Initiation and Disciple Hood
Balan entered the field of journalism, and worked for The National Herald, where he felt he could influence political, economic and social reform in India. While working at the Herald, Balan went to meet Swami Sivananda at the Swami's Ashram at Ananda Kutir,in Rishikesh because he wanted to write an article criticizing Hindu monks. But instead, Balan's life was changed forever as he became interested in the Hindu spiritual path. Balakrishna Menon took sanyas deeksha (monkhood) from Swami Sivananda on Mahashivratri day on February 25, 1949, and was thus given the name Swami Chinmayananda Saraswati - the one who is saturated in Bliss and pure Consciousness. He stayed at Sivanada Ashram, Rishikesh for several years, and subsequently Swami Sivananda saw further potential in Swami Chinmayananda and sent him to study under a guru in the Himalayas - Swami Tapovan Maharaj under whom he studied for the following years.
Swami Tapovan Maharaj was known for his rigid teaching style, to the point where he told Swami Chinmayananda that he would only say everything once, and at anytime he would ask questions to him. Even with these extreme terms, Swami Chinmayananda stayed with Tapovan maharaj until the very end of 8 years. Being a journalist at heart, Swami Chinmayananda wanted to make this pure knowledge available to all people of all backgrounds, even though Tapovan Maharaj had initially advised against it. Through gentle persuasion and a promise that he would, as the Ganges River, take the knowledge to the plains for the benefit of all Indians, with Tapovan Maharaj's blessings, he left the Himalayas in 1952, to teach the world the knowledge of Vedanta.
Read more about this topic: Chinmayananda Saraswati
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