Chinmaya Mission
Presently headed by His Holiness Swami Tejomayananda, the Mission is administered by Central Chinmaya Mission Trust (CCMT) in Mumbai, India. Under Swami Tejomayananda's guidance, the Mission has continued mushrooming across the universe and stands today with over 300 centres worldwide.
Mission Statement
To provide to individuals from any background, the wisdom of Vedanta and the practical means for spiritual growth and happiness, enabling them to become positive contributors to society.Mission Motto
To give maximum happiness to the maximum number for the maximum time is our religion.Advaita Vedanta
Following the Vedic teacher-student tradition (guru-shishya parampara), Chinmaya Mission makes available the ageless wisdom of Advaita Vedanta, the knowledge of Universal Oneness, and provides the tools to realize the wisdom in one's life. "To give maximum happiness to the maximum number for the maximum time" is the tenet that drives Mission workers to uplift humanity beyond selfish and sectarian attitudes and activities. Each person's gain is manifold: personal growth, heightened efficiency, contentment, and the ability to live with others in peace and harmony.Vedanta, the essential core of Hinduism, is the universal science of life, relevant to all people of all backgrounds and faiths. Vedanta inspires spiritual seekers to understand their own faith better. Thus, although Chinmaya Mission is a Hindu spiritual organization, it does not seek to convert other religious practitioners.
Many Services, One Goal
Chinmaya Mission is a movement that continues to touch and transform all aspects of human life. As a spiritual movement that aims for inner growth at individual and collective levels, the Mission offers a wide array of Vedanta study forums for all ages, promotes Indian classical art forms, and operates numerous social service projects. To date, millions worldwide have benefitted directly or indirectly from Chinmaya Mission's numerous centres, ashrams, classes, events, services, and projects.| Chinmaya Yuva Kendra |
The youth have always been symbols of bountiful energy, ambitious dynamism, inspiring creativity, and dauntless courage. To uplift themselves and their world, to awaken harmony within and without, to apply their vibrant energy for the betterment of society, they only require a noble cause, a high ideal, a sense of deep devotion, and the right channels of service.
Chinmaya Yuva Kendra, or CHYK, is the global youth wing of Chinmaya Mission (ages 14-28 years). It aims to help youth discover their hidden potential and tap into its infinite source at will. From the inner unravelling of young minds, personalities of wisdom, beauty, and universality beam forth. Through their shared light of righteous actions, noble principles, and compassionate hearts can the world at large come to bask in the harmony of Oneness.
What started in 1975 as a small youth forum in Bangalore has now evolved into a global, dynamic, organized body that promotes personal spiritual unfoldment, varying social services, and integrated leadership skills. Spanning over 120 cities on four continents, CHYK has helped thousands of youth transform themselves and their world on multifarious levels. CHYK Motto: Harnessing Youth Potential through Dynamic Spirituality
CHYK Mission Statement: To empower youth with the vision, values, and dynamism for success in all fields.
Swami Chinmayananda founded CHYK with the vision of helping youth realize their latent and infinite inner potential. Having created for them a conducive atmosphere of learning, and to guide them in their spiritual studies and growth he encouraged them to test the logic and practicality of Vedantic scriptural teachings through applications in daily life. This emphasis on knowledge through application he called, ‘Spirituality in Action’ or ‘Dynamic Spirituality,’ and its tradition in CHYK continues to date.
Chinmaya Yuva Kendra, like the bow, is the means and not the end. The sharpened arrow symbolizes purity of mind and clarity of vision. While serving the world, one should (first) take care of one's self-unfoldment. After you free yourself by yourself (attain Self-realization), do not forget the goal that should be reached. May you be one with the goal to serve one and all.
- Swami Tejomayananda, Head of Chinmaya Mission Worldwide
In order to seek and discover one’s higher potential within, CHYK focusses on spiritual growth and scriptural studies of Advaita Vedanta through study classes.
CHYK study classes are interactive reading and discussion sessions where participants study a Vedantic text based on the syllabus developed by Swami Chinmayananda and supplemented by Swami Tejomayananda. Trained moderators and class coordinators guide students to reflect deeply, examine critically, and debate positively based on their comprehension and personal experiences. Through such contemplation, students gain a more meaningful and practical insight into scriptural texts, and come to live the teachings on the strength of their convictions.
The CHYK study curriculum, developed by Swami Chinmayananda, and further enhanced by Swami Tejomayananda, has been given below in the order of study.
All listed texts are Chinmaya publications and may be ordered through your nearest Chinmaya Mission centre.
Camps and Workshops From residential retreats, to one-day workshops, to seminars, symposia, debates, and competitions, CHYKs around the world have continued to think outside the box and organize unique, creative events, with catchy themes, relevant topics, and intriguing activities, to help exploit and unfurl all of one’s personality layers: physical, mental, intellectual, and spiritual.
While CHYK events differ enormously in style and content, the purpose and result of positive and uplifting energy that characterizes every CHYK activity pervades each event organizer, participant, and spectator alike. All CHYK special events are planned and organized under the auspices of Chinmaya Mission's host of acharyas, who constantly motivate, guide, channelise, and strengthen CHYKs on their journey of inner purity and evolution. One such special event was the National Gita Quiz conducted in India for tens of thousands of participants.
Dynamic spirituality is best exemplified through the various social service projects CHYKs have served and fundraised for over the years. Countless CHYKs regularly undertake teaching value-based living to children and teenagers in slums, organizing and serving at eye clinics in remote villages, planning and managing mobile medical services, and conducting blood drives for various blood banks and hospitals.
Be it music, dance, drama, or even finance, marketing, and event management, CHYK serves as a motivating resource for youth to develop their talents in service of something greater than themselves.
While the public at large benefits from uplifting musical performances and grand theatrical productions, the true beneficiaries are the CHYK performers and organizers who get the opportunity to express themselves and fundraise to serve hundreds of thousands through the Mission’s numerous social service projects.
“Before I knew about CHYK, I always used to focus on my limits. Now I know that I am limitless.”
CHYK field trips are some of the most physically adventurous and spiritually uplifting activities, for they promote stimulating teamwork, striking confidence, exceptional leadership, and lasting friendships. Whether under the cloak of rigorous trekking, white water rafting, mountain climbing, or motorcycle rallies, CHYKs are focussed on Vedantic teachings, and ready and confident to break their mental boundaries, act fearlessly through right channelling of energy, and strengthen their powers of concentration, endurance, and laughter. Through their CHYK adventures, participants gain personal insights into the Vedantic truth that man’s true nature is limitless and filled with infinite potential.
CHYK’s reputed and inspiring international monthly magazine, Chinmaya Udghosh, has continually evolved over the years in style and content. Filled with CHYK news and events, thought-provoking articles and interviews, inspiring anecdotes, and striking messages, quotes, and Q&A on spirituality, universality, philosophy, ethics, and leadership, readers the world over have benefitted from this CHYK work of art and heart.
Activities at Regional Centres
- Chinmaya Bala Vihars (Value education classes for children)
- Chinmaya Yuva Kendras - CHYK (Vedanta forums for youth)
- Chinmaya Study Groups (Vedanta forums for adults) & Devi Groups (Vedanta forums for housewives)
- Jnana Yajnas (Vedanta lecture series, seminars, workshops) and Spiritual Retreats and Camps (for all ages)
- Chinmaya Swaranjali (Musical wing of Chinmaya Mission)
- Chinmaya Vanaprastha Sansthan (Vedanta forums for senior citizens)
- Intensive Vedanta Courses (two year residential course on Vedanta)
- Youth Empowerment Programme - YEP (two year course of Vedanta study & service)
- Dharma Sevak Courses (two week course on the fundamentals of Vedanta)
- Vedanta Correspondence Courses (postal or e-mail)
- Veda Vidya Peetha (two year course on how to conduct rituals)
- Chinmaya Organisation for Rural Development (CORD)
- Chinmaya Vibhooti (Chinmaya Mission's Vision Centre)
- Chinmaya Naada Bindu (school of Indian classical music and dance)
