This is Chinmaya Mission’s newest creative device to ‘catch them young’; a forum for anyone aged below 6 years. Shishu Vihar is an assemblage of infants, toddlers and young and new parents for early introduction to spiritual education.
Bala Vihar is a weekly gathering of children, between the ages of five to thirteen years that takes place in Chinmaya Mission Centres or in private homes, under the supervision of trained teachers. The aim of Bala Vihar is to help children bloom, grow, and inculcate values through fun-filled activities. Bala Vihar enhances the overall development of the personality of a child at all levels — physical, emotional, intellectual, cultural and spiritual.
A platform where youngsters are chiseled to become dynamic leaders for tomorrow with a spiritual base and a national outlook through experiential learning of our ancient knowledge and wisdom.
Chinmaya Setukari serves as a bridge between the Yuva Kendra and mature age devotees of Chinmaya Mission, ‘building bonds’ between the young and the old in these fast-changing times.
Developing an inquiring, reflective mind is the first objective of the Study Group.
The objective of the Devi Group is to impart spiritual knowledge thus empowering women to disseminate the knowledge gathered to their family. Devi Group training enables women to equip themselves with the wherewithal to promote tradition with wisdom and understanding. They play an important role in raising the cultural standard in pockets of society becoming catalysts for family, community and societal transformation.
The Central Chinmaya Vanaprastha Sansthan (CCVS) is the senior citizens wing of Chinmaya Mission uniting people over sixty years of age. CCVS encourages senior citizens to pursue the final spiritual goal of life and shows them the means to achieve it. It assists and trains householders and near-retirees (vanaprasthis) to make a smoother and easier transition from life in grihasta ashram to life in vanaprastha ashram.
The musical wing of Chinmaya mission, aims at experiencing divinity through Bhajans. Swaranjali doesn't demand one to be a trained musician, all that is required is *'music from your heart'* and completely giving oneself to the Lord.
Swami Tapovan Maharaj was that pristine glacier of Self-knowledge through whom flowed the Ganga of Vedantic Wisdom of Swami Chinmayananda, the architect of the Chinmaya Movement.
Swami Chinmayananda was one of the 20th century's most world-renowned and revered exponents of Vedanta, the foundation of Hindu religion and culture.
Swami Tejomayananda is a living portrait of simplicity with depth, humility with courage, and wisdom with devotion. Always jovial, smiling, and welcoming, he is readily accessible and approachable to all who seek the knowledge of Vedanta from him.
"Fill the heart with the oil of love, place in it the wick of single-pointed mind. Light it with the knowledge of truth and remove the darkness of ignorance around you. Just as one lamp can light many lamps let each youth kindle this light in many hearts"
He is the Advisor of the All India Chinmaya Yuva Kendra (AICHYK) the global youth wing of Chinmaya Mission.
Brahmacharya Anand Chaitanya was a Business Programmer prior to being a full timer in Chinmaya Mission. Later, he has undergone the two year residential Vedanta Course in Sandeepany Sadhanayala, Mumbai and initiated as a monk to Chinmaya Mission.
Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Anna Nagar, was founded on 1st January 1989, under the able guidance of Swami Chinmayananda, with 11 students and four faculty members.
Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Taylors Road,the Vidyalaya marked its beginning with a meagre strength of 30 students at 13th Avenue Harrington Road, on 20th October 1968.
Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Virungambakkam, had its strong foundation laid by our Poojya Guruji H.H.Swami Tejomayananda, at Chittirai Street, Chinmaya Nagar Stage II, Chennai-92. Our Vidyalaya was given a benign beginning for the Higher Secondary in the Year 2002.
Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Tirupathi, a highly progressive school pledged to provide quality education with great emphasis on traditional values. We believe in moulding our students to be brave and courageous always, to face every experience in their life with a smile on their face.
Chinmaya Vidyalaya, Sri City, is a new chapter in the stream of Chinmaya Vidyalaya's run in Chennai. It was inaugurated on 20th June, 2011 by H.H.Swami Mitrananda. Located in Sri City which is an SEZ, FWTZ and DTZ, the school is located in a completely conducive environment for holistic education of a child.
Chinmaya Vidyalaya, VGN, is affiliated to the Central Board of Secondary Education. With the ultimate prospective of being the channel of wholesome education to the students. The Chinmaya Vidyalayas stand unique in intertwining education with values and their by hitting at the ultimatum- VALUE BASED EDUCATION.
Swami Chinmayananda wrote about Sri Swami Sivananda Maharaj, his Diksha Guru, that he was “a seer, a sage, a prophet, a guide, all rolled into one.”
He was a towering personality, extremely dynamic, a rare combination of intense asceticism and inspired seva. A doctor by profession, he treated the body as well as the mind with his insight into the secrets of pharmaceutical preparations and his uplifting humour and innate joy. His vibrant exhortations to seek the highest found expression in his spontaneous outburst of songs. Many were the spiritual stalwarts moulded under the hands of Swami Sivananda.
It was Sri Swami Sivananda Maharaj who found the massive treasure of spiritual wealth hidden in the heart of Balakrishna Menon and made it shine forth in the form of Swami Chinmayananda. The Guru left a deep impact on his student in the method of approaching seekers and the style of addressing them with direct and inspiring spiritual advice. For further in-depth scriptural studies he sent Chinmaya to Sri Swami Tapovan Maharaj
Sri Swami Sivananda Maharaj and Sri Swami Tapovan Maharaj were close friends and interacted frequently. In the early years, both of them lived in Swargashram and would often spend long hours in meditation.
Swami Tapovan Maharaj describes an interesting anecdote in his autobiographical work Ishwara Dharshan:. “Once, when Swamiji (Tapovanji) was residing somewhere beow Brhmanandashrama, Sri Sivanandaji came thim one day at noon and said in English, ‘A Bengali sadhu is residing with me. For the last few days he has been very ill. Just to give him, I want a little milk. I have been going from ashram to ashram for a few ounces. But it has not been available. There is no way to get it except on payment from some shop. If only I had two annas!’ Sri Tapovanji too had been depending entirely on bhiksha. He kept no pie of his own. Yet, somehow, he managed to get four annas and with humble prostrations, handed it over to swami Sivananda, praising his great kindness and love of service. Swamiji (Tapovanji) whole-heartedly admired and respected Swami Sivananda for his loving act of kindness and noble qualities.”
His Books
Besides being a great orator, Pujya Swami Sivananda Maharaj was also a prolific writer. He used the power of the written word to its fullest extent. Books, pamhlets and brochures flowed from his pen with great ease. He wrote on a variety of subjects – Vedanta, Sadhana, Yoga, Saints and Sages and many other topics of general interest.
In September 1951, Swami Sivananda established the Yoga-Vedanta Forest Academy Press, a powerful means of wide dissemination of knowledge through various publications.
The Divine Life Society website displays various books written by Swami Sivananda, on everything from Blood Pressure to the Brahma Sutras.
For more information on Divine Life Society, click here