The Chinmaya Mission Pledge

THE CHINMAYA MISSION PLEDGE

“Holding an Organisation Together”

“THE SANDEEPANY EXPERIENCE”

Reflections by TEXT SWAMI GURUBHAKTANANDA

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 Pujya Gurudev 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 The Chinmaya Mission 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, 29th May, 2020, 1st Punyatithi of Sri Swami Vimalanandaji Maharaj

Om Namah Shivaaya!

Text 46

The Secret of Chinmaya Mission’s Success THE CHINMAYA MISSION PLEDGE “Holding an Organisation Together”

Composed by Sri Swami Chinmayanandaji

Reflections by Swami Gurubhaktananda on the Series of 5 Lectures Delivered by Swami Mitranandaji Director-Acharyaji, Chinmaya Heritage, Chennai; to the 15th Batch, Sandeepany Sadhanalaya, Powai, Mumbai. December 11th – 13th, 2011

Adi Shankaracharya Swami Sivananda Swami Tapovanji Swami Chinmayananda SERVE  LOVE  GIVE  PURIFY  MEDITATE  REALISE

Author: Swami Gurubhaktananda (ex Krishna Chaitanya, born Bipin R. Kapitan in Durban, South Africa) Email: [email protected]

About This Edition: Web Edition: 29th May, 2020, 1st Punyatithi of Sri Swami Vimalanandaji 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.

*****

THE CHINMAYA MISSION PLEDGE

“Holding an Organisation Together”

THE CHINMAYA MISSION PLEDGE “Holding an Organisation Together”

CONTENTS

A. THE CHINMAYA MISSION PLEDGE 2

Verses in Samskrit + English Transliteration 2 English Transliteration (in words) + Translation 3 Origin of the Chinmaya Mission 4 + Origin of the Pledge & Other Mottos + Value of Taking this Pledge 1. The First Sentence “One Family” 5 2. The Second Sentence “A Disciplined Army” 8 3. The Third Sentence “Sacrifice & Service” 10 Large Photo of Swami Chinmayananda 11 4. The Fourth Sentence “The Lord’s Grace” 12 5. The Fifth Sentence “Service of Our Country” 13 6. The Sixth Sentence “Our Responsibilities” 16

B. PLEDGES & PRAYERS IN OTHER ORGANISATIONS 18

7. The Universal Prayer Sri Swami Sivananda 18 8. The Peace Prayer Sri Swami Omkar 19 9. The Devotee’s Surrender Sri Swami Ramdas 20 10. An Instrument of Thy Peace St. Francis of Assissi 21 11. A Mind Without Fear Rabindranath Tagore 22

*****

Teamwork 1

"ÍcÉlqÉrÉ ÍqÉwÉlÉç" mÉëÌiÉ¥ÉÉ

THE CHINMAYA MISSION PLEDGE

by Sri Swami Chinmayananda

Note to Readers: The text in this book is written as addressed directly by the Acharya, Sri Swami Mitranandaji, to the Sandeepany students. Thus, the reader is being placed as though he is attending the class itself!

i) IN SAMSKRIT (4 verses, 6 sentences)

“ÍcÉlqÉrÉ ÍqÉwÉlÉç” mÉëÌiÉ¥ÉÉ “cinmaya mi½an” pratij²¡

1 xÉuÉåï uÉrÉÇ aÉÉå§ÉÍqÉuÉ xqÉ LMÇü 1 sarv£ vaya¯ gµtramiva sma £ka¯ mÉëåqÉÉSUzsÉ¤hÉaÉÑhÉÉlÉÑoÉ®ÉÈ | pr£m¡dara¾lak½³agu³¡nubaddh¡¦ | 2 rÉÉå®ÒÇ xÉSÉ cÉÉÎZÉsÉSÒwmÉëuÉ×¨ÉÏÈ 2 yµddhu¯ sad¡ c¡khiladu½prav»tt§¦ xÉålÉåuÉ ÍxÉ®É ÌlÉrÉiÉÉ¶É kÉÏUÉÈ || 1 || s£n£va siddh¡ niyat¡¾ca dh§r¡¦ || 1 ||

3 xÉåuÉÉmÉËUirÉÉaÉqÉrÉÉrÉÑwÉÉ cÉ 3 s£v¡parity¡gamay¡yu½¡ ca mÉëÌiÉaÉëWåûprÉÉåÅÍkÉMüqÉåuÉ S©È | pratigrah£bhyµ:'dhikam£va dadma¦ | 4 qÉlÉÎxuÉiÉÉixÉªÒhÉkÉærÉïqÉÉaÉåï 4 manasvit¡tsadgu³adhairyam¡rg£ rÉÉiÉÑÇ mÉëxÉÉSÉrÉ pÉeÉÉqÉ DzÉqÉç || 2 || y¡tu¯ pras¡d¡ya bhaj¡ma §¾am || 2 || mÉëpÉÉå M×ümÉÉ iÉå cÉ zÉÑpÉÉÍzÉwÉÉåÅxqÉSè prabhµ k»p¡ t£ ca ¾ubh¡¾i½µ:'smad ²ÉUÉÅÍpÉiÉÉåÅÎxqÉlÉç eÉaÉÌiÉ xÉëuÉliÉÑ | dv¡r¡:'bhitµ:'smin jagati sravantu | 5 5 xuÉSåzÉxÉåuÉæuÉ cÉ SåuÉxÉåuÉÉ svad£¾as£vaiva ca d£vas£v¡ xÉSåÌiÉ pÉÉå ! ÌuÉµÉÍxÉqÉÉå SØRÇû cÉ || 3 || sad£ti bhµ ! vi¾vasimµ d»¢ha¯ ca || 3 || eÉlÉåwÉÑ pÉÌ£üÈ mÉUqÉÉiqÉpÉÌ£üÈ jan£½u bhakti¦ param¡tmabhakti¦ 6 6 CÌiÉ xuÉMüÉrÉÉïÍhÉ cÉ xÉÑ¸Ò ÌuÉ©È iti svak¡ry¡³i ca su½¿hu vidma¦ iÉåzÉÉÇ mÉëmÉÔirÉæï M×ümÉrÉÉ mÉëpÉÉå lÉÉå t£¾¡¯ prapÀrtyai k»pay¡ prabhµ nµ oÉsÉÇ cÉ kÉærÉïÇ ÌuÉiÉUÉåmÉrÉÑ£üqÉç || 4 || bala¯ ca dhairya¯ vitarµpayuktam || 4 ||

|| Á iÉiÉç xÉiÉç || || µ° tat sat ||

ii) SAMSKRIT WORDS & ENGLISH TRANSLATION

"chinmaya mishhan" pratijnā The Chinmaya Mission Pledge

1. sarve vayaṁ gotram iva sma ekaṁ premādarah lakṩhṇaguṇa anubaddhāh | We stand as One Family, bound to each other with love and respect.

2. yoddhuṁ sadā cha akhila duṩhpravṛttīh sena iva siddhā niyatāh cha dhīrāh || 1 ||

We serve as An Army, courageous and disciplined, ever ready to fight against all low tendencies and false values, within and without us.

3. sevā-parityāgamayāyuṩhā cha pratigrahebhyah adhikam eva dadmah | We live honestly the noble life of Sacrifice and Service, producing more than what we consume, and giving more than what we receive.

4. manasvitāt-sadguṇa-dhairya-mārge yātuṁ prasādāya bhajāma īsham || 2 || prabho kṛpā te cha shubhāshiṩho asmad dvārā abhitah asmin jagati sravantu | We seek The Lord’s Grace to keep us on the path of virtue, courage and wisdom. May Thy grace and blessings flow through us to the world around us.

5. svadesha-seva eva cha deva-sevā sadeti bho ! vishvasimo dṛḍhaṁ cha || 3 || janeṩhu bhaktih paramātmabhaktih We believe that the Service of our Country is the Service of the Lord of Lords, and devotion to the people is devotion to the Supreme Self.

6. iti svakāryāṇi cha suṩhṭhu vidmah teshāṁ prapūrtyai kṛpayā prabho nah balaṁ cha dhairyaṁ vitaropayuktam || 4 || We know Our Responsibilities; Give us the ability and courage to fulfill them.

***** Om Tat Sat

ORIGIN OF THE CHINMAYA MISSION

THE CHINMAYA MISSION organization was formed on 9th August, 1953. Swami Chinmayananda, now known as Gurudev, had begun his lectures in 1951, when the first Geeta Yajna began in Pune on December 23rd with an introductory series of talks entitled “How to Be Good Hindus”. This was followed by the Yajna which began on 31st December. Then he went to a few other cities on lecturing invitations, such as Madras (now Chennai), Palghat, Delhi, etc. People who were inspired by him were keen to form an organization. The people suggested the name “Chinmaya Mission”. Gurudev flatly refused to start anything under his name. Then it was argued to him that ‘Chinmaya’ stood for Knowledge of the Self. The name stood, and the Chinmaya Mission organization was formed.

ORIGIN OF THE PLEDGE & OTHER MOTTOS

Late in the 1950’s there came the request to have a Pledge for the organization. Sri Gurudev unhesitatingly gave it. It came out spontaneously, in one shot, on the spot, while he had people around him. He never had it revised. It stood as it came – from its Source of inspiration: it was from his heart! The Pledge consolidated the Mission. Significant landmarks in the Movement were:

 BAL VIHAR: The formation of Bal Vihar in 1953/4. The Bal Vihar was given the motto “Keep Smiling.”  CHINMAYA YUVAK KENDRA (CHYK): This was formed in 1975. The motto: “Harnessing Youth Potential Through Dynamic Spirituality.”  CHINMAYA MISSION: has its general Motto as: “Maximum Happiness, to the Maximum People, for the Maximum Time.”

VALUE OF TAKING THIS PLEDGE

The way a pledge is taken by people is greatly dependent on the person who originates the pledge, who has created it and conceived it. In this case it is Swami Chinmayanandaji, known in the organization as Pujya Gurudev. Gurudev was a Brahma-Nishtha, someone who was Self-realised, who lived in the full consciousness of the Divine. He was also a great patriot of India. He was very steady and consistent in all that he did, not fickle-minded and changing his stance with shifting sands. He was someone who adhered to what he believed. Such a person commands the allegiance of people by the strength of his character. When such a person asks others to make a promise, it carries great weight. It becomes a very serious matter. It has very practical and deep implications. In that promise lies the hope of following in his footsteps.

***** 4

1. THE FIRST SENTENCE “One FAMILY”

“We stand as One Family, bound to each other with love and respect.”

The Family Unit & Patriotism Who is the family unit? First it starts with the Mission members, and then it must extend to as wide a circle as possible – to the entire creation. We start small, and expand to Infinity. At the time of the Rishis in ancient India, not much was written about ‘Desh Bhakti’ or love of one’s country. Patriotism did not develop so much as a creed. The main reason for this was that the vision of the Rishis was beyond any geographical boundary. To them the starting point itself was the “entire universe”! Secondly, there was not much of a political threat in India at that time. Hence, national security was not a major consideration. Notwithstanding that, we observe that the family unit of that period was extremely strong. The culture of India was supported by the excellent values upheld by each family. The family is a great support system. It is a brilliant mutual support network. There is great strength in togetherness. If we come together, we can achieve. We will not know our strength until we start working together as a family.

Preservation of Values Let us look at how Hindu society preserved its great family values in the past – until about 200 years ago, when foreign invaders succeeded in breaking it apart. 200 years ago and earlier we did not have an organization as we know it today. How then did the knowledge get handed down from generation to generation? The FAMILY was the organization. Those families who were interested in and valued knowledge, ensured that they supported a system which perpetuated that knowledge. They made sure that their children were taught this knowledge and would also pass it on to their children. The requisite social fabric was structured to be able to do that. The original pure version of the Caste System came into being. Today, when the family unit has cracked, knowledge is also seen to have dissolved with it. There isn’t the same support for it as there was at the times when the family unit was strong. As a consequence of decline in maintaining the knowledge in every field of human endeavour, values began slipping. Values were compromised. Let us take an example: Take the value of protecting Nature. If many countries get together and decide that they will save Nature, then it will have strength and they can succeed. The important factor is to have a strong support for the value that is sought, and work together to achieve it.

If we value this knowledge, we can stand together and protect it.

Broadening the Base of the Organisation After the first ten years, Gurudev had completed the 100th Yajna. At that time to mark the occasion, he called up a National Yajna. People from all States were to be represented. It was a massive gathering, and the nation responded beautifully. This gathering generated its own dynamism. We came to know what our strengths were. We could then aim further, knowing our strengths. This is indeed what happened, and the organization received a huge fillip in broadening work throughout the country. It was around this period that the need was felt to start the Vedanta Courses such as this Sandeepany Course. The first Course took place from 1963 to 1968, conducted by Pujya Gurudev himself. There were new problems that had to be dealt with under the new situation of expanding the organization. Diversity had to be faced and handled. In such a large organization there has to be variety. That variety has to be accepted. When it comes to the goal, we put aside our differences, and develop the family feeling, centered on the great goal and ideal before us. As the organization progresses, the “I” feeling can get the better of us if we are not careful enough. To counter this spirit of selfishness, we have to build on the “family spirit”. The family spirit keeps the ego in check. If strong hatred is there towards anyone, we get agitated whenever we face that person. This is counter productive for the organization. So let us start thinking along these lines.

Love and Respect When we work together for the same cause, there comes the need for maintaining good relationships among the work force. Love and respect become of vital importance when groups of people work together, particularly if it is a large organization and over a long period of time. Love and respect are the basic values that keep a team strong. We must learn to cultivate these qualities. It may need investment of time and money to build up these qualities. We have to respect others for what they are doing. Then the differences can be overlooked. On the other hand, if respect is not there, the differences get exaggerated or magnified, and it can become intolerable to work together.

How Yajna Brings People Together Bringing people together is an art. There is a good saying about this: “Coming together is a beginning; Staying together is progress; Working together is success.”

One of the great aims of having Yajnas is to bring people together. The event generates “togetherness”. Lord Krishna has said in the Geeta that whatever we aspire towards, let it be in the spirit of togetherness. Feeling together as a family is vital. When we support each other as a family we can succeed. This example shows how a noble work has to be done as a team: A village is not functioning well. Someone there is trying to be bigger than the village, and so starts splitting it up. What is the solution? A Mahatma is consulted, and he says, “Perform a Yajna.” 6

Everyone has to contribute something for the Yajna. Some give in kind, some in money, some in talent, and some in know-how. It is love and respect that binds people together. Love has to be selfless, with no attachment. In the world, many times selfishness is mistaken for love. Practising love is not easy. It has to be practical. Swamiji here quoted an experience of his own: “We look at an example from the life of Swami Tapovanji. He was our Pujya Gurudev’s Guru, that is, our Param Guru. To him Swami Chinmayanandaji was like a son. He could have called him by his first name. But he never did that. In an old letter that I was lucky to peruse, I saw for myself how he addressed Pujya Gurudev. It was always Pujya Gurudev.” Namaste: The one standing in front of us is to be taken as God Himself, and therefore deserves the same consideration as God would. The simple word ‘Namaste’ is a great example of implementing a principle of philosophy into a daily action. We as a people have upheld it for millenniums, not just centuries. The meaning of this greeting is “I salute the Divine in you!” The higher we climb, the more humble we have to be. We cannot look down upon anybody. We have no right to look down upon anybody. If we are seeing God in all, we will not look down upon anybody.

*****

Students on Inauguration Day

2. THE SECOND SENTENCE “A Disciplined ARMY”

“We serve as an Army, courageous and disciplined, ever ready to fight against all low tendencies and false values, within and without us.”

We serve as an Army: No matter what happens we must obey the man at the top. He is the one who has the greater vision. From his vantage point he can see a greater scope than we can from lower down. So we are asked to obey the command from our leader as an army obeys its Commander-in-Chief. The military discipline is clear. Everyone follows the leader without question. In every decision to be made, there is one leader.

Courageous: As in an army, we must also be courageous. We have to get fear out of the way. To walk towards the unknown, leaving behind the known, is Courage. Getting rid of fear has got to be top priority. You as students of this Course have already shown some of that courage by coming here. You must have had many people trying to discourage you from joining the Course. They were probably telling you that you could be earning money in that time. You could be furthering your career. You could be doing so many ‘other’ things. Yet you chose to make this sacrifice. That was courage. Courage is indeed a rare quality. And we can test it only against something or someone who is more courageous. If we throw a stone at a dog, the dog runs. If we throw a stone at a lion, it is WE that have to run.

Disciplined: There is a Zen saying: “In a dark room when you are alone, you must be how you would be in the presence of a noble guest.” Discipline is having the right behaviour under all conditions, particularly when we are unnoticed. How we place our shoes outside our room, or at the temple, tells a lot about the standard of our self-discipline. We have to pay attention to details in order to fix our lives, just as a radio technician has to pay attention to every connection in order to fix a radio. When it comes to our interaction with the world, there too it has to have discipline. Attending to emails promptly is an example. Attending to people who call on you, no matter what their status is, is also important. Clearing your desk of backlog and keeping abreast of your work is vital to keep your anxiety level low.

Low tendencies and false values: Here is a good example of how to know what values we keep. I had a workshop once with top executives of a large company. I asked them to give some examples of successful people. They named a few – Bill Gates, Sachin Tendulkar, Amitabh Bachan among them. The results showed that all the people named were either wealthy or popular. Those were the main criteria for gauging successful people. So I asked the group, “Is your mother a failure? Is your father a failure? Why have you not included their names?”

The example proved how false values determine our thinking, dominate our attention, and influence our actions. Anyone continuously holding low thinking, will end up being low in his character. Therefore, we must be ever alert to maintain a high level of thinking. All of you have already made great sacrifices in being here. Some of you have staked all your security to be here. That is great. But where you go from here will now depend on how alert you are. It will depend on how you take up responsibilities, how well you serve others and the organization. Alertness means there should be no Tamas. Tamas has to be shaken out of your system.

*****

Launch of the Srimad Bhagavatam Class

3. THE THIRD SENTENCE “Sacrifice & Service”

“We live honestly, the noble life of Sacrifice and Service, producing more than what we consume, and giving more than what we receive.”

Sacrifice: Giving up the lower for the higher is sacrifice. Giving up the higher for the lower is compromise. The noble life consists of sacrifice; the lower life entails an endless string of compromises whereby the higher ideals are abandoned for the sake of short-term gains. This is how low tendencies arise – they are a direct result of holding on to false values. Thus our hope of leading a good, valuable life rests on the values we uphold. If we compromise even once, we begin the landslide to end up in the gutters. To fall, it is very easy. Newton’s laws of gravity apply to one’s character also. In the Chinmaya Mission our path has been set out as “Self-unfoldment through study and service.”

Service: To serve we need to have the attitude of gratitude to the person we are serving. There is a beautiful saying by Sri T L Vaswani, the founder of the Mira Movement of the Sadhu Vasvani Mission in Pune, now led by the dynamic Sri Dada J P Vaswani. He had said, “The reward of service is more service.” It means if we serve well, more opportunities will open to us to serve.

Honest Living: This is another great value to live by. Live with the minimum, so that we are not dependent on others. It needs contentment to live that way. This life-style will also enable us to follow the rest of the sentence: “To produce more than what we consume; to give more than what we receive.” There is the noble example from the life of Lord Rama. After his conquest in Lanka over Ravana, He was returning to Ayodhya. Before entering the city, he sent Sri Hanuman on an important mission ahead of Him. He asked Hanuman to give the news to Bharat and to ‘scan’ his face with attention to see if Bharat had even the slightest trace of sadness at Rama’s return. Rama was allowing for the possibility that Bharat may have become attached, even slightly, to the power of running the country. Sri Hanuman entered the city and saw that Bharat was not even living in the palace. He had placed Lord Rama’s sandals on the throne, while he lived in Nandigram in the same simple dress as his exiled brother was living in the forest. In fact, so particular he was not to live more comfortably than Sri Rama and in a higher status than Him, that he actually excavated the ground and lived beneath ground level to feel he was “below” his noble Brother! Observing this, Hanuman saw no need to convey any message to Bharat; his purity and humility were clear to see. The point about the story is to see the simplicity of Bharat’s life. Secondly, we see how the spirit of sacrifice was ingrained in both the brothers. They were not tempted by power, nor were they keen on having power. They had their minds on higher ideals, which they would never compromise for the sake of worldly power and glory.

Pujya Gurudev SRI SWAMI CHINMAYANANDA (1916 – 1993)

***** 11

4. THE FOURTH SENTENCE “The Lord’s GRACE”

“We seek The Lord’s Grace to keep us on the path of Virtue, Courage and Wisdom. May Thy Grace flow through us to the world around us!”

HERE, IN THE middle of the pledge we find the word Courage appearing again a second time. That is how important it was seen by Pujya Gurudev, who himself was an embodiment of fearlessness. The prayer here is: “O Lord, I am finding it difficult to do this – I seek Your Grace!” Treading the path of Virtue, Courage and Wisdom is not easy. The path of service is strewn with thorns and stones. The life of a servant of God is like that of a log of wood flowing down a river, hurtling towards the sea. It is going to take quite a beating before it reaches the sea, all bruised and beaten up. Possessing the virtues listed here would be like attaching a motor to this log that would steer it safely past all the obstacles it encounters on the way, and thus arrive in an unharmed state to its destination. This sentence also incorporates in it the awareness of being a Servant of God and feeling that it is He that works through us. May we always remind ourselves of this fact, so that we do not become swollen-headed and seek glory for ourselves. This is vital in order to continue doing our work selflessly. We should always feel that we are working in a team, and that the team is functioning under God.

*****

Sandeepany 15th Batch Students

5. THE FIFTH SENTENCE “Service of our COUNTRY”

“We believe that the Service of our Country is the service of the Lord of Lords, and devotion to the people is devotion to the Supreme Self.”

THE PLEDGE BRINGS in the value of Patriotism as its last call to commitment. Swami Chinmayanandaji was a patriot throughout his life, even after taking Sannyas. His life was a great inspiration in itself for members of the organization to practice this virtue.

The Example of Subhash Chandra Bose I quote here an example from the life of another great patriot of India – namely, Subhash Chandra Bose. Subhashji was at one time President of the Indian Congress. He was a great, dynamic leader, but his path differed from that of Gandhiji in respect of the policy of non-violence. He was, nonetheless, still a great patriot. He had escaped from India and gone to Germany to get help to form a resistance army to combat the British Government in India. He was a model of fearlessness. During his escapades, he travelled by submarine from Germany, around the Cape of the southern tip of Africa, and thence to India. That gives some idea of what he was made of. His call for volunteers to build the Indian National Army brought forth 80,000 recruits. He recruited Indian soldiers who were held captive by Germany and other countries of the Axis powers. What did he promise the recruits? “I can promise you only Death!” he told them. With that he won their respect and allegiance, by the sheer strength of his character and his patriotism.

Quality of Life vs Quality of Living Instances like these can inspire us. At the time of the Indian struggle for independence, value was placed on quality of life rather than quality of living. The standard of Life was very high, despite the standard of living being next to poverty. Although people lived in poverty, they held their heads high with high ideals. The leaders inspired in them the highest and noblest ideals, and they were happy to work towards these. Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda knew the degrading influence of Tamas, and so he fought it with the weapon of Discipline. Only discipline could overcome the lethargy of Tamas. The energy released by overcoming Tamas was used constructively for the freedom of the country. Another example of high thinking was the example of Karna in the Mahabharata. Karna’s spirit of charity was so outstanding that it overshadowed all other weaknesses he may have shown. Were it not for his charitable spirit, Karna would have been a mediocre character. One more example I shall quote to you. It lies in the fiery words of the saint Bhartru Hari. He said, “Fearlessness is attained only through Vairagya or dispassion. Detachment and 13 wisdom are needed to acquire fearlessness.” Thus we see that Virtue, Courage and Wisdom are all interlinked to produce the fruit of Fearlessness. Regarding Patriotism and the helpless political condition that Indians found themselves in, in the last century, we have to remember that it is not the world or any people outside who are stopping us from progressing, but we ourselves. Keeping that in mind increases our commitment to work together for our country.

Devotion to the People: The biggest obstacle to obtaining the Grace of the Lord is selfishness. If we shake off selfishness, we can pull out the root of the ego. Then His Grace flows freely through us. Devotion to the people requires selflessness. Hence its high place in the scheme of spiritual practices. Selflessness is illustrated in the following anecdote. A devotee had done such great work that the Lord was pleased and offered him a boon to ask for anything. The devotee replied, “The very fact, O Lord, that you are so pleased is itself a reward to me. It is fulfilling enough, I do not need anything else.” The Lord still would not accept this, and pressed him to ask for something at least. Then the devotee said, “If you force me to ask for something, let it be this – that let good happen through me, and let me not even be aware of it!” “Devotion to the people is devotion to God.” We have to feel that service to man is service to God. The example we have is of Pujya Gurudev who used to see his audience as Deities. When he lectured, it was not lecturing as far as he was concerned. He was invoking the Deity of Knowledge in each person in the audience. That was his daily Pooja. What a grand, inspiring vision he had! Such an attitude takes one away from self-centredness, thus intensifying devotion. Teaching is the great form of service that Pujya Gurudev has made available for us. It is a field where we can be selfless. It can be made into a channel of service where His Grace can flow freely through us. Here is one way in which we can take both devotion and service to greater heights:

Raising One’s Ideal We can bring in Patriotism to devotion and service and therely extend the field of our activity. Pujya Gurudev was very patriotic before and after Sannyas. It never left him. It was part of his Bhakti, part of his motivation. Patriotism was an anchor to him as it was to Swami Vivekananda. At present the Chinmaya Mission is busy working on a new project, intended to encompass the Centenary of the founder, Swami Chinmayananda, in the year 2016. It is entitled : “Develop INDIANS, to develop INDIA.” In this way the widest scope has been given to the project. The Individual has to be developed for the collective to develop. If each Indian develops, India will be developed by him. Working for ourselves is one level of an ideal. Working for others enlarges that ideal. Working for the Nation takes that ideal to its heights. This is what is meant by “raising one’s ideal.” Another point about holding a high ideal is this: When we identify with a higher ideal, the best comes out in us, that is, the highest part of us develops. When there is a low ideal, what comes forward is also very low. When there is no ideal at all, we cease to grow.

Let us look at an example from the business sector. There is a company that produces milk and milk products and distributes them throughout the country. When the CEO was being congratulated for this achievement, he said that that was only the first stage of growth. “I aim to sell our products in the land which is world famous for its dairy industry – Switzerland. When we can successfully establish a market for our firm in that country then I will be satisfied.” That is an example of having a high ideal in business, namely, to compete with the best in the world. Similarly, we can also raise our ideal in the field of Service. The Nation can become the arena to reach out to. If this were not important, it would not have appeared in the Pledge. “Patriotism is service to the Lord of the Lords.” Such vision brings out the best in us. Someone asked Ramana Maharshi, “What is God?” He replied, “What IS, is God!” This is an example of an exalted vision in the field of spirituality.

*****

At Sandeepany, age of students is immaterial!

6. THE SIXTH SENTENCE “Our Responsibilities”

“We know Our Responsibilities; give us the ability and courage to fulfill them.”

IN THIS CONCLUDING sentence, the focus is on our Responsibilities. Living the ideal life in accordance with the framework set up in this Pledge, becomes our responsibility. To spell it out, we have a summary of the Pledge: 1. We have a responsibility to bond to our colleagues in the Mission as a family, with love and respect for each other. 2. We have the responsibility of carrying out our allotted function as a cadet would in an army – with discipline and ready to stand up for the highest values. 3. We have a responsibility to be honest in whatever we do, especially in doing our share of the work thoroughly. We should give more than what we take. 4. We have a responsibility to the Lord in return for all the help we receive from Him to stick to this noble path. Having benefited from His Grace, we allow that Grace to flow through us to others. 5. We have a responsibility of extending our frontiers of work to as wide an arena as possible. This is our responsibility to our Country. 6. We execute all these responsibilities to the best of our ability with Courage.

Ability & Courage To develop these two is our responsibility to the group we are working in. They are our personal inputs into the team. Every individual has to give off his best – that is what is expected of him or her. Note that the word Courage is used here for the third time in the Pledge. How important a quality this is can be gauged from that fact alone. Pujya Gurudev began a project with courage, executed it with courage, and brought it to a successful end with courage. That included a project such as creating this Pledge! Take your own case as students at Sandeepany as an example on what it means to be responsible. Your responsibility as students at the moment is to LEARN well, to put your heart into your studies. That is your immediate goal and responsibility. You must be sincere in studies. That is the foundation for future growth, within or outside the Chinmaya Mission.

Story on Responsibility We close with a good story illustrating the importance of each person in a team playing his part well with a sense of responsibility. In a certain town, there was to be arranged a large Pooja or worship on a special occasion. The leader asked that everyone in the town should bring some milk and pour it

16 into a large vessel that would be kept in the temple. This milk was needed for the offering during the Pooja. The offering had to be a voluntary contribution from each individual. The day before the Pooja, people began to come to the temple throughout the day. Each person poured his milk offering into the vessel and left. On the next day, at the time of the Pooja, the vessel was brought to the shrine area and the priest began to pour it over the idol whilst the whole congregation looked on. To everyone’s amazement, there was no milk at all but only plain water! Every single person had cheated the town by not carrying out his responsibility. Each one thought that no one would notice if he brought only water instead of milk. This lack of a sense of responsibility rendered the whole Pooja a total failure. All the townsfolk were jointly exposed in front of all the visiting guests from the neighbouring towns!

Om Tat Sat *****

SANDEEPANY GROUP PHOTO

15th Batch Vedanta Course 2011-2013

PLEDGES & PRAYERS

by Saints of

Other Organisations

7. “The Universal Prayer” DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY SIVANANDASHRAM by Sri Swami Sivananda, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand

O Adorable Lord of Mercy and Love! Salutations and prostrations unto Thee. Thou art Satchidananda (Existence-Knowledge-Bliss). Thou art Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient. Thou art the Indweller of all beings.

Grant us an understanding heart, Equal vision, balanced mind, Faith devotion and wisdom. Grant us inner spiritual strength To resist temptations and to control the mind. Free us from egoism, lust, greed, anger and hatred. Fill our hearts with divine virtues.

Let us behold Thee in all these names and forms. Let us serve Thee in all these names and forms. Let us ever remember Thee. Let us ever sing Thy glories. Let Thy Name be ever on our lips. Let us abide in Thee forever and ever.

***** 

8. “The Peace Prayer” SHANTI ASHRAM by Sri Swami Omkar, Totapalli Hills, Andhra

O Adorable Presence! Thou who art within and without, above and below and all around; Thou who art interpenetrating the very cells of our being; Thou who art the Eye of our eyes, the Ear of our ears, the Heart of our hearts, the Mind of our minds, the Breath of our breaths, the Life of our lives, and the Soul of our souls;

Bless us dear God, to be aware of Thy Presence Now and Here. This is all that we ask of Thee.

May all be aware of Thy Presence in the East and the West, in the North and the South!

May Peace and Goodwill abide among individuals as well as communities and nations! This is our earnest Prayer.

May Peace be unto all!

Om Shanti! Shanti! Shantih!

*****

9. “The Devotee’s Surrender” ANANDASHRAM by Sri Swami Ramdas, Kanhangad, Kerala

1. Lord of the Universe! O Creator, Protector and Destroyer of the worlds! I come in all humility to Thy holy feet and surrender myself entirely to Thee. 2. Deign to bless me ever with Thy sweet remembrance. O merciful Divine Master, give me strength, purity and peace. 3. Thou art seated in the hearts of all; Thou art all purity, all goodness and all love. Thou art a veritable ocean of peace and bliss. Thou art the lover of Thy devotees, refuge of the helpless. 4. Redeemer and saviour of those who resign themselves to Thee. Make me dedicate my life to Thee and to Thy service. 5. By Thy Grace may peace and joy always dwell in my heart. Thou art mother, Master, friend and all to me. 6. Accept me as Thy child and servant. Grant me power to love Thee with all my heart. 7. Let whatever I do be a fitting offering at Thy holy feet. Make me pure in thought, word and deed. 8. I lay my mind at Thy feet – fill it always with Thy remembrance. Let Thy glorious light illumine my heart. 9. sustainer of the worlds, O kind and compassionate Lord, God of gods! Give me the Divine Vision so that I may behold Thee in all, as All. 10. Make me ever feel Thy constant fellowship. May my life be guided and controlled by Thee. Thy Presence be ever with me, in me and everywhere around me. 11. I beg of Thee, I prostrate before Thee. Hearken to this heartfelt prayer of mine and make me Thine and Thine only, for ever and ever!

*****

10. “An Instrument of Thy Peace” The Nocera Inferiore Monastery by St. Francis of Assissi, Italy

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace Where there is hatred, let me sow love Where there is injury, pardon Where there is doubt, faith Where there is despair, hope Where there is darkness, light And where there is sadness, joy

O Divine Master, grant that I may Not so much seek to be consoled as to console To be understood, as to understand To be loved, as to love For it is in giving that we receive And it's in pardoning that we are pardoned And it's in dying that we are born to Eternal Life Amen.

*****

11. “A Mind Without Fear” India’s Struggle for Freedom by Rabindranath Tagore

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; Where knowledge is free; Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls; Where words come out from the depth of truth; Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection:

Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the desert sand of dead habit; Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action – Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

This is my prayer to thee, my lord – Strike, strike at the root of penury in my heart. Give me the strength lightly to bear my joys and sorrows. Give me the strength to make my love fruitful in service. Give me the strength never to disown the poor or bend my lowes before insolent might. Give me the strength to raise my mind high above daily trifles. And give me the strength to surrender my strength to thy will with love.

*****