From 13th to 17th February 2015, 30 members of Chinmaya Mission Dubai, led by Smt Kanchan Daswani, attended a family camp by Swami Mitrananda at Chinmaya Vibhooti. Not only was it the first such family camp for the group, but also their first visit to the Vision Centre.

A lot was packed into the 4-day camp, the main focus being Vibhishana Gita talks by Swamiji, with simultaneous classes for children taken by sevikas. Gayatri, Mrityunjaya, and Ganapati Homas were performed at the Pranav Ganesh Mandir’s havan kunda, as well as a Paduka Puja at Chinmaya Maruti Mandir.

The group visited Chinmaya Ganadheesh and the famous Mahalakshmi temple at Kolhapur, as well as having a morning out in Pune to watch “On A Quest” with Chinmaya Vibhooti staff. ‎The camp concluded on Mahashivratri and at night there was a video screening of a talk by Pujya Gurudev, as well as a special puja, bhajans, and chanting. Thus concluded a delightful camp full of learning, sadhana, and joyful camaraderie.

In the month of  February , 2015, NV Chinmaya Vidyalaya organized a series of  talks  by Swamini  Vimalananda at Mukteshwar Ashram, Khamgaon. On the first 3 days, she spoke on  ‘ Secret of Success’. She opened her talk by explaining the difference between Dharma and Adharma. To clarify the point further she gave the examples from the epic Mahabharata.  She appealed to the audience to “Face the Life and Make the Life.” The talks inspired the people to think.

On  4^th February  Amma shared her thoughts on ‘Bhakti ke Rahasya’-the secrets of worship.  She explained the difference between various types of love – asakti, preeti and bhakti

On 5^th February the topic was ‘ Satsang’. ‘Sat’ implies truth and ‘Sang’ means ‘to live with’. Combining the two, it implies that one must live with the truth. She explained the importance of Satsang by giving everyday examples.

Swamini Ujjwalananda briefed the audience about the various activities of Chinmaya Mission.

Mr. Mukteshwar Kulkarni, member of Mukteshwar Ashram, Shri Dayaramji Wankhade, president and member of Pandurang Kunbi Samaj Bhavan, Sheagaon were the Chief Guests on various days. The N V Vidyalaya children sang bhajans and  presented yogasanas.

On Thursday, February 5, 2015, Swamini Vimalananda inaugurated the new building of N V Chinmaya Vidyalaya at Kanarkhed, a  village 7 kms  away from Shegaon. She emphasized the need to keep striving hard to maintain the best standards of the school. Swamini  Ujjwalananda felicitated the team involved in organizing the event.

Bhagawat Jnana Yajna

Swami Dattapadananda of Chinmaya Sandeeepany, Chokkahalli, Kolar conducted a Jnana Yajna in Kannada at Sant Kabir Ashram, Kengeri Satellite town from 15/12/2014 to 22/12/2014 taking Gopika Gita from the tenth chapter of Srimad Bhagawat Purana. The gopikas unable to bear separation of Lord Krishna sing His glory seeking His grace to get rid of their deep rooted false attitudes and tendencies and fill their hearts with eternal peace and joy. The Lord grants devotion and true knowledge of the Self to a devotee who surrenders to Him with an unwavering mind. Attachment to the body and worldly objects gets dropped with the clear and firm understanding that the Self illumining all living beings is one and the same. The Yajna also marked the sixteenth anniversary of the Kengeri Devi group.

Sadhana Day of Chinmaya Study Groups

Over 100 members of Chinmaya Study groups of Bangalore observed Sadhana Day on Sunday the 7^th December 2014 at Deenabandhu Devasthanam, Indiranagar between 10 AM and 2 PM to contemplate on Bhagavad Gita Chapter 9.

The day started with bhajans, followed by chanting of Guru Stotram, Dhyana Shloka and all the verses of Chapter 9. After brief introduction of the chapter the participants were divided into 7 groups allotting specific shlokas and asked to discuss allotted points. Each group had a moderator and a presenter. All the members actively participated in the discussions and the thought provoking presentations were appreciated not only by the participants but also the acharyas present.

Swami Brahmananda, who was present during all presentations appreciated the sadhana of all study group members. In his concluding address he explained that this chapter is called Raja Vidya since it is a Subjective science. It reveals that I am not the body, mind or intellect, but the Brahman who is Satyam, Jnanam and Anantam. All our experiences are in His presence and He is the substratum for all things and beings which appear as true but in reality Mithya only.

31st Yajna

The thirty first Yajna in the “Akhanda Gita Jnana Yajna” series to celebrate Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda’s birth centenary celebration in Bangalore was conducted in Kannada by Swami Krutatmananda of Sripaadakshetra, J P Nagar from 30/11/2014 to 06/12/2014 taking Bhagavad Gita chapter 12 in the evenings at Sri Sringeri Shankar Mutt, Malleswaram. The Yajna was inaugurated by Sri Sudhakar Jois, senior member of the mission.

Swamiji compared Bhagavad Gita to a mirror that clearly shows our real nature helping us to evolve our personality with proper guidance. It is immaterial whether we worship the Lord in His manifest or unmanifest form. The important aspect is to direct our energies with detached universal love that envelops entire humanity. Unflinching faith in the Lord abandoning all fruits of action and looking at the world overcoming all dualities will lead to a peaceful serene life benefitting the whole world.

32nd Yajna

The thirty second Yajna in the Akhanda Gita Jnana Yajna series to celebrate Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda’s birth centenary celebration in Bangalore was conducted in Malayalam by Swami Aseshananda of Palakkad centre from 07/12/2014 to 13/12/2014 taking Bhagavad Gita chapter 14 in the evenings at Deenabandhu Temple, C M H Road, Indiranagar. The Yajna was inaugurated by Sri C K Guruprasad, senior member of the mission.

Swamiji explained the subtle truth of how real Jnana aids Mukti.  Brahman is the cause of all names and forms with the three Gunas binding in different ways the indestructible in the body. It is necessary to transcend the Gunas and lead a balanced life in the midst of ever turbulent world full of dualities just as a hill that does not shake when the wind blows although the trees, plants and creepers on it are swept away.

33rd Yajna

The thirty third Yajna in the Akhanda Gita Jnana Yajna series to celebrate Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda’s birth centenary celebration in Bangalore was conducted in Kannada by Swami Krutatmananda of Sripaadakshetra, J P Nagar centre  from 14/12/2014 to 20/12/2014 taking Bhagavad Gita chapter 3 in the evenings at Malkala Convention Centre, 4^th T Block, Jayanagar. The Yajna was inaugurated by Sri Malkala Jayaprakash, owner of the convention centre.

Swamiji stressed on the need to clearly understand the difference between Karma and Jnana. Persons whose mind is turbulent should practice Karma Yoga and those who have developed viaragya can commence Jnana Yoga. Ultimately both lead to the supreme knowledge that ‘I’ am not the body but the all pervading everlasting Consciousness – Sat Chit Ananda. But the path to be treaded is not very easy and this is possible only through selfless action in the true Yajna spirit that will cleanse the mind and prepare it for realising the ultimate Truth.

34th Yajna

The thirty fourth Yajna in the Akhanda Gita Jnana Yajna series to celebrate Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda’s birth centenary celebration in Bangalore was conducted in English by Swami Chidatmananda, regional head of Andhra Pradesh from 21/12/2014 to 27/12/2014 taking Bhagavad Gita chapter 9 in the evenings at Sripaadakshetra, J P Nagar. The Yajna was inaugurated by Smt Shanta and Sri Pathi Sridhara, trustee of the mission.

The goal of all humans is liberation from bondage and karma bandhana. But all karmas – good or bad lead to impermanent fruits and the teaching of our shastras is to transcend all fruits seeking permanent joy and peace of mind. This is possible through unconditional surrender to the Lord with undistracted mind. Only when we understand the cosmic administration and realise the Godliness in other living beings and totally surrender all our possessions that we in our ignorance prompted by our Ego feel belongs to us, the Lord will definitely uplift us and help us realise our true nature.

35th Yajna

The thirty fifth Yajna in the Akhanda Gita Jnana Yajna series to celebrate Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda’s birth centenary celebration in Bangalore was conducted in English by Br Sujay Chaitanya, if Mangalore centre  from 28/12/2014 to 03/01/2015 taking Bhagavad Gita chapter 9 in the evenings at Sri Vinayaka Temple, R T Nagar. The Yajna was inaugurated by Sri H Mahabala, vice president of the temple.

In life many feel that the materialistic way is easy and the spiritual path is only for the selected few. But our scriptures declare that the spiritual path is much easier and one can attain everlasting peace and joy which is impossible in the materialistic path. The greatest truth about one’s own nature is declared as the royal secret knowledge having gained which the student gets free from not only worry, anxiety and stress but also the cycle of birth and death. The right understanding of how to handle the body, mind and intellect to directly attain ever lasting peace and joy in accordance with Dharma is possible if one surrenders to the will of the world with unflinching faith. The Lord never lets down His devotee who is prepared to offer his ego to Him.

All of these above Yajnas were well attended.

 This year’s Global CHYK Camp revolved around the great sages of India. The great land of Bharat is blessed to bear the footprints of various Saints and Sages, who went  beyond the bondage of dogmas and outdated social and religions unessential norms to realise that  Truth – The One. Few are lucky who get a taste of that infinite ecstasy under the direct guidance of a  Guru. The CHYKs experienced just that in a span of seven days.

‘In the footprints of Giants’ was beyond text and life stories of these great Sages. Be it Guru Nanak,  who taught us the art of selfless service and sharing or the Rajasthani jogan, Meerabai whose  bhajans made us pine for the dark complexion Flute Player,  Sant Jnaneshwar with his metaphors, or  Bharatiar with his Patriotisim, Kabirdas with his outspoken practical wisdom or Shankaracharya with  pure knowledge revealing the Self, these Giants taught us that irrespective of life circumstances, it is  our prime duty to reach out to our infinite potential and realise the Truth. With our every want and  need taken care of, we were propelled towards introspection, reflection and questioning which were  answered readily by Swami Swaroopananda, Swami Anukoolananda, Swamini  Supriyananda, Br. Gopal, at any time of the day. The activities put the ideals we learnt about, into  practice. Be it performing skits, trying to imbibe the qualities of a true seeker or colouring each other  in the colours of Gokul in search of the Supreme or silent meditation, the Global Chyk Camp 2014  gave us a taste of everything. The icing on the peak cake was the movie, “On the a Quest” bringing  alive the greatest Giant in our life, Pujya Gurudev.

Under the blessed guidance of Swami Swaroopananda in the holy and joyful atmosphere of  Chinmaya International Residential School, every CHYK commenced their journey to reach their inner  Self and were inspired to walk in the Foot Prints of the Giants and maybe …….. leave behind their  own Giant Foot Prints.

Chinmaya Mission Orlando is happy to share two exciting new developments – installation of idols of Lord Krishna and Mother Ganga in the prayer hall and successful completion of our building expansion project. Since many years, Lord Shiva has presided over our temple-cum-prayer hall, christened Kaivalya by Pujya Gurudev. He has now been joined by Lord Krishna and Mother Ganga! In an arrangement that evokes memories of the Lord Jagadeeswara temple at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya, Lord Krishna stands to the right of Lord Shiva while Mother Ganga graces his left. Over three days in July 2014, the black stone idol of Lord Krishna and the three Kumbhas representing Mother Ganga were consecrated by priests from the nearby Hindu temple in accordance with prescribed Vedic rituals. We feel blessed to have had the opportunity to participate in a once in a lifetime ceremony such as this and to share it with the Chinmaya family and Hindu community in the Orlando area. Our joy was compounded by the simultaneous conclusion of our building expansion project that had been ongoing for several months. Since the inception of the Orlando center, the Chinmaya family has grown manifold and the place was starting to feel a bit cramped. As part of this project, we have doubled the size of our temple-cum-prayer hall and added twelve brand new classrooms adjoining it. We are now able to comfortably accommodate our children and are well positioned to sustain many years of growth in the future. The entrance to the newly expanded prayer hall features two exquisitely carved marble statues of Lord Ganesha and Mother Saraswati, imported from Jaipur.

The crowning glory was the inauguration of the newly expanded facility by Pujya Guruji Swami Tejomayananda. At the beginning of a three day visit in July 2014, Guruji cut the ceremonial ribbon at the entrance to Kaivalya and the long-cherished dream of the Orlando Chinmaya family – to have a modern, more spacious facility for spreading Gurudev’s message and to have it blessed by Guruji – became a reality! The enlarged Kaivalya hall was then put to immediate use when Guruji enthralled capacity crowds over three days with his talks on “Glories of Lord Krishna.”

It was indeed a magical moment in the history of the Orlando center. The combination of once-in-a-lifetime Vedic rituals, consecration of Lord Krishna and Mother Ganga, new buildings to enjoy and Guruji’s visit was special enough. But even dearer to our hearts is the knowledge that we are bequeathing this wonderful legacy to our future generations. As Pujya Gurudev’s birth centennial approaches, we look forward to using our bigger campus to continue spreading His vision and teachings for many years to come.