Devotion to a teacher has the capacity to roughly cut out into shape the inner equipment but the final polish can be given to the heart only through the finer love for the Lord Himself. Constant meditation and contemplation upon the Self is the final gateway to the Self-realisation – where alone is real Shanti and peace. Guru-Bhakti is the means and not the end. You should not mistake the means for the end.

– Excerpt from a letter to a devotee

Self-rediscovery is the art of unveiling the Spirit by drawing asunder the veils of matter that now cover It. The Rishis of yore accomplished this consummation and lived in fulfillment of the life’s goal. For centuries we have been reading about it. The whole world of thinkers and students gape in amazement and wonder as they delve into the bosom of our scriptures. Though intellectually they appreciate the wondrous equanimity, the rooted poise, the steady perfection, and infinite bliss of these giant personalities, the Upanishadic students of our modern times cannot really believe what their reason accepts; the achievement of these masters being so unbelievably beyond the wildest imagination of their minds.
At such moments, a true student can discover his faith, reinforce his courage, strengthen his determination to walk the path and achieve the seemingly glory of existence, only when he finds confirmation of what he has understood in some living Masters. Such a glorious Rishi of immaculate perfection was our Guru, Swami Thapovanam.

We are today celebrating the first anniversary of His merging back in the source from which He came to confirm our faith, encourage our enthusiasm, whip up our action and guide us to our goal. This is an auspicious occasion, to reaffirm our faith in our culture, our faith in our religion, our hopes in ourselves. Let us strive hard through study, reflection and meditation to understand our goal and through diligent and sincere effort, to come out of the despairing clouds of impotency, imperfections and ignorance. Let us learn to love each other and work cooperatively, not only for our own individual development, but also for the spread of the Hindu culture. Let us on this occasion forget and forgive all differences of opinion among ourselves and give a new lease of friendship even to our confirmed and utter enemies.

I salute you all. May Thapovan-grace be upon us all.

– Excerpt from a letter to a devotee by Swami Chinmayananda

On Death
……somehow or other infected by some strange worms or germs….. and I’m not surprised about it because after all this body is temporarily misappropriated by us to live our life. But, it actually belongs to the worms ultimately. The little ones have already waited 60 long years and their mouths are watering at this beautiful packet of filth; and therefore, if supposing they have started attacking and starting lunch just before the announcement, let us forgive them, “children will be children”.

– Excerpts from a letter by Swami Chinmayananda

Hurry is not creative. Be peaceful; be quiet. Let Him use us when He wills and what field He likes. “Let Thy Grace flow through us to the world around us”.

But you keep yourself extremely well-prepared so that when He uses you as an instrument. He should have no regret. Whenever you are afraid free, read Geeta and Upanishads. Whenever you are moving about, try to plan how you will express meanings of one verse or the other to the listeners. Thus let your mind be constantly functioning in the spiritual field thinking about the thoughts in the scriptures. Get yourself soaked with those ideas. Even your dream should be giving Satsang to others.

In every Yagna, try to outshine your previous performance in the earlier Yagna. You can, if you are, really serious to serve Him.

— Excerpt from a letter to a Swami of Chinmaya Mission by Swami Chinmayananda