Rajahmundry: JANUARY 12-16, 2013
The Importance of Preserving Our Vedic Traditions
Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji arrived on the evening of 12th January at Rajahmundry. This city is also famous in Sanskrit as Raja Mahendravaram, and noted for its deep rooted cultural heritage. Devotees led by Darshanalankara Vishwanatha Gopalakrishna Shastry offered a traditional welcome to the Jagadguru. The Jagadguru inaugurated the Virinchi Vanaprastha Ashrama at Rajahmundry, gave Anugraha Bhashanam and performed Sharada Chandramoulishwara Puja at the premises. The devotees who had constructed the Ashrama reverentially offered it to the Peetham.
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SRI DATTATREYA VEDA VIDYA GURUKULAM & VISITS
On 13th January, the Jagadguru graced Sri Dattatreya Veda Vidya Gurukulam run by Sri Gullappalli Sitaramachandra Ghanapati, son of late Sri Gullapalli Anjaneya Ghanapati. The Jagadguru in His Anugraha Bhashanam spoke on the greatness of the Vedas and the need to study them diligently. The Jagadguru commended the Adhyapakas of the Gurukulam and blessed the Vidyarthis. The Jagadguru also graced Sri Surabhi Goshala and had Darshan at Sri Kotilingeshwara Swamy temple. The Jagadguru then visited the Sridevi Bhudevi Sameta Venkateshwara Swamy temple, where He had performed the Prathishta in 1985, had Darshan, and blessed the devotees with an Anugraha Bhashanam.
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UTTARAYANA PUNYAKALA SNANAM & VISITS
On the morning of January 14, the Jagadguru had Darshan at Sri Uma Markandeyeshwara Swamy temple and then proceeded to the Godavari river for Uttarayana Punyakala Snanam. After Snanam, the Jagadguru performed His mid-day Anhikam at the Panduranga devasthanam on the banks of the Godavari river.
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ASHTAVADHANAM
In the afternoon, the Jagadguru presided over a presentation of Ashtavadhanam by Vidwan Chirravuri Sri Rama Sharma. The Ashtavadhanam was performed simultaneously in Telugu and Sanskrit with eight Prucchakas (or questioners) in Telugu and eight in Sanskrit. The highlight of the event was the Jagadguru’s divine presence and His presiding over the event, bringing out the best of the scholars and even punctuating the session with wit and wisdom. The entire event lasted five and half hours from 4 pm to 9:30 pm, after which Vidwan Sri Rama Sharma and the Prucchakas were honoured. The Jagadguru then went for His Snanam and it was 11:30 pm when the Sharada Chandramoulishwara Puja ended.
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SRINIVASA VEDA SADAS & DEPARTURE
On the evening of January 15, the Jagadguru presided over the Srinivasa Veda Sadas organized by the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) in Rajahmundry. The Executive Officer of TTD, Sri L V Subramanyam recounted that it was at the instance of the Jagadguru that the TTD had arranged the program in Rajahmundry, bringing in thousands of Vedic scholars. A Shastra Sadas involving great Vidwans such as Vidwan Ramanuja Tatacharya, Vidwan Vishwanatha Gopalakrishna Shastry took place with six scholars giving an introduction in simple Telugu to the six Astika Darshans — Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Yoga, Sankhya, Mimamsa and Vedanta. A number of elderly scholars were honoured on the occasion. In His Anugraha Bhashanam, the Jagadguru spoke about the importance of the Vedas, the need to study the Shastras and to direct one’s life along the path of Dharma.
After the Sadas, the Jagadguru performed the Sharada Chandramoulishwara Puja at the Sringeri Shankara Math in Rajahmundry. The next morning, the Jagadguru blessed the devotees with Darshan and Phala Mantrakshatas and proceeded in the afternoon for Tuni.
