Sundarapandiyapuram: MAY 10-11, 2012
Be in the Company of Satpurushas and Strengthen Devotion
Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji arrived at the picturesque village of Sundarapandiyapuram on the evening of 10th May 2012. The Jagadguru was received reverentially and joyfully by the residents of the Agrahara. At a public function organized at the Rukmini Satyabhama Sameta Rajagopala Swamy temple, the Jagadguru began His Anugraha Bhashanam speaking about the greatness of the Guru. The Guru will always have a feeling of goodwill towards his disciples. It is said – शिवे रुष्टे गरुस्त्राता गुरौ रुष्टे न कशचन – If the Lord gets angry, the Guru protects you. But if the Guru gets angry, there is no one who can protect you. Not even the Lord. The Jagadguru also mentioned the Guru Bhakti of Sri Adi Shankaracharya quoting the first verse from the Acharya’s famous Prakarana, Vivekachoodamani – गोविन्दं परमानन्दं सद्गुरुं प्रणतोऽस्म्यहम् wherein the Acharya pays obeisance to His Guru, Sri Govinda Bhagavatpada.
The Jagadguru then said that we must hence adhere to the instructions given by the Guru and spoke about two instructions given by Sri Adi Shankaracharya; the first one being – सङ्गः सत्सु विधीयताम् – cultivate the company of Satpurushas. The Jagadguru then spoke about the nature of Satpurushas; that they desire the well being of everyone – उदारचरितानां तु वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम् – Satpurushas have such a big heart that they regard the entire world as one family.
It is true that we can find in any person both good and undesirable qualities. However one must only consider the good qualities in everyone. People tend to overlook all the good in a man if he is seen to commit a few sins. Even if he is by far a good man, they keep pinpointing his flaws. Did not the Lord take up the moon and keep it on his head while suppressing the Kalakuta poison in his neck, though both the moon and the poison arose from the ocean of milk? Hence one must focus on only the good qualities in others.
गुणदोषौ बुधो गृह्णन् इन्दुक्ष्वेडाविवेश्वरः ।
शिरसा श्लाघते पूर्वं परं कण्ठे नियच्छति ॥
The Jagadguru also mentioned that Satpurushas have the habit of praising even a small good quality in others – परगुणपरमाणून् पर्वतीकृत्य नित्यं निजहृदि विकसन्तः सन्ति सन्तः कियन्तः (How many are the great saints who delight everyday in considering even a single good quality (be it as insignificant as an atom) found in another person as a great noble characteristic of mountainous proportions!)
We should also learn to praise the good deeds of others. Today, even if someone constructs a temple, people brush off the good deed saying “I know how he got the money to build the temple”. Have you done anything useful to keep critcising others?
The Jagadguru once again stressed that the importance of the company of such selfless Satpurushas who can help us cross even the ocean of Samsara. Has not Adi Shankaracharya said – लोके सज्जनसङ्गतिरेका भवति भवार्णवतरणे नौका (the company of Satpurushas is verily the boat to cross the ocean of Samsara)
The Jagadguru then explained the second of the two instructions given by Sri Adi Shankaracharya is भगवतो भक्तिर्दृढाधीयताम्. Since time immemorial, we believe in the existence of a Supreme power that is responsible for the creation, sustenance and destruction, and ensures that we get the results of our actions. We must realize that we worship the Lord for our own good. Hence it is essential to cultivate devotion to the Lord. We must never see differences in the names and forms of the Lord. It was with this sense that Sri Adi Shankaracharya wrote hymns on various forms of the Lord. We must have the habit of reading these Stotras for sometime every day. The Jagadguru also stated that He does not agree to the excuse given by people that they have no time to devote to these (spiritual) activities. People seem to have ample time for watching television, cricket, and reading the news. The Jagadguru pointed out that only that time is purposeful which is used in remembering the Lord. Sri Adi Shankaracharya used the word “दृढ” – to stress that devotion must be strong. Any act done with great devotion will result in our good.
The Jagadguru then remembered that His Guru Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji had performed the Mahashivaratri Puja at Sundarapandiyapuram in 1957 and the bond between the town and Sringeri had been further strengthened since then. The Jagadguru was pleased with the devotion of the residents of Sundarapandiyapuram, who He said celebrated the visit of the Sringeri Jagadguru as a festival. The Jagadguru ended the Anugraha Bhashanam blessing the residents.
The Jagadguru then performed the Sharada Chandramoulishwara Puja at the Rukmini Satyabhama Sameta Rajagopala Swamy temple premises. The Jagadguru then offered Pushpanjali to the Moolavar in the temple and offered a Ratna Kavacha for Utsava Moorti of the Lord. The Utsava Moorti was then taken around the Prakara with the Jagadguru leading the procession. Dolotsavam of the Utsava Moorti was held in the Jagadguru’s presence after which Ashtavadhana Seva took place. The temple authorities then performed Sesha Vastra Samarpanam to the Jagadguru.
On the morning of 11th May, the Jagadguru had Darshan of the temples at Sundarapandiyapuram including Shenbhaga Vinayakar temple, Meenakshi Sundareshwarar temple, and Tripurasundari temple. The Jagadguru also graced the Poornahuti of Rudra Homa that took place in the Meenakshi Sundareshwarar temple and gave an Anugraha Bhashanam at the Tripurasundari temple.
Starting from Sundarapandiyapuram towards Tenkasi, the Jagadguru had Darshan at Rukmini Satyabhama Sameta Venugopala Swamy temple, Keezhapavur and also at the ancient temple of Alarmelmanga Padmavati Sameta Prasanna Venkatachalapathy and Narasimha Swamy temple, Keezhapavur.