[Advaita-l] Teachings on the Vijaya Yatra - Karma and Suffering

[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-26-2012/
 
Chennai: JUNE 26-28, 2012
 
 
At Ratnagirishwarar Temple, Besant Nagar
 
The Jagadguru started from the Tattvaloka premises on the afternoon of 26th June and went to Besant Nagar.
He first had Darshan at Varasiddhi Vinayakar Temple Besant Nagar. The Shila nyasam for the temple had been
performed by Sri Mahasannidhanam in 1977 during the then Vijaya Yatra of Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam.
Having had Darshan and having blessed the devotees at the temple, the Jagadguru proceeded to have Darshan at
the Ratnagirishwarar temple at Besant Nagar. The Jagadguru dedicated a golden door at the temple for
Sri Kothanda Rama inside the Ratnagirishwarar temple and blessed the devotees with a Anugraha Bhashanam.
In the Bhashanam, the Jagadguru said that happiness and sorrow alternate in man’s life. This is because a
human birth is obtained because you have done both Punya and Paapa in the past lifetimes. If you had only done
Punya, he would be born as a Deva. If you had only engaged in evil deeds, you would end up in hellish regions. 
 
Having obtained a human birth, we see that people remain carefree when in joy and in the midst of sorrow question
even the existence of God, asking – If there exists a God, how can He be so cruel to give me such suffering.
The Shastras however goad man to be equanimous in joy and sorrow – समदुःखसुखः क्षमी. Do not be haughty and carefree in
joy and do not give in to depression when suffering. Understand that these joys and sorrows are a result of
your good and bad deeds, and that it is futile to blame anyone or even God for the suffering that has ensued.
People who indulge in prohibited acts do so because they have not been able to understand the consequences that
will come about. Know that even Bhagavan cannot stop the effect of a Karma. The Jagadguru quoted from the
Jagadguru Sri Vidyaranya’s Panchadashi – अवश्यं भाविभावानां प्रतीकारो भवेद्यदि । तदा न लिप्येरन् नलरामयुधिष्ठिराः ॥
– When it has been decided that something must happen in a certain way, it cannot be changed by anyone.
If it could be changed, why did King Nala, a great follower of Dharma suffer in the Krita Yuga?
Why did Rama suffer by going to exile for 14 years in the Treta Yuga? Why did Yudhishthira have to be in exile
for 12 years and spend a year incognito in the Dwapara Yuga? All these three – Nala, Sri Rama and Yudhishthira –
are repositories of Dharma and the mere utterance of their names bring about Shreyas. However, they had to
undergo such suffering because the suffering are “अवश्यंभावी”- Even Ishwara cannot change it. It is akin to a
judgement given by a judge; the judgement once given cannot be changed even by the judge who gave the judgement.
The Prarabdha Karma cannot be escaped even by a Jnani. Hence we must remain calm during suffering. 
 
The Jagadguru pointed out the example of Kunti asking for suffering when Bhagavan told her to ask for a boon – 
 
 विपदः सन्तु नः शश्वत् तत्र तत्र जगद्गुरो ।
 भवतो दर्शनं यत्स्यादपुनर्भवदर्शनम्॥
 (Let me be in the midst of suffering always, for then I would get your Darshan and by your Darshan, I would
be lifted from the ocean of Samsara)
 
The Jagadguru also remembered that when Prahlada was tortured, his remembering the Lord only increased. The Jagadguru
pointed that we must try to follow in their footsteps, remain calm and remember the Lord at all times – be it during
joy or sorrow. 
 
The Jagadguru observed that the Ratnagirishwarar temple is serving the cause of devotees well in the area, and
remembered that Sri Mahasannidhanam had graced the temple, and that it had become a practice to come to the temple
every time He is in Chennai. The Jagadguru expressed joy at having the Darshan of the Lord, and for dedicating the
golden door at the temple of Sri Kothandarama and ended the Bhashanam blessing the gathering. 
 
The Jagadguru travelled back to the Sringeri Bharati Vidyashram on the evening of 26th June and stayed on till
the evening of 28th June.