´ÉÏ ÍcÉlqÉrÉÉlÉlS A¹Éå¨ÉU zÉiÉlÉÉqÉÉuÉÍsÉ SWAMI CHINMAYANANDA’S ASHTOTTARA-SHATA NAMAVALI The 108 Names of Swami Chinmayananda “THE SANDEEPANY EXPERIENCE” Reflections by TEXT SWAMI GURUBHAKTANANDA 40 Sandeepany’s Vedanta Course List of All the Course Texts in Chronological Sequence: Text TITLE OF TEXT Text TITLE OF TEXT No. No. 1 Sadhana Panchakam 24 Hanuman Chalisa 2 Tattwa Bodha 25 Vakya Vritti 3 Atma Bodha 26 Advaita Makaranda 4 Bhaja Govindam 27 Kaivalya Upanishad 5 Manisha Panchakam 28 Bhagavad Geeta (Discourse -- ) 6 Forgive Me 29 Mundaka Upanishad 7 Upadesha Sara 30 Amritabindu Upanishad 8 Prashna Upanishad 31 Mukunda Mala (Bhakti Text) 9 Dhanyashtakam 32 Tapovan Shatkam 10 Bodha Sara 33 The Mahavakyas, Panchadasi 5 11 Viveka Choodamani 34 Aitareya Upanishad 12 Jnana Sara 35 Narada Bhakti Sutras 13 Drig-Drishya Viveka 36 Taittiriya Upanishad 14 “Tat Twam Asi” – Chand Up 6 37 Jivan Sutrani (Tips for Happy Living) 15 Dhyana Swaroopam 38 Kena Upanishad 16 “Bhoomaiva Sukham” Chand Up 7 39 Aparoksha Anubhuti (Meditation) 17 Manah Shodhanam 40 108 Names of Chinmayananda 18 “Nataka Deepa” – Panchadasi 10 41 Mandukya Upanishad 19 Isavasya Upanishad 42 Dakshinamurty Ashtakam 20 Katha Upanishad 43 Shad Darshanaah 21 “Sara Sangrah” – Yoga Vasishtha 44 Brahma Sootras 22 Vedanta Sara 45 Jivanmuktananda Lahari 23 Mahabharata + Geeta Dhyanam 46 Chinmaya Pledge A NOTE ABOUT SANDEEPANY Sandeepany Sadhanalaya is an institution run by the Chinmaya Mission in Powai, Mumbai, teaching a 2-year Vedanta Course. It has a very balanced daily programme of basic Samskrit, Vedic chanting, Vedanta study, Bhagavatam, Ramacharitmanas, Bhajans, meditation, sports and fitness exercises, team-building outings, games and drama, celebration of all Hindu festivals, weekly Gayatri Havan and Guru Paduka Pooja, and Karma Yoga activities. This series is an effort to promote the learning of Vedanta; it does not replace the Course, but hopes to inspire young people to spend two years of their life for an experience that is sure to make a far-reaching spiritual impact on their personal lives. Sandeepany is an all-round spiritual course that gives proper direction to the youth and to those approaching retirement. Hinduism is in dire need of a band of systematically trained teachers or Acharyas who can serve this Eternal Religion. – The Author, 21st February, the Sacred Maha Shivaratri Day Om Namah Shivaaya! Text 40 ´ÉÏ ÍcÉlqÉrÉÉlÉlS A¹Éå¨ÉU zÉiÉlÉÉqÉÉuÉÍsÉ SRI SWAMI CHINMAYANANDA’S ASHTOTTARA-SHATA NAMAVALI “The 108 Names of Chinmayananda” Composed by Sri Swami Tejomayanandaji These Notes Compiled by Swami Gurubhaktananda on the Series of 7 Lectures by Swami Mitranandaji Director of Chinmaya Mission, Chennai; Delivered at Sandeepany Sadhanalaya, Powai, Mumbai from April 24th to April 27th, 2013 Adi Shankaracharya Swami Sivananda Swami Tapovanji Swami Chinmayananda SERVE LOVE GIVE PURIFY MEDITATE REALISE Copyright & Author’s Details Author: Swami Gurubhaktananda (ex Krishna Chaitanya, born Bipin R. Kapitan in Durban, South Africa) Email: [email protected] © 2020 All Rights Reserved. Copyright held by Swami Gurubhaktananda. About This Edition: Web Edition: 21st February 2020, the Sacred Mahashivaratri Day Website: Chinmaya International Foundation: www.chinfo.org Series Title : The Sandeepany Experience Series Subject: Vedanta & Supportive Subsidiary Texts Declaration by the Author: The material in this series is under inspiration of the Sandeepany Vedanta Course, but largely consists of the Author’s reflections on the Course. He is deeply indebted to the Chinmaya Mission for its excellent presentation of the Course by their renowned and dedicated Acharyas. Personal Dedication 1. To my Late Parents, Smt Sharadaben & Sri Ratilalbhai Kapitan who inspired me to study in life, to stick to the path of Dharma and pursue the highest ideals; and swamped me with their abundant Love; 2. To Pujya Sri Swami Vimalanandaji Maharaj (1932-2019) the Late President of the Divine Life Society of Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India, who constantly encouraged and supported this effort; 3. To Pujya Sri Swami Tejomayanandaji (Guruji) for his boundless vision and inspiration to create a vibrant organisation; 4. To Sri Swami Advayanandaji and Sri Swami Sharadanandaji my Acharyaji and Upa-Acharyaji at Sandeepany, who imparted their bountiful knowledge and wisdom with rare selfless Divine Love, just as the Rishis of yore would wish to see them do. ***** SRI SWAMI CHINMAYANANDA’S ASHTOTTARA-SHATA NAMAVALI “108 Names of Chinmayananda” SWAMI CHINMAYANANDA PUJYA GURUDEV (1916 – 1993) CHINMAYA ASHTOTTARA-SHATA NAMAVALI “The 108 Names of Chinmayananda” CONTENTS General Introduction to the Namavali 2 The 108 Names of Swami Chinmayananda 03 Commentary on Selected Names 11 Short Background of this Namavali 11 Name 01: Salutations to the Unborn 13 Name 02: To the Imperishable 14 Name 03: To the Indestructible 15 Name 05: To the Immeasurable 16 Name 07: To One who has no Limited Abode 18 Name 08: To One who Loved Discipline 20 Name 09: To the Inner Witness 25 Name 13: To One who is Most Eloquent in English 28 Name 16: To One who Encourages & Inspires All 34 Name 19: To the Ocean of Compassion 39 Name 21: To the One who is Beyond Time 42 Name 23: To the “Self-Made” One 47 Name 25: To the Propagator of Knowledge of the Geeta 51 Name 37: To the Restorer of Dilapidated Temples 56 Name 45: To One who is Resolute & Firm 59 Name 46: To One who Re-established Dharma 63 Name 49: To the Instiller of Patience & Courage 66 ***** 1 GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO THE NAMAVALI AN ASHTOTTARA SHATA NAMAVALi is written by devotees to honour a great spiritual personage who has made a significant impact on their lives. Ashtottara may be split into two words, ‘Ashta’ meaning “eight” and ‘Uttara’ meaning “above”. Shata is one word which means “hundred”. The two words together mean “eight above one hundred”, i.e. “108”. Namavali (pronounced Naamaavali) means “a string of names”. This is very common in Hinduism, and the Hindu religion has as many Namavalis as there are sacred Mantras in the religion for various Deities and purposes. An Ashtottara Shata Namavali is “a garland of 108 Names” composed for each Deity in the Hindu pantheon. In addition there are Namavalis composed for every major scripture in the religion. Then there are Namavalis for every well-known saint dating far back into history. Such is the trend that has been set, that today we have an Ashtottara Shata Namavali for every great saint in whose name an organisation has been started. The Namavali forms the focal point for the devotees of different religious organisations to offer their worship to their particular founder-saint or the spiritual guiding light of their lives. The Namavali is chanted regularly, for instance once a month or once a week, at formal occasions specially arranged for the purpose, at which all devotees of the organisation assemble and perform the Puja of their respective saint. In addition, the chanting of the Namavali is an invariable part of observing any major celebration observed by any particular organisation. At every Birth Anniversary of the saint, or on Guru Purnima Day, or the Mahasamadhi Day, or on the auspicious anniversary of any specific milestone in the organisation such as the Founding Day, we see that it is a common item to include the formal chanting of the Namavali on that day. With this background of the importance attached to a Deity’s or a saint’s Namavali, we will appreciate why a whole text was devoted to this theme at the Sandeepany Course. It encapsulates an essential part of the proceedings of every spiritual organisation. The Swami Chinmayananda Ashtottara Shata Namavali This text centres around the Namavali that is chanted by devotees of the Chinmaya Mission, a worldwide organisation whose central world body is named as “Central Chinmaya Mission Trust” or CCMT for short. It has well over 300 active centres in India itself, and a vast network of organisations has developed under the name of Chinmaya Mission West, with its Headquarters in the United States of America at Langhorne, Pennsylvania. The magnitude of the organisation is being mentioned here because it indicates how significant the Namavali has become to the vast network of organisations that fall under the CCMT banner, and serves the needs of spiritual seekers at various levels in the practice of spirituality. No Jnana Yajna event takes place without the Namavali being chanted daily by all the assembled participants of the Yajna. ***** 2 Hari Om ´ÉÏ ÍcÉlqÉrÉÉlÉlS A¹Éå¨ÉU zÉiÉlÉÉqÉÉuÉÍsÉ ¾r§ chinmay¡nanda a½¿µttara ¾atan¡m¡vali SRI SWAMI CHINMAYANANDA’S ASHTOTTARA SHATA NAMAVALI 108 Names in Praise of Sri Swami Chinmayanandaji Maharaj (The 17 Names highlighted in Yellow are discussed in detail in the Commentary that follows) No. SAMSKRIT NAME ENGLISH NAME ENGLISH MEANING 1 Á AeÉÉrÉ lÉqÉÈ µ° aj¡ya nama¦ Salutations to the Unborn 2 Á AurÉrÉÉrÉ lÉqÉÈ µ° avyay¡ya nama¦ Salutations to the Imperishable 3 Á AÌuÉlÉÉÍzÉlÉå lÉqÉÈ µ° avin¡¾in£ nama¦ Salutations to the Indestructible 4 Á AÍcÉlirÉÉrÉ lÉqÉÈ µ° acinty¡ya nama¦ Salutations to the Unthinkable 5 Á AmÉëqÉårÉÉrÉ lÉqÉÈ µ° apram£y¡ya nama¦ Salutations to the Immeasurable 6 Á A̲iÉÏrÉÉrÉ lÉqÉÈ µ° advit§y¡ya nama¦ Salutations to the One without a second 7 Á AÌlÉMåüiÉÉrÉ lÉqÉÈ µ° anik£t¡ya nama¦ Salutations to he who has no abode 8 Á AlÉÑzÉÉxÉlÉ-ÌmÉërÉÉrÉ lÉqÉÈ µ° anu¾¡sana-priy¡ya nama¦ Salutations to he who loves discipline 9 Á AliÉÈxÉÉͤÉhÉå lÉqÉÈ µ° anta¦s¡k½i³£ nama¦ Salutations to the inner Witness