Swami Guneshananda
Ramakrishna Mission
Speaker's biography
Swami Guneshananda is a monk of Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission since last twenty two years. At present he is serving at Visakhapatnam branch and looking after educational, cultural, medical, tribal development and relief activities.
He has addressed more than two lakh students of various schools, colleges and Universities on various topics such as Craft Your Character, Right Use of Emotions etc. He conducts workshops for corporate sector on Life Management, Stress Management, Art of Work etc. He also organizes Summer Camps for school going children to develop moral values and culture among them.
more info
Be a Master of Yourself
Students of GITAM Institute of Technology
28.12.2016
In his lecture on “Be a Master of Yourself” Swami Guneshananda explained the necessity of good character in one's life. Swami Vivekananda defined education as the manifestation of perfection already in man. In order to get that perfection we need to understand that our education doesn't end with mere certificates or degrees, rather it is a long and continuous process.
Swami introduced the ABC techniques to help the students to understand more on the perfection where A stands for Awareness, B for Belongingness and C for Commitment. He explained the story of Yogendra Yadav, the hero of Kargil war to show how these qualities are combined together in some people. He described the stories of Gandhiji and Sr. Niveditha to portray how good character can win over the opponents.
Observation, discrimination and perseverance are the manifestations of good character. There are two kinds of people in the society. One is of ADC, i. e., Accusing, Demanding and Complaining. About 90% of human beings are coming under this category and they never care about or help others. The second category is LRC, i.e., Loving, Respecting and Cooperative. Even though they are few in number, they are the worth living people. What India expects from the young generation is to inculcate the quality of respect, love and cooperation. Only those people can sacrifice their life and service for the society.
Discover Yourself
Students of GITAM Institute of Technology
20.12.2016
The speaker emphasized the need of sacrifice to achieve success in one's life. If we really want success, it is essential to sacrifice our lower desires. According to Swami Guneshananda, the success (S) can be measured using a formula, i.e., S=3D+3C+3Q; Where 3D stands for Dedication, Determination and Devotion; 3C Stands for Confidence, Communication and Concentration; 3Q Stands for Intelligence Quotient (IQ), Emotional Quotient (EQ), and Spiritual Quotient (SQ).
We live in a materialistic society where technology is much above human wisdom. As long as humans run the technology, it's good for the society, but now technology has started running humans. It degrades human relationships and personal sacrifices.
According to Swami, Study is the austerity for the students. Austerity can be equated with the word tapas in Sanskrit. The literal meaning of the word is 'willing to sacrifice'. If we analyze the great work of any individuals, we can see the sacrifices they have made in the beginning. All of them might have gone through various stages like Opposition, Negligence and Acceptance from the society.
The modern youth often love things and use people, instead of that what we need today is to love people and use things. For that we have to use our wisdom and understand our goals. Like Gandhi, we have to strengthen the means rather than strengthening our goals. If we are equipped with good means success will be ours.
Secret of Efficiency
Students of GITAM Institute of Medical Science and Research & GITAM Institute of Nursing
22.12.2016
Swamiji emphasized on the importance of having a goal in life. A goal-less and aim-less life would be like a horse that wanders in the woods and has lost its direction. Humans have the additional powers of intellect and wisdom. These two need to be put to application in order to enhance one's knowledge. Real definition of knowledge would be how we can put the ideals we have picked up in our day to 9 day lives. How can we put this knowledge in turn to the benefit of the society at large? Which is the major challenge?
Swamiji emphasized that the attitude one holds behind every work is important. It is man that makes work great and it should not be the other way round. Real joy comes to a person when he serves others. Joy is not at all the kind of fun people are indulging in now-a-days. Joy is spread and multiplied when there is more service tothe humanity. One can enjoy life to the fullest when this is the case.
Unselfishness is divine and godly. Unselfish service is what would increase the efficiency everyone's lives. The more we become unselfish the more power that comes from within. He urged the students to empower their brains with good thoughts. Swamiji emphasized the importance of observation, discrimination and perseverance in one's life so as to emerge victorious in the challenges that are thrown at us. With the right efforts, slipping souls can be roused to Divinity
Craft Your Character
Students of GITAM Institute of Technology
21.12.2016
With the main theme of today's lecture being 'Craft Your Character', Swamiji touched upon multifarious topics that led to the students' understanding the value of having a good character. Several examples, anecdotes and real life incidents (Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Madan Mohan Malaviya, and Sister Nivedita) were shared by him to drive home the importance of developing a strong and robust character. At several instances in the lecture, he quoted Swami Vivekananda and urged the students to understand how and why it is extremely essential for a person to craft his character.
He said that there were three laws. First, the law of animal is selfishness. When we become selfish, we have stooped down to the level of an animal. Second, the law of human being is sharing and caring. By sharing we empower ourselves with good knowledge. Third, law of great people is sacrifice. Here he elucidated upon what Shudra, Vysya, Kshatriya and Brahmin were really symbolic of.
Shudra is that person who thinks for himself and his family. Vysya is the one who takes care of the family, his neighbours and the society. Kshatriya is the one who thinks for the entire nation and Brahmin is the one who thinks for the entire humanity. Swami Vivekananda said, 'Unselfishness is God'. He urged the students to empower their mind with noble thoughts. And he equated the head to a wonderful refinery, strategically located between the two ears so that all information that reaches it is channelized into the head.
How to Channelize Emotions
Students of GITAM Institute of Technology
17.12.2016
The lecture started off with Swamiji focusing on values, personality, behavior and attitude and how we can inculcate the good of all these in the youth. He stressed on the two types of personality that are prevalent in the world. One refers to the outer personality that is generally the external appearance and the other refers to the inner personality which is the most important aspect that helps the individual blossom into what he actually is and will be for the rest of his life.
Education is nothing but a manifestation of perfection that is already in man. Attention was drawn to Swami Vivekananda's very popular quote, “Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached.” He urged the youth to imbibe the values that have been imparted and shared by Swami Vivekananda towards becoming a complete human being.
People in the world are divided into two parts. 95% of the people fall into the first category and is the group that actively engages in ADC (Accusing, Demanding and complaining) and just 5% of the people fall into the second category which belongs to the group that actively engages in LRC (Loving, Respecting and cooperating).
Youth should avoid accusing others, act demanding with their parents or friends and complaining about their situation, circumstances and life in general. In turn, they should inculcate in themselves the feelings of love towards fellow human beings, respect them and also cooperate with all those whom they interact with day in and day out.
Youth at Crossroads
Students of GITAM Institute of Technology
16.12.2016
The session started off by focusing on what education actually meant. The knowledge procured through formal institutions constitutes only for 50% of our education and is called the last brain education. Rest of the learning and real education is acquired when individuals face problems and tackle them efficiently with their mental resolve and inner personality strength.
Attention was drawn to popular icons like Krishna, Rama, Buddha, Jesus and Muhammad Paigamber who never had formal degrees but were and are worshipped with great fervor. Entire world looks up to Swami Vivekananda. The main draw is the strength of the character they exhibited.
What is character? It could best be understood as emotions controlled and directed to work in an individual. The grave problem that hits on the face is that emotions are not under our control but we are controlled by our emotions. The youth of today have to control their emotions by focusing on acquiring skills to manage the very important faculties in education which are observation, discrimination, perseverance and manifestation. Each one of us is imbued with a gamut of emotions…love, anger, jealousy, hatred and more. The right use of emotions and proper channelization of the same has been emphasized.
Attention was drawn towards the youth gaining a control over their emotions, building a strong character and understanding freedom in its true sense. One has to learn from other's mistakes, and that is what generally good people do. Average or mediocre people learn from their own mistakes.