Blog Textual

Pujya Gurudev revered, adored and worshipped his Guru, Parama Pujya Swami Tapovan Maharaj. “All my life is a story of my love for him,” said he in a moment of quiet reverie.

The spectacular growth of the Chinmaya Mission was in no small measure the result of Pujya Gurudev's acumen in understanding human nature and bringing out the full potential of every individual.

In all his actions Pujya Gurudev set an example of how one should work. His letters on how work should be done, and how he himself worked, give us the recipe for success.

Pujya Gurudev taught many people how to organize a jnana yajna and trained them so well that they would be the envy of professionals in event management. In this collection of letters he teaches how events should be organized as well as what defines a successful event.

An index of all letters in this module, across topics, with the ability to filter by topic. Simply click on a thumbnail to view the actual page containing the letters. A full selection of letters is available in book form under the title 'Yours Forever'.

Pujya Gurudev could see the world through the eyes of a child, full of innocent wonder and the joy of discovery. In many of his letters to children he would hand-draw a sketch, a diagram or even a puzzle. One can only imagine the joy of the child on receiving such a letter.

Swami Chinmayananda had a special affinity with the youth. He said that the future of our country lies in their hands. He had a way of connecting with them directly.

Children loved Gurudev and Gurudev loved children. He made each child feel very special. He treated them as individuals and talked to them at their level, while sharing the spontaneous joy of the child. He responded to them in the same way with a dance of joy.

This collection of letters from Pujya Gurudev offer advice to youngsters on a broad range of topics from life's goals to stage fright to what success means. They were drawn to him because he could relate to the ebullient joy of life innate in youth.

Here we present a collection of letters from Pujya Gurudev to youth, especially teenagers concerned about their academic performance. Many of these youngsters grew up to be highly responsible citizens.

In his extensive travels Pujya Gurudev stayed with many householders. This gave him the opportunity to keenly observe people in their home settings. His keen eye would not miss a single detail.

Pujya Gurudev encouraged people to start Balavihars so that children would imbibe the Indian culture and values. He gave them clear guidelines about how to handle the children.

Pujya Gurudev shared the spontaneous and uninhibited joy of children, responding to them in the same way with a dance of joy. Writing at a level that the child can understand.

Gurudev made it a point to appreciate and encourage children. Sometimes a line of advice from the Swami could have a great impact on a child.

Children loved Gurudev and Gurudev loved children. He made each child feel very special. He treated them as individuals and talked to them at their level.

A Home can be a heaven, says Gurudev and it is for us to make it so. It becomes a Temple when we discipline ourselves to grow in our inner purity and balance.

Often we are faced with decisions around balancing work with home and life in general. Through these letters Gurudev guides us on how to achieve the right balance.

Thumbnails of selected photographs of Swami Tapovanam, Swami Chinmayananda, his family, Swami Tejomayananda and Swami Swaroopananda.

Swami Chinmayananda brought joy wherever he went. So did his letters. He was a prolific writer, known to write hundreds of letters in a week. The Chinmaya Archives is fortunate to house a collection of over 15,000 of Gurudev’s letters.

The challenges of being a good parent were very well known to Gurudev. When asked for advice he tailored it to the situation and needs of the concerned person.

The strength of matrimonial togetherness in handling the challenges in life is appreciated and highlighted by Pujya Gurudev.

The story of how Pujya Gurudev successfully conducted the first Jnana Yajna, a 100-day event that transformed the lives of the attendees.

Swami Chinmayananda on 23rd December 1951 delivered a talk in Pune, just days before the launch of the 1st Jnana Yagna. This talk was titled Let us be Hindus.

It was December 1951. A young Swami Chinmayananda was ready to launch the first Jnana Yagna, the forerunner of many more to come.

The fascinating effort of a young Swami Chinmayananda, to launch the Jnana Yajna program, with the help of a young Madrasi boy from Pune.

May all at all times be fully aware of Thy presence in East and West, North and South!

Photos of Sri Swami Chinmayananda from the covers of Yagna Prasad during the 1st Gyana Yagna in Pune.

If and when we are blessed by the voluntary cooperation of any LAKSHMINARAYAN, we shall at once resume our publication. So, till then goodbye. The committee shall be contacting you the moment they can again discover enough Ishwar Kripa to serve you all.

This volume is sent with Sree Swamiji Maharaj’s autograph to those persons who will first reach us with a love offering of Rs. 10 in the Sewa of the Upanishad Rishies.

is so heavy that if he were to reply to them all immediately, no other constructive work would be possible. Sree Swamiji informs all his devotees how to clear their doubts...

On Mahashivarathri day Sri Swamiji Maharaj fell ill and it was diagnosed as Para Typhoid. Sri Swamiji Maharaj cheerfully went through the term of the fever and revived soon. The discourses had to be suspended from February 23 to March 10.

The Akhanda Kirtan that has been going on unbroken, will terminate on April 6th where it will be sung in a city-wide procession of a caravan of trucks and cars with devotees chanting the Maha Mantra.

As per the wishes of our Chief Priest (Gurudev), we have decided to perform a 7 day Upanishad Homa from March 31 – April 6th (Sunday) when five Maharashtrian pundits would be doing one Ahuuti each of all the Mantras in Kena and Katopanishads.

Two brass pots of holy Ganges water from Haridwar have arrived. They are being installed in the Yagna Sala. At the conclusion of the 100 days Yagna, this prasad will be distributed by Swamiji to the devotees on April 8th 1952.

Some 400 to 500 persons daily assemble in the Yagna Sala and they in breathless silence sit in meditation.

24 hours non-stop chanting of the Mahamantra has been started by devotees taking turns by the hour. Past midnight, when no one was available, Swamiji himself would chant.

A vessel is kept in the sanctorum. Bhaktas are to contribute one chattak of oil each time they visit the sanitorium, more than a chhatak will not be accepted at a time. Swamiji Maharaj has planned it so in order to ensure that the devotees, who can and are anxious to contribute more of oil, do visit the sanctorum more often, during the 50-days Akhand Mahamantra Kirtan.

An Akhanda Light was lit on the 19th Feb. 1952 at Brahmamuhurtha, 4:30 A.M.; and it is proposed to maintain it burning all the time by the devotees who visit the Meditation Sanctorum.

The pulpit where from Sree Swami Chinmayandaji has been distributing the Ambrosia of Upanishads during the past 50 days, not only to the public of Poona but to the entire devotee-class of the world, has been sanctified with an Arudha Pooja (Worship of the Seat of Delivery) on Feb 18th. 1952.

Swamiji by drawing a beautiful diagram explains how we ‘seemingly’ fall from the Supreme Reality to the present state and how we can come out of this delusion.

Swami Sivananda said, of the Upanishad Yagna, lectures and immediate reproduction it in print.

From today, as per the wish of Sree Swamiji, after the daily meditation, we will have an Arathi performed to the Gurus.

Due to the large crowds, Sree Swamiji is compelled to drop the old orthodox way of Upanishad study, and to give more general discussions in the morning classes also. These introductory talks are till today used as introduction in the Kenopanishad text book of Chinmaya Mission.

We are confident to declare that never before was the Sri Harihara Bhajana Samajam precinct so gloriously full with Satsangies. The crowd has been growing so large that we are now compelled to fix a microphone permanently to ease the strain on Shree Swamiji Maharaj.

Gurudev mailed the first Yagna Prasad to Swami Tapovanam, with the words “Thy knowledge broadcasted through thy own Voice-box” handwritten on it.

Smt. Laxmi Reddy narrates how Gurudev visited her house just prior to the 1st Yagna.

A must-see interview with someone who attended the very first Yagna from day one.

No funds to print the Kathopanishad talks.

Austerity, restraint and dedicated work; these are the foundations of It.

The Idol is the means. Self-Discovery is the goal. Confusing the two leads to sorrow.

We must continue our pursuit expecting nothing, hoping nothing…

Man can rise to God-hood even while he is in the body. Here and Now.

Learn to see the one Truth that lies self-evident in all names and forms.

This achievement is within the scope of every mortal; the real fulfillment of life's journey.

The Intellect throws a pool of reflected Atmic Glory called the Ego.

You can only meditate yourself into it. The merger of "I" and "you" is possible.

We outcasts in the Atma Loka cannot be given a direct darshan of Reality.

This light that illumines the mind giving a semblance of Reality is ‘Chit’.

The Knower knows the Known and it equally knows the Unknown.

Mind and intellect are to be considered as Chappals to keep away.

Where can this land of Truth be? What is the world beyond the horizon?

Stop the mind! Then there is no world, Samsara. Wake yourself up. That's all.

To a seeker, a Guru is as absolutely an unavoidable necessity.

Suppose a few of you and this Sadhu go for a walk on a moonlit night...

The Upanishads are revelations; not the products of mind & intellect.

I am using today a board and chalk since the subject is not easy.

Each moment we are preparing ourselves for the lives yet to come.

Without Ishwara Bhakthi no progress is possible. It is an absolute necessity.

Many years ago, I worked for my parents who own a video production company. Because it is a family business, you inevitably end up wearing many hats and being the czar of many different jobs. I mainly managed projects and worked as a video editor. On production, there were times that I was called on to work as an audio tech and was made to wear headphones on long production days. In those days, having a really good set of headphones that picked up every nuance of sound was essential to making sure the client got what they needed.

We are here today to seek a source for all life, the one Reality behind all appearances.

Let us see for ourselves what is our relationship with the Absolute.

Each one of you now please ask this question to yourself ”Who is this I?”

The science of all sciences, it guides us to the Knowledge Absolute.

Swamiji’s very first address to the Poona audience at the 1st Gnana Yagna.