Swami Chinmayananda Saraswati (born 8-5-1916 Samadhi 3-8-1993) was one of the greatest Hindu spiritual leaders of our time.
I was in the Himalayas. One day there was a sudden call! He himself narrated what had happened thus: “Mother Ganga in her incessant haste seemed to say to me: ‘Son, do you not see me? Born here in the Himalayas, I run to the plains carrying life and food. others.’ I made up my mind. He encouraged me. I felt reinforced. The urge became irresistible.”
Then he went down to the plains and started meeting people. She traveled far and wide throughout the world and attracted thousands of followers. His speeches on the Gita were very famous. He founded the Chinmaya Mission on August 8, 1953. The Chinmaya movement was born of love and rooted in the wisdom of Truth.
His eloquence in English is very famous. Once, when a devotee told him that he was always in the midst of trouble, he immediately replied by saying, “When trouble comes to bother you, don’t bother to stop it, but let trouble bother trouble, so that you don’t there are problems.” he is free to bother you. Don’t worry about problems; let trouble bother trouble.” They all laughed. The questioner got the point and was cleared of doubt from him. The great Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar said in his poem, “When trouble arises, laugh at it.”
He gave several lectures in the United States. At the end of the first talk in Palo Alto, one of the listeners asked him, “What’s your technique?”
“What is my technique? My technique is to stand on my nose and meditate,” Swamiji said. “But I only practice it in private.”
He gave a mischievous laugh, then thundered seriously, “If you’re looking for shortcuts in spirituality or instant psychedelic hits, you’ve made a mistake today. But don’t repeat it, don’t come tomorrow.”
His words were direct. Everyone got the message. They came back every day to listen to the speeches.
Once a boy asked Swamiji, “What made you give up the world? You were a postgraduate in English Literature and Law, and a very successful journalist:
Swamiji asked him in return, “when will you spit that thing out?” referring to the gum in the child’s mouth. “Oh! I’m about to spit it out. There’s no juice left in it,” the boy said. “Ah! I did exactly that too,” laughed Swamiji. “I had chewed up the world enough and found no more juice in it.”
One asked him skeptically: “Everything you teach is in the books. What do I need a Guru for?” He replied, “Why don’t you put the question to the books?”
How to inspire little children by absorbing the idea of God in them? In Manila, some children gathered around him.
He asked them, “What color is the milk?”
“White” answered all the children.
“What color is the cow?”
“Black.”
“That eats?”
“Grass.”
“What color is the grass?”
“Green.”
“What makes the green grass that a black cow eats come out as white milk?”
The children were silent.
He said, “Krishna! He is the Lord who makes the impossible possible.”
His unique way of teaching is incomparable. Devotees used to narrate hundreds of interesting anecdotes that occurred in their lives.
Once Mr. Manian, the famous Tamil writer, journalist and editor of many magazines, in his welcoming address in Madras, said, “We find in Swamiji a good teacher, a popular preacher, a religious leader, a philosopher, a rational thinker, a scientist, Artist, communicator, Journalist, Educator and above all Spirit Guide.In him we see the wisdom of Vasishta, the vigor of Viswamitra, the knowledge of Brigu, the thought process of Veda Vyasa, the power of Kasyapa, Gautama’s determination and forgive me Swamiji, Durvasa’s anger and humor”,
Truly he was a great saint who spread the glory of Hinduism. His life was his message!