Jnana Yajna 40
Year & Dates:
May 14, 1958 to May 25, 1958
Yajna Topic:
Shrimad Bhagavad Gita- Chapter 12
Place:
Bengaluru, India.
With material progress, the concept of welfare has often overlooked a deeper, spiritual well-being. Having made an astute diagnosis before He undertook His Mission, Pujya Gurudev wanted the remedy from the scriptures to be distributed to all. So, on May 13, 1958, at a City Town Hall Meeting arranged by Chinmaya Mission, Bengaluru, He said: “In spite of the beautiful contributions made by science providing more and more comforts and amenities in the outer world, man is not happy today because of the maladjustments in his inner personality constituted by his own mind and intellect. He becomes a shattered personality and, like a man suffering from fever, he is not able to enjoy the ‘feast of life’ which the world provides for him. His heart contracts, and the intellect alone grows and ramifies…”
Developing the Heart
The 40th Jnana Yajna was arranged wishing for the true, wholesome welfare of over 5000 employees of Indian Telephone Industries Limited (now ITI Limited). And, Pujya Gurudev fittingly chose Bhagavad Gita Chapter 12 to revitalize the mind-intellect equipment.
On the evening of May 14th, inaugurating the yajna, Shri R.R. Diwakar, Chairman of the Gandhi Memorial Charitable Trust, pointed out that Hindu culture withstood the lashes of time only because of its spiritual roots. He added that the Gita was like a capsule encasing the curative essence of all Upanishads. Especially the Bhakti Yoga declared by Bhagavan Krishna in the 12th chapter presents a universal path accessible by all.
Pujya Gurudev, in His introductory discourse, cautioned that mere repetition of the mantras doesn’t strengthen spiritual culture. He defined Bhakti as an unmasking attunement with the Divine. Explaining thoroughly the unmanifest and manifest aspects of Bhagavan, along with the path, attitude, and attributes of a dear devotee, Pujya Gurudev indicated that developing the heart with divine love was equally important as advancing our intellect.
The audience of the 40th Jnana Yajna had the opportunity to express their devotion every evening. This is because of the bhajans they sang joyfully on the special buses while arriving into the ITI colony from all parts of Bengaluru.The other integrated features of the Jnana Yajna like the five -day Akhanda Kirtan, the Gita Havan, and the yatra to the sacred Arunaachala-Kshetra Tiruvannamalai for having the darshana of Arunaachaleshvara Bhagavaan also enriched the practice of devotion as learned from the Gita. On May 23, after the purifying Ganga sprinkling ceremony, Pujya Gurudev distributed about 1000 booklets of “Gayatri & Japa Yoga” to all the devotees, reminding that mantras and Japa gain potency only with devotion.
Photo Gallery
In the midst of the bustling roadside, Gurudev's presence transforms the mundane into the sacred, for spirituality knows no boundaries!
Pray, prayer has a strength unbelievable, indeed, until we start praying. Meditate and realize!
With mind fixed on Him, the women sing with devotion which is reverberating in the yajnashala!
The singers are enthralling the gathered devotees with more mellifluous bhajans.
“Think,” Says Pujya Gurudev
Fix thy mind on Me Alone: The mind cannot contemplate on any theme that cannot be conditioned by the senses. Therefore, by meditation upon the enchanting form of the Immortal Flute-Player, the human mind can readily be made to rest entirely at the feet of the form. The Lord, being All-pervading, is at once the Divine Grace behind all names and forms. The mind of a devotee cannot wander to any place where he is not reminded of the smile of the Crowned Cowherd-boy!
From Shrimad Bhagavad Gita- Chapter 12, Book
Faith vs. Belief
Are belief and faith synonymous? Do our beliefs falter when confronted with life’s trials? Can we uphold faith even as our beliefs waver? Pause for introspection and contemplation as we explore the resilience and enduring strength of unwavering faith. Find answers to these inquiries and more in this enlightening discourse.