|
Poojya
Guruji Sri Swami Atmananda Saraswati is the founder of Vedanta
Mission. He is a well known scholar of Vedanta whose lectures on Gita,
Upanishads and other Vedantic texts are organized regularly all over India and
abroad.
Before Sanyas Deeksha :
Poojya
Swamiji was born in a pious Brahmin family of UP. His father was a doctor
in the Indian Army. A science graduate he took to the studies of
scriptures early in his life. He was given the Mantra Deeksha while he was
in his college by Jagadguru Sankaracharya of Dwarka Math Sri Swami
Swaroopanandaji Maharaj. In 1980 he joined Sandeepany Sadhanalaya at Mumbai
- a Gurukula run by Chinmaya Mission. His Acharya there was Sri Swami
Viditatmanandaji. After completing his studies there he was given the
Naishthik Brahmacharya Deeksha in 1983, and was appointed the Acharya of
Sandeepany Himalayas in Himachal Pradesh. There he conducted two similar
courses on Vedanta.
After Sanyas Deeksha :
In 1987
he was given the final initiation, the Sanyas deeksha by H.H. Swami
Chinmayananda, and thereafter he came to be known as Swami Atmananda
Saraswati. In 1989, after completing the assignment given to him at
Sandeepany Himalayas, he left his Guru Ashram and toured the country as an
ascetic, visiting various Ashrams, Mahatmas and scholars. Most noteworthy
was his stay on the banks of River Narmada at Omkareshwar, where he
continued his further studies & sadhana at the feet of Sri Swami
Ramanandaji Maharaj of the Markandeya Sanyas Ashram.
Established ‘Vedanta Mission’
in 1992 :
In 1992
as per his inspiration he established the Vedanta Mission, to share the
wisdom of Vedanta with the world. Vedanta Mission has been since
then organizing a variety of his programs to fulfill the great vacuum which
exists in the field of Spiritual awareness. Noteworthy of them are his
Discourses, Gyana Yagna's, Sadhana Camp's, Open-house inter-active
Discussion sessions, Stress Management Workshops, Work on Internet and many
such activities aimed at spreading the message of Vedanta to one and all.
Geeta lectures of Poojya Swamiji have been aired by Zee TV - one of the
most popular Satellite channels in India. His first foreign tour
was organized in 1996. More than 300 Audio and Video tapes of his
discourses have been released by the Mission.
Swamiji prefers to give lectures in Hindi, but is equally at home with
English.
Established ‘Vedanta Ashram’ in 1995 :
In 1995
Poojya Swamiji established his Ashram appropriately called Vedanta Ashram
in Indore (MP). Here he also runs a Gurukula to teach Vedanta to full time
students. The Gurukula is run by a registered Public Trust (Vedanta
Parmarthic Sewa Trust) established by him. He is the Chairman of the Trust.
The Acharya in charge of the Gurukula is his disciple H.H. Swamini
Amitananda.
With his
bubbling enthusiasm to take the message of Vedanta to those who really need
it, Swamiji designed a special Workshop on Stress Management wherein
he has inculcated the wisdom of Gita to help eliminate the fast spreading
epidemic of Stress. He has used a Holistic approach to handle this problem
inculcating the best all available wisdom. These Workshops have been
organized by various industrial groups, banks etc. for their executives and
other personnel's.
Publications & Internet :
Poojya
Guruji personally uses the Computer & Internet in a big way. He has
designed & loaded various Web Sites, started Mailing Lists & Discussion
Forums for both serious seekers and young aspirants, started online Vedanta
lessons on the Net, provides free guidance & counseling to various
seekers all over the world by e-mail, has released various Net-publications
like 'Letters of Guruji' etc. The first ever e-zine
of Vedanta & Sanatan Dharma called Vedanta Sandesh is also being
regularly published on the Net from 1998 by him. A bi-monthly magazine has
also been started from July 1999 called Vedanta Piyush. It is in Hindi
and has sections in English as well. The entire work is handled by
the Swamis. It is a pleasant surprise that apart from getting lessons on
Vedanta the devotees also get tips & directions on the use of computer
& internet.
Poojya
Swamiji indeed loves to tread an unbeaten path and is creatively
discovering new ways & means to take the message of Vedanta to one
& all. He walks alone, loves to take challenges and devotes thoroughly
to whatever he has undertaken, an ideal recipe for success and
satisfaction.
Spiritual Heritage Camps :
A
new Project was started by Poojya Guruji in 2002. This is a special
Spiritual Awareness Package for foreigners and NRI’s coming to India.
These will be in the form of short 4-5 days Camps. They have been
categorized in the form of Basic & Advanced Spiritual Heritage of
India Camps.
Holistic Living Seminar :
In
2003 Poojya Guruji has come out with yet another unique program. The
Holistic Living Seminars. These are 4-5 hours single day programs and
reveal the Nature & Benefits of Holistic Living, Using Holistic Living
for solving day to day problems, and a Package to inculcate the vision of
Holistic Living.
|
