Ashram News Archives

A Unique Spiritual Experience

A rare opportunity for a fortnight-long immersion into the study and practice of Upanishadic knowledge under the guidance of Swami Nirviseshananda Tirtha.

Upanishads – The Eternal Treasure of Knowledge

Upanishads are the final and the loftiest revelations enshrined in the Vedas. They deal with knowledge and knowledge alone. But this knowledge is not about any material object, deity or philosophy; it is the knowledge of our own real identity.

Religions depend on the faith in some concept of God. Upanishads exhort us to transcend all faiths and concepts, and to discover the Truth first hand.

Upanishadic presentations have a transcendental note, giving us a touch of our innate divinity. They provide illustrations to help us make our mind flexible, impersonal, and vast – finally making it one with the Transcendental Reality.

The Upanishads are the result of the deepest relentless enquiry of the human mind:

1. Is there an Ultimate Reality behind the world we perceive, &
2. Where lies the Ultimate fulfillment of human life. Both the enquiries have been conclusively answered in the Upanishads.  

How Relevant is the Study of Upanishads Today?

Upanishads are prehistoric – authored how many thousands of years ago we do not know. But they deal with a knowledge, which is eternal, and which when practised makes man aware of his eternal identity. All troubles of human life, whether modern or ancient, arise from ignorance of our real identity.

Knowledge of our real identity

• makes our mind expansive and free,
• makes our intelligence subtle and clear, and
• makes our life sane, simple, and cheerful.

It relieves us from selfish constrictions and the resulting stresses. 

Not a theoretical study – the knowledge has to be lived

The purpose of the Upanishads is to provide ultimate fulfillment to human mind – irrespective of time, religious or racial identity. Fulfillment means removal of all greed and insufficiencies. Such a mind excels in confidence, poise, virtues and skills.

Upanishads are a record of:

1. Experiential results of the subjective mind experiments carried out by the Seers of India, which even today anyone can verify, provided he cares to repeat the experiments sincerely.
2. Rational understanding and explanation of the experimental observations.

A mere theoretical knowledge about our true identity has no value unless we strive to become what we have learnt. So, the emphasis must be to relate everything, each word if possible, to our saadhana (spiritual pursuit) – our life, our mind, our deficiencies and constrictions. Truly speaking, Vedanta is not a scholarly study of the scriptures but a way of life.

Upanishadic Knowledge leads to an Integrated Personality

The worldly attractions and repulsions are always pulling our mind outward, making us slave to the external situations.

Knowledge of the Upanishads helps us live and act in the world remaining firmly anchored to our inmost Self. We discover that nothing in the world can really overpower our mind. We can possess or lose anything without getting bound by it, without getting affected by the gain or loss.

The knowledge when practiced frees our mind from the bondages and insufficiencies it suffers from. It integrates the mental, emotional, and intelligential aspects of our personality.

Programme, Date and Venue

Enlightened Living – Way to Inner Transformation

by Swami Nirviseshananda Tirtha

Dates: 2 to 15 Nov 2014 

Venue:Centre for Inner Resources Development, Jamshedpur 

Address:Circuit House Area (NW), Jamshedpur, Jharkhand – 831011, INDIA

What are the objectives of such a Programme?

Through a rational exposure to the study of the Upanishads and Bhagavadgeeta, the participant will

• learn how to apply the knowledge of the scriptures to day-to-day situations and interactions.
• understand how Inner Transformation is the key to all characteral and behavioural qualities
• acquire spiritual knowledge leading to confidence and freedom from stress & anxiety.
• realize how living this knowledge leads to a life of all-round excellence and personal fulfillment.

Close interaction with Swami Nirviseshananda Tirtha will present a unique opportunity to understand how the Upanishadic wisdom can shape and guide every aspect of our life.

Programme Approach and Content

• In the morning classes, Swami Nirviseshananda Tirtha will take up Mundakopanishad as the main text, and will cover quite some important verses from Kathopanishad and Kenopanishad as well. There will be cross-reference to shlokas from various other texts too.
• In the evening classes, as complementary to Upanishads, Swami Nirviseshananda Tirtha will mainly take up the essential portions relevant to saadhana presented in the Bhagavadgeeta.

• In addition, there will be sessions for shloka chanting & learning Sanskrit.
• Participants shall have the opportunity to clarify their understanding and address questions during Interactive (Q&A) sessions with Swamiji.
• Introspection and contemplation sessions will help the participants consolidate and assimilate what they have learnt, and figure out ways and means to incorporate the values in their personality and life.
• One-to-one sessions with Swamiji will present a unique opportunity to the participants to discuss and seek clarity on spiritual saadhana.
• Engaging our mind and body in service to others (sevaa) is a great opportunity to deepen our saadhana. In the process, through interaction with others and observing our own mind and behaviour, we are able to understand and assimilate the teachings. Each participant has the option to spend about 1 hour each day doing sevaa at the centre. It is a joy to work together for no selfish gain.

Who should consider joining this course?

• The program is for true spiritual aspirants from around the world,

1. who wish to lead a life of expansion, excellence, and fulfillment.
2. who sincerely want to bring about an Inner Transformation.
3. who wish to develop a comprehensive vision of life and serve the society.

• It is open to individuals between 25 & 50 years age. Any exception to this will be with Swami Nirviseshananda Tirtha’s guidance.
• Those with sincerity, openness and determination to achieve personal transformation through saadhana should apply for this course.
• In order for you to gain maximum benefit and keep the sanctity of the course it will be imperative for the participants to attend the full duration of the course. No exception will be made on this account.

Swami NirviseshanandaTirtha

Swami Nirviseshananda Tirtha is a disciple of Poojya Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha. He evinced strong inclination for the spiritual path from a very young age. At 24, he was initiated into the pursuit of Brahma-vidya (Self-knowledge) by Baba Gangadhara Paramahamsa of Dakshinkhanda, West Bengal, India. In 1987, he renounced his professional life and dedicated himself wholesomely to spiritual saadhana and societal welfare under the guidance of Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha.

Poojya Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha

A PhD in Physics, Swami Nirviseshananda Tirtha was a scientist and assistant professor in the Indian Institute of Technology – Kharagpur. He says that scientific quest and spiritual pursuit have been complementary in his search for the Ultimate Truth. says that the Scientific Quest and Spiritual Pursuit have been complementary in his search for the Ultimate Truth.

Swami Nirviseshananda Tirtha

Venue: Centre for Inner Resources Development, Jamshedpur

Daily Session Plan

A broad session plan for the day is given below. Since this is a 15 day programme, this may be fine-tuned to suit the needs of the participants and the overall objectives of the programme:

Accommodation:

The participants will be provided shared accommodation and food at the Centre (Centre for Inner Resources Development, Jamshedpur). Rooms are spacious, clean and comfortable with attached bath and toilet. The participants are expected to make their own travel arrangements and also come prepared with sufficient personal clothing and other items.

Fee:

Spiritual Knowledge is a pursuit in itself and not linked to remuneration. In consonance with this spirit, there is no fee for this programme.

However all welfare programs of the Ashram are made possible by the generous support and contributions from individuals who believe in such benevolent activities. Ashrams exist solely for ensuring welfare and cohesion of the society. Of all the various societal-welfare activities, conducted by Narayanashrama Tapovanam, under the guidance of Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha, the primary focus is “dissemination of spiritual knowledge”. 

What is expected of the participants throughout the program?

• The primary requirement is to be mentally attuned to absorb and imbibe the knowledge to the fullest extent possible for your own transformation. This will happen only with an open mind, receptivity, attentiveness and self-effort.
• It is mandatory that the participant will wholeheartedly engage in all the sessions and activities planned during this programme, without any break.

• Participants must be seriously committed to participate in the course for the entire period. 
• The program is designed for intensive absorption of Upanishadic knowledge in a sublime atmosphere. Attentiveness to the teachings, punctuality to the class schedule, sensitivity to others and an open mindset is expected.
• Participants are advised to refrain from the use of laptops, mobile phones and internet and to restrict communication with family/workplace only in unavoidable circumstances. We advise limiting communication to once per week.  This is an intensive retreat and the personal transformation of participants will be maximized by a full and committed immersion.
• Simple vegetarian food will be provided and participants must remain vegetarian throughout the course.

Registration:

• Due to limited accommodation, we request interested participants to apply for this program by 15^th Sep 2014 using the registration form provided here.

• Travel arrangements should be made well in advance due to high demand for tickets in India.
• As we will be reserving your accommodation in our own facility, we request that confirmed applicants ensure their attendance at the program.

References:

For more information on the Ashram and Swami Nirviseshananda Tirtha please visit our online resources. Discourses, audio, articles, photographs, quotations and other links available at:

www.SwamiBhoomanandaTirtha.org 

For video of discourses by Swami Nirviseshananda Tirtha:

www.youtube.com/nutanswamiji

Centre for Inner Resources Development

Satsang Hall, CIRD Delhi 

Poojya Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha conceived of the Centre for Inner Resources Development (CIRD) as a unique knowledge institution that will help individuals discover and harness their Inner Resources to develop a poised all-embracing personality through a deeper understanding of the human mind. Under his guidance, workshops, classes, satsangs, etc. are held at CIRD regularly. CIRDs have been established in Delhi, Jamshedpur, Malaysia & USA.

Narayanashrama Tapovanam – Our Ashram

Narayanashrama Tapovanam, emerged as an abode of learning around Poojya Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha in 1963. The Ashram located in Trichur, Kerala, embodies the unique tradition of Guru-shishya Parampara, disseminating Brahmavidya (Science of Self-knowledge) through regular classes, satsangs, and above all, through learning in the association of a realized spiritual Master. The focus is on the study of the mind and its behavioural intricacies – to make it free and fulfilled.

Narayanshrama Tapovanam in Trichur, Kerala, India

The Ashram contributes significantly to the cultural welfare and evolution of the society, playing an active role in the environmental and economic welfare of the surrounding villages.