I first heard the chanting of Śrī Chinmaya Aṣṭottara Śata Nāmāvaliḥ — a hymn of 108 glories of Pūjya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda — when I began attending Swami Dheerananda’s Vivekacūḍāmaṇi Class in early 2020.
Initially, I chanted along without understanding or paying attention to its meaning. As I continued to hear the hymn weekly in class, I realized that reflecting on the glories of Pūjya Gurudev could be a powerful tool for my spiritual practice. I started to explore various ways to focus on Gurudev’s glories through activities I enjoyed. I listened to Swami Dheerananda’s talks about them, painted them on rocks, and created mandalas inspired by them.
A little over two years ago, on Deepavali, I initiated a sādhanā to reflect on Gurudev’s glories once more. I committed to listening to one of Swami Dheerananda’s talks each day for 108 days, from October 24, 2022 to February 9, 2023. Each day, I reflected on the talk, which inspired me to draw a mandala and write a short affirmation or reflection in my journal. This experience was one of the most enriching of my life, prompting me to create two books to inspire others to undertake a similar sādhanā for their spiritual growth.
The first book is a compilation of my reflections, affirmations, and the mandalas I painted during my sādhanā. It is designed as a coffee table book to inspire readers to reflect on Pūjya Gurudev’s glories. You can browse the book sequentially or randomly, based on your preference.
To explain the practice precisely, here is a snippet from the foreword of the book, beautifully penned by Swami Dheerananda:
We perform Archana to Chinmaya, the pure consciousness invoking Pūjya Gurudev’s grace and blessings by offering our reflections on His glories as Naivedyam unto Him! The Prasāda we receive is the inspiration and guidance to walk the path laid by Him, to reach Him – the abode of infinite bliss and beatitude!
The journey to overcoming internal obstacles in our pursuits can be challenging. Very often, it is a struggle to be mindful. I have found that coloring can serve as a profound method for fostering mindfulness, promoting introspection, and nurturing personal development. Over the years, coloring has greatly assisted me in my mindfulness practice. This is why I created a complimentary coloring book, consisting of 108 mandalas featuring the glories of Gurudev. If your mind wanders while coloring, the idea is to chant or contemplate the glory of Gurudev that corresponds to the page you are working on.
As a small token of gratitude for introducing me to Pūjya Gurudev through his eyes, both books are my humble offering to Swami Dheerananda as Gurudakṣiṇā. They are now available on Amazon, and all proceeds from the sales will go to Chinmaya Mission® Washington Regional Center (CMWRC).
Get a copy to embark on a journey of Self-discovery by reflecting on the glories of Pūjya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda.
Bluishmuse 