Kodimangalam: MAY 20-21, 2012

Focus on Gaining Ishwara’s Grace

Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji arrived in the village of Kodimangalam on the evening of May 20 and had Darshan of Goddess Seethalakshmi. After the performance of Dhuli Pada Paja and the traditional welcome read in Sanskrit and Tamil, the Jagadguru blessed the residents of Kodimangalam with a Anugraha Bhashanam.

The Jagadguru said that in times of difficulty, it is natural for anyone to remember his or her mother for no one desires a child’s good more than the mother. Even if her child has fallen into evil ways, the mother will always desire only good for her child. Such is the greatness of the mother.

Bhagavatpada has said – कुपुत्रो जायेत क्वचिदपि कुमाता न भवति. Emphasizing the greatness of the Divine Mother, our ancestors have said –

आपदि किं करणीयम् ? स्मरणीयं चरणयुगलम् अम्बायाः ।
तत्स्मरणं किं कुरुते ? ब्रह्मादीनपि किङ्करी कुरुते ।

What does one need to do in times of danger? One has to remember the Lotus Feet of the Goddess. What does such remembrance bring about? It helps overcome all miseries and leads to fulfillment in life.

The Divine Mother can relieve one from all kinds of troubles. Even if one is on the verge of insolvency, or faces impending arrest, or even faces the death penalty, prayers towards the Goddess will bring about one’s welfare.

बन्धे वधे महति मृत्युभये प्रसक्ते वित्तक्षये च विविधे महोपतापे ।
यत्पादपूजनमिह प्रतिकारमाहुः सा मे समस्तजननी शरणं भवानी ॥

Many people complain that they have undertaken various efforts to alleviate their suffering but they continue to suffer. They blame the Shastras but do not realize that they have little faith in the efficacy of these solutions provided by the Shastras. They undertake the efforts with a lack of Shraddha. Sri Adi Shankaracharya has explained Shraddha as the acceptance of truth in the statements of the Shastras and the Guru – शास्त्रस्य गुरुवाक्यस्य सत्यबुद्ध्याऽवधारणा । सा श्रद्धा कथिता सद्भिः । Hence one must pray to the Divine Mother with Shraddha.

It is also essential to remember that the same Goddess sports different names and forms at different places. She is Meenakshi in Madurai, Sharada in Sringeri, Annapoorna in Kashi, Mookambika in Kollur, Mahalakshmi in Kolhapur etc. When we do Sahasranama Archana to the Goddess, are we chanting the names of 1000 different Goddesses? Hence it is the same Goddess who resides in all these Kshetrams. The Jagadguru then said it is the same Goddess who resides in Kodimangalam under the names of Seetalakshmi and Balatripurasundari. One must obtain Shreyas by worshipping Her with intense devotion. That intensity is very essential to getting benefitted. Puja must not be mechanical or for mere exhibition. Even if you only worship for a short time, focus the mind completely on God.

People ask what is the easy way to reach God? Not all can perform Yagas. The solution is to engage in chanting the Names of God. Even if one is dumb, one can chant the Name mentally. However even though the chanting of God’s Names is easy, most people only engage in useless talk. Such is the power of delusion:

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

People only waste time – an entity that is most precious and cannot be earned again. Once a day goes by in your life, it is impossible to get that day back. Hence people must realize it is foolish to spend time in useless pursuits. Do not fail to realize this and keep trying to set the world right. As it would be worthless to swim upstream in a river, one must not let the mind to wander towards issues that are beyond one’s control. One must analyse and understand the futility of indulging unnecessarily in another’s affairs. Instead one must focus on chanting the Divine Names and meditate on Ishwara thus making efforts to acquiring the Grace of Ishwara.

The Jagadguru emphasized that He was giving this simple message as a number of villagers had come to have His Darshan and listen to His Anugraha Bhashanam. The Jagadguru then praised the efforts of Sri Venkataraman who had built the temple of Goddess Seethalakshmi and conducted Dharmic activities and increased the sanctity of the place.

On May 21, the Jagadguru offered Puja to Goddess Seetalakshmi at 6:30 in the morning. At about 9 AM, the Jagadguru graced the adjoining town of Tenkarai and had Darshan at Mariamman temple, Moolanatha Swamy temple, and Navaneetha Krishnan temple. The Jagadguru then visited the Sri Sringeri Shankara Math, Tenkarai and had Darshan of the Murti of Sri Adi Shankarcharya.

In His Anugraha Bhashanam to the devotees at Tenkarai, the Jagadguru spoke briefly on the teachings of Sri Adi Shankaracharya. The Jagadguru remembered that His Guru, Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji had consecrated the Murti of Sri Adi Shankaracharya at Tenkarai. The Jagadguru also remembered the services of ardent disciple of Sri Sri Mahasannidhanam, late Dharmatma Vaidyasubrahmanya Iyer, and commended his sons Sri Vaidyanathan and Sri Jayaraman for their continued service. The Jagadguru blessed the residents of Tenkarai and the residents of nearby towns Sholavandan, Mannadimangalam and Mullipallam who had come for His Darshan.

The Jagadguru then returned to Kodimangalam to grant Darshan to devotees. Poornahuti of the Chandi Homa took place in the Jagadguru’s divine presence. In the evening, the Jagadguru started from Kodimangalam towards Madurai.