SHLOKA OF THE MONTH DECEMBER 2008

Sathyena lokan jayathi deenan danen raghavaha

Guruun sushruushaya chaiva dhanusha yudhi shaathravaan

Sri Rama gave great importance to the virtue of Honesty. He was bound by it. He went to the forest and led an ascetic life for 14 years only to protect this virtue of honesty. “I vow on truth that I will kill Vali”, Rama said to Sugriva. Hence he stood by his statement by protecting Sugriva and killing Vali. “ I promise to kill the rakshasas and thus protect Dharma” he vowed to the Devas and rishis. He slayed Ravana and thus kept his promise. This is what Valmiki refers to as “ Satyena lokan jayathi”- Rama will rule this world by his virtue of truth.

Sri Rama was a detached person. He generously gave his wealth to the poor and needy. At the time of his departure to the forest he donated all his wealth to the poor. There lived a person by name Trijata in Ayodhya. He was a man of renunciation. He never accepted any gift from anybody. But he came to Rama for getting something from his loving hands. Sri Rama, the knower of all decided to give him something without disturbing his policy of renunciation. He saw that trijata had a stick in his hand. “ Throw the stick however far you can. I will give you so many cows.” Immediately he threw the stick with all his might.. It fell on the banks of the river Sarayu. Sri rama in turn gave him thousands of cows as a reward for his might. This is reffered to as “ Deenan danena Raghavaha”

Sri Rama respected all the elders. He served Kaikeyi more than his own mother Kousalya. He never thought her as his step-mother. He humbly served the rishis.. The rushis prayed to Rama to destroy the rakshasas. Rama said at once “ Order me and I wait to fulfill your order”. This shows his respect towards the maharishis which is referred to by Valmiki as “ gurun sushrushaya chaiva”.

Rama was a great warior. At 15 years he slayed Subahu and conquered Maricha, broke the bow of Shiva, subjugated Parasurama’s pride. He destroyed 14000 rakshasas single-handedly and exterminated the moola bala army of Ravana. All this shows his valour which is referred to as “ Dhanusha Yudhi Shatravan”.

EVENTS OF THE MONTH NOVEMBER 2008

I SRIMAD BHAGAVATA SAPTHAHAM,VIRUGAMBAKAM,CHENNAI

From October 28^th to November 3^rd Sri Hari anna’s sapthaham at Hariharaputra temple, Chinmaya nagar, Virugambakkam was celebrated with grandeur. There was heavy rain in Chennai this time before Deepavali. But the sapthaham went on successfully without the disturbance from rainfall. Here the bhagavathas meet every Sunday for the parayanam of Srimad Bhagavatham. The 50^th parayanam of Bhagavatham co-incided with the sapthaham. There was a huge gathering of devotees who happily attended the sapthaham. There was unchavruthi, divyanamam and Radha kalyanam on Saturday morning.

II SRIMAD BHAGAVATA SAPTAHA SATHAKRATHU,MUMBAI

Sri jayalakshmi ammal lives in Mumbai. She has taught more than 100devotees to do the parayanam of Srimad Bhgavatham. She has named the mandali Krishnapriya. From November 5^th onwards the Bhagavatha Sapthaha Shathakrathu of Sri Hari Anna was celebrated at Ghatkopar Bhajan Samaj premises, Mumbai on behalf of Krishnapriya. There was parayanam and pravachanam from 6.30 a.m till evening 6.30 p.m. More than 100 devotees did the parayanam in one melodious voice. It was a blissful sight indeed. They were highly enthusiastic about it. More than 600 devotees attended the pravachanam and were benefited by it. They left home with a peaceful mind and a happy heart, Thanks to Sri Harinanna.

III BANGLORE PROGRAM

On 7.11.2008 Smt.Vishakha Hari gave an English discourse on the Life of saint Thyagaraja, at Purandarabhavan, IndraNagar, Bangalaore. Trained by Sri Hari anna and Lalgudi Jayaraman sir, the lecture was appreciated by one and all. There was a free flow in the language and the lecture was filled with emotion, thanks to the saints’ krithis. The next day she gave a concert with a Ragam, Tanam Pallavi in Kapi.

On 9^th November Smt Vishakha Hari’s concert at N.M.K.R.V college Auditorium, Jaynagar, Bangalore was attended by more than 1500 rasikas. She presented a double ragam Tanam Pallavi in Mohanam and Hindolam. The 10^th November event at the same premises was Prahlada Bhakthi Vijayam in tamil. She presented a lot of dasar padams and ugabogas. The devotees enjoyed a lot and she received a standing ovation at the end of the recital, the ovation lasting for more than 10 minutes.

EVENTS OF THIS MONTH(DECEMBER 2008)

I UTSAVAM OF THIS MONTH(DECEMBER 2008)UTSAVAM: KEERTHANAVALI UTSAVAM

Village :Paranur
Date: Dec 16 to 25

II HARIANNA'S PROGRAMS(DECEMBER 2008)

1.Mahabharata pravachanam Chennai
Date :Dec 10 to 19
City :Chennai
Venue:Guruvaayoorappan temple,Nanganallur
Topic:Mahabharatam
Time:7 pm to 9 pm

2.Srimad Bhagavata Sapthaham,Chennai
Date: Dec 21 to 27
City:Chennai
Venue:Kuppaiya cultural centre,Kuppaiyachetty street,Mambalam
Topic:Bhagavatam
Time:7 pm to 9 pm

3.Srimad Bhagavata Sapthaham,Mumbai
Date:Dec 25 to Jan 1
City: Mumbai
Venue:Vani vidhyalaya,Mulund,Mumbai
Topic:Bhagavatam
Time:6:30 am to 12:30 noon and 2 pm to 6:30 pm

III VISHAKA HARI'S PROGRAM (DECEMBER 2008)

1 11.12.2008 Nada Bruhmam

Dakshinamoorthy Auditorium, Concert 7.00 p.m

P.S High School,

Mandaveli

2 13.12.2008 Karthik Fine Arts,

Kamarajar hall, Prahlada Bhakthi Vijayam 6.30 p.m

Teynampet

3 15.12.2008 Jaya TV Andal Kalyanam 6.45 p.m

Chettinad Vidyashram Hall,

Santhome

4 19.12.2008 Bharath Kalachar Kuchelopakyanam 4.00 p.m

T.Nagar

5 21.12.2008 Chennaiyil Thiruvaiyaru, Sita Kalyanam 7.00 p.m

Kamarajar hall,

Teynampet

6 23.12.2008 Kalarasana, Purandaradasar 6.15 p.m

Rani Seetamma Hall,

Nungambakkam

7 25.12.2008 Parthasarathy swami sabha, PancharatnaVaibhavam10.00a.m

Vidya Bharathi Kalyana mandapam,

Mylapore

8 27.12.2008 Sri Krishna Gana Sabha Sri Ranga mahathmyam 9.30 a.m

28.12.2008 T.Nagar

29.12.2008

9 31.12.2008 Brahma Gana sabha Padmavathy kalyanam 6.30p.m

QUIZ ON SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM DECEMBER 2008

Rules and Regulations:
1. The answers should be mailed within 25th of the month to annahariji@gmail.com
2. Points will be alloted for the First, second and Third prizes.First - 10 Second - 8 Third - 6
3. The points will be cumulated every month if you get first, second or third.
4. The participants with the maximum points will be awarded first, second and third prizes at the end of the year.
5. The prizes will be distributed by Hariji at a grand function held at the end of the year.

QUESTIONS:

1.Whom did Vyasacharya see in his mind for the first time?

2.What is sathvatha Samhitha?

3.What type of Bhakthi will the athmaramas do?

4.Was Parikshith a king Raja or a Rajarishi?

5.Who is Drouni?

ANSWERS FOR THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2008:

1.How did Narada lead the rest of his life after the ashareeravak ( anonymous call) pacified him?

Ans :Narada led a happy life singing the Divine names of the Lord, ever remembering His transcendental pastimes, without attachment or desire, envy or pride.

2) Do the wise suffer from Prarabdakarma or can they escape from its clutches?

ANS: Gnanis also suffer prarabdakarma

3) What did the Lord give Narada as a gift?

ANS:Veena

4) What other blessing did the Lord give Narada?

Ans :The Lord gives darshan in his heart forever.Moreover the lord blessed him that he could travel all the three worlds without any obstruction

5) How does Narada bestow happiness to this world?

Ans :Narada satisfies and pleases the samsaris by singing Bhagavathgunas.

NOVEMBER WINNERS:

1.Aparna- I-56+10 points

2.Sethuraman -I- 70+10 points

3.Padma Narayan -I-34+10 points

4.Natraj Punjai- II-14+8 points

5.Thaila -III-8+6 points

6.Gurumoorthy -III-32+6 points

7.Karthik Venkataraman-III-26+6

8.Srividhya Sri -III-26+6 points

KSHETRA FOR THE MONTH OF DECEMBER 2008

SRI RANGAM PART I

Our motherland, Bharatha desha is full of kshetras, rivers, rishis, sadhus, yogis, ashramas, dharmathmas, paramahamsas, pathivrathas, Vaishnavite and saivite shrines. Hail Motherland India! The most chaste land of all lands. From badrikashrama in the North to Thirupullani ( Rameswaram) in the south India is full of temples and shrines. These temples can be classified into three types:

1) Those built by Rushis like Agasthya etc---------Aarsha Prathishta

2) Those worshipped by Devas like Indra etc ------Deva Prathista

3) Those established by human effort-----------------Manushya Prathishta

The sanctity of Rushi prathista is greater than manushya prathishta.

The sanctity of Deva prathista is greater than rishi prathishta.

The power and sanctity besides also depends not only on the prathista but on the power of bhakthas. Badrachalam came to be known to the world because of Ramdass and Puri Jagannatham of Jayadevar. Thus the kshetras sung by the azhwars came to be known as Divyadeshams. The Divyasuris as the azhwars are called praised the Lord through their Tamizh Vedam called Divya Prabhandam. Thus the word “ Divyam” is associated with the azhwars. The temples where they extolled are thus called Divyadesams.

Amongst all these Divyadesams the greatest is SriRangam. It is the very first temple which is a Svamvyaktha one. Svamvyaktha denotes that the Lord ( The archa murthy) was not sculpted by an artist but incarnated on His own Will. Badrikashramam, Tirupathi, vanamamali, pushkaram, naimishranyam, pandaripuram, Kanchipuram, SriMushnam are all Svamvyaktha kshetras. Srirangam stands first in the list. It is the Adi kshetra. This kshetra is located in TamilNadu on the banks of the river Kaveri. Rather it is an island with kaveri running on both sides and ChandraPushkarani in the middle. Here the Lord is Seshashayi, lying on the 1000 headed serpant-AdiSesha. He is in the Yoga nidra. The Lord has several shayanams ( Slumber)

1) Yoga shayanam 2) Bhoga Shayanam 3) sthala shayanam 4) jala Shayanam 5) Chala shayanam 6) Darbha shayanam 7) Uththana shayanam 8) Veera shayanam 9) vatapathra shayanam

Bhoga shayanam denotes the Lord after creation with Brahma in His nabhi, 11 rudras 12 adithyas, 8 vasus and His entire family of 33crore Devas.This is as in Tiruvananthapuram. Stala shayanam is the Lord lying on land as in Mahabalipuram near Chennai. Jala shayanam is the Lord lying in Pralaya Jala. Chala shayanam is the Lord in a swing as in our homes. Darbha shayanam is Tirupullani Rama who lay down on blades of darbha waiting for the Samudra Raja to surrender for the purpose of Sethu bandhana. Sharngapani of kumbakonam is Uththanashayi as He is in the posture of Rising up a little bit from His cosy snake bed. Rama at Chitrakoota lay with one leg on another which is referred to as Veera shayanam. At SriVilliputhur the Lord lies on a Banyan Leaf ( Aalilai) which is reffered to as Vatapathra shayanam.

Of all these our SriRanganatha takes up Yoga shayanam without Brahma or the Devis. This is before shrishti during pralaya where He has in his Kukshi ( Navel) the entire world).