A Sacred Pilgrimage with Gurudev, Swami Chinmayananda – Jnana Yajnas 1 to 12

Seated in the Himalayas by Mother Ganga, a sacred yet challenging thought arose in the mind of Gurudev, Swami Chinmayananda. Just like Ganga with all her might and force flows down the plains to nourish her children, He too must share this eternal knowledge of scriptures and the bliss and love of self-realization which he had gained under the guidance of his Guru, Swami Tapovan Maharaj with the people of Bharat!

The journey that He undertook since His first Jnana Yajna in 1951 at Poona transformed generations across the world to become an endless flow of Knowledge. From 1951 to 1993, in 532 glowing Jnana Yajnas, Pujya Gurudev transformed countless lives.

As we get ready to celebrate the 108th Jayanti Day of Pujya Gurudev on May 8th 2024, let us take this sacred pilgrimage with Pujya Gurudev. Each Jnana Yagna will leave you with awe and inspiration of the knowledge and compassion of this great master.

Are you ready? Be prepared for the most uplifting journey!

Click on the “Read More…” links to retrace, relive the experience of each yagna, see the pictures, read exceptional excerpts and watch videos. Chinmaya Archives has done an incredible job of painting vividly every detail, be sure to visit every page, and be ready to time travel with Gurudev!

Jnana Yajna 1

A tireless, fearless Sage had taken up the divine sankalpa of a Vedantic Renaissance. “My mission is to convert Hindus to Hinduism,” said Gurudev.

Year & Dates:

December 31, 1951 to April 08, 1952 (Pune, Kathopanishad and Kenopanishad)

A bold 100 day Jnana Yajna on deep and sublime Upanishads, opposition from many quarters! Venue – a small temple in Pune.

Jnana Yajna 2

“Offering of all our negativities and animalism into the fire of Knowledge is what I meant by Jnana Yajna,” is how Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda described it.

Year & Dates:

April 25, 1953 to June 05, 1953 (Chennai, Munkakopanishad)

A very ritual focussed Chennai, prejudiced and unwilling public, and a lack of even a proper venue for the talks – nothing dampened the enthusiasm of the selfless Swami.

CHINMAYA MISSION IS BORN!

Jnana Yajna 3

“All that is past, present and future is, verily, OM.” the entire world has but one substratum, which is unchanging in all the three periods of time, and it is represented by the symbol and name “OM”.

Year & Dates:

September 12, 1953 to December 10, 1953 (New Delhi, Mandukya Upanishad)

The educated elite, the agnostics, atheists, the seekers, the people of other faiths and the staunchly-faithful sat as one, spellbound. Even His Guru, Swami Tapovanam, was overjoyed that a materialistic city as New Delhi had halted in meditation on the Highest Truth.

Jnana Yajna 4

Pujya Gurudev carried the audience of Palghat on an exciting voyage as He explained the five ‘waves of thought’ in Isavasyopanishad. The first tall wave of the ‘Route to Renunciation’ that the rishis extolled was followed by the second sincere wave of the ‘Path of Action.’ The vivid portrayal of the highest goal of life was the third, transcendental wave. Knowledge reinforced by devoted action would yield maximum dividend, emphasized the fourth wave. The fifth, final wave of thought was the triumphant transition from mortal manhood to immortal Godhood!

Year & Dates:

January 7, 1954 to January 27, 1954 (Palakkad, Ishavasya Upanishad)

A Vedantic wildfire was ignited by Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda across diverse audiences. He wanted the all-pervasive Knowledge to reach the maximum without any bias.

Jnana Yajna 5

His discourses painted a striking picture of the six advanced disciples approaching Sage Pippalaada with their philosophical questions about creation, worship, sadhana, the realms of dream and deep sleep, and the seat of the Eternal Self.

Year & Dates:

February 14, 1954 to March 26, 1954 (Madurai, Prasnopanishad)

As much as the audience was captivated by His incredibly rational, scientific explanations, they were enthralled by the way Pujya Gurudev would carry the thousands in the crowd as one to the heights of silence. The ardent seekers of Madurai who had tasted the sweet silence strived to practice meditation regularly after that fifth yajna.

Jnana Yajna 6

“Thus, to solve this Great Grand Riddle of Life, he approaches his Guru enquiring if there is an independent Eternal “director” who, by his mere “Wish” prompts the mind to alight on the objects? If there be such a great Illuminator and Controller who is he? What is it? What is my relationship with the Supreme power Divine existing ever so secretively within me, ever vigilant, ever brilliant, ever alert?”

Year & Dates:

May 9, 1954 to May 30, 1954 (Coimbatore, Kenopanishad)

Using his command of English to clarify and instill the essence of the ancient Upanishadic revelations from the very first yajna, Pujya Gurudev spearheaded a remarkable revolution.

Jnana Yajna 7

“This spirit of sacrifice and capacity to find within oneself enough sympathy to serve not only one’s own near and dear relatives but also the whole universe and thus put their Kalyan first, even before one’s own redemption, is one of the most important qualifications unavoidable in a true seeker, if he is to be a total success in his pilgrimage to Truth.”

Year & Dates:

September 26, 1954 to November 26, 1954 (New Delhi, Kathopanishad)

His evening discourses on Kathopanishad brought to life the thought-provoking discussion between the young seeker Nachiketa and the God of Death, Dharmaraja, inspiring not just Hindus but also people of varied faiths.

Jnana Yajna 8

“The science of prayer explains, that when an individual surrenders himself-meaning, all his identifications with his body, mind and intellect-through devotion, reverence and understanding-love, he removes from himself all the causes for his limitations and what is thus left over is the Absolute perfection which is the essence of his very being.”

Year & Dates:

December 16, 1954 to January 25, 1955 (Chennai, Taittiriya Upanishad)

Having prepared the audience to lift themselves to a higher vision of life, Pujya Gurudev guided them into the sublime, direct definition of Truth as “Satyam, Jnanam, Anantam.” Sharing the depth of the second section, “Brahmananda Valli,” He also challenged seekers to journey within and enquire intensely.

Jnana Yajna 9

“Similarly, the Lord, the Creator…the Supreme, conditioned by the total Vasana’s in the Cosmos…is not free to create a world for the better or the worse, but He has to serve the totality as a contractor would his principle.”

Year & Dates:

March 6, 1955 to March 29, 1955 (Kozikode, Aitereya Upanishad)

The punctuality and discipline that Pujya Gurudev personified was making a mark on the yajna audiences everywhere. Along with timeliness, the sense of sacredness for the Hindu rituals was also being revived. The Akhanda Kirtan with hundreds chanting with faith and fervor, the orderly and spectacular procession of people on foot, in cars, trucks, and cycles energizing the atmosphere of Kozhikode – the glorious vitality of a disciplined Hindu outlook was evident.

Jnana Yajna 10

“A salt-doll tied to a string and dipped into the ocean will not come back when pulled up to report the depth!! The doll gets melted into the very form of the ocean; the salt-doll was ever the ocean; it was born from the ocean. But it had for a period an identity of its own and a form. But once having reached the bosom of its own “Nature” and remaining there for a time, it becomes the very ocean that it Eternally was!!”

Year & Dates:

April 14, 1955 to May 04, 1955 (Mattancherry, Kenopanishad)

This was another cornerstone achievement of Pujya Gurudev – to open the portals of Vedanta to the young and old, to women as much as men.

Jnana Yajna 11

“The Word ‘diligently’ (niyatam) is very pregnant. It does not merely suggest a faithful and blind performance, but insists upon a regular practice which is continuous, intelligent, fresh and cheerful. Rituals followed as a routine lose all their potency. A routine in itself cannot constructively re-create a developed human personality. It is only a deliberate intelligent training of the head and heart of an individual, grained through diligent abhyas that can bring about this desired effect.”

Year & Dates:

May 14, 1955 to June 04, 1955 (Ooty, Mundakopanishad)

Throughout the ten Jnana Yajnas that had awakened people to the glory of their Vedic heritage, Pujya Gurudev had envisioned with loving foresight that the word should spread far and wide. Hence, He systematized the reflections of every Yajna in the ‘Yajna Prasad” booklets that were distributed first free and then at nominal cost to thousands of seekers. It is an incredible feat how Pujya Gurudev would spend countless hours to dictate and record the scriptural teachings after His discourses for the world to keep reaping the benefits of those priceless reflections.

Jnana Yajna 12

“A spiritual seeker has a healthy attitude towards things, and he keeps a balanced relationship with everything around him in life. He loves all and he fulfills his duties towards them. But he never allows the world of relationships around to bind him and loot him of his freedom to grow.”

Year & Dates:

June 12, 1955 to July 02, 1955 (Chennai, Vivekachoodamani)

A Master Teacher that He was, Pujya Gurudev recognized that the curiosity of the people was kindled. However, the foundation had to be strengthened for the flag of Sanatana Dharma to fly high. Indeed, that far-reaching vision of spreading Vedanta shaped the motto of Chinmaya Mission: “To give maximum happiness to maximum people for maximum time.”