Swami Shivatmananda
Swami Shivatmananda, formerly Brahmachari Girish Chaitanya, is the resident spiritual guide of Chinmaya Mission Austin.
Swamiji graduated from the University of California at Davis with a degree in Electrical Engineering. Upon completing his degree he worked as an environmental chemist and as an electrical engineer for more than 10 years in Northern California.
In 2002 Swamiji left for Sandeepany Sadhanalaya in Mumbai to join the 12th brahmachari batch. He studied under the guidance of Swami Tejomayananda and under the tutelage of Swami Ishwarananda. Upon completing the brahmachari course he served Chinmaya Mission Los Angeles for more than four years, after which he was asked by Guruji to serve in Austin.
In February 2015 Swami Shivatmananda was initiated into sannyasa in Mumbai, India on the auspicious day of Mahashivaratri. He is fluent in Gujarati, Hindi, and English. He enjoys giving discourses on Vedanta.

Temple CMSA Sharadalaya Temple
Goddess Sharadamba is the presiding deity of the temple at the Chinmaya Mission of San Antonio. It was established in 1984 as the original Hindu temple and over the years has been lovingly referred to as the Mother Temple of San Antonio. This temple which has been visited by a number of prominent spiritual leaders and devotees has a very blessed and rich history.
In the year 2017, the temple and its associated property became the home of Chinmaya Mission of San Antonio. Since that time, it remains under the guidance of Swami Shivatmanandaji, the resident acharya. Established as an abbey, CMSA continues the tradition of providing spiritual learning, as embodied by goddess Sharadamba, to all who seek it. The temple, picturesquely situated among beautiful rolling hills provides a serene place for meditation and contemplation. Inside the temple, Sharadamba is accompanied by Sri SathyaNarayana, Lakshmi/Narashima and Ganesha, among other deities worshipped on a regular basis.
These services provided by Swamiji and others at the temple follow vedic traditions and are kept simple. Periodic puja celebrations are also conducted with Balavihar families for key festivals.