The venue chosen for the 58th Jnana Yajna in Coimbatore was a palatial hall of a Kalyana Mandap (marriage hall). On the evening of June 7, 1959, the hoisted Om flag signaled that the beautiful hall had acquired a spiritual hue as Pujya Gurudev’s yajnashala. Sri Baburam Saxenner, a Sanskrit scholar and professor of the Allahabad University inaugurated the yajna, and Sri Venkataswami Naidu welcomed the honored guests and Pujya Gurudev. In that packed hall, Pujya Gurudev first clarified the role of religion and philosophy in nation-building: “World is a teamwork, a single event may be the result of infinite causes. And in this universal teamwork, if we do not know how to play the game of life, we will only kick and quarrel and ruin ourselves. Gita tells us our propositions, how they come, and how we must meet them and eke out of them maximum benefit and happiness. But to understand Gita, we must first come to understand the theme of life as such. Now while talking on Gita, I am giving you only suggestions. So, don’t accept them immediately, but independently think and then only come to any conclusion.”

In the morning classes, His richly illustrative Atma Bodha fostered the spirit of enquiry. Pujya Gurudev then unfolded the glory of the Highest Purushottama, the Truth Supreme, knowing which seekers gain real independence from all sorrows of the body, mind, and intellect.

In the Coimbatore Yajna, the  other sadhana features of Akhanda Kirtana, Laksharchana, or Havana could not be completed because of an unforeseen time constraint. Nevertheless, the divine vibrations that Pujya Gurudev created through His discourses were powerful enough to keep the aspirants steadfast in their spiritual quest.

The 57th Jnana Yajna was a labor of love collectively organized by the Dadar, Matunga, and Sion localities of Mumbai. The eminent Sri Ananthasayanam Iyengar, Speaker of the Lok Sabha, on inaugurating the yajna, prefaced that the chapter 3 of the Gita was “dedicated to the philosophy of action, which is the topic for today’s turmoil’s and failures of man. Our present condition is similar to Arjuna’s despair, of retreating when action is necessary.” To educate the huge gathering over 7000 of mixed aptitudes, Pujya Gurudev brought out the nuances of the path of action as expounded in the third chapter, Karma Yoga of the Gita. Powerful in its flow like the vigorous Ganga, His words swirled through the audience who wondered and pondered about duties that uplifted life.

The 6:30 am morning classes on Atma Bodha drew about a thousand spiritually thirsty aspirants; to encourage them to memorize and recite the poetic 68 verses, a prize was announced to be awarded when the yajna ended. Additionally, each evening between 7 pm and 7:50 pm, Sri T. Seshadri (whom Pujya Gurudev called “His Tamil mouth!”) translated the previous evening’s discourse for the Tamil-speaking public, and Sri Natarajan, the Editor of “Tyagi” chanted the slokas of the third chapter.

To bolster introspection with spiritual sadhana, the daylong Vishnu Laksharchana  from 7 am until 5 pm on May 23rd in the Jain Boarding Hall was a heavenly experience. The idol of Bhagavan Vishnu which glowed more with each arati after every round of chanting the Vishnu Sahasranama, the fragrant flowers and incense, the ardent devotees, and the inspiring presence of Pujya Gurudev in that hall – every aspect sparked the highest sense of worship.

A unique feature of the 57th yajna was a memorable 4-scene drama staged by the ex-students of the Dramatic Club on the story of the immortal devotee, Markandeya. Pujya Gurudev ensured all children aged 12 and under got front row seats to the well-enacted play.

 In the Guru Dakshina ceremony on May 29th, Pujya Gurudev handed the yajna prasad of ‘Japa Yoga and Gayatri.’ Every action in that 57th Jnana Yajna was performed with Grace and surrender.

Pujya Gurudev brought the attention of the Kolkata audience who braved the storm to the analysis of Kenopanishad. In the three weeks of discourses, He encouraged all seekers to focus on the core that energizes the ripples of life’s activities. In that fourth yajna at Kolkata, the admirable consistency of Pujya Gurudev shone through. It took one back to 1951, to His introduction to Kenopanishad in the very first yajna. Pujya Gurudev had narrated the way Chinmaya pointed the rising sliver of the crescent Moon to His companions on a bright cloudless sky. He had systematically guided the attention of the companions first to a mango tree nearby, then to its branch arching north, to the two leaves nodding in the breeze, carefully nudging their vision to look between the leaves, and finally up at the beautiful crescent in the sky. 

Using that proven way of Brahma Vidya to turn within and then ‘see the Unseen,’ Pujya Gurudev systematically prepared the audience of Kolkata to turn their vision from yonder to within – to the Truth, the Indescribable Self.

The frequency of yajnas across cities was increasing; Pujya Gurudev’s schedule was tight.  He had traveled all the way from  the 55th Jnana Yajna  at Kannur in Kerala to the 56th yajna in Kolkata, West Bengal.  But the miles of travel had no hold on Him. His energy had a transcendental source, and it was His incredible persistence that enabled people to strive for that crucial “about-turn” in vision.

Pujya Gurudev’s treatment through His Gita Jnana Yajnas was systematic so that the solutions could be long-acting. And, the 700 verses of Gita were the distilled essence apt for the many-faced Arjuna disease in the modern world. But first, the powerful remedy had to be brought from the decorated altar in puja rooms into the living spaces to heal and strengthen. Pujya Gurudev was facilitating that with keen estimation and consistent patience, choosing carefully the right chapter for each town or city.

For the quaint and small Kannur, in that brief Jnana Yajna, Pujya Gurudev chose Chapter 12, Bhakti Yoga. Over a thousand people gathered every evening in the yajnashala erected within the temple, careful not to miss Pujya Gurudev’s thought flow. Mindful that their questions were similar to what Arjuna asked, Pujya Gurudev explained the obstacles that arose when trying to attune the mind to an unmanifest Supreme Principle. Then what should be the way to worship a God with a form? Is a seeker who builds equipoise through detachment and meditates on the Infinite a better devotee? Clearly and thoroughly, the path of devotion and the promise of Bhagavan that a steadfast devotee undoubtedly reaches Him was laid out; When the earnest audience of Kannur heard Pujya Gurudev enumerate the thirty-six magnanimous qualities of a perfect devotee who is very dear to Bhagavan, they were deeply inspired. 

Though only for eleven days, the 55th Jnana Yajna made an indelible mark on the psyche of Kannur, endowing the people with the faith that Gita is a divine panacea.

The concluding words of the Chinmaya Mission Pledge  echoes how true revival is an individual and shared journey – “ We know our responsibilities. Give us the ability and courage to fulfill them.” Pujya Gurudev brought to the forefront how India’s ancient rishis had given the human race, through the upanishadic revelations, the know-how and ability to build an integrated life. And, with every Jnana Yajna, Pujya Gurudev kept reinforcing both the goal and the way. In Hyderabad, it was the unparalleled Kathopanishad that would illustrate the narrow path to expansive happiness.

It is an upanishad that tugs at the heart speaking to the Nachiketa that we all aspire to be. No wonder, the yajnashala couldn’t hold the crowds that rushed in even at 5 pm to find a place in front of Pujya Gurudev who strode in like a spiritual colossus at 6:30 pm. His words, expressions, jokes, warnings, and blinding clarity etched the verses of Kathopanishad in those ready hearts. 

On the Sunday of March 14th, Pujya Gurudev arranged a magnificent Vishnu Sahasranama Laksharchana.The daylong worship before a lustrous murti of Vishnu with continuous archana with beautiful flowers, fervent chanting, and many aratis transported everyone to the glorious realm of blissful Bhakti.

A truly spiritual bonanza, Pujya Gurudev elaborated on the glory of Gita’s Bhakti Yoga, Chapter 12, in the Balaji Bhavan Hall from 8 am to 9 am. Finishing that, He taught Aitareya Upanishad. From March 16th, He delved into Adi Shankara’s melodious five Praatah Smaraami verses. An exceptional feature was when Pujya Gurudev expounded on Viveka Choodamani from March 25th, this time sitting under a tree in the very early dawn. Hundreds gathered for those idyllic discourses. Apart from being bathed in exemplary Vedanta, the Avabhrta snaana on March 22nd in the sacred Krishna river and the divine prayers at the ancient Vedaadri temple was an experience beyond words. The 54th Jnana Yajna of Pujya Gurudev’s gave all the ability to rediscover the many blessings of Bharat.

When introducing the Aitareya Upanishad, Pujya Gurudev narrated how Mother Earth initiated the son of Itara, Mahidasa (a potter and servant of the earth) to realize the Infinite Perfection.  He drew attention to the way the Upanishad under study, belonging to Rg Veda, contained “similes and metaphors taken from the potter’s life, and to that extent, we may say that Aitareya Upanishad is the Scripture of the common man, the Bible of the proletarian, the Quran of the laborer.” As He elaborated on the great progression of thought in the Upanishad, the common examples began indicating the lofty Truth behind Creation, the journey of the jiva (individual soul), and the essence of unity declared by the well-known Mahavakya – Prajnanam Brahma, Consciousness is Brahman.

As this Upanishad Jnana Yajna ran parallel with the Gita Jnana Yajna, their paths united in a glorious Akanda Kirtan before a resplendent Krishna Vigraha in the Odakathur Mutt culminating in a grand Vishnu Sahasra Laksharchana. Pujya Gurudev explained how offering flowers in worship symbolized surrendering the negative vasanas (inherent tendencies) to purify and invoke the Divine within.

Always making time for children and youth amid the two Yajnas, Pujya Gurudev was overjoyed to listen to the “Chinmaya Bala Vihar” children of Chamarajpet recite the entire second chapter of the Gita. He also made sure to inspire the youth in various colleges in Bengaluru with His many lectures..

The Avabhrta Snaana at the sacred Kapila river near Nanjundeshwara temple with the bonus darshan at the renowned Chamundeshwari temple was an unforgettable immersion where kirtan, bhajan, meditation, Gita chanting, and satsang with Pujya Gurudev made over 500 devotees temporarily transcend their preoccupations with a mundane world.

The two yajnas were a Vedantic symphony. Pujya Gurudev, as the consummate conductor, made children, youth, and adults of all backgrounds reach a spiritual crescendo through several paths.

None wanted to miss the majestic entrance of Pujya Gurudev into the overflowing yajnashala at exactly 6 pm with the Elaya Raja of Travancore. The inaugural ceremony progressed smoothly with the energizing Om flag, the respectful welcome, an appreciative inaugural address by the royal dignitary, and the Krishna -Arjuna- Samvaada canvas unveiled. 

With His voice that could enter a million hearts at once, Pujya Gurudev invoked the power of Om and began with a metaphoric comparison. Like children who exhaust themselves in the playground, the majority run around the world scorched by life’s demands. And, religion, like the caring mother, watches and waits, ready to refresh the panting and the tired. Pujya Gurudev continued, “Rank materialism will not survive long, and mere spiritualism alone cannot thrive. There must be a harmonious blending – a happy nuptial between the two which alone will pave the way to prosperity and happiness.” Gita is for any age or stage. He emphasized how the second chapter, especially, was a sweeping and practical overview of the perfect science of life.

The second chapter of the Gita is a flight to the Highest, particularly when Pujya Gurudev pilots the learning. From verse to verse, He charted the course with the illuminating words of Bhagavan Krishna. To prepare the physical with selfless action, to purify the emotional with devotion, to educate the intellect with the Supreme Knowledge, and to sublimate the spiritual through renunciation, the second chapter with Pujya Gurudev was a lofty experience; the audience, captivated, grew in numbers. When one day, heavy rains just before a discourse flooded the yajnashala, drenched everyone, and interrupted electric supply, Pujya Gurudev sat with the wet, cold devotees singing bhajans ardently; Lord Varuna withdrew the rains and the rest of the yajna was an undisturbed flow from an eloquent, established Master.

Shri Tarachand Gupta, a business magnate of Mumbai, in his welcome address, proposed the idea of All India Radio broadcasting Pujya Gurudev’s discourses as a regular feature to reach millions across India. Shri Mangaldas Pakwasa, chairman of the yajna committee and a respected leader of Mumbai, inaugurated the Jnana Yajna recommending that the Bhagavad Gita should be central in every human’s life.

Then, the first sonorous Om uttered by Pujya Gurudev silenced all clamoring thoughts in the audience – the Chinmaya magic had unfolded yet again. The audience was in rapt attention; the crowds increased as the two hours every evening until January 19th became a time to marvel, assimilate, and meditate. Once Pujya Gurudev had established the important place of Chapter 12, Bhakti Yoga, as the door to the final six chapters of the Gita, He made hearts expand with the ideals that endear one to Bhagavan Krishna. To be in the rarefied heights of egoless and contented compassion, unagitated by the world and its wants, unsawed by extremes in the body, mind, and intellect – the vision of that unstinting devotion that Pujya Gurudev instilled day after day was overwhelming and inspiring. 

The final day of the Gita Jnana Yajna, 19th January, when Pujya Gurudev walked among the devotees making sure that at least a few sprinkles of the sacred Ganga-jala touched each one, it was a symbolic culmination. Devotion had to nourish  what He called “inward blossoming.” Looking at the spread of the different texts He taught in the first 108 Jnana yajnas, it is no surprise that Pujya Gurudev focused on Chapter 12 as much as the second chapter – about 15 times in the first 108 yajnas where He watered the Vedantic renaissance with the life-giving waters of devotion.

The location was holy, and the seekers were ready. Pujya Gurudev had been teaching Atma Bodha in His morning classes all over India, and He decided that it would be the focus of the 50th Jnana Yajna in the evenings from 5:30 pm to 7 pm. The aspirants of Thiruppunithura were truly blessed  to hear the enriching analogies in the sixty-eight verse text of Atma Bodha along with Pujya Gurudev’s lucid explanations during the mornings on another Prakarana Grantha – the sparkling Vivekachoodamani. 

With His poetic and Vedantic prowess, Pujya Gurudev portrayed the beauty of Self-Knowledge. The examples tucked in every verse so skillfully by the Vedantic Master, Shri Adi Sankara, took vivid shape in the seekers’ minds. To visualize the Self like the lustrous Sun emerging from the clouds, the false glitz of the world like the glint of a mother-of-pearl, and to recognize the  individual self conditioned like a crystal upon a blue cloth – Pujya Gurudev made the attentive audience soar to the heights of reflection. In the morning discourses, He emphasized the importance of the four-fold qualifications of seekers (sadhana chatushtaya).

Always fortifying knowledge with devotion, Pujya Gurudev arranged for the unique Vishnu Sahasranama Laksharchana at Thrippunithura on December 14th as the audience from the Ernakulam yajna joined in the collective worship. For the Avabhrta snaana after the kirtan and havana, Pujya Gurudev led all to the serene beach of Kovalam (near Thiruvananthapuram). The calm beach overseeing the endless waves and the expansive blue sky provided the perfect environment for the people to introspect on Atma Bodha. The 50th Jnana Yajna of Pujya Gurudev was pure immersion into the brilliant basics of Vedanta.

Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda was never tired of declaring Gita’s universal, timeless applicability. During that Gita Jnana Yajna too, every evening from 7:30 pm to 9 pm, He explained how selfless action precedes renunciation of action as said by Bhagavan Krishna in the verses of Chapter 5. He detailed the preparatory process for meditation as laid out in chapter 6. When He dramatized the process of focusing one’s gaze between the brows, the audience laughed heartily. When He made them experience the power of quieting their bodies, minds, and intellects in the hush of meditation, they were astounded.

The 49th Yajna was conducted during the same days as the 50th Yajna in the nearby town of Thrippunithura. He taught Vivekachoodamani during the mornings from 7:30 am to 8:30 am and His discourses on Gita from 7:30 pm to 9 pm took place at Ernakulam after He completed the Atma Bodha discourses earlier that evening at Thrippunithura. The ease with which He switched from text to text astonished both the scholar and the novice in the crowds that moved from yajnashala to yajnashala with Him.

The audience of both towns participated in a divinely invigorating Vishnu Sahasranama Laksharchana that was held in Tripunithura on December 14th.  It was the first Jnana Yajna where the sacred Vishnu Sahasranama (the thousand names of Bhagavan Vishnu) was chanted all day by devotees while ardent puja was offered extolling His infinite attributes. 

The 49th yajna concluded after the Akhanda Kirtan, the Gita Havan, and the Avabhrta snaana at the Kovalam beach near Trivandrum. When the children of the mission presented a program of entertainment on the eve of December 26th, Pujya Gurudev was delighted. The hearts of the seekers of Ernakulam were left to meditate on the selfless joy and knowledge taught by a supreme renunciate.