The Satsang in Smt. Sushila Mudaliar’s garden in Pune on December 23rd 1951 consisted of six listeners, besides Swamiji and the host. Swamiji was delighted. He wrote to Swami Tapovanam and informed him that there was one more person than expected! Sushila Mudaliar was a telephone operator and Swamiji had meet her when she had come to Uttarkashi to meet Swami Tapovanam. Along with Shri Gopal Reddy of Hyderabad(A devotee of Swami Sivananda), they were the two contacts who would prove invaluable in organizing Swamiji’s early Jnana Yagnas. 

 

18 people had gathered at The Ganesh Temple, Hari Hara Bhajana Samajam at Rastapeth Pune for the first Jnana Yaga. 7 days were spent in introduction and then Kena Upanishad was started. First Yagna was held from 31st December 1951 to 8th April 1952 at Pune on Kenopanishad & Kathopanishad and which lasted for 100 days from 31st December 1951 to 8th April 1952 at Pune. 7 days were spent in introduction and then Kena Upanishad was started. followed by Kathopanishad. Residents of Pune recall that Swamiji spent 60 of the 100 days just on introduction.   

 

Swami Chinmayananda invited the questioning mind to protest against tradition, to challenge ancient dogma and accept neither the words of the scriptures nor the interpretation of the sages on blind faith – the ideas were to be tested by individual contemplation, integration and experience. 

 

Continuous Chanting(Akhanda Kirtan) of the Mahamantra was organized for 40 days Havan, Morning Meditation classes, Distribution of Yagna Prasad-A Booklet containing Summary of the talks was introduced in the First Jnana Yagna. 8000 people were fed in Annadanam at the end of the First yagna. 

 

The second Upanishad Jnana Yagna was planned in Chennai from 25th April 1953 at Madras on Mundaka Upanishad. No priest would consider having a non-Brahmin talk on the scriptures, especially the Upanishads and that too in English. Hence no temples offered the venue. Finally a Muslim acquaintance of Swamiji’s host Shri (Kuttikrishna Menon) came forward to offer Arni Palace where the 2nd Jnana Yagna was held from 26 April 1953 for 41 days.

 

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There was only one problem - the Arni Palace was haunted. “Well, I’ve never seen a ghost,” said Swamiji quite amused. “This looks like a good opportunity.” Within a week the crowd had grown beyond all expectations and the hal in the palace was abandoned for a canvas shelter on the spacious palace grounds, complete with platform and microphone. Pilgrimage, Temple Visit & Sprinkling of Ganga Water was introduced by Swami Chinmayananda after the 2nd Jnana Yagna. 

 

The third Upanishad Jnana Yagna started from 12th September 1953 at Delhi. The choice of the text -Mandukya Upanishad must have shocked a good many definitely. It was a 91 days Yagna. Since this Yagna treated the most subtle of Upanishads, Swamiji particularly emphasized Meditation and the first phase of the yagna was devoted to the explanation and practice of meditation. 

 

Starting with the 13th Jnana yagna (in September 1955 in Delhi) Swamiji started taking the Bhagavad Geeta during the evening lectures. 

 

To know how the Jnana Yagnas led to the formation of Chinmaya Mission, move to your left, towards the Chinmaya Mission Lamp fountain.

 

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Early Jnana Yagnas

 

This panel is a photographic montage of the first three Jnana Yagnas that Swami Chinmayananda conducted from the time he came down to the plains.