Om Tapovana-Shishyaaya Namaha

From an atheist to an Advaitin

From a Political Revolutionary to a Spiritual Missionary

From Passion to Dispassion to Compassion

From Menon to a Phenomenon

From Individual to Universal

From 'born' to Unborn

Is the journey HE went through for us.

May We offer Unto HIM Our Best by realizing the Unborn.  Om Sri Chinmaya Sadgurave Namah.

“A Guru is not a person, he is a personality, an institution.  He is the radio through which the Lord contacts the student.  When a student meets his Teacher, it is always a miracle.”  - Swami Chinmayananda

A student of Law, English Literature, a revolutionary Freedom fighter, a rational journalist, and a self-proclaimed agnostic Balan met Swami Sivananda of Divine Life Society with the intention of exposing the Sadhus & Sannyasis whom he called “Social Parasites and a leech upon society.”  Swami Sivananda transformed his questions into a Quest for the Higher.   By the spring of 1948, Balan decided and moved permanently to Ananda Kutir(Divine Life Society, Rishikesh) with the goal of finding the purpose of human life.  He wanted to take Sannyas but Swami Sivananda told him to undertake a pilgrimage to Char Dham and see if he could sustain the quest.  On route Balan met many Mahatmas.

 His first met Swami Tapovanam of Uttarkashi during his Char Dham Yatra.  Swami Tapovanam knew about Balan as he had come across some of his articles in National Herald.  “During the entire journey, keep a continuous unbroken Brahma-Vichaar(Contemplation on Truth), just as even while one is walking, one remembers a loved one who is far away.” Advised Swami Tapovanam.  Soon after the Char Dham yatra, Balan decided to take Sannyas.   On 25^thFebruary 1949(Mahashivaratri Day), Swami Sivananda initiated Balakrishna Menon into Sannyas and named him Swami Chinmayananda Saraswati.  

Swami Sivananda directed Swami Chinmayananda - “You want to master the scriptures, go to Swami Tapovanam, the Great teacher from Kerala”

It is said that Swami Tapovanam was waiting for Swami Chinmayananda to arrive.  Swami Chinmayananda walked from Rishikesh passing through many forests and after many days, finally reached Uttarkashi. Giving the reference of Swami Sivananda he asked Swami Tapovanam whether it would be possible to study Vedanta under him.  Swami Tapovanam was very cold to him.  He replied- What is the proof that Swami Sivananda sent you? Go and get a letter from him.  Swami Chinmayananda was disturbed but he walked down to Rishikesh for the letter.  Swami Sivananda smiled and said – You have passed in your first test.  

When Swami Chinmayananda returned with the letter, he was eager to start the study, but Swami Tapovanam said – “We will start next month after we go up to Gangotri”

In the tradition of Vedanta there are systematic steps to discover Self Knowledge.  Swami Chinmayananda followed these steps beautifully in the short period of 2 years that he was with Swami Tapovanam, as seen in the anecdotes given below. 

1. Selfless Actions - Nishkaama Karma or Karma Yoga. (Removes 'Mala' - 6 impurities)

 "Chinmaya, make a garden for us here in front of my hut," requested Swami Tapovan one sunny day. "Some fresh vegetables would be appreciated by all of us."

"But Swamiji, there's no water supply up here on the hill," replied his disciple.

"What! The mighty Ganga is roaring down at the bottom of the hill-and here's a bucket. You can bring plenty of water for a garden."

"Yes, of course. Yes, sir," Chinmaya mutterred as he eyed the sixty-foot steep climb up a winding path to Tapovan Kutir from the banks of the Ganga.

2. Single Pointedness – Upasana (Removes vikshepa or wandering of the Mind)

As a child Balan had Loved the form of Lord Shiva.  He became an agnostic in his college years.  When he decided to quit the ‘Palace of Life’ & seek Live Divine, his childhood mantra came back to him.  He resumed the Japa of Om Namah Shivaya while he was a student at Lucknow University and continued it at Uttarkashi. 

3. Four Fold Qualifications - Sadhana Chatushtaya

The 4 fold qualifications required to study Vedanta were invoked in Balan during his Journalist days in Delhi, death of Shroff & Char Dham Yatra.  This resulted in his decision to take Sannyas. 

4. Seek a Guru – Guru-Upasatti

Swami Tapovanam put a condition when Swami Chinmayananda approached him for study, “I will only teach once. I will not repeat. If I ask you any question and you cannot answer, you will have to leave.”  Swami Chinmayananda agreed.  He in turn would ask many questions till he was clear.

5. Self-Enquiry – Brahma-Jignaasaa

“I went to Swami Tapovanam with the desire to know directly what the scriptures say in their profound declarations.  I wanted a fuller confirmation of what I had gathered from books in the library, that is, a direct glimpse of the ideas in the Upanishads and the Geeta.” 

6. Serve the Spiritual Teacher - Guru Seva

Tuning with the Spiritual Teacher is important to receive the knowledge of Vedanta.

Swami Chinmayananda would use a large stone as a pillow and be at the Guru's door at 4am, after a freezing cold ganges-bath, with a cup of tea.  Many times Swami Tapovanam left the cup of tea untouched, just to rub away the doership. 

Often he would cook food for his guru. “See one never gets to give up Tapas In these Himalayas.” Chuckled Swami Tapovanam demonstrating one of Chinmaya’s thick, dry rotis which were not round.   

7. Listening – Shravanam

Every morning the class began at 6am with Shantipath. Panchadashi was the first text that Swami Tapovanam taught Swami Chinmayananda.  Swami Tapovanam would read out one Sanskrit verse and explain its word by word meaning, rules of grammar, deeper meaning, an example and the possible misinterpretations.  Though both of them were from kerala & knew English, Swami Tapovanam taught in Hindi & Swami Chinmayananda would listen attentively and make notes in English.

One morning, as Swami Tapovanam was taking the class, a crow cawed.  One of the students looked up.  Swami Tapovanam ended the class saying - Vedanta cannot be learnt by such distracted minds.  

8. Reflection – Mananam

With the exception of class time, if the students even approached Swami Tapovanam or talked amongst themselves, he would chide them: "What are you doing hanging around here? Don't waste a minute! You go do your own reflection. It's all in you!"

9. Contemplation – Nididhyaasanam

With the setting Sun, Chinmaya retired to his humble shelter & spent long, cool nights reflecting  & contemplating on the Truth revealed by his Guru.

Swami Tapovanam was such a pure soul that he saw God in everything.  For him, Ganga was Brahman flowing in Liquid form .  Journeying between Uttarkashi & Gangotri, he would often point out in a contemplative mood, “Loot at those clouds, Chinmaya.  So beautiful is all of nature.  How can anyone not believe the grace and beauty of the Lord when they see His form manifested in this wonderful world of nature.” 

10. Absorption of the Mind - Samadhi

Often Swami Chinmayananda sat all night absorbed in meditation in a quiet corner of the forest or sometimes on a boulder besides the Ganges.   At one point Chinmaya decided that even the proximity of his fellow students & Swami Tapovanam was a hindrance. “Never forget that the peace you are seeking is within”, his Guru cautioned. 

After a few Upanishads, Swami Tapovanam took up the teaching of the celebrated Mandukya Upanishad with karika.  Swami Chinmayananda was enthralled.  “The world is unreal! It never came into existence!” He would rave on for hours like a man possessed.  He dint even think of food or his beloved tea.

Swami Tapovanam had planned to give classes on the Bhagavad Geeta but developed a severe cough.  “Okay, I’ve taught you the Upanishads, now you study the Gita on your own. If you have a question, we’ll discuss it.” With these words Swami Tapovanam ended Chinmaya’s studies from a textbook.  But learning from the teacher did not stop; he would spend another 6 years communicating with the Master. 

The above 10 steps of Vedanta are beautiful for self-unfoldment.  Each of us can apply it in our lives and discover the Infinite Happiness of the Self.  We are fortunate to be under the Guru-Parampara of such great masters.  It’s a sure sign of Divine Grace.  All that is required is our self-efforts to realize the Self.  

Once when Swami Chinmayananda was at Gangotri in 1951, sitting in a place that he called as Faquiristan, on the banks of Mother Ganga, he pondered – “Can I face the educated class of India and bring to their faithless hearts at least a ray of understanding of our wondrous culture? None could argue against the Eternal Truth that man is in essence God. But could I explain it to others?” 

He seemed to hear the words in Mother Ganga’s roar, ‘Son, see me; born here in the Himalayas, I rush down to the plains taking with me both life and nourishment to all.  Fulfilment of any possession is in sharing it with others.’

Inspired by the Ganga, Swami Chinmayananda, with the blessings of Swami Tapovanam, in May 1951 took up an All India Tour. He observed, “The people in the cities were an aimless crowd, out of contact with the values in their own traditional culture. I was miserably disillusioned and disappointed at the working plans of all the ashrams and temples, at the stuff that was doled out as the best of Hinduism.”

In November 1951, He completed his tour of India and returned to Tapovan Kutir in Uttarkashi. He resolved to plan a series of Upanishad Jnana yagnasin all of the great cities of India, beginning with Pune – the city of Intellectuals. Swami Tapovanam gave permission with caution - “Consider yourself lucky if you find five to six listeners for Vedanta, especially when you take the Upanishadsas textbooks.” 

Thus, Gangotri Plan was conceived by Swami Chinmayananda.  With four nickels (annas) in his pocket, he arrived at Pune on Dec. 23^rd1951.  The first yagna was from 31^stDecember 1951 to 8^thApril 1952. 

The rest as they say is history.  Chinmaya Mission was formed on 8^thAugust 1953 and it continues to serve humanity with the motto: Maximum Happiness to Maximum People for Maximum Time. It has over 300 centres in 25 countries, 85 schools, 7 colleges, rural development in 1000 villages, hospitals, orphanages, old age homes etc.  

Swami Chinmayananda dedicated his life & his work to his teacher – Sree Swami Tapovanam.  He was a true disciple(shishya) of Swami Tapovanam. Hence one of his apt names is - Om Tapovana-Shishyaaya Namaha.   He always kept the picture of Swami Tapovanam at the altar of a Yagna.  He said that his work was entirely dedicated to Swami Tapovanam and the Shrutis(Vedas). 

“Ours is a great responsibility. We, his sishya-family have to see that He finds an ample field in our individual bosoms to express Himself. It is not sufficient that we evolve ourselves - we must learn to release Him to be visible here. It is a glorious chance now to take a sacred oath upon ourselves that we shall not rest contented until He is fulfilled. Hindu revival is the Tapovana Vratam. I shall consider myself fulfilled if my life and work become my message of adoration and gratitude to my Teacher. Words can never gather Him in their embrace. Love alone can. Let us all adore Him and work for His fulfilment which is the goal of Chinmaya Mission.  Keep him in your heart, let him do the work and purify you.”

As disciples, our work should be dedicated to Poojya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda and must be befitting His Glory.  Before we perform any action, let us think – “Will this befit the glory of my Satguru?” His Vision is our Mission.  Let us offer UNTO HIM OUR BEST.  

Om Sri Tapovana-Parama-Gurave Namaha

Om Shri Chinmaya Satgurave Namaha

Om Shri Gurubhyo Namaha