THE HISTORY OF CHINMAYA MISSION, DELHI

The history of Chinmaya Mission, Delhi, is "His story".Although Pune will forever hold the honour of having hosted Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda for his pioneering yagna in December 1951, and Madras was next in 1952, however Delhi was the third city to have responded to the Divine call on September 12, 1953. These first steps became giant leaps in the unique historical process of spiritual awakening that spanned five continents and has sought to bring about a change in the cultural texture of those that came within its ambit.

The Chinmaya Movement is unique in this modern age - in style, approach and methodology. Since Adi Sankara in the 8th century, no man dared to work with so much missionary zeal as Swamiji. Firstly, Swamiji's pioneering effort was in bringing this knowledge from its protective caves in the Himalayas and from cities like Varanasi that were the repositories of Hindu Culture - to the open grounds of the nation and to the hearts and homes of the masses. Secondly, the knowledge that was hitherto available only to Sanskrit scholars was made easy to understand by clear and simple logic and with the help of modern day examples. Thirdly, humour and wit became a part of the Chinmaya style and even teachers outside Chinmaya Mission have now adopted this efficacious method. Fourthly, Swamiji brought about a discipline in the teaching halls and amongst Mission members. Timings were kept to the second. No talking, no getting up in the middle. He had his own method of glaring at a person who broke these rules. Fifthly, the knowledge imparted was and is intact, not even a little tainted by its presentation. Sixthly, the techniques employed have influenced other institutions that apply its methodology equally successfully. For instance, the concept of Bal Vihar - imparting values to children - was first started by Swamiji. This gigantic pioneering effort by Swami Chinmayananda was one that only heroes can perform, who have the courage and daring to meet the challenges put forward by society.

1953. The first landmark of Chinmaya Mission, Delhi was the third gyana yagna of Swamiji for 91 days from September 12 to December 12 on Mandukya Karika, one of the highest spiritual texts. This Upanishad is supposed to be studied last in the Chinmaya study scheme. Swamiji was newly awakened and so full of It, that he wanted to give the best of himself in the first few yagnas. The Mandukya Karika commentary in English available in Chinmaya Mission today is the result of those first discourses by Swamiji in Delhi, taken down in shorthand and typed by Mr. Pathak. They were edited by Swamiji in Mrs. Puri's house and published by Khanna and Anandam Co., Chartered Accountants, whose proprietors, Mr. Khanna and Mr. Anandam organized Swamiji's first yagna in Delhi. During the yagna, Swamiji's guru, Swami Tapovanam, sent a handwritten message which was printed in the foreword of the book.

About 500 to 700 people attended the yagna, which was quite remarkable because Swamiji had imposed some restrictions. People were advised to eat only one meal a day and to keep in perfect control of all the sense organs to be able to become worthy of listening to so high a text as Mandukya Karika. This too for 91 days! Half an hour session of intense meditation was taken after every 1½ hour of discourse every evening. That quality of meditation was never again taken by Swamiji in public. There were no morning talks. For 11 days during the mornings, there was havan of Mahamrytunjaya mantra; and for 21 days, Swamiji organized 24 hours of akhanda kirtan of "Hare Rama, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare". After the evening meditation, Swamiji would go into his room and bolt the door. No one could meet him after that. His dinner used to be a glass of milk. So much austerity has Swami Chinmayananda practised which people are totally unaware of because in his interaction with the world he was like anyone else, otherwise people would not have opened up to him, especially the younger generation.

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