| News
& Notes - August 2009 |
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Jñana Yajña in Malaysia: Poojya Swamiji, along with Nutan Swamiji and Ma, will leave the Ashram on Aug 18 for
the annual Jñana Yajña in Malaysia and will return on Sep 06. The programme details can be found in May 09 "news" listing.
Contact (Malaysia): SIRD-Malaysia 603-7781 6110; Sri Unnikrishnan 603-5635 8539; Sri Jeyabalasingham 601-2316- 9533;
Smt Vasanta/Sri Param 603-7955 0580; Sri Jayasekar (Seremban) 606-762 6888; Sri KR Pillai (Seremban) 606-762 4130.
Programmes in Chennai: Poojya Swamiji’s 3-day evening discourse series on “Universal Concepts in Bhagavadgeeta” will be held on
Oct 2, 3 & 4 at Sivagami Petachi Auditorium (Next to Anjaneyar Temple/TNSC Bank), 179, Luz Church Road, Mylapore, Chennai. Poojya
Swamiji along with Ma and Nutan Swamiji will leave the Ashram on Sept 30 and return on Oct 6.
Contact: Sri Balasubramaniam (tel no: 044-2435 8521, 98410 46000); Sri Natarajan (044-2499 0666, 94440 49066); Sri KB Raman (99529 05494).
Programmes in Pune and Delhi: Poojya Swamiji’s first Jñana Yajña in Pune is scheduled to be
conducted between Oct 26 and Nov 01, 2009. Swamiji along with Ma and Nutan Swamiji will reach Delhi directly from Pune by Nov 02 for
the 36th Delhi Annual Jnana Yajna, and return to the Ashram in the 1st week of December. Full details of the programmes will be announced
next month.
Contact (Pune): Sri Praphulla Chandran (020-6620 2005); Smt Divya Menon (98228 84986); Smt Gayatri Nishit (93254 00080).
Gurupoornima was observed in the Ashram on July 07. Smt Anu and Sri Pankaj Bhatia from USA performed the Pada-pooja. Bhakti
Bhojan was offered to about 350 devotees and villagers.
Anna Vastra Dana Satra: This year’s Anna Vastra Dana Satra distribution
started on 4th July from Omkarashram in Desamangalam. On 13th July, the last day of the Gurupoornima Retreat, about 6000 families were
given 3kgs of rice each, a saree or dhoti and some sweet at Narayanashrama Tapovanam.
This annual social welfare activity, jointly organized by Narayanashrama Tapovanam and Hind Navotthana Pratishthan, is now in its
24th year, being conducted from about 50 centres, benefiting 25,000 rural families. This year 16,000 dhotis, 9,000 sarees and 75 tonnes
of rice were procured for the purpose.
June 25: Poojya Swamiji inaugurated the cultural functions coupled with the 11-day
Naveekarana Sahasra-kalasam (rejuvenation ceremony with a thousand pitchers containing sanctified waters) at Bhagavathy Kshetram
(Temple), Cherpu, Thrissur. Swamiji addressed the devotees explaining the purpose and process of Naveekaranam as well as the importance
of temples in ensuring the long term welfare of the society.
The same day, Swamiji also addressed the devotees at the Karikkad Sree Mahavishnu Kshetram near Kunnamkulam, Thrissur, in connection
with the Pratishtha-dinam celebrations (anniversary of installation).
June 27: Poojya Swamiji addressed the inmates of Vyasa Tapovanam on the occasion
of the second anniversary of Purushothama Swamiji’s Maha-samadhi, highlighting Purushothama Swamiji’s exemplary virtues and qualities.
July 17: Poojya Swamiji, invited by the Mambilly Kshetra Upadesaka Samiti, Oorakam, to give
the inaugural address during the weeklong Ramayana discourses, spoke about the salient features of Ramayana. Ramayana, he said, is an epic
narration solely given to expose values and ideals of human life.
July 19: At the monthly Spiritual Knowledge Meet at Vedavyasa Bhavan, Paralikad, Poojya
Swamiji introduced the text “Aparokshanubhuti” of Sri Sankara, to be exposed in the subsequent monthly sessions.
July 24: Poojya Swamiji was invited to inaugurate the first Sreemad Devi Bhagavata
Navaha Yajnam (9-day exposition) at Sree Uutraalikkavu Bhagavaty Temple, Wadakanchery. Explaining the role of Temples in providing spiritual
and cultural enlightenment to devotees, Swamiji emphasized that the sole purpose of all devotional narrations, including Devi Bhagavatam,
is to expose values and virtues, the mind should pursue and imbibe.
The Meditation Hall in the new Prajnana Dham of the Ashram was inaugurated by Poojya Swamiji
a few weeks before the Gurupoornima. Before initiating the first batch of seekers in this sacred Hall, Poojya Swamiji sat in meditation
with the inmates as well as the other initiated disciples from Thrissur and around. The sound-proof octagonal hall, situated on the first
floor, was a long cherished idea of Poojya Swamiji. To give deeksha¡ in a serene atmosphere, undisturbed by the environmental noise, has
its own unique effect, Poojya Swamiji explained.
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