A revolutionary freedom fighter, a sceptic journalist, a student of law and an agnostic, P. Balakrishna Menon, who went to expose the bluff of the sadhus in the Himalayas, transformed into Swami Chinmayananda, one of the greatest saints of the Second Millennium, a dynamic missionary for Sanatana dharma, a teacher of Vedanta and Bhagavad Gita par excellence, a social reformer, an educationist, a prolific writer, an exceptional orator and much more. He served humanity for 42 years selflessly, entered the hearts of millions and will forever be known as the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time).‘It is better to live the Chinmaya Life with Occasional folly, than to live a life of folly with occasional (sic) Chinmaya Life.’.What is a Chinmaya Life?‘Chinmaya life’ is not a life of Chinmaya-cult because there is no such cult. Swami Chinmayananda never bound anyone. Chinmaya means Full of Knowledge, Consciousness. A life anchored in knowledge (not impulsiveness) and awareness is Chinmaya-Life. It is to be aware of our potential and to manifest it. It is to break out of our shell of inhibitions and self-limiting beliefs. It is to align our BMI (Body-Mind-Intellect) dharmically and to realise the Truth. It’s a GOAT-Life. G-Great VisionO-Open NationalismA-Ambassador of DharmaT-Truth.G-Great Vision:Natural resources get depleted when we use them. Human resources get depleted when we do not use them. As the vision, so the world appears to us. If our vision is small, we remain small. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam said, ‘Small aim is a crime.’ If we have a great vision, our maximum potential manifests. When a youngster greeted Swami Chinmayananda with ‘Hi! Swami!’, he wittingly remarked, ‘He reminds me that my goals are High. So, I am a Hi-Swami.’ He set up a global spiritual organisation with 300 centres in 25 countries, 100+ educational institutions, rural development work in 750 villages, temples, hospitals, orphanages, old-age homes etc. All in the service of humanity. He always encouraged youth to discover their swadharma or core-competency, to think big, think beyond oneself and discover a higher ideal to which one can dedicate oneself. It could be in their chosen field, for the country, culture, helping others, a social cause etc. He said, ‘A single ideal can transform a listless soul into a towering leader of men.’ Examples of so many successful people are a testimony of this. Thinking big is not in terms of numbers alone. It’s in the quality of selflessness, in the positive impact it creates in the lives of others.Ask yourself: What is the ideal to which my life is dedicated? Dedication to a great vision and a life of selfless love is the ‘Chinmaya life’..Open NationalismWhy should I love my country? I am a global and cosmic citizen. Nationalism is not inclusive. It limits and binds us. Some youth think in this way. Nationalism is devotion to one’s motherland. It helps one to rise above individual selfishness and groupism. If one loves one’s nation, it does not mean that by default, one hates other countries. How silly it would be to think that if I love my mother, I hate all other women. One can be nationalistic and yet be open to respecting other countries and co-exist. Fanatic nationalism is a problem, not Nationalism by itself. Swami Chinmayananda was a nationalist throughout his life. He inspired the youth with the knowledge about their glorious country, the astounding achievements of their ancestors and made them proud Bharatiyas. He encouraged the youth to serve the nation in different ways. Through their education, profession, in times of crisis, taking up politics and cleaning up the system, joining the defence forces etc. He said, ‘To forge and to evolve out of our population healthy, vibrant, creative people is the work of Chinmaya Mission. A Mission member is conscious of the glory of his country. He is the real devoted servant of the country. Work for the Nation. Regain the past glory of our Nation.’Ask yourself: How can I serve Bharat?Commitment to National integration is the ‘Chinmaya Life’..Ambassador of DharmaDharma is that which upholds, unites and integrates. Sanatana Hindu Dharma is the world’s most ancient Dharma and the only one which has survived invasions for more than 1000 years and is alive even today. Swami Chinmayananda loved Sanatana Hindu Dharma which has the universal vision of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ or the whole earth is one family. But alas, the Hindus were not aware of its glory. They were ashamed of it; they even took pride in deriding it. Hence, Swami Chinmayananda came down from the Himalayas to the plains, to convert Hindus to Hinduism. He said, ‘Ours is not a programme of political and economic revival. Cultural revival is our goal. Our speciality is to discover in each Hindu an integrated inner personality with courage to live its Rishi Culture.’ He wanted the youth to be ambassadors of dharma who would live and share the glory of sanatana dharma with others.Ask yourself: Am I a proud and practising Hindu? Missionary efforts for Hindu renaissance is the ‘Chinmaya Life’..TruthHuman birth is a rare opportunity to evolve and realise the Truth. We are blessed with an intellect that is capable of subtle discrimination between right and wrong, real and unreal, Self and not-self. Hence Upanishads roar, ‘O Human! Strive to know the Self through Listening, Reflection and Contemplation.’ Swami Chinmayananda obtained the knowledge of the Upanishads from His Gurus, realised the Truth and committed himself to sharing this with the whole world. He awakened millions from the slumber of ignorance. To strive for Self-Realisation with single-pointedness and to live as Consciousness, is the best tribute we can pay to the Master. Nothing else is worth HIS efforts and sacrifice except this.Ask yourself: What am I seeking? Who am I?Sincere sadhana for Self-Realisation and abidance in the Truth is the Chinmaya-Life. The ‘Chinmaya Life’ is the GOAT Life. May we love it and live it.
A revolutionary freedom fighter, a sceptic journalist, a student of law and an agnostic, P. Balakrishna Menon, who went to expose the bluff of the sadhus in the Himalayas, transformed into Swami Chinmayananda, one of the greatest saints of the Second Millennium, a dynamic missionary for Sanatana dharma, a teacher of Vedanta and Bhagavad Gita par excellence, a social reformer, an educationist, a prolific writer, an exceptional orator and much more. He served humanity for 42 years selflessly, entered the hearts of millions and will forever be known as the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time).‘It is better to live the Chinmaya Life with Occasional folly, than to live a life of folly with occasional (sic) Chinmaya Life.’.What is a Chinmaya Life?‘Chinmaya life’ is not a life of Chinmaya-cult because there is no such cult. Swami Chinmayananda never bound anyone. Chinmaya means Full of Knowledge, Consciousness. A life anchored in knowledge (not impulsiveness) and awareness is Chinmaya-Life. It is to be aware of our potential and to manifest it. It is to break out of our shell of inhibitions and self-limiting beliefs. It is to align our BMI (Body-Mind-Intellect) dharmically and to realise the Truth. It’s a GOAT-Life. G-Great VisionO-Open NationalismA-Ambassador of DharmaT-Truth.G-Great Vision:Natural resources get depleted when we use them. Human resources get depleted when we do not use them. As the vision, so the world appears to us. If our vision is small, we remain small. Dr APJ Abdul Kalam said, ‘Small aim is a crime.’ If we have a great vision, our maximum potential manifests. When a youngster greeted Swami Chinmayananda with ‘Hi! Swami!’, he wittingly remarked, ‘He reminds me that my goals are High. So, I am a Hi-Swami.’ He set up a global spiritual organisation with 300 centres in 25 countries, 100+ educational institutions, rural development work in 750 villages, temples, hospitals, orphanages, old-age homes etc. All in the service of humanity. He always encouraged youth to discover their swadharma or core-competency, to think big, think beyond oneself and discover a higher ideal to which one can dedicate oneself. It could be in their chosen field, for the country, culture, helping others, a social cause etc. He said, ‘A single ideal can transform a listless soul into a towering leader of men.’ Examples of so many successful people are a testimony of this. Thinking big is not in terms of numbers alone. It’s in the quality of selflessness, in the positive impact it creates in the lives of others.Ask yourself: What is the ideal to which my life is dedicated? Dedication to a great vision and a life of selfless love is the ‘Chinmaya life’..Open NationalismWhy should I love my country? I am a global and cosmic citizen. Nationalism is not inclusive. It limits and binds us. Some youth think in this way. Nationalism is devotion to one’s motherland. It helps one to rise above individual selfishness and groupism. If one loves one’s nation, it does not mean that by default, one hates other countries. How silly it would be to think that if I love my mother, I hate all other women. One can be nationalistic and yet be open to respecting other countries and co-exist. Fanatic nationalism is a problem, not Nationalism by itself. Swami Chinmayananda was a nationalist throughout his life. He inspired the youth with the knowledge about their glorious country, the astounding achievements of their ancestors and made them proud Bharatiyas. He encouraged the youth to serve the nation in different ways. Through their education, profession, in times of crisis, taking up politics and cleaning up the system, joining the defence forces etc. He said, ‘To forge and to evolve out of our population healthy, vibrant, creative people is the work of Chinmaya Mission. A Mission member is conscious of the glory of his country. He is the real devoted servant of the country. Work for the Nation. Regain the past glory of our Nation.’Ask yourself: How can I serve Bharat?Commitment to National integration is the ‘Chinmaya Life’..Ambassador of DharmaDharma is that which upholds, unites and integrates. Sanatana Hindu Dharma is the world’s most ancient Dharma and the only one which has survived invasions for more than 1000 years and is alive even today. Swami Chinmayananda loved Sanatana Hindu Dharma which has the universal vision of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ or the whole earth is one family. But alas, the Hindus were not aware of its glory. They were ashamed of it; they even took pride in deriding it. Hence, Swami Chinmayananda came down from the Himalayas to the plains, to convert Hindus to Hinduism. He said, ‘Ours is not a programme of political and economic revival. Cultural revival is our goal. Our speciality is to discover in each Hindu an integrated inner personality with courage to live its Rishi Culture.’ He wanted the youth to be ambassadors of dharma who would live and share the glory of sanatana dharma with others.Ask yourself: Am I a proud and practising Hindu? Missionary efforts for Hindu renaissance is the ‘Chinmaya Life’..TruthHuman birth is a rare opportunity to evolve and realise the Truth. We are blessed with an intellect that is capable of subtle discrimination between right and wrong, real and unreal, Self and not-self. Hence Upanishads roar, ‘O Human! Strive to know the Self through Listening, Reflection and Contemplation.’ Swami Chinmayananda obtained the knowledge of the Upanishads from His Gurus, realised the Truth and committed himself to sharing this with the whole world. He awakened millions from the slumber of ignorance. To strive for Self-Realisation with single-pointedness and to live as Consciousness, is the best tribute we can pay to the Master. Nothing else is worth HIS efforts and sacrifice except this.Ask yourself: What am I seeking? Who am I?Sincere sadhana for Self-Realisation and abidance in the Truth is the Chinmaya-Life. The ‘Chinmaya Life’ is the GOAT Life. May we love it and live it.