[Chaturamnaya] Teachings on the Vijaya Yatra - The Greatness of Dharma

[S Jayanarayanan via Chaturamnaya]

http://vijayayatra.sringeri.net/coimbatore-march-20-2012/

Coimbatore: MARCH 20 – APRIL 1, 2012
 

Arrival
 

The Jagadguru reached Coimbatore on the evening of 20th March and was received with
great devotion by a huge number of devotees. Dhuli Pada Puja to the Jagadguru
was performed by Dharmadhikari Sri C G Venkataramanan at Sharadalayam,
Sringeri Shankara Math, Race Course Road, Coimbatore. In His Anugraha Bhashanam,
the Jagadguru said that Dharma has to be adhered whether one is learned, wealthy,
powerful. The greatness of Dharma can be felt when one realizes that the Lord Himself
descends to protect when it is on the decline. Even in a company, the Chairman
intervenes to address an issue only if it is not addressable by everyone else under him.
The issue has to be important enough for the Chairman to intervene. So too is the case
with Dharma. When Dharma is under threat, the Lord Himself intervenes and protects it.
Such is the greatness of Dharma.
 

People have the time to watch TV, read the news and waste time in idle talk but excuse
themselves from performing Vedic Karmas. Sri Adi Shankaracharya has instructed -
वेदो नित्यमधीयतां तदुतिं कर्म स्वनुष्ठीयतां तेनेशस्य विधीयतामपचितिः – Study the Vedas daily.
Perform the Karmas enjoined in the Vedas with faith. And by such performance, worship the Lord.
 

How could the performance of Vedic Karmas constitute worshipping the Lord?
The Lord Himself has said, “श्रुतिस्मृती ममैवाज्ञे” – The Shruti (Vedas) and
Smritis (Dharma Shastras) are My commands.  Hence if one says one worships the Lord
but never adheres to His commands, can He be said to worship the Lord? The Jagadguru
expressed joy at being in Coimbatore and recounted the words of His Paramguru who had
given an intrepreation for why the city was named so – that Coimbatore was once home
to many Astikas who were engaged in spiritual inquiry asking themselves
“कोऽयमात्मा?” - Who is this Atman? – and it is because people here constantly
reflected on this question, that Coimbatore got its name.

[..]

In His Anugraha Bhashanam, the Jagadguru said that it was the mission of Sri Adi Shankaracharya
that people must be inclined towards Dharma as Dharma alone results in good. Adharma must be
shunned as it leads to one’s fall however great one may be.

Sri Hanuman expresses in the Sundara Kaanda of Valmiki Ramayanam that Ravana would have been
able to rule over all the worlds including Heaven, but for his Adharma.

 यद्यधर्मो न बलवान् स्यादयं राक्षसेश्वरः ।
 स्यादयं सुरलोकस्य सशक्रस्यापि रक्षिता ।।

Hence there must be someone who shows the right path to man, and that is why there has to be
a Guru and that is why Sri Adi Shankaracharya established this Guru Parampara. The Jagadguru
pointed out that people must be ready to listen and act according to the instructions of
the Guru. The Jagadguru quoted the words of Sri Adi Shankaracharya thus -

 कोऽन्धः? – योऽकार्यरतः
 को बधिरो? – यो हितानि न शृणोति ।
 को मूकः? -  यः काले प्रियाणि वक्तुं न जानाति ॥

 Who is blind? He who keeps engaging in wrong acts.
 Who is deaf? He who does not listen to right advice.
 Who is mute? He who does not know how to speak sweetly when the time arises.

The Jagadguru said that one must never be deaf to the instructions of the Guru. Even if people
engage in various activities for the purpose of filling their stomachs, they must never swerve
from Dharma.

The Jagadguru also said He was essentially a Sannyasi and as a Peethadhipati. The Mahaswamiji
also quoted the Bhagavad Gita- न प्रहृष्येत्प्रियं प्राप्य नोद्विजेत्प्राप्य चाप्रियम् (the Jnani neither rejoices having obtained
what is likeable, nor sulks having obtained what is detestable). His duty was to adhere to the
tenets of Dharma and Vedanta and to talk only about these topics when speaking in public.
When people are not ready to adhere to Dharma even after being repeatedly told, what was the
point of undertaking a Vijaya Yatra? Yet He had received Prerana (inspiration) from the
Goddess and His Guru for undertaking the Yatra and noted the fact that at least one amidst
hundreds may resolve to stick to Dharma. The Jagadguru ended the Bhashanam saying that it was
Ishwara Sankalpa that the Vardhanti took place in Coimbatore and blessed the efforts and
devotion of the devotees in conducting various Dharmic activities during the event.

[..]

In His Anugraha Bhashanam, the Jagadguru pointed with a simple illustration out that the
Lord graces us by infusing the right thought in our minds. A man once built a mansion,
went to the terrace and suddenly had a thought – how would it be if i jumped down from here.
A thought then struck him that he would lose his life if he did so and he refrained from
jumping down. Such thoughts that give us the right direction occur due to the Lord’s Grace.
The Jagadguru said that one must engage in Nama Japa – be it Shiva Nama or Rama Nama, rather
than involving in unnecessary talk. The Jagadguru also said that the Madhaviya Shankara Digvijaya
of Jagadguru Vidyaranya says that Goddess Sharada, installed by Sri Adi Shankaracharya,
resides in Sringeri to this day in accordance to the promise given to Him blessing Her devotees.
Thus Goddess Sharada’s presence pervades the spot where She was consecrated by
Sri Adi Shankaracharya. In a similar sense, our Parameshti Guru consecrated the Goddess Sharada
at Kalady while our Paramaguru consecrated a temple for Goddess Sharada in Bangalore.
Our Guru, Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji performed the Prana Prathishtha of
Goddess Sharada in a number of places. The Jagadguru said that He was following in the footsteps
of His Guru and remembered that the Prana Prathishtha performed by His Guru and Himself in 1979
in Coimbatore. The Jagadguru had also performed the Kumbhabhisheka once more in 1991 and the
occasion had come for the subsequent Kumbhabhisheka to happen now. The Jagadguru concluded the
Bhashanam by praising the efforts of those involved in the Kumbhabhisheka efforts, and by
invoking the blessings of the consecrated deities – Lord Mahaganapati, Goddess Sharada,
Sri Balamurugan and Sri Adi Shankaracharya – for the welfare of the devotees.

Jagadguru at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Anaikatti

Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji graced the Arsha Vidya Gurkulam,
Anaikatti and was welcomed with Poornakumbha. After having Darshan of Sri Dakshinamurti,
the Jagadguru was received by Swami Dayananda Saraswati, founder of the Gurukulam and teacher
of Vedanta. Swami Dayananda Saraswati offered a garland of 62 Rudrakshas to the Jagadguru.

Speaking on the occasion, Swami Dayananda Saraswati referred to the popular adjective used for
Sri Adi Shankaracharya – श्रुतिस्मृतिपुराणानाम् आलयम् – The Shruti, Smriti and Puranas constitute our
scriptures, our Vedic heritage – they constitute all that is knowing worthwhile. There is
nothing outside these three. And the word “आलयं” means “अासमन्तात् लीयन्ते अस्मिन्” – All the three found
their abode, their shrine in Adi Shankara. And the same words we can say for our Acharya,
Jagadguru Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji. Whoever sits in the Sringeri Peetham will
command respect. That is the greatness of the Peetham. At the same time, whoever sits on the
Peetham has to bring respect to the Peetham. And that is what our Acharya has done.

In His Anugraha Bhashanam, the Jagadguru said that Lord Parameshwara incarnated as
Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada to protect Sanatana Dharma and expound the Vedanta Tattva.

Through His commentaries, He established that Advaita is the established conclusion of the
Upanishads. Many mistakenly think that Adi Shankara introduced the philosoophy of Advaita.
He explained and elaborated on the philosophy of Advaita in the Vaidika Parampara that came
down through Rishis such as Veda Vyasa.

It has thus come through a Sampradaya. Sri Adi Shankaracharya at the start of the
Taittiriya Upanishad Bhashyam writes,

 यैरिमे गुरुभिः पूर्वं पदवाक्यप्रमाणतः ।
 व्याख्याताः सर्ववेदान्ताः तान्नित्यं प्रणतोऽस्म्यहम् ।।

I prostrate to all the Gurus who have earlier commented on Vedanta using Pada (Vyakaranam),
Vakya (Mimamsa), and Pramana (Nyaya). When Bhagavan Veda Vyasa came to test
Sri Adi Shankaracharya, He was pleased with the Acharya’s replies and blessed that
His commentary would shine forever and remain unparalleled. That is why even though other
commentaries were written on the Brahma Sutras after the time of Sri Adi Shankaracharya,
His commentary stands foremost.

The Jagadguru stressed the importance of the Sampradaya and said the Shastras can be properly
understood only if taught by the Guru. The Jagadguru also quoted a few instances that cannot be
understood even if one is an expert in Vyakarana.

For instance, the Mahavakya Ratnavali states गोस्तनान्निसृतं क्षीरं पुनरारोपणे जगत् – The meaning of this can be
understood only from a Guru. Will you accept as real if you are told that milk that has come
out of the cow reenters the cow. Only if you accept this as real can the world too be called
real. Such is the nature of Truth.

The Jagadguru recalled a similar verse from the Svetasvatara Upanishad that states that one can
put an end to all suffering without knowledge of the Supreme, if one can roll up the sky and
use it as a blanket -

 यदा चर्मवदाकाशं वेष्टयिष्यन्ति मानवाः ।
 तदा देवमविज्ञाय दुःखस्यान्तो भविष्यति ॥

The entire Bhashanam of the Jagadguru was immediately translated into English by
Swami Dayananda Saraswati for the benefit of the audience.The Jagadguru blessed the efforts
of Swami Dayananda Saraswati in propagating the message of Vedanta, and conveyed His Anugraha
for the students of the works of Sri Adi Shankaracharya at the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam.

While returning the Jagadguru graced the Veda Pathashala at Annapoorneshwari Yoganarasimha
temple, RS Puram, Coimbatore and blessed the students and teachers. The Jagadguru started
from Coimbatore on the afternoon of 4th April towards Kerala.
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