Dindigul: JUNE 5-6, 2012

Live Your Life With Purpose

Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji started from Palani on the afternoon of 5th June 2012 and arrived at Dindigul in the evening to a devout welcome. The Jagadguru blessed the gathering with a Anugraha Bhashanam after Dhuli Pada Puja was performed and Swagata Patrikas were read in Tamil and Sanskrit.

In His Anugraha Bhashanam, the Jagadguru noted that it is natural that everyone is engaged in some activity or the other. The Lord Himself says in the Bhagavad Gita that there is not a single person who remains without engaging in some activity or the other – न हि कश्चित् क्षणमपि जातु तिष्ठत्यकर्मकृत्. However, we have to ponder over which of our activities can be deemed purposeful. We cannot call every action of ours as purposeful. Even if two people get together, they chit-chat away touching upon all that happens in the world. People fail to realize the importance of time and engage in such worthless pursuits. Everyone must ask oneself, “Am I spending my time purposefully?” If we need to spend our time usefully, we have to focus on remembering God, worshipping Him and adhering to our Dharma. Remembrance of God fetches a lot of benefit. Of these, the most important benefit is the one stated by Bhagavan Himself in the Bhagavad Gita –

अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् ।
यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः ॥

This Shloka states that he who remembers God at the last moment of his life attains God. If we have to remember God at the last moment of our lives, we have to practice remembrance of God now. Yet we do not engage in this practice despite the fact that remembrance of God is quite easy. Our ancestors emphasized the power of Moha (delusion) that leads a man away from God and towards various actions –

नमः शिवाय मन्त्रोऽयं वागेषा वशवर्तिनी ।
अहो मोहस्य माहात्म्यं नरकं येन पश्यति ॥

Similarly, when it comes to adherence to Dharma, we have to follow what is said in the Shastras. While it may be infeasible in the present-day to adhere to all that is said in the Shastras, even the inclination to attempt to adhere to the Shastras to the best of one’s ability seems to be absent in people. People have to ask themselves why they do not get the time for Dharma Anushtanam, when they get time for everything else? It is only due to a lack of Shraddha.

Even when it comes to Dharma Anushtanam, one has to engage in Dharma without the desire for results. This immediately throws up a question in the minds of many – How can I not expect anything when I spend so much (by way of money and time)? This question arises because of our improper understanding of God. Does not the omniscient God know what to bestow upon us? Do we need to ask Him? However, we keep making our supplications because of our immaturity.

Hence it is imperative to direct our lives towards God, and engage in Dharma and abstain from useless pursuits. Talking about another person, poking our nose into another’s affairs without any valid reason, and even harbouring unnecessary thoughts constitute useless pursuits.

That is why Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada has said – गेयं गीतानामसहस्रं ध्येयं श्रीपतिरूपमजस्रम् । – Chant the Bhagavad Gita and the Names of the Lord and always remember the Divine Form of the Lord.

आयुर्नश्यति पश्यतां प्रतिदिनं याति क्षयं यौवनं
प्रत्यायान्ति गताः पुनर्न दिवसाः कालो जगद्भक्षकः ।
लक्ष्मीस्तोयतरङ्गभङ्गचपला विद्युच्चलं जीवितं
तस्मान्मां शरणागतं करुणया त्वं रक्ष रक्षाधुना ॥

Who knows how long one will live. Today, we think our bodies are strong. How many years would this strength remain. Days bygone are bygone. Time swallows up everything. Wealth is fleeting. Life is like a flash of lightning. Hence Sri Bhagavatpada says that refuge in the Lord alone is the way. Hence we must all realize this fact and must use our lives purposefully to the extent possible.

If the Vedas, Dharma and Sadachara exist today, it is only due to Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada. He had established His four Amnaya Peethams only for the purpose of spreading the message of Dharma. The Acharyas of the southern Peetham, the Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham at Sringeri have been following the norms set by Sri Bhagavatpada. Our Guru Jagadguru Sri Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji had taken many Vijaya Yatras and graced Dindigul too.

The Jagadguru then recalled the ardent devotees of Dindigul of the previous generation namely Meenakshi Sundaram Iyer, Dr. Janakirama Iyer, Vani Vilas Subramania Iyer, and expressed joy that the children of these ardent devotees were following in the footsteps of their parents. The Jagadguru expressed joy that Sri Mohan Srinivas along with all the devotees of Dindigul had resolved to construct a Sringeri Shankara Math at Dindigul. The Jagadguru stated that He had come to Dindigul as the devotees were awaiting Him with such expectation just as the Chataka bird awaits rainfall to quench its thirst, and ended His Anugraha Bhashanam blessing everyone in the gathering. Later in the night, devotees witnessed the Sharada Chandramoulishwara Puja performed by the Jagadguru and deemed themselves blessed.

At 10 AM on the next day, the Jagadguru laid the foundation for a new Sringeri Shankara Math at Dindigul. The Jagadguru then visited the old Sringeri Shankara Math in Dindigul and blessed the assembled devotees. From the Math, the Jagadguru went to Kalahasteeshwarar temple and had Darshan of Goddess Abhirami, Sri Padmagiriswarar, Goddess Jnanambika and Sri Kalahasteeshwarar. The Jagadguru then returned and gave Darshan to the assembled devotees. The Jagadguru started from Dindigul towards Karur in the late afternoon.