Spiritual Giant Swami Chinmayananda: Part 2

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May 8, 1916 saw the birth of Swami Chinmayananda to Parakutti and Kuttan Menon in Ernakulam, Kerala in a noble and an aristocratic family. He was named Balakrishna Menon at His birth. Little Balan at the age of 5, lost His mother and his father remarried. He was brought up amidst a lot of love and care in an extended family set up. His early boyhood days presented Him as a charming and an intelligent boy coupled with a great sense of humour. He exhibited traits of a dynamic actor even when He was a little boy. He was then introduced to formal education in the English Modern School where He learnt Malayalam and Sanskrit as well.

The dusk everyday saw Balan's family gather compulsory for Pooja and Satsang with the definite participation of children. Balan invented His own game during the Pooja session. He would gaze at His favourite Shiva picture and close His eyes trying to visualize the image in His mind. He would then open His eyes to gaze at the image for minute details and shut His eyes until His mental visualization matched accurately with the picture. In the later years of His life, this game helped Him to call upon the form of the Lord in His mind.

Balan As A Young Man

In 1940, Balan joined the Lucknow University to do His graduation in English and Law. He was a member of the literary club, debating club and acted in dramas. He was an active person in the campus. His sensitive nature drew Him to the struggle of Indian Independence. He worked for the country's cause writing and distributing leaflets, organizing public strikes and delivering speeches which introduced Him to the dungeons of the prison cells.

The squalid conditions of the prison, the very meager food and lack of ventilation invited Typhus greatly affecting His health with little hope for recovery. He was tossed by the roadside one night by the officers for the fear of transmitting the disease to others. A kind hearted Indian Christian woman nursed Him back to life after which He pursued with His life with enthusiasm and zeal. He completed with His graduation in English and Law and joined 'The National Herald' in Delhi as an active and reputed journalist for loudly voicing His opinion on all aspects of Indian life. His writings displayed His inherent compassion for the poor but He again took part in the life of the privileged class.

Budding Of Spirituality

The dissatisfaction and despair in the privileged class beneath the superficial comforts and luxury and the prevailing selfish attitude made for the turning point in the life of Balan. He sought to look for profoundity in life intrigued by Hinduism that He left behind in the early days of His life. The secret chanting of the 'Om Nama Shivaya' before going to sleep, the reassuring picture of an old grandma who dedicated her life to the chanting of Lord Krishna's name and His early childhood days directed Him towards spirituality. Balan then dedicated Himself to the study of Indian philosophy and Western philosophy, spiritual teachings of great masters of whom He found Swami Shivananda most appealing.

Balan's first visit to Swami Shivananda's Ashram in Rishikesh was to know the meaning of spirituality. After a few visits, He joined the Ashram and was initiated into Sanyasa by Swami Shivananda with a new name Swami Chinmayananda Saraswati which meant pure consciousness. He was then sent by His master to Uttarkashi to study the scriptures under Swami Tapovan where He spent eight years. He put forward His desire to spread the invaluable lesson from the scriptures. Swami Tapovan however instructed Him to first live a life of a renunciate and then preach, for the people to believe. Swamiji thus travelled on foot, lived on biksha and slept in temples, ashrams and wayside trees for six months. On His return to Tapovan He was permitted by the Master to spread the teachings of the scriptures.

Read more on Chinmayananda and Chinmayamission on the Next Page.

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