Om
Introduction of
Poojya Swami Atmananda Saraswati
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. Later he came to Omkareshwar on the invitation of his old acquaintance Rao Shailendra Singhji, (of the Royal family of Mandhata), who introduced him to a very learned & virakta Mahatma there, Swami Ramanandaji. He studied Brahma Sutras at the feet of Brahmaleen Swamiji while staying at his Ashram there. He later accompanied Poojya Swamiji to Prayag during the 1990 Poorna Kumbha, and even did Kalpa-Vaas with his Virakta Mandali there. Shailendra Singhji even offered land to Poojya Guruji on the banks of Narmadaji to construct his Ashram there only, but obviously that was not to be, and he later came over to Indore.
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 & Holistic Living Seminar :
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.
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.
