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Dilatato Corde 3:2
July – December, 2013
SWAMI ABHISHIKTANANDA IS NOW ONLINE It is difficult to underestimate the importance of Swamiji’s works for spiritual seekers, for people involved in interreligious dialogue, and of course, for scholars and students of Indian religions. Thus the main purpose of this new project is to introduce Swami Abhishiktananda to the general public and to make his ideas and writings available to all of those interested in his legacy.The beautifully designed website comprises Swamiji’s biography, highlighting the main events of his life (such as embracing monasticism, his early Indian experiences, the meetings with Sri Ramana Maharshi and H.W.L. Poonja, his discipleship with Swami Gnanananda Giri, his deep interactions with his principal disciple Marc Chaduc / Swami Ajatananda, and the ultimate awakening in Rishikesh, etc.), quotations from his works revealing the main aspects of his experiences and teachings, a complete bibliography and other research materials. In the near future in order to assist spiritual seekers and prospective scholars with access to Swami Abhishiktananda’s texts, the website will provide a section containing substantial extracts from his writings as well as updated information regarding his published books world-wide. Book reviews and studies will also be placed online. The photo gallery will give the reader a more profound impression of Swamiji’s personality. Among the Abhishiktananda Centre’s aims is publishing Swamiji’s titles in English and in the various Indian languages (for which the copyrights are reserved with the Centre, while the rights for publications in other languages belong to DIMMID). The latest title released is Guru and Disciple: an Encounter with Sri Gnanananda, a Contemporary Spiritual Master (edit.by Swami Atmananda Udasin, preface by Swami Nityananda Giri, Chennai, Samata Books, 2012). Other titles out of print and due for re-publication and updating include The Secret of Arunachala and The Further Shore. The Centre’s website also contains all the necessary information regarding the books’ availability online. Other activities from the Centre include organizing interreligious retreat-seminars and meetings dedicated to Swami Abhishiktananda, or related to his life and legacy such as his mahasamadhi commemoration due to be held at Ajatananda Ashram, an interreligious monastic ashram in Rishikesh, India, on 6-8 December 2013. These events will seek to reunite people who knew Swamiji personally (including one of his first Indian disciples), those interested in his personality and his writings, researchers of his spiritual and literary heritage and contemporary spiritual teachers representing diverse religious traditions. The news and updates related to the abovementioned activities will also appear online on the Centre’s website. Additionally, having inherited the rights for Swami Abhishiktananda’s titles in English and Indian languages from the Abhishiktananda Society (1978 – 2008), the Abhishiktananda Centre for Interreligious Dialogue seeks to promote his legacy with the newly introduced website as an important example of this. The Centre also stores the Abhishiktananda Archives, comprising original manuscripts (both handwritten and typed), of which the digitization of this was completed in 2012 (access is however restricted to accredited scholars). For further information please email: info@abhishiktananda.org.in. The Centre’s official address is: Abhishiktananda Centre for Interreligious Dialogue |
_Web.jpg) Dr. Maxim Demchenko is Associate Professor of History and Phenomenology of Religion at the Russian Orthodox University, Moscow. He has authored Aspects of Hindu-Christian Dialogue in the Mid-Twentieth Century (According to Jules Monchanin’s and Henri Le Saux’ Experience), doctoral thesis, Russian State University of Humanities, Moscow, 2011; and The Path of Saccidananda, Moscow (Ganga), 2008 (in Russian). He has also published the first Russian translation of Swami Abhishiktananda’s Guru and Disciple, Moscow (Ganga), 2013, and is currently working on the translation of Swami Abhishiktananda’s other titles into Russian. He is a Member of the Editorial Board of the Abhishiktananda Centre for Interreligious Dialogue (Delhi).
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