Buzz By The Bay: Swami Swaroopanandaji On Chinmaya Mission’s 75-Year Journey & More

India is home to countless religious and spiritual movements. One such movement is the Chinmaya Mission, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year. Founded in 1951 by Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda one of India’s most revered sages and intellectuals — to spread the light of Vedanta worldwide and engage in uplifting social service or seva.

In an interview with The Free Press Journal, Swami Swaroopanandaji, the global head of the Mission, who continues to carry forward this extraordinary legacy.

Excerpts from the interview:

Can you tell us about the massive Chinmaya Amrit Yatra, which will culminate in a grand global summit in Delhi in October?

Technically it's a moving temple, a moving ashram where some of our youth are carrying Gurudev’s inspiration throughout the country and a little bit beyond including Nepal and Sri Lanka. from Kashmir to KanyaKumari from Assam to Punjab, they are traveling on the road And taking the message of the Bhagawad Gita.

Any specific message from the Gita? When did the Yatra begin?

We are particularly spreading the message of the Gita in five verses. We believe that if everybody knows these five verses, which we've titled as Gita Panch Amrit, we are left with something very precious to learn from our life and at the same time, to continue the legacy of the great Rishis. The Amrit Yatra commenced on 31st Dec from the Chinmaya ashram in Pune, the anniversary of the day Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda started his first discourses on the Upanishads from the Ganesha temple in Pune. It will culminate in Delhi where there will be a global summit on October 23rd, 24th, 25th at Bharat Mandapa.

Many spiritual movements spring up but they don’t always endure: what are the unique attributes of Chinmaya Mission that have made it thrive?

See, Bharat has been a land of many great saints and in their own lifetime they've done phenomenal service to society, both spiritually and socially. Still, amongst the many saints, few are visionary saints, and we've had those also in our country from time immemorial. Swami Chinmayananda is one of those visionary saints who was not just a phenomena who had an impact on people during his lifetime. His teachings were the timeless teachings of the Rishis. He never said that this wisdom is mine, or claimed them to be original teachings.

However, one of his greatest contributions, is that he created the Sandeepani Sadhnalaya ashram, where his main aim was that generations would learn this timeless knowledge of our relationship with the world, and even with the creator of the world, and how we have to live our life.

Swami Chinmayananda was not rigid. Is that what drew you to him?

Yes he said that great masters, knowing that minds are different, they taught the same truth in many different ways. At that time I just thought, here is a master who can give you such a grand vision and a highway of lanes. He was so open, which is the true spirit of our culture of Sanatana Dharma. And there also he went on to say that in the Upanishads itself, a thousand and one exercises in contemplation are given. And that day, in my heart I knew, here is a master who doesn't bind. He is my master.

What kind of attitude can we adopt to deal with this fear and insecurity?

As Puja, Gurudev has said, emotions or sentiments adorn a person. But sentimentalism is an ugly scar on a person's personality. Now emotions are there to actually enrich our life, to enrich our performance. Because a mere logical person can be very diabolical. And every emotion is given to us for a reason. But what is very important to understand is that emotions are not to be denied. Take, for example, even anxiety or fear, they've been given to us for our benefit. But misuse of anything, or abuse of something, is what causes harm. So anxiety that helps you to perform is positive anxiety. But you must know how to transform or empower yourself with those emotions for better performance. It shouldn’t take over your life.

Can you explain the concept of Prasad Buddhi to us?

See, our mind sees duality of joy, sorrow, success, failure, love and hatred because of our likes and dislikes internally. Prasad Buddhi is something we are taught in such a simple way in our temples. Whenever we went to the temple as kids, and we were given prasad, whether it was sweet or sour, less quantity or more, we were told that this is Prasad and you received it with reverence, you did not refuse it. So that is Prasad Buddhi.

You do your best, you offer your best and whatever you get can only be for your best.

That doesn’t mean that you don't try to change things. But mentally, when you accept, you are at peace. And really speaking, Prasad Buddhi means to be at peace.