Ganesh Krishnan
As we conclude another wonderful school year, the Chinmaya Mission Portland families had the
opportunity to listen to and learn from great masters and practitioners of advaita vedanta throughout
the year. Topics varied from Bhagavad Gita to bhakti to practical applications for better living. Here’s
a brief summary of all the jnana yagnas hosted by the Portland center during the 2025-26 school
year and the key takeaways.
Navadha Bhakti by Swami Swaroopanandaji
As the global head of Chinmaya Mission who travels across the world throughout the year on a very
busy schedule, getting Swaroopanandaji to visit Portland is a true blessing. Swamiji immersed us in
true bhakti or devotion using the Nava Vidha Bhakti or Navadha Bhakti (nine modes of devotion)
framework as outlined in Srimad Bhagavatam and Ramacharitamanas.
Bhakti is only one. But there are many expressions, forms, and practices. Navadha Bhakti explores
nine modes of bhakti: sharavanam (hearing), kirtanam (singing), smaranam (remembering),
padasevanam (serving the feet), archanam (worship), vandanam (prostration), dasyam (servitude),
sakhyam (friendship), and atma-nivedanam (self-surrender.)
Swamiji, with his highly engaging style, using several examples, helped us understand that as love
deepens, the ego dissolves, all limitations end, and only oneness with the Lord remains.
Mukundamala by Swami Ishwaranandaji
Composed by the saintly emperor Kulashekara Alvar in the 8th century, Mukundamala is a beautiful
rhythmic poem on Mukunda or Lord Krishna. The yagna was based on a commentary written by
Swami Ishwaranada on this wonderful poem.
Swamiji says that by keeping God as an idol in the temple or in our puja room, away from us, true
devotion cannot be developed. A true, sincere, personal relationship needs to be built for devotion
to fructify, and having an ishta devata is a wonderful pathway for that. This was expounded with
utmost clarity using the examples of the six witnesses: Prahlada, Vibishana, Gajendra, Panchali,
Ahalya, and Dhruva.
Swamiji uses wonderful play of words not only to keep listeners’ attention but also to drive home
very important takeaways. Whether it’s phrases like “worship is a way of shipping worries” or
“devotion as a medicine for sin” along with occasional (dad) jokes, there is never a dull moment
during swamiji’s yagna.
Gita Panchamrit by Brahmacharini Shubhaniji
Gita Panchamrit, an initiative started as a part of the Amrit Mahotsav celebration, seeks to awaken
love and reverence for the Bhagavad Gita in every heart. Carefully chosen by Guruji Swami
Tejomayanandaji and Swami Swaroopanandaji, the five verses are truly inspiring to reflect upon and
provide a very high level summary of Gita’s teaching and its timeless relevance.
Shubhaniji expounded on the mahavakya tat-tvam-asi (that-you-are) using the five verses from Gita
Panchamrit with the first three indicating tvam, the fourth one tat and the last verse asi. From the
tvam standpoint, one needs to lift oneself up at the body level (from pain to persistence), at the
mind level (from reaction to response), and at the intellect level (from validation to values) while
shifting the focus from jiva to atman at the spiritual level. She talked about how karmayoga is the
best pathway for us to slowly work our way from tamas to rajas to satva.
While working at the tvam level, we also focus on tat through ananya bhakti or undivided devotion.
Shubhaniji says: “When you are in the worship mode, worries cannot exist. And when you are in the
worry mode, worship cannot happen.” Through this consistent and regular practice of karmayoga
and bhaktiyoga, the identification with BMI will automatically drop off and asi (from tat-tvam-asi) will
naturally happen.
Converting Hard Times to Happy Times Through Grace by Sri Vivekji
Life is hard. Everything about life is hard. Grace opens up a new pathway to face any hardship. It’s
not an easier pathway, but a better one for sure! Vivekji helped the listeners explore this new
pathway using the 10-point plan that Lord Krishna gives to Uddhava in Chapter 13, verse 4 of 11th
skanda in Srimad Bhagavatam.
Vivekji used a framework of a) traditional meaning of the word, b) contemporary meaning, c) a verb
that relates to it, and d) the tamasic, rajasic, and sattvic types of execution of the verb defined in
step c. Here’s an example of the first point using this framework:
Word: Agama
Traditional meaning: Scripture
Contemporary meaning: Literature
Verb: Reading
Types of reading: Reading for/about possession (tamasic), position (rajasic), peace (sattvic)
Here’s the complete list of 10 points: agama, apa, praja, desha, kaala, karma, janma, dhyana,
mantra, and samskara. When the framework was applied on each of these points, it provided a
wonderful way of looking at the timeless wisdom and making it relevant in today’s world. Our Guru
paramapara insists that when efforts are put in, the Lord gives us more grace to make progress in
our spiritual journey.