[Advaita-l] Sri Shankara Jayanthi - 26th April 2012

[V Subrahmanian]

Namaste.

Here is an English rendering of the Kannada brochure sent to me by the
'Vedanta Bharati' regarding the Shankara Jayanthi coming up in the next
week.  I am posting it here so that those interested could adapt the
program to suit their convenience.  It gives a general idea of the method
of observing the Jayanthi.

Regards,
subrahmanian.v

Jagadguru Sri Shankaracharya is the bright star that illumined the fields
of Dharma (righteous conduct) and AdhyAtma (spirituality) of our nation.
At a time when the people of our nation had been enveloped by a
self-forgetfulness and it appeared as if our sanatana dharma itself would
fade into oblivion Shankara Bhagavatpada descended on this land and taught
the true purport of the Vedas and Upanishads and established on firm ground
the Vaidika Dharma.  With a view to ensure that His most painstakingly
accomplished work continues to yield its fruit to mankind He instituted the
AmnAya pITha-s that can safeguard Dharma.

The Temples and the practice of worship there, the samskaras that we
perform from jAtakarma onwards, the observance of vrata-s and upavAsa-s
that we witness today is the fruit of Bhagavatpada's endeavor.  To put it
precisely, the dhArmic and AdhyAtmic life of we the BhArateeya-s is the
very contribution of Acharya Shankara.  Whenever we commence any dhArmic
activity it is our bounden duty to remember our Adya Acharya and pay our
gratitude to Him. On the occasion of His Jayanthi it would but be fitting
for us to reminisce His illustrious Life,  study HIs canonical works and
recite His stotra-compositions and thereby make ourselves worthy of His
grace. This indeed would be the best way of observing the Shankara Jayanthi
year after year.

'Vedanta Bharati' founded with the Chief-patronage of the Sringeri
Jagadguru Sri Bharati Tirtha SwaminaH and functioning under the guidance of
the Yedathore Mutt pontiff Sri Shankara Bharati Swaminah has been
spearheading the work of publishing and popularizing the core teachings of
Shankara Bhagavatpada by taking up a number of programs.  These programs
have earned the appreciation of the multitude of Astikas and enlisted their
active participation in astonishing numbers.  From the past year this
institution has engaged itself in the observance of Shankara Jayanthi on a
macro scale throughout the State. In order to make this program work in
unison the following structure has been designed.

During the Shankara Jayanthi Celebrations the daily program is to include
the following:


   - On each morning the 'prAtaHsmaraNa stotram' composed by Shankara
   Bhagavatpada has to be recited.  Also, in each Center, at a predetermined
   time, devotees are to place the picture of the Acharya and recite the
   stotras indicated by name below:
   - The First Day of Shankara Jayanthi: Sri Ganesha Pancharatnam,
   Shivananda lahari and the 'Shankaracharya padAvalamba suvarNamAlAstuti'
   ('OmkArapankajamadhuvrata..') composed by the Sringeri Acharya Sri
   Sachidananda Shivabhinava NRsimhabhArati SwaminaH.
   - The Second Day: EkashlokI, dashashlokI, Subrahmanyabhujangam and the
   shankaracharya bhujangaprayAta stotram ('kRpAsAgarAyAshukAvyapradAya')
   composed by the Sringeri Jagadguru Sri Sachidananda NrsimhabhArati
   SwaminaH.
   - The Third Day: LakshminRsimhapancharatna, LakshminRsimhakarAvlamba
   stotram and the 'ShankarAchAryapadAvalamba stuti'
   ('OmityasheShavibudhAH..')composed by the Sringeri Acharya Sri
   Chandrashekhara Bharati SwaminaH.
   - The Fourth Day: LalitApancharatna, shAradAbhujangprayAtAShTaka,
   kanakadhArAstotra and the 'shankarabhagavatpUjyapAdAchAryastava'
   ('mudAkareNa pustakam...') composed by the Sringeri Jagadguru Sri Bharati
   Tirtha SwaminaH.
   - The Fifth Day: dakshinAmUrtyaShTakam ('vishvam darpana..'),
   dakshinamurtistotram ('upAsakAnAm..'), the RamabhujangaprayAtastotram,
   shankarAchArya aShTottara shatanAma and the 'toTakAShTakam'.
   - After this a ShoDashopachAra pUja for Shankaracharya is to be
   performed.

Those who are unable to go to the Center in their locality can observe the
Shankara Jayanthi in the above stated manner at their homes.  The Book,
separately in Kannada and in Sanskrit, containing the above stotras (price
Rs.20) and a CD which contains a beautiful rendering of these stotras
(Rs.40) are available for purchase at the Vedanta Bharati:

08223-264371,  vedantabharati at yahoo.com
www.vedantabharati.com

In selected centers lectures could be arranged on compositions such as the
LakshminRsimhapancharatna, LakshminRsimhakarAvlamba stotram.

bhava shankara deshika mey sharaNam