Poojya
Swamiji’s Message:
Dear and blessed
Seekers and Devotees:
Harih
Om Tat Sat. One
more year will pass by the 13th of this
month taking the embodiment of your Swamiji to 71
years on this earth. It is a very long period, I
feel, although the human body is supposed to have a
life span of 120 years. Even then this body has
exceeded the allotted middle age by 11 years.
To have lived this long, without much trouble
on the body-mind-intelligence front is a great
fortune, no doubt.
All concerned must feel quite happy and
grateful for this.
As
you know, Institutional thoughts and concerns are
occupying my mind more these days. The Ashram has
also grown more on these lines. But, to take over
the enhanced activities intensifying them with
discipline, refinement and commitment, more of
austere and wholesome seekers are necessary. To
fulfil our standard and style in this mission will
no doubt need young minds and hearts with a special
knowledge-attunement and austerity-orientation. Of course, this is what makes our Ashram distinct too.
Our
land is holy and great. It has never lacked in
providing good seekers. I hope the desired
enrichment will take place before long.
To
feel for the society, its crying needs, their
dedicated furtherance with the required
assiduousness and zeal, are compulsions all of you
must feel generously.
When such thoughts and feelings grow into a
pool of strength and dedication, their actualization
will irresistibly follow. Neither age nor background
and familial factors should hinder any one of you in
fostering benevolent thoughts of this kind. Thus the
responsibility becomes as much yours as it is mine
or ours here in the Ashram.
As
I had mentioned, we have a CIRD in Delhi, and one in
Jamshedpur is very much in the plan. If everything
goes well, we must equally have one such Centre in
Chennai and one in Mumbai or Pune too.
We
all wonder how to man these Centres, if they do come
up! Their
emergence, to me, is part of the Providential Plan.
And naturally some kindred souls would also be
forthcoming with the necessary dedication to help
and conduct the much needed tasks. Primarily, the
welfare and upkeep of every Centre cannot but depend
upon the local seekers and devotees who foster an
affinity towards me and the Ashram. Spiritual life
is one of fondness and dedication.
A good seeker should never lack in these.
As
for your saadhana, be clear it depends upon your
mind, heart and intelligence, the intensity and
dedication these generate and preserve. Live anywhere, do any activity, but transform both into a vibrant
wholesome spiritual saadhana. How this can be
done is the question our spiritual Scriptures have
answered in different ages. Bhagavadgeeta provides the answer. The Upanishads too.
Yogavaasishtha and a number of allied Texts also
hold unassailable answers.
Your
Swamiji has been voicing the answers time and again.
You have thus enough material, assistance and
inspiration before you. Draw upon these and build up your saadhana fervently.
Do not lag behind.
To
sit in a closed room, alone, allowing your spiritual
mind and heart to take hold of you generating their
sublime vibration and thrill, is the secret of our
initiation and saadhana. Do not lack in this. Have a
lavish measure of such lonely sitting and the
unfoldment it brings.
I
would like you to have some special thoughts for the
austerity and renunciation
my life represents.
These twin limbs constitute the real backbone
of our land’s eternal vibrant culture.
I do feel that something should be done to
intensify and deepen these. A well thought out plan
of action will have to be shaped for the purpose.
The process may take two or three years, but
its inauguration can well be now.
All
of you may pool your parts so that a set of
publications will be brought forth embodying the
thoughts and ideas presented on different occasions. Some of you have already taken an initial step in this
direction. Think about its purview, to take your
share with love and dedication.
With
fondness and blessings,
Antaraatma,
Swamiji
*
* *
Celebrations at
Narayanashrama Tapovanam, Trichur
Poojya
Swamiji’s Jayanti was observed at the Ashram
through a sublime function on 13th May
morning. Quite a few devotees had arrived from other
cities like Kannur, Chennai, Bangalore and Bombay.
The
flower decorations were done the previous evening
– mostly by the children attending the Sunday
classes. On 13th morning, the programme
started with melodious choral Bhajans rendered by
the devotees from Thrissur, led by Smt Rukmini. The
Paadapooja, on behalf of all the devotees, was
performed by Sri Natarajan & Smt Rama from
Chennai. In his address after the Paadapooja, Poojya
Swamiji enlightened the assembled devotees about the
meaning and purpose of the Brahmacharya deeksha
scheduled to be given to Skandaswamy and Anilkumar the
next morning.
After
receiving prasaada from Swamiji’s hand, about 300
devotees took Bhakti-bhoja. The whole function was
very well organized by the young volunteers.
*
* *
Celebrations at Centre for
Inner Resources Development, Delhi
13th
May, the date of Swamiji’s embodiment was
celebrated in a serene and sublime manner at the
Centre for Inner Resources Development near Delhi.
Since it was a working day, it was decided to start
the function at 7:30 a.m. and conclude by 8:30 a.m.
so that the office-goers could reach their workplace
in time.
The
previous day itself several devotees had stayed at
the Ashram to arrange the Satsang Hall and the
Annakshetra, and to help preparation and packing of
prasaada. It was a very enriching and fulfilling
experience! The next day, they awoke well before
dawn to decorate the Satsang Hall and the front
lobby.
13th
happened to be the ballot counting day and there
were traffic snarls in the approach routes to CIRD.
The devotees had to use circuitous routes to reach
the Centre. But, in spite of the blockades and
diversions, we had about 85 people seated in the
hall by 7:45 a.m. We were particularly happy to have
among us Sridhar along with his wife and two sons
from Coimbatore.
Vinod
Tiwari started the function with his introduction to
the event, and its significance to all of us.
Pushpasamarpanam followed, with the Guru Stotras
being chanted in chorus, led by Kavita and Rima.
Thereafter, on behalf of all the devotees, Raju
Kapoor, Sardana, Ashwani Kumar, Sanjay Chakravarty
and Lakshminarayanan offered flowers at Swamiji’s
feet, with the chanting of 108 names of Poojya
Gurudev led by Sridhar and Ramesh,. The sublime
chorus of rhythmic chanting rent the air.
Shri.
Vinod Tiwari then read out Swamiji’s message in
English, followed by its Hindi translation.
Swamiji’s emphasis on having austere and committed
workers to run the Centres, struck a chord in our
hearts.
On
this very auspicious occasion, all the devotees
wanted to hear the melodious and inspiring voice of
their beloved Swamiji. A piece from a recent
recording of Swamiji’s discourse was played. We
all felt our Gurudev’s presence!
Sadhvi
Haripriya ji followed up with her brief
interpretation of Guru Mahima. In a short, but
highly spirited and intense presentation, she was
able to evoke devotion in the people’s minds. One
could easily observe the strength of her conviction,
and the adoration she feels for Gurudev. It showed
us, what a long way many of us have to go, before
such faith grips and transforms our lives.
Choral
Naamasankeertana “Om
Guru Jai Guru Saccidananda…” followed by “Om
Namah Sadaa Sivaaya…” created a fervent
devotional atmosphere. The chanting was led by
Kavita, Rima, Vinod and Sridhar. A small group of
children from the nearby slums, who regularly attend
the Sunday morning class at CIRD, also joined us in
offering their pranaams
to Poojya Swamiji. They pleasantly surprised
everyone with their beautiful chanting of “Om
Namah Sadaa Sivaaya…”.
The
sublime function ended with prasaada
distribution. Since many of the devotees had to go
to work directly from CIRD after the function, light
refreshments had been arranged in the Annakshetra.
We returned to our daily routines, hoping to
maintain some of the bhaavas
throughout the day.
*
* *
Celebrations at Brahma
Vidya Centre, Jamshedpur
On
13th May, the devotees at Jamshedpur
celebrated the 71st Jayanti
of Poojya Swamiji at the residence of Smt
Kaladevi and Sri V. Narendran. The programme started
at 6pm. In spite of the intense heat wave, many
devotees had gathered for this sublime function. Sri
Narendran & Smt Kaladevi performed the archana
with the chanting of the 108 Guru-Naamaavali. The
chanting was led by Smt Indira Iyer and was followed
by the assembled devotees. Sri Sujit Sengupta read
out Poojya Swamiji’s message to the devotees.
Prof. Sahu read the Hindi version of the message.
The function concluded with the prasaada
distribution.
As
was decided earlier, the annual Daana
Satra programme was held at Madrasi Sammelani
Hall on 16th May, the Sunday following
Poojya Swamiji’s Jayanti Day. This was done to
ensure greater participation during the programme.
On 15th evening many devotees had
assembled for the preparations. Swamiji’s photo
was placed on a beautiful altar decorated with
flowers. Many ladies helped in the preparation of
the daana packets as well as decorations, while the
men were involved in the hall arrangements.
On
16th morning, the hall resonated with the
divine vibration of ‘Om Namah Sadaa Sivaaya Om Namo Narayanaya’. About 125 devotees and
other invitees had assembled. Nearly 225 Daridra
Narayanas from different parts of the city were
invited to receive the daana. After lighting the
auspicious lamp, the Chief Guest, Smt Richa Barnwal,
wife of the D.C. of East Singbhum, addressed the
congregation. She said that she was grateful to be a
part of such a wonderful function, and added that
she was attracted to the Vedantic message of Swamiji
because the words “make us realize our assets”.
The
programme then continued with the chanting of Guru
Naamaavali. Sri & Smt Gulati did the archana on
behalf of all the devotees. Smt Indira Iyer and
others chanted the 108 divine names of our Guru. Sri
Uday Kumar explained the significance of each event
before it started. After the Bhojana Pavitreekarana,
Sri Sujit Sengupta read out Poojya Swamiji’s
message to the congregation.
Smt
Lalitha Krishnaswamy performed the Deeparadhana to
the Daridranarayanas, along with the chanting of “Na
Tatra Sooryo Bhaati …” and other slokas.
The sublimity of this event touched the hearts of
everyone present in the hall. Smt Richa Barnwal then
initiated the Daana Satra amidst the choral chanting
of ‘Paropakaaraaya
phalanti vrikshaah…’. Each recipient humbly
received the packet of rice, pulses, potatoes and a
towel. On the way out of the hall they received a
bowl of prasaada.
The
function concluded by about 12 noon. Next morning,
many local newspapers published news of this
function. The people of Jamshedpur were also able to
see a part of the function through the local news
channel telecast.
