The Daily Journal, Caracas, Venezuela, Tuesday, May 30,1995
Hindu Swami Stresses meditation
By Bridget Parker
Daily Journal Staff

Swathed in his saffron robes, Swami Shuddhananda Brahmachari, a Hindu monk on a visit to the Indian Club in Caracas, emits an aura of mysticism. Patiently, he explains the principles of Hinduism and monkhood.

"According to the Vedic tradition, a Brahmachari — or Monk —devotes his life exclusively to seeking God and spreading the glory of God through meditation and through service to suffering humanity," said the swami. "He is celibate and considers the whole family of God to be his family. People of all colors, creeds and nationalities."

The swami himself became a monk at the age of 26, though the call had been with him much longer.

"From childhood I longed to know that which is the deepest truth," he smiled enigmatically, fingertips touching. "When I was 16 I got in touch with a saint of India and then the call from the divine became intense."

Finally at the age of 22 the swami was initiated into yoga —that is he received his mantra (the name of the divine in seed form) from a spiritual master.

"As a disciple I nurtured that seed," said the monk. "The divine name then sprouts and becomes tree of divine experience."

While that was happening, the swami continued to work as a professor of economics until the call to priesthood became so powerful that he renounced everything and became a "full timer" to God’s work.

For six years, the young monk took up residence in a monastery and practiced the spiritual discipline of Hinduism. When the swami was ready, he traveled to the Himalayas, where he chose to live in small village nested in the foothills. Here in Bageshwar, he was embraced by the inhabitants where he was adopted as the village monk.

"It was in 1985 that I went on to found the Lokenath Divine Life Mission," the swami said. "The aim was to spread the message and work for those underprivileged children of God who are manifestations of God."

The work was inspired by the teachings and thinkings of the swami’s master’s master— Baba Lokenath Brahmachari, an Indian saint who lived 1730-1890.

"Today in 55 villages in the remote eastern part of India and 34 slums in Calcutta, Madras and Gauhati, intense grassroots level work is going on in order to give education," said the teacher, "education for creating human beings who know the purpose of life."

In addition to education, health projects and vocation al training programs have been established. The objective being to enable villagers to achieve a better quality of life through productivity and self reliance.

"We create an environment where children can come together to learn and play and we provide training for women so they can pursue new vocations," he explained enthusiastically.

It was in 1990 that he began to travel to Europe and the U.S. on a twofold mission — to raise spiritual awareness among Indian communities on those continents and to raise funds.

"I came to share the ancient wisdom of our land," he explained. "To spread the word of meditation, yoga and vegetarianism, and secondly to raise funds for the work in India. I want to create awareness that in sharing our love with underprivileged and in working for the upliftment of the poor and downtrodden, true peace and happiness of heart can be found. In the U.S. there is a huge Indian population. I go to remind them that they have to pay back their debts to their sisters and brothers of the motherland."

The message by all accounts is well received. Swami has made repeated journeys to the States and his short stay in Caracas is tagged on to a three-month tour of the U.S. He is the guest of the Chaudhuri family — longtime residents of Venezuela. During his stay, a reception was held at the Indian Embassy, which was followed by a talk by the swami, titled " Meditation and Spirituality." "Meditation is your own effort to find a true balanced life," he said. "A Life of harmony and peace — within and without."

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