When Balan returned to Ananda Kutir in late August 1948, he had decided to follow the path of Renunciation and become a Swami. Swami Sivananda told him to write to his father to obtain permission. His father was stunned that his wayward and agnostic son had been transformed into a deeply spiritual and disciplined intellectual. In spite of personal reservations, he wrote his letter of consent to Swami Sivananda. 

 

Sannyas

With the blessings of his father Balan prepared for a monastic life. The initiates arrived at the ritual site after a purifying bath in the Ganga and the shaving of the head leaving only a tuft on the crown to represent the final attachment - To the Guru, God & Scriptures. They were given the Upanayanam and initated into Brahmacharya Diksha from 6 -7am in the morning. That evening the Pinda-Kriya, shraddha & tarpan was done by them. Next morning on 25th February 1949, they took the three purificatory dips into the Ganga’s chill waters and renounced the three worlds and its enjoyments. 

 

Ready to strike at the root of Bondage, the Viraja Homa was performed, where the initiates surrender attachment to the body, mind, intellect, ego and everything related to the past, into the sacrificial fire while chanting the Viraja Homa Mantras Next was the ceremonial tonsure where the tuft is removed, representing elimination of all attachments. 

 

After this, Swami Sivananda handed the ochre robes to Balan. Thus, on 25th February 1949, on the holy day of Shivaratri, P.Balakrishna Menon was initiated into the divine order of Sannyas (renunciation) by Swami Sivananda along with 5 others. Thus Bala Krishna Menon became the ascetic Swami Chinmayananda Sarasvati.

 

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With each immersion the following was pledged - 

 

Om Bhuh Sannyastam Mayaa

(The physical world, which includes the body and all the objects of the world, is renounced by me) 

 

Om Bhuvah Sannyastam Mayaa

(The astral world, which includes the emotions and all ancestors, is renounced by me) 

 

Om Suvah Sannyastam Mayaa

(The celestial world, which includes Higher thoughts and all gods, is renounced by me) 

 

For the Sannyasi, the personality and the past is dead. There is no psychological remembrance of the past - past memories of love, nor the responsibilities of the family of the Purvashrama. The only duty of a sannyasi is to Contemplate on the Self and serve the society. 

 

After Sannyas Swami Chinmayananda wrote a letter to his sister Padmini alias Thankam on the backside of the group pic of Sannyas. 

 

The letter said - “

OM 

 

A Guru alone can point to us the supreme source of the real Ganga flowing within us. Trace the source and you will never more come back to see the river roaring among the rocks or foaming into cataracts. Peace, joy and bliss are at the Source.” 

 

- Swami Chinmayananda 10.03.1949

 

Interview with Champion magazine, 1950.

 

“Swamiji, why did you take sannyas?”

 

“What you do have me do? Marry, breed, fight and talk shop until, wrecked with age and sorrow, this body drops down dead? Chinmaya was tired of living in the tomb, so he walked out into the open to breathe, to bask, to work and to live.”

 

Design Notes

 

Sceptic to Sannyasi

 

In this exhibit, there are digitally printed panels in the form of sails that rise from the water and extend up into the sky. Made of light tensile fabrics, they are dynamic and metaphorically represent the journey of Swami Chinmayananda from a Sceptic to a Sannyasi. The panels are situated on the river as the events depicted during this time of his life occurred around the river Ganga.