[Advaita-l] Teachings on the Vijaya Yatra - Serve Guru for His Grace

[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/vijayayatra/periyakulam-april-17-18-2017/
 
PERIYAKULAM: APRIL 17-18, 2017
Jagadgurus at Periyakulam
 
Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam arrived at Periyakulam in the evening of April 17, 2017.
Sri O Panneerselvam, former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, offered his pranams and welcomed the
Jagadgurus with Poornakumbha. The Jagadgurus graced the public function organised at the
Pravachana Mandiram of the Sringeri Shankara Math in Periyakulam. Dhuli Pada Puja was performed
by Sri Shashidharan, Dharmadhikari of the Sringeri Shankara Math in Periyakulam. After Veda Ghosha
and prayer (Ajnana-dhvaanta-vidhvamsi – the Guru Dhayanam composed by Sri Mahasannidhanam on His Guru),
citations in Sanskrit and Tamil welcoming the Jagadgurus were read and submitted. Sri O Paneerselvam
speaking on the occasion said that it is fortunate for the people of Tamil Nadu that the Jagadgurus
have undertaken a Vijaya Yatra for Dharma Prachara at this juncture, that happens to be the
birth centenary year of Sri Mahasannidhanam’s Guru.
 
CEO of Sringeri Math Sri VR Gowrishankar speaking on the occasion said that the Sringeri Jagadgurus
graces small towns and villages, including those that are in close proximity, only because of the
devotion of the people residing in such places. He thankfully acknowledged Sri O Panneerselvam and
family for having been of great help to the devotees in organising the camp at Periyakulam.
 
As part of the birth centenary celebrations of the 35th Acharya of the Peetham
(Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji), the Vidyatirtha Foundation of Chennai had conducted
competitions such as quiz on topics related to Sanatana Dharma, shloka recitation, etc.
 
ANUGRAHA BHASHANAMS
 
Sri Sannidhanam in His Anugraha Bhashanam said that the human body has been designed in such a way
so as to engage in Dharma, service of the needy and service of God – शरीरम् आद्यं खलु धर्मसाधनम्. 
Sri Sannidhanam also stated that just as water gains the whitish and sweet nature of milk when
mixed with milk, so too does the sincere disciple who serves the Guru get bestowed with the
Guru’s grace and knowledge.
 
Sri Mahasannidhanam in His Anugraha Bhashanam said that just as we observe miraculous deeds in
Avataras like those of Sri Rama and Sri Krishna, we can also observe such deeds in the Avatara
of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada. Sri Mahasannidhanam quoted a number of incidents including
incidents such as the Kanakadhara Stotra and shower of golden gooseberries, changing the course
of the river for the comfort of Mother Aryamba, controlling the floods in the river Narmada using
His kamandalu, and his profound debates with Mandana Mishra and Veda Vyasa. The Upadeshas that
Bhagavatpada has given us, such as “shed your ego”, “remember God”, “help others in accordance
to your capacity”, “be associated with noble people” are neither incomprehensible nor undoable.
They are all oriented eventually towards crossing this ocean of Samsara.
 
VISITS
 
In the morning, the Jagadgurus visited the temple of Sri Bala Subrahmanya Swamy and had Darshan.
The Jagadgurus gave Darshan at the Pravachana Mandiram to devotees. At 5:30 in the evening,
the Jagadgurus started towards Melmangalam.