[Advaita-l] Teachings on the Vijaya Yatra - The Mother

[S Jayanarayanan]

 (Around the beginning of the month, a nugget of Wisdom from the Jagadguru may be posted
on the Chaturamnaya list : http://lists.advaita-vedanta.org/cgi-bin/listinfo/chaturamnaya )
 
 
http://vijayayatra.sringeri.net/chennai-june-28-2012/
 
Chennai: JUNE 28 – JULY 1, 2012
 
Kumbhabhisheka at Raja Annamalaipuram
 
The Jagadguru was received at the Sringeri Pravachana Mandiram at Raja Annamalai Puram on the evening of
28th June. After Dhuli Pada Puja and welcome in Sanskrit and Tamil, the Jagadguru started
His Anugraha Bhashanam reminiscing about His Guru – Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji,
who toured the country extensively and brought about faith in Dharma and Adhyatma in the hearts of people.
The Mahaswamiji undertook his first Yatra within South India for 6 years from 1956 to 1962. His second yatra
was from 1964 to 1968 all over India. During this Yatra, He had also visited Nepal where He was received
with great devotion by the then Maharaja of Nepal, King Mahendra. The Mahaswamiji performed Maha Shivaratri Puja
in the Pashupatinath temple. During the course of the Yatra, the Mahaswamiji did Prathishtha of
Sharadamba and Shankara Bhagavatpada in many places and blessed the devotees in those places. 
 
Sri Mahasannidhanam had installed Sharadamba, Adi Shankara and Maha Ganapati at the Sringeri Jagadguru Pravachina
Mandiram, Raja Annamalai Puram in the year 1969. The temple had been constructed by Sri Vaidya Subramaniya Iyer,
an ardent disciple of the Mahaswamiji on whom the Mahaswamiji had conferred the title “Dharmatma”. From then on,
people in the area have been blessed to have Darshan of Sharadamba, Adi Shankara and Maha Ganapati. 
 
The Jagadguru mentioned that the second Kumbhabhishekam was arranged by the Dharmatma’s sons Sri Vaidyanathan
and Sri Jayaraman and had been performed by Him in the year 1995, after a period of 26 years. This year,
the opportunity has come for the third Kumbhabhishekam of the temple. 
 
Talking about the family of the Dharmatma, the Jagadguru mentioned that, in some instances, the father has
lot of Bhakti but his children don’t reflect the same level of Bhakthi. In other instances, its the reverse.
But in the family of Dharmatma Vaidya Subramania Iyer, he and his sons had the same level of Bhakti towards
God and Guru. 
 
The following day, on 29th Jun 2012, the Jagadguru performed the Kumbhabhisheka of Lord Mahaganapati,
Sri Adi Shankara and Goddess Sharada. In the evening , during a function was organized to commemorate the
Kumbhabhisheka, the Jagadguru blessed the devotees with a Anugraha Bhashanam. The Jagadguru mentioned that
on the occasion of the Kumbhabhisheka, everyone becomes the recipient of the Grace of Mother Sharadamba.
A mother has the same amount of love and affection towards all her children. Even for a child that doesn’t
show any liking for the mother, she only showers affection. This is the greatness of a mother.
Sri Adi Shankaracharya says – कुपुत्रो जायेत क्वचिदपि कुमाता न भवति (A bad son may be born, but there can never be a bad mother).
 
The position offered to a mother is the greatest position. The Shastras mention that a person should prostrate
before his mother first, then the father, and then the Guru and then God – मातृदेवो भव । पितृदेवो भव । आचार्यदेवो भव ।
Such is the greatness of the Divine Mother that one of the names in the Lalitha Sahasranamam is
“सर्वापद्विनिवारिणी” – the one who removes all problems (dangers). Every man in this world is faced
with some problem or the other, irrespective of his stature in life. The only person who can protect us
from these problems (dangers) is the Jaganmatha. With Her blessings, all our problems will be removed. 
 
The Devi Mahaatmyam explains the different ways in which the Jaganmata protects us from all problems.
She killed many personifications of evil like Mahishasura, Shumba, Nishumba, Raktha Bheeja, Chanda and Munda
and protected the world. 
 
Sri Adi Shankaracharya has said that the Lord needs the Mother to create the world:  
 
 शिवः शक्त्या युक्तो यदि भवति शक्तः प्रभवितुं
 न चेदेवं देवो न खलु कुशलः स्पन्दितुमपि ।
 
The Svetashvatara Upanishad, also mentions describes the Lord along with Goddess Uma –
 “उमासहायं परमेश्वरं प्रभुं त्रिलोचनं नीलकण्ठं प्रशान्तम्”
 
One cannot describe the extent of Her compassion. She is an ocean of compassion. This is explained in another
name in Lalitha Sahasranamam – “करुणारससागरा”. 
 
We should pray to Sharadamba that She bless us with the heart to follow the do’s and don’ts mentioned in
the Shastras. Only if we have the blessings of the Goddess Sharadamba, we will be able to go in the right
direction. We should pray that she bless us with the heart that will not go in the wrong direction. If we
have the mind to perform our duties, and refrain from what is prohibited, we will reach a good state of life.
The Jagadguru noted that the lives of many are right now contrary to this principle. 
 
The Jagadguru also said we should pray that we live in the company of Sat-Purushas and bless us with the
opportunity to hear divine stories. This would purify our lives. The Jagadguru concluded the Bhashanam
by praying to Sharadamba that everyone be blessed with a pious bent of mind. 
 
The Jagadguru then observed the Prathama Ekadashi following Kashta Mounam on 30th June 2012 and blessed
the devotees on Dwadashi day (July 1 2012) before starting in the afternoon for Sudharma in Mylapore to
observe Chaturmasya.