A Report

Paada Pooja was performed on the 18th March at CIRD, this time by the newly wed couple from USA. There could not have been a more beautiful way to start married life, than an opportunity to perform this auspicious ritual, and personally feel blessed by one’s Guru. Poojya Swamiji’s talk followed, and the benediction flowing out of Gurudev’s voice gripped us all.

A highlight of the Paada Pooja programme was the bhajan singing. The spontaneously formed bhajan group consisting of three musician-devotees sang at the beginning and end of the programme. The beautifully rendered bhajans, some in Carnatic style, and some set in the Hindustani classical raagas, elevated the sublimity of the occasion to new highs. 

Poojya Swamiji gave an enlightened talk on “Yogah Karmasu Kaushalam – Dexterity in Action is Yoga” at the Sathya Sai Auditorium in New Delhi, on 19th March 2007. It was organized by the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation. Who, but Swamiji, can extol so powerfully the application of the timeless Vedic principles in the language of the modern professionals! The messages unlocked hidden doors within the mind.

The Question-Answer session that followed saw several professionals asking Swamiji about the ways to overcome various problems related to work pressure as well as managerial difficulties.

The Delton Hall at The Institute of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineers (IETE), prepared itself for a very different kind of interaction from the 22nd to the 24th of March. Instead of the usual talks and discussions in the engineering domain, it hosted a 3-day Interactive Satsang called “Facing the Challenges in Daily Life”. The novelty of this programme lay in the format, which was interactive as compared to a monologue. The idea was to involve as many new listeners as possible into a discussion with Poojya Swamiji. But when asked at the end of first day’s programme, the audience preferred to listen to Poojya Swamiji than enter into discussion with him. So the remaining two days saw Swamiji spend more time on talks.

With amazing nimbleness, Swamiji handled several complex questions like “How does diplomacy in the governmental situations, where half-truths are often the norm, conform with spirituality?” Through a series of examples, Poojya Swamiji established the supremacy of the mind over circumstances, and elucidated that the secret of happiness lay in non-affectation and the power to assimilate the events around us.

This time two full days (March 20 & 21) were kept reserved for meeting the active volunteers of CIRD. The first day started with a session from Poojya Swamiji. The talk stressed upon the need for devotees to be earnest in their saadhana, the importance of the Guru-shishya relationship and the role of collectivity in saadhana. The next session was by Nutan Swamiji and Maa, where they effectively translated Poojya Swamiji’s messages to a more pragmatic, application-oriented language. In the afternoon, the assembly formed smaller groups and we had a group discussion on topics chosen by the devotees themselves. 

Poojya Swamiji started the second day stressing the role of an institution like CIRD in the society, and how important are the character and behaviour of its representatives to project the correct picture of the institution. That a note of austerity and refinement should be there in all our actions is a message that Swamiji etched very effectively on the devotees’ minds. The follow-up session from Nutan Swamiji and Maa focused on collective saadhana. The second day also we had group discussions in the afternoon.

The classes based on Vivekachoodamani, which commenced in the year 1998, continued from 25th to 30th March. In these classes, titled “Harnessing Inner Resources for Interactional Excellence”, Poojya Swamiji guided us in understanding our limitless inner potential and how to apply the inner resources in achieving excellence in interactions.

Following the Vivekachoodamani sessions, we had devotion-filled classes by Maa and Nutan Swamiji, which showed us in a very lucid way how saadhana can be performed in every walk of life, at home as well as at work. These classes, titled “Intensifying Saadhana in Daily Life”, were also held between 25th and 30th March. 

Poojya Swamiji would sit with the devotees in the morning and the evening on most of the days to answer specific questions from the devotees and seekers. It was encouraging to see a few youngsters and teenagers attending these sessions as well.

After Poojya Swamiji and Maa left for Thrissur, Nutan Swamiji enlightened us on the truths contained in the Mundakopanishad, from 6th to 15th April. He showed us with precision, how the Upanishadic statements are not just for scholarly indulgence, but are to be directly employed for self-transformation. Understanding that devotees would generally forget the knowledge imparted during the classes, he took special pains to prepare a summary of each day’s talk, and distributed it to all on the following days.

During the evening satsangs Nutan Swamiji would cite incidents from his pre-sannyaasa life. These personal experiences were of immense help to all of us, illustrating how a serious seeker should behave.

It was a beautiful sight when one day Maa sat in the open, opposite to the satsang hall, with a group of devotees, teaching them the correct chanting of the verses “Jaati-neeti-kula-gotra...” from Vivekachoodamani. Seeing the serene face of Maa clad in saffron, and the devotees at her feet — all dressed in white, their voices going up and coming down in unison with an ethereal joy and a sense of fulfillment clearly writ on their faces — I felt I was transported millennia back to the ancient Guru-kulas, where the teacher would sit with the students in idyllic surroundings to impart knowledge. It makes me proud to think that we are a link in the chain connected to our ancient culture, working for its perpetuation.

A lively function was arranged by CIRD for the Sunday Cultural Heritage Class children to present their skills. After chanting a few Guru-stotras, the children inspiringly sang some touching patriotic songs in different languages. Maa, with her voice soaked in emotions, explained the meaning of some of these songs which inspire love, sacrifice, collectivity and hope. The devotees present were touched by the depth and appeal in the songs sung by these children. The hard labour that Smt Papiya had put in teaching these indigent children the inspiring songs was amply rewarded by their performance. Also evident from the bright faces was the love and care showered on them over the past couple of years by Smt Madhusri & Sri Amitabha Sengupta and Sri Lakshminarayanan, the regular conductors of the heritage class in CIRD.

Thereafter, the annual academic results of four children, sponsored by CIRD, and studying at NN Mohan Public School, were announced. With the blessings of Poojya Swamiji, seven more children from the nearby slums have been sponsored by CIRD this year to a nearby private school. All the Heritage School children received Text-books, note-books, school-uniforms, and gifts from Poojya Swamiji. On this occasion, Poojya Swamiji highlighted that academic excellence could be achieved by anyone irrespective of social and economical status. The children were then escorted to Annakshetra for sumptuous snacks. 

The Director of the Mewar Institute (which offers courses on Law and Business Management) came one day to the evening satsang, and requested Poojya Swamiji to meet the faculty and students for a short while. Even though it was not a scheduled programme, Poojya Swamiji consented to visit the institute the following day.

The small cozy lecture hall of the Institute was fully packed with more than a 100 people, waiting to listen to this Saint from their neighbourhood. Later, we learnt that Mewar Institute has a tradition of calling sannyaasins to instill our culture amongst the students, thus helping students retain the sense of direction in the present fast-paced society.

After an introduction from the hosts, Poojya Swamiji smilingly called upon the audience to give him a topic to speak. The shy audience not very forthcoming, Swamiji plunged into an inspiring talk that established the supremacy of mind over the matter. The students were spell-bound by the sheer power and the scientific analysis of spirituality, emanating from Swamiji’s words. After the talk, the Chairman and the director took Poojya Swamiji, Maa, Nutan Swamiji and other visiting devotees on a tour of the college. Following Poojya Swamiji’s session at the Mewar Institute, some members of the faculty have been participating in the various programmes at CIRD.

On the 2nd April, Poojya Swamiji addressed (in Malayalam) the devotees gathered at the Ishta Siddhi Vinayaka temple in Mayur Vihar, New Delhi, on the occasion of the Bhaagavata Saptaaham being conducted there. Poojya Swamiji gave a very enlightening talk, culling examples from different sections of Sreemad Bh¡gavatam.

Jai Guru!