Shenkottai: June 2-6, 2017

Kumbhabhishekam at Shenkottai

ARRIVAL

Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahasannidhanam and Jagadguru Sri Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Sannidhanam arrived at Shenkottai to a rapturous reception in the evening of June 2, 2017. After Dhuli Pada Puja, Veda Ghosha, Prarthana, Swagata Patrikas in Sanskrit and Tamil were read out and submitted to the Jagadgurus.

Sri Mahasannidhanam in His Anugraha Bhashanam said that Goddess Sharadamba, consecrated by Sri Adi Shankaracharya at Sringeri has been bestowing Her grace on all who seek Her. There is a special sanctity when Mahatmas such as Sri Adi Shankaracharya perform Prathishta. That is why we also have temples in our land where the Prathishta is renowned to have been performed by great Rishis such as Agastya, Markandeya, Atri etc.

The Acharyas in the Sringeri Guru Parampara have performed Prathishta of Goddess Sharadamba in many places throughout the country. Sri Mahasannidhanam mentioned that His Parameshti Guru (the 33rd Acharya, Jagadguru Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Nrisimha Bharati Mahaswamiji) had consecrated Goddess Sharada at Kalady, His Paramaguru (the 34th Acharya, Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Mahaswamiji) had consecrated the Goddess in Bengaluru and His Guru (the 35th Acharya, Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji) had consecrated the Goddess in various towns.

Sri Mahasannidhanam then recounted that the residents of Shenkottai had made wonderful arrangements for the conduct of the grand Navaratri Celebrations by His Guru (Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji) during the latter’s Vijaya Yatra in 1957. Sri Mahasannidhanam expressed joy at the construction of the Sringeri Shankara Math in Shenkottai.

Sri Mahasannidhanam then performed the Sharada Chandramoulishwara Puja.

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KUMBHABHISHEKA

On June 4, 2017, Sri Mahasannidhanam performed the Prathishta Kumbhabhisheka of Goddess Sharadamba and Sri Adi Shankaracharya at the newly constructed Sringeri Shankara Math in Shenkottai. The Prathishta Kumbhabhisheka of the shrines for Sri Ganapati, Sri  Subrahmanya and Sri Dharma Shasta were also done. Sri Sannidhanam performed the Shikhara Kumbhabhisheka atop the Vimana Gopura of the two principal shrines.  

In the evening, a special function was organised. Retired Justice Ramanathan spoke on the occasion pointing out the blessings of the Sringeri Jagadgurus on the devout residents of the Shenkottai Agrahara.

Sri Sannidhanam in His Anugraha Bhashanam stated that the special sanctity of the places where devatas are consecrated by Mahatmas. Sri Sannidhanam mentioned that the Ramanathaswamy Prathishta at Rameswaram was performed by Sri Rama Himself. Even today, many visit the Kshetram every day and offer worship. Likewise, Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada consecrated Goddess Sharadamba at Sringeri. Even before that, Maharshi Vibhandaka, the revered father of Maharshi Rishyashringa after whom Sringeri (Rishyashringagiri or Shringagiri) is named, consecrated a Shivalinga in Sringeri atop a hillock. This Shivalinga is the Malahanikareshwara (the Lord who brings about the removal of all impurities and sins). The 25th Acharya of Sringeri, Jagadguru Sri Sacchidananda Bharati Mahaswamiji consecrated Goddess Bhavani near Lord Malahanikareshwara.

However, it is our duty to go to the temples. If a person resides in Varanasi and does not have Darshan of Lord Vishwanatha even on a single day, the fault lies with the person. In worldly matters, people do not usually go to a place uninvited. However, it is we who must must approach the Lord with Bhakti and Shraddha. Even though the Lord is impartial — न मे द्वेष्योऽस्ति न प्रियः, the Lord has also stated — ये भजन्ति तु मां भक्त्या मयि ते तेषु चाप्यहम् – it is for us to take efforts where the Lord has been consecrated and offer worship.

Once a man found work and began to work sincerely and earned the goodwill of his employer. His employer over time was pleased with him. Once the employer had to attend to some work but was unable to go; so knowing that the man is capable, the employer deputed this man in his place. Eventually finding that the man remained loyal and dutiful, the employer made the man his legal successor to all that he owned.

In a similar sense, a person first becomes a devotee of the Lord. Receiving the grace of the Lord, he strengthens his devotion. He then begins to represent the Lord. How? The Lord begins to use him as an instrument, giving him the right thoughts to ensure that Dharma is upheld. Eventually, the Lord bestows on this devotee Chitta Shuddhi (purity of mind), leading to the Self-knowledge or Atma Jnana and resulting in the final emancipation called Moksha. This Moksha is the Parama Purushartha – the final objective of man; for there is then no return to the cycle of births and deaths — ब्रहविद् ब्रह्मैव भवति — The knower of Brahman is Brahman.

Sri Sannidhanam said that it is the fortune of Shenkottai and its residents that the Prathishta of Goddess Sharadamba and Sri Adi Shankaracharya has been done by His Guru, Sri Mahasannidhanam. On the occasion, Sri Sannidhanam remembered the beautiful temple of Sri Adi Shankaracharya and the majestic Rajagopuram that were constructed at Sringeri in recent years and consecrated by His Guru.

Sri Sannidhanam added that as per Sri Mahasannidhanam’s directive, the Lalita Sahasranama and Adi Shankaracharya Ashtottara Parayana be done regularly at the temples of Goddess Sharadamba and Sri Adi Shankaracharya.

Sri Mahasannidhanam in His Anugraha Bhashanam said that we have to take care to spend our lives everyday purposefully. That is why it is said –

प्रत्यहं प्रत्यवेक्षेत नरश्चरितम् आत्मनः ।

किं नु मे पशुभिस्तुल्यं किं नु सत्पुरुषैरिव ॥

“Man has to consult his conscience every day, as to how his day went. He has to examine himself thus, “Did I live like a noble person that day or did I spend it like an animal?”. We must always remember that we can never shut our own conscience to errors we committed. A thief may deny that he committed a theft despite being roughed by cops. However despite his denial, his own conscience knows that he committed the theft.

Sri Mahasannidhanam also pointed out the temporal nature of life – “Even as a bee that had gotten trapped inside a closing lotus at sunset thought, ‘The night shall pass. Dawn will come about. The Sun will rise and I shall enjoy the nectar of the lotus’, an elephant arrived at the pool and in the process destroyed the lotus (and the bee inside it)” —

रात्रिर्गमिष्यति भविष्यति सुप्रभातं

भास्वानुदेष्यति  हसिष्यति  पङ्कजश्री: ।   

इत्थं विचिन्तयति कोशगते द्विरेफे

हा हन्त हन्त नलिनीं गज उज्जहार ॥

The Lord of Death, Yama, does not show mercy – यमस्य करुणा नास्ति. Sri Adi Shankaracharya states – नलिनीदलगतजलमतितरलंतद्वज्जीवितमतिशयचपलम् (The life of a person is as fragile as water drops trembling on a lotus leaf).

Hence when we are blessed with this human birth, it is wise for us to utilise it well. How? By adhering to Dharmic deeds. Hence when we reflect upon our own deeds, we must have the conviction to identify our errors and be determined not to engage in them thenceforth – “I did this mistake. I lied to him. I cheated that person – Let me not do these hereafter.”

Sri Mahasannidhanam stated that we are born in a land that has given such importance to Dharma that our ancestors went to great lengths and sacrificed everything to uphold Dharma, Nyaya and Satya — these three are to be upheld if we are to truly live as human beings.

That is why we must examine our own actions at the end of every day. We must keep trying to regulate ourselves until the conscience answers to us “yes today has been purposeful and in complete conformance with Dharmic tenets”.

We must also remember that we need the Lord’s Grace to even get the inspiration (Prerana) to be in the Dharmic path. This indeed is the essence of the Gayatri Upasana. The reason that more and more Gayatri Japa is to be performed is that we repeatedly beseech the Lord  to shower His Grace on us by guiding our thoughts. May the Lord give such inspiration to all and may all tread the right path.

We must however remember that when we tread the right path, we must do it with a sense of duty and not in expectation of some recognition.

Sri Mahasannidhanam then praised the residents of Shenkottai for their devotion and singled out the late Sri E Venkatachalam and his family for their dedicated service, and having been instrumental in the coming up of the Sringeri Shankara Math in Shenkottai.

With the Blessings of Sri Mahasannidhanam, the responsibilities of carrying out the activities of the Math was vested with Sri Raman, son of Sri Subrahmanya Iyer.

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SRI SANNIDHANAM AT AMAR SEVA SANGAM

On June 3, Sri Sannidhanam graced the Amar Seva Sangam, a charitable society for the upliftment of rural poor and differently abled, located at Ayikudy. Members of the Amar Seva Sangam led by Founder President S. Ramakrishnan and Hon. Secretary S. Sankararaman welcomed Sri Sannidhanam. Sri Sannidhanam laid the foundation for a new block of the Siva Saraswathi school in the campus. The foundation stone for the school, that also houses the Abhinava Vidyatirtha Block, had been laid decades ago by Sri Mahasannidhanam. Sri Sannidhanam blessed the residents Sri Sannidhanam then graced a public function on the occasion and delivered an Anugraha Bhashanam. Sri Sannidhanam also had Darshan of Amar Vinayakar in the premises.

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SRI SANNIDHANAM GRACES NEARBY TOWNS & TEMPLES

Sri Sannidhanam then had Darshan at the Balasubrahmanya Swamy temple. Thereafter, Sri Sannidhanam graced the Sri Subrahmanya Charitable Trust in Ayikudy. Sri Sannidhanam also visited Sri Sampath Gopalakrishnan temple in Varadaiyyan Gramam in Ayikudy, had Darshan and blessed the devotees. Later Sri Sannidhanam graced Kadayanallur and blessed devotees with an Anugraha Bhashanam. Sri Sannidhanam then traveled to Krishnaapuram, had Darshan at the Vishalakshi Vishwanatha temple and blessed devotees. Next, at Panpozhi, Sri Sannidhanam visited the Bhoomi Neela Sameta Sundararaja Perumal temple, had Darshan and blessed devotees with an Anugraha Bhashanam.

On June 5, Sri Sannidhanam had Darshan at the various temples in Shenkottai Agrahara – the Dharmasamvardhini Sameta Kulashekharanatha Swamy temple, Azhagiya Manavala Perumal temple and the Navaneeta Krishnar temple.

A Laksha-Mallikaarchana was performed to Goddess Sharadamba in the Sringeri Shankara Math on June 5.

In the evening, a program pertaining to the Adi Shankaracharya Ashottara Parayana Yajnam took place in the divine presence of Sri Sannidhanam. Hundreds of devotees chanted the Adi Shankaracharya Ashtottara Shatanamavali. Sri Sannidhanam delivered an Anugraha Bhashanam detailing the greatness of Sri Adi Shankaracharya. Sri TS Rangarajan, Hon. Manager of the Srirangam Shankara Math was honoured and blessed on the occasion for his services towards the conduct of the Ashottara Parayana Yajnam in Tamil Nadu.

The following day, on June 6, a Lalita Homa was performed in the premises of the Math. The Poornahuti of the Lalita Homa took place in the divine presence of the Ubhaya Jagadgurus.

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