths. 

From Preliminary to Profound

It was during the 7th yajna that All India Radio recorded His talks on Religion & Life, Taming the Mind, and Mental Rehabilitation. Pujya Gurudev also taught Vivekachoodamani, Adi Shankara’s great text, during the morning 6:30 to 8:30 am discourses; the book manuscript of His famous commentary was close to being published. The Akanda Kirtan from October 26 to Nov.14, 1954, the Mrtyunjaya Havana from November 9 -14 with an hour’s chanting of the Tryambaka mantra from 8-9 am, and a six day Japa from November 15 – all these infused strength and enthusiasm in hundreds of people. On November 27th, after the Kathopanishad yajna concluded, Pujya Gurudev was invited to bhiksha at the President of India’s Rashtrapati Bhavan.  Completing an immersion ceremony of the sacred ashes from the Havana Kund in the waters of Ganga, Haridwar, Pujya Gurudev marched southward, promising Delhi that more would come!

In Admiration 

Mobasser, a Jew, while exploring Indian culture and Hinduism, found it initially confusing. He observed a Swami’s English discourses on Kathopanishad happening in Parliament Street, and soon found the jig-saw puzzle of Hinduism come together. He says “Swamiji gave me what I was seeking all round the globe. His universality charmed me; his scientific approach held me spell-bound; his grasp of details filled my hunger to know Hinduism. I discovered in Vedanta the Spirit of Persia. My own Persian Literature became a live-philosophy to me!”

Another devotee Susheela Sharma who considers herself fortunate to have attended the Kathopanishad discourses reminisces, “Gurudev was like the hawker, with utmost patience, brought out mysteries from the basket of KATHA that each evening was an event more thrilling than the movies! It did me good; I got what I wanted right at my doors.

If not for the “Door Delivery”, I would have been completely ignorant of my own Religion like thousands of others. Thank you Swamiji!

Photo Gallery

“Think,” Says Pujya Gurudev 

This spirit of sacrifice and capacity to find within oneself enough sympathy to serve not only one’s own near and dear relatives but also the whole universe and thus put their Kalyan first, even before one’s own redemption, is one of the most important qualifications unavoidable in a true seeker, if he is to be a total success in his pilgrimage to Truth. 

Kathopanishad Vol.1, part 2 p.55

“creation is a motion, a vibration of energy” and that it is possible for the vibration to maintain itself only if there be a motionless and nonvibrating medium, the Absolute Reality. Constant change can certainly give us the delusion of a form ; only there must be a constant medium, for the changes to play in or at least a constant axis upon which they can play. Thus, when a lit up Joss-stick (aggarbati) is rotated fast round the same axis we can detect the joss-stick maintaining itself in the form of a golden circle. The golden circle has no existence except in the consistency of change at the brilliant tip. Similarly, constant vibration of energy in a medium of Absolute Energy, and maintaining itself within the field of a constant axis gives us that ocean of sense objects made up of things and beings.

Kathopanishad Vol.1, part 6 p. 349

Sacred Duties of a Spiritual Seeker   

Delve into the spiritual trinity of duties – scripture study, charitable actions, and knowledge-sharing – as we explore the holistic path of a spiritual aspirant. Uncover the profound impact of these duties on spiritual unfoldment, transcending material desires. Watch this striking snippet from Kathopanishad talk series by Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda given in Toronto, Canada in 1982.


Jnana Yajna 6

Jnana Yajna 6

Year & Dates:

May 9, 1954 to May 30, 1954

Yajna Topic:

Kenopanishad

Place:

Coimbatore, India.

Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda’s skilful use of English, a foreign language, to unravel the glory of the ancient Vedic scriptures was his singular contribution. An important colonial legacy that the British left behind was redefined as a unifying medium of a Vedantic awakening across India. Using his command of English to clarify and instill the essence of the ancient Upanishadic revelations from the very first yajna, Pujya Gurudev spearheaded a remarkable revolution.

 As in the previous five yajnas, Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda did not hesitate to reach out and draw in the English-educated doubters as well as eager seekers to His 21-day discourse series on Kenopanishad in Coimbatore.

English for Enlightenment

Those who, with an anglicized outlook, had thought that the scriptures were irrelevant and incomprehensible were fascinated with Pujya Gurudev’s mastery over both the language and the subject of Vedanta. The audience did not need to know Sanskrit. Every word in Sanskrit was transliterated, translated, and explained in clear English from his very first yajna in Pune. Often, Pujya Gurudev’s expressions were poetic and painted a graphic picture. While indicating how the Infinite Brahman is inexplicable, Pujya Gurudev said: “We cannot produce the war of rolling thunders through the frail melodies of a flute!! Similarly, words cannot represent or express fully the roaring silence of all-full-nothingness, Pure Consciousness. In their attempts at reaching the Absolute, words pant and fall back as it were!” Throughout the Kenopanishad discourses in Coimbatore, while the vast audience marveled at Pujya Gurudev’s proficiency in English, they also recognized how His teaching went beyond the realm of language.

In Admiration 

Recalling the profound influence of the discourses in Coimbatore, Shri R Venkataswamy Naidu of Coimbatore expresses how they served as nourishment for the intellect of all. “For me it was love at first sight. There was a void before and the lectures filled up the void. The scientific nature of our religion was pointed out and Chinmaya showed how the other religions cannot stand the test of modern scientific research. Hinduism, the revered old channel, sans eyes and sans teeth and sans everything, was presented to us as a young maiden of sixteen, smiling, dancing and full of life.”

Photo Gallery

“Think,” Says Pujya Gurudev 

Mere book knowledge will not help in fulfilling the Indian philosophy. Unlike the philosophies of the West, to us the Indians a mere academic understanding of an intellectual view of life is not philosophy. To the Indian mind philosophy is at once a view of life and a way of life. A philosopher to us is not a mere idle-dreamer or an intellect-spinner but a hard and factual man of life who should show us also a certain value of life and how best his philosophy can be lived and realised. It is very significant in this connection to note that the word philosophy is in Sanskrit termed as “Darshanam” emphasis being in the availability of those ideas for realisation in the given life. 

From Kenopanishad Yajna Prasad, p. 170

The student feels confused and confounded, Thus, to solve this Great Grand Riddle of Life, he approaches his Guru enquiring if there is an independent Eternal “director” who, by his mere “Wish” prompts the mind to alight on the objects? If there be such a a great Illuminator and Controller who is he? What is it? What is my relationship with the Supreme power Divine existing ever so secretively within me, ever vigilant, ever brilliant, ever alert?
It is now the function of the Upanishad to point out this realizable Truth that there is such a Divine Spark in us, which is Eternal Wisdom, the Atman.

From Kenopanishad Yajna Prasad, p. 94

Questioning the Unquestionable   

Dive into the mysteries of scriptural texts as we unravel the contemplative style that seeks to express the inexpressible. Discover the efficiency and beauty embedded in the sacred scriptures of the world. Watch this powerful snippet from Kenopanishad talks given at Houston, TX, USA in 1981.


Jnana Yajna 5

Jnana Yajna 5

Year & Dates:

February 14, 1954 to March 26, 1954

Yajna Topic:

Prashnopanishad

Place:

Madurai, India.

In the sacred town of Goddess Meenakshi and Lord Sundareshwara, Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda expounded on Prashnopanishad every evening during his 41-day, fifth Jnana Yagna. His discourses painted a striking picture of the six advanced disciples approaching Sage Pippalaada with their philosophical questions about creation, worship, sadhana, the realms of dream and deep sleep, and the seat of the Eternal Self. However, His eloquence was not just with His words. Ending every session with twenty minutes of meditation, His teaching of the powerful impact of Silence was what stunned most of the 2300-strong audience everyday.

The Magic of Meditation

As much as the audience was captivated by His incredibly rational, scientific explanations, they were enthralled by the way Pujya Gurudev would carry the thousands in the crowd as one to the heights of silence. Being a Master Teacher, He was aware that the modern minds were too hurried and fragmented to latch onto the evolved thought patterns in any Upanishad. So, the aspect of meditation that He had mindfully incorporated from His first yajna provided the perfect base; it encouraged seekers and showed how the abstract spirit of Vedantic learning could be imbibed practically. In the silence of meditation, the potent teachings of the Upanishad became greatly amplified. The ardent seekers of Madurai who had tasted the sweet silence strived to practice meditation regularly after that fifth yajna.

In Admiration 

Mrs. Kamala from Madurai beautifully encapsulates the core of her experience attending Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda’s Yajnas: Swamiji’s Yajnas can be otherwise termed as “Vedanta Made Easy.” It is not only easily understandable, but also convincing. The practice of meditation at the end of the daily discourses is the practical experiment, after the exposition of the theory earlier, which goes a very long way to help the seekers in their endeavour to realize what life in reality is. It is impossible to discontinue the practice of sitting up for a few minutes of meditation, after undergoing the rigourous training every evening under Swamiji’s direction. It certainly helps one to develop the proper attitude towards life as such, and greet its apparent miseries with a smile. 

If one attends Swamiji’s Yajna with utmost sincerity, understands the discourses properly and practises regularly, one will, without the least hesitation, admit that “The Yajna Acts.”

Photo Gallery

“Think,” Says Pujya Gurudev 

This spiritual experience, the story here (in Prashnopanishad) clearly indicates the importance of austerity, brahmacharya and faith. Austerity redeems the personality in the seeker from its inertia; brahmacharya relieves his psychological and intellectual debilities; and faith sharpens his intensity and sincerity in meditation. Without these three, life on the spiritual path cannot ever be graced with full and easy success. 

From Prashnopanishad Book, p. 34

With egocentric misconceptions about himself, as the ego observes a world, the ego must necessarily seek to know how it has been created. Here, the intellect is trying to know how the mind is living upon its own perceptions. It is something like the tooth wheels in the rollers of the cinematograph wondering and enquiring how the film is moving! The movement; if the film is but their own movement; if the wheels stop, the film also must stop. 

From Prashnopanishad Book, p. 41

God is the world of Plurality   

Unveil the intricate relationship between food, prana, and God. Understand the profound simplicity that lies within the analysis of creation and its connection to our own spiritual purity. Watch this excerpt from Prashnopanishad of Gurudev from Mumbai 1987