Kalady: June 18-24, 2017
Jagadgurus at the Birth Place of Sri Shankaracharya
ARRIVAL
Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahasannidhanam and Jagadguru Sri Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Sannidhanam arrived at the Janmabhoomi Kshetram of Sri Adi Shankaracharya in the evening of June 18, 2017. A grand procession was arranged from the main junction at Kalady. The Jagadgurus were ceremonially welcomed by the residents of Kalady with traditional deepams. The Jagadgurus reached the Kshetram, entering the Agrahara through the main arch. They then had the Darshan at the temple of of Goddess Sharadamba, the Samadhi of Aryamba, and the temples of Sri Shakti Ganapati and Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada. Devotees were overjoyed to behold the Guru (Sri Mahasannidhanam) and Shishya (Sri Sannidhanam) at the holy shrine of Sri Bhagavatpada. The devotion and the silence that ensued seemed to bring everything to a standstill for a few moments. Sri Mahasannidhanam then inaugurated the renovated heritage building, “Sri Vidyatirtha Kripa”. The Jagadgurus then graced a public function. Dhuli Pada Puja was performed by Professor A Subramonia Iyer, the Hon. Manager of the Sringeri Shankara Math in Kalady. After Veda Ghosha and prayer, a Sanskrit Swagata Patrika was read out by Vidwan Sri Satyanarayana Shastri of the Kalady Agrahara and submitted to the Jagadgurus.
Anugraha Bhashanams
In His Anugraha Bhashanam, Sri Mahasannidhanam said that it has been the tradition in Sanatana Dharma to undertake Tirtha Yatras to Kshetrams such as Kashi and Rameswaram. Sri Mahasannidhanam explained that the Acharyas in the Paramapara of Bhagavatpada regard a Yatra to Kashi and a Yatra to Kalady with equal importance. Just as Kashi is located on the banks of the holy Ganga, the Kalady Kshetram is located on the banks of the holy Poorna river. Lord Vishweshwara of Kashi pervades Kalady in the form of Sri Adi Shankaracharya. Just as Ayodhya and Mathura are sacrosanct due to their being the birthplaces of Sri Rama and Sri Krishna, Kalady has been sanctified by the birth of Bhagavatpada.
Sri Mahasannidhanam remembered how His Parameshti Guru (the 33rd Acharya of Sringeri, Jagadguru Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Nrisimha Bharati Mahaswamiji) had successfully located Kalady using references in the Shankara Digvijaya and consecrated temples for Goddess Sharada and Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada in 1910. Sri Mahasannidhanam also mentioned that His Paramaguru (the 34th Sringeri Acharya, Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Mahaswamiji) had renovated the Agrahara at Kalady. Consequently, to this day, the entrance arch to the Agrahara has the inscription –
कालट्यभिख्याग्रहारं जनिभूमौ जगद्गुरोः ।
पुनरुज्जीवयाञ्चक्रे चन्द्रशेखरभारती ॥
Sri Mahasannidhanam also added that His Guru (the 35th Sringeri Acharya, Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji) had brought about many developmental activities at Kalady and hence one of the Naama-s of His Guru’s Ashtottara is कालट्यादिपरिष्कर्त्रे नमः. It is in view of His ongoing birth centenary year that the heritage building at Kalady (during the times of the 34th Acharya) has been renovated, named “Sri Vidyatirtha Kripa” and inaugurated on the occasion. Sri Mahasannidhanam also remembered that the first Chaturmasya outside Sringeri was observed by His Guru in 1956 at Kalady as part of His first Vijaya Yatra. In 1965, the first ever meeting of three of the four Amnaya Peethadhipatis (of Sringeri, Puri and Dwaraka) had taken place in Kalady. Sri Mahasannidhanam expressed joy at having now come to Kalady along with His Shishya and blessed the devotees.
Sri Sannidhanam in His Anugraha Bhashanam remembered the occasion in 2010 when Sri Mahasannidhanam had come to Kalady to conduct the Centenary Celebrations. At that time, Sri Mahasannidhanam had remarked that Sringeri and Kalady are akin to our eyes. Sri Sannidhanam stated that these words of His Guru are enough for devotees to understand importance of coming to Kalady Kshetram and having Darshan. Sri Sannidhanam also remembered how Sri Sureshwaracharya had conveyed the greatness of Bhagavatpada by praising the disciples of Bhagavatpada. The disciples, who are akin to the rays of the Sun that is Bhagavatpada, pervade the land and dispel the darkness of ignorance –
आशैलादुदयात्तथास्तगिरितो भास्वद्यशोरश्मिभिः
व्याप्तं विश्वमनन्धकारमभवद्यस्य स्म शिष्यैरिदम् ।
आराज्ज्ञानगभस्तिभिः प्रतिहतश्चन्द्रायते भास्करः
तस्मै शङ्करभानवे तनुमनोवाग्भिर्नमस्तात्सदा ॥
Thus by conveying the greatness of the disciples, Sri Sureshwaracharya extols the greatness of Bhagavatpada.
Sri Sannidhanam said that it is our fortune to have been come in the Shishya Parampara of the Bhagavatpada. Anyone who desires his Shreyas – his own well-being, becomes naturally a part of this Shishya Parampara. Sri Sannidhanam remembered that the first Vijaya Yatra of Mahasannidhanam that He (in His Poorvashrama) was a part of, was the one to Kalady in 2010. Sri Sannidhanam ended His Anugraha Bhashanam expressing immense joy at having come to Kalady with His Guru during this Yatra, and conveying His blessings to the assembled devotees.
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SHATACHANDI & PARAYANA YAJNA
On June 19, Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam graced the Poornahuti of the Shatachandi Mahayaga performed on the occasion in the Shankara Math premises in Kalady.
In the evening, a Sri Adi Shankaracharya Ashtottara Parayana Yajna program was organised in the Sannidhi of Sri Adi Shankaracharya at Kalady. Devotees arrived at the premises in a procession from the main entrance arch of the Adi Shankaracharya Janmabhoomi Kshetram. Sri Sannidhanam graced the program. Devotees then chanted the Adi Shankaracharya Ashtottara Shata Namavali. Sri Sannidhanam blessed the gathering with an Anugraha Bhashanam describing the greatness of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada. Sri Sannidhanam detailed the ten Naama-Aparaadha-s – offences that people who chant the Divine Name must avoid:
सन्निन्दा असति नामवैभवकथा श्रीशेशयोर्भेदधी-
रश्रद्धा श्रुतिशास्त्रदेशिकगिरां नाम्न्यर्थवादभ्रमः ।
नामास्तीति निषिद्धवृत्तिविहितत्यागौ च धर्मान्तरैः
साम्यं नामनि शङ्करस्य च हरेर्नामापराधा दश ॥
सन्निन्दा – insulting noble people, असति नामवैभवकथा – explaining the greatness of the Divine Name to an unqualified person, श्रीशेशयोर्भेदधीः – looking upon Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu as different and haggling over the superiority of one form over the other, श्रुतिशास्त्रदेशिकगिरां अश्रद्धा – lack of faith in instructions of the Vedas, Shastras and the Guru (constituting 3 offences), नाम्न्यर्थवादभ्रमः – attributing the greatness of the Name to be Arthavada (glorification that is only meant to make a person engage in a particular karma) , नामास्तीति निषिद्धवृत्तिविहितत्यागौ – resorting to prohibited actions and giving up recommended actions under the pretext that chanting the Divine Name suffices (constituting two offences), and धर्मान्तरैः साम्यं – equating the chanting of the Divine Name to other acts.
Sri Sannidhanam then directed that everyone involved in the Ashottara Parayana Yajna chant the following Eka-Shloki on the life of Sri Adi Shankaracharya every day –
आर्याम्बाजठरे जनिः द्विजसतीदारिद्र्यनिर्मूलनं
संन्यासाश्रयणं गुरूपसदनं श्रीमण्डनादेर्जयः ।
शिष्यौघग्रहणं सुभाष्यरचनं सर्वज्ञपीठाश्रयः
पीठानां रचनेति सङ्ग्रहमयी सैषा कथा शाङ्करी ॥
{Being born to the pious couple Aryamba and Shivaguru, removal of the poverty of the noble brahmin housewife, acceptance of Sannyasa, taking shelter at the Lotus Feet of the Guru (Sri Govinda Bhagavatpada), victory in debate over scholars such as Sri Mandana Mishra, accepting disciples such as Padmapadacharya, penning the pristine commentaries (Bhashyas on the Prasthana Traya etc.), ascending the Sarvajna Peetham (the throne of omniscience in Kashmir), establishing the four Amnaya Peethams — this constitutes the essence of the life of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada, the incarnation of Lord Parameshwara.}
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VISITS, VIDWAT SADAS
In the evening of June 20, Sri Sannidhanam graced the Adi Shankara group of institutions including the Sri Sankara Arts College, Sri Sarada Vidyalaya, Sri Adi Shankara Institute of Engineering & Technology. Sri Sannidhanam delivered an Anugraha Bhashanam in the premises of Sri Sankara College and blessed the management, faculty and students.
From June 21 to June 23, a Vidwat Sadas was held in front of the Sannidhi of Sri Adi Shankaracharya in the Math premises in the divine presence of Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam. With presiding over the Sadas, scholars in Vedanta, Nyaya and Tarka residing in Kalady and other parts of Kerala, as well as young scholars from southern India (who usually participate in the annual Shastra Sadas during the Shankara Jayanti celebrations at Kalady) took part in the Sadas and received the blessings of the Jagadgurus. The proceedings began in the evening of June 21. The Sadas took place in the forenoons and evenings of the following two days and the valedictory of the Sadas took place in the evening of June 23, 2017. Sringeri Math CEO Sri V R Gowrishankar honoured the scholars.
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SPECIAL PUJAS, MORE VISITS, BHASHYA PARAYANA
Sri Mahasannidhanam performed a special Puja at the Sannidhi of Sri Adi Shankaracharya in the afternoon of June 22, Thursday.
In the morning of June 23, Sri Sannidhanam visited the Thiru Vellamaanthulli temple and Manikkamangalam Katyayani temple and had Darshan.
Sri Mahasannidhanam performed a special Puja to Goddess Sharadamba on June 23. During the occasion, a golden saree was dedicated to the Goddess. Sri Mahasannidhanam performed the Sharada Chandramoulishwara Puja and Sri Chakra Puja in the night.
On June 24, Sri Sannidhanam performed a special Puja at the Sri Krishna temple adjacent to the Janmabhoomi Kshetram. Sri Mahasannidhanam was present during the Mahamangalarati of the Puja to Sri Krishna, the family deity of Sri Adi Shankaracharya.
Later, Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam graced the Sadvidya Sanjeevini Rigveda Pathashala. Sri Sannidhanam also visited the library attached to the Pathashala.
During the stay at Kalady, the Jagadgurus performed Parayana of Sri Adi Shankaracharya’s Prasthana Traya Bhashyam. Sri Mahasannidhanam performed the Parayana in the early mornings at the Sannidhi of Sri Adi Shankaracharya.
The Swamiji of Thekke Madhom and monks from the Ramakrishna order had Darshan of the Sringeri Jagadgurus during the stay at Kalady. Many dignitaries including
Devotees were blessed with Mantrakshata in the forenoon of June 24. At about 4 pm, Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam gave Darshan to the Math authorities and residents of Kalady Agrahara. Sri Sannidhanam blessed them with an Anugraha Bhashanam underlying the significance of living in the Kshetram. Professor A Subramonia Iyer, Hon. Manager of the Math was honoured on the occasion. Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam once again had Darshan at the Sannidhis of Goddess Sharadamba, Sri Adi Shankaracharya and Shakti Ganapati, as well as the Samadhi of Sri Aryamba, and then started from Kalady towards Thrissur.
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