PAVAMĀNA: Enduring Indic Wisdom

by Bala Bharadvaj, 8 May 2024

Remembering the Master

It was the summer of 1975.  I was a graduate student in Atlanta working on my thesis. 

A friend from the India Club asked, “A swami is coming to speak on the bhagavad gīta.  Would you like to come?”  I said, “yes”, and the rest is history.

The swami was none other than Swami Chinmayananda about whom I knew very little at that time.  However, by the end of the introductory talk, I knew that I had found my guru!

I was completely captivated by swamiji (as we used to address him).  I’m not sure what attracted me to him; was it the expressiveness in his style of talking, maybe it was the methodical way he developed the concepts, perhaps it was the use of contemporary examples, or the humorous interludes to explain complex ideas with that mischievous smile.

Swamiji’s program in Atlanta was for a week, and he was staying at a friend’s apartment very close to the campus.  Those were the days when swamiji would freely interact with the students and allow us to ask any question.  I met him every day to be part of the discussion, and just to be in his presence, and delight in the warm glow of his wisdom and laugh at the jokes and funny stories. 

He was a modern-day sage, a ṛṣi who spoke in impeccable English, was approachable and jovial, and most importantly one who not only allowed but encouraged you to analyze and think for yourself before accepting his words.  This freedom to question and examine was magical, and a welcome departure from the standard answer from the traditional pandits (priests) who used to say, “don’t ask questions, just follow the instructions.”

Swami Chinmayananda gave permission to the caged bird of curiosity to soar and explore.  I am eternally grateful for that one week of interactions with swamiji, because that transformed my life forever.

After that week of immersion in vedānta, I got busy with my classes and research for the next three years.  Then, in the summer of 1978, swamiji made his second visit to Atlanta for another week of talks.  This time my wife and I were able to host him in our tiny one-room apartment for a simple but most memorable lunch!  His being the very first guest to grace our new home was no less than a miracle in my book.

Over the next fifteen years, swamiji became an integral part of my life in many ways.  He magically appeared at several critical points in my journey, not because it was planned in some meticulous manner, but was evidently ordained by an outsized force.

Swamiji used to say often that nothing happened in this world by accident; every effect had a definite cause behind it.  This is a fundamental principle of vedānta! 

I feel very blessed to have been given the opportunity to experience many magical moments with this great jewel of India.

Swami Chinmayananda was born on 8 May 1916, and on the occasion of his jayanti (birth anniversary) in 2024, I remember swamiji with feelings of fondness and a deep sense of gratitude, for sharing his great wisdom about our scriptures and guiding me along on my journey.

One of the verses from śrī guru stotram is as follows:

अज्ञानतिमिरान्धस्य ज्ञानाञ्जनशलाकया ।

चक्षुरुन्मीलितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥

ajñānatimirāndhasya jñānāñjanaśalākayā |

cakṣurunmīlitaṃ yena tasmai śrīgurave namaḥ ||

MEANING: Salutations to that guru who opened the eyes, of the student who was unable to see due to the darkness of ignorance, with a needle coated with the ointment of knowledge.

I invoke his grace and blessings on all of us as we embark on this journey seeking knowledge, purity, and freedom.