Chinmaya Mission is a movement, a spiritual journey and a highway to happiness. This has been done by utilizing their two major contributions to society: the Science of Living and the Logic of Spirituality.
The story of Chinmaya Mission starts with Swami Tapovan Maharaj. The Mission itself was started by devotees of Swami Chinmayananda.
Swami Tejomayananda was our illustrious leader after the passing of Swami Chinmayananda. Our present leader is Swami Swaroopananda.
For decades, Chinmaya Mission has organized local spiritual activities in over 250 centres in India alone, with a vast expanse into over 25 countries around the world. Throughout the years, the aim of the organization has been to transform the lives of the needy, orphaned, displaced and poor with development projects, schools, hospitals and seminaries. Special classes are held for children, youth and adults at each centre.
Chinmaya Mission Halton began in Burlington, Ontario with a vibrant Balavihar of over 25 families, that went from home to home each Sunday in the cities of Burlington, Oakville and Mississauga.
Incorporated in 1990 as “Chinmaya Mission Halton Region”, the organization has been a key player in the Development sector in places like Ghana, Haiti, Bangalore and Sidhbari. Currently, CMHR works with the Chinmaya Organization for Rural Development (CORD).
In 2012, Guruji, Swami Tejomayananda wished for grassroot work comprising of Balavihar, Yuvakendra and Study Groups to begin again in the Halton (Burlington, Oakville, Milton, Halton Hills, west Mississauga). Our present activities take place in the town of MIlton, Ontario.
Our Leaders
Swami Tapovan Maharaj
A Vedantian, astrict teacher, apoet and a sage with great wisdom and tranquility. The guru of Swami Chinmayananda who said about him: “He was a God without a temple, a Veda without language.”
Born in Kerala in 1889 as Chippu Kutty, and grew up enjoying Puranic stories. He became a scholar of Vedanta mastering Malayalam and Sanskrit. After the deaths of his parents, he left his home and travelled widely to become immersed in Vedantic scriptures.
He was ordained by Swami Janardhana Giri of Kailash ashram as Swami Tapovanam (means “the forest of austerities”). After being ordained, he chose to live in Uttarkashi near the bank of River Ganges.
He attained mahasamadhi (exiting his mortal self) on January 16, 1957.
Swami Chinmayananda
One of the greatest exponents of Vedanta, which is the foundation of Hindu religion and culture.
Born on May 8, 1916 as Balakrihnana Menon, he completed degrees in Law and Literature at the same time fought for India’s freedom against the British.
While working as a journalist for “The National Herald” he travelled to Rishikesh where his aim was to “expose the sadhus (monks)”. While at the ashram of Swami Shivananda, a transformation began where he asked himself what is the purpose of life and what is the secret to permanent happiness. This led him to seek monk-hood.
On February 25, 1949, he was reborn as Swami Chinmayananda
After staying with Swami Sivananda, he was guided to go to Uttarkashi to study under Swami Tapovanam. After years of studying under this renowned master, and obtaining the blessings of his guru, Swamiji conducted his first gyana yagna (spiritual discourse) in Pune in 1951.
The rest is history…. the wheels of motion began to spin….. Chinmaya Mission was formed and the activities continued to spread across India, to United States, Canada, the Orient and many other parts of the world.
An author of over 40 books, he has written commentaries on the Upanishads. Notably, his commentary of the Bhagawad Geeta is acknowledged as one of the finest ever written.
Swamiji gained mahasamadhi (exiting his mortal self) on August 3, 1993 in San Diego. He believed in, what is today, the Mission’s Motto:
“To give maximum happiness to the maximum number for the maximum time is our religion“
His greatest gifts:
- Spreading the sublime knowledge of Vedanta
- Re-invigorating Indian culture, and
- Performing extension social services for the disadvantaged and underprivileged, opening schools, college, hospitals, old age homes, rural village development projects, seminaries and research centres
Swami Tejomayananda
Born in Maharashtra on June 30, 1950 as Sudhakar Kaitwade.
While doing his Master’s degree in Physics, he met Swami Chinmayananda. Thoroughly inspired, he joined the Vedanta course in Mumbai. After completing the course in 1975, he was posted to many centre across India in succession.
On October 21, 1983, Swami Chinmayananda initiated him into sanyas (i.e. to become a Swami) and gave him the name Swami Tejomayananda, at which time he became the acharya of Sandeepany in Mumbai.
In 1989, Swami Tejomayananda was sent to Chinmaya Mission West and was in charge of all Chinmaya Mission activities across North America. Upon Swami Chinmayananda’s mahasamadhi in 1993, Swami Tejomayananda returned to India to become the head of the Mission.
While head of the Mission, he continued to make sure the vision of his guru (Swami Chinmayananda) was met in all sectors of the world.
An author of several works in Sanskrit, he has also written many commentaries of old texts such as Dirg Drishya Viveka, Kapila Geeta, and others. His continued genius lies in being able to adroitly combine the knowledge of Vedanta and the ideals of bhakti (devotion), while also living the examples of these ideals. In this vein, he is a great poet, a singer and a composer of many bhajans (devotional songs).
Swami Swaroopananda
Present Global Head of Chinmaya Worldwide
Swami Swaroopananda became the head of Chinmaya Mission Worldwide January 2017 at the request of Swami Tejoyananda, who stepped down at that time.
He is the head of Chinmaya Mission Vishavavidyapeet Trust (University for Sanskrit and India Traditions) and director of Chinmaya Mission’s International Residential School in Coimbatore.
In 1984, gave up his family’s business in Hong Kong to undergo spiritual training under Swami Chinmayananda and Swami Tejomayananda, and was ordained into the monastic order in 1992.
He has authored several commentaries on Ik Omkar, the Mrythunjaya Mantra, and Sankat Mochan, among many other books. He is renowned for conducting Holistic Management Seminars for corporations and universities around the world.