Friday, September 4, 2009

SHLOKA FOR THE MONTH SEP 2009

Bhaktham Pathivratham deenam mam samam sukhadukhayoho

Nethumarhasi Kakuthstha Samansukhadukheneem

Seetha Devi is the ideal for every woman to follow. Valmiki says” Sahadarmachari thava”. Dharama is of 2 types. They are Samanyadarmam and Bhagavathadarmam. Sree Rama showed both types of Dharmam. Seetha followed suit. Sri Rama never let down his refugees. Seetha Devi too protected even those who prostrated or even fell at her feet like a stick at her sanctum sanctorium. Sri Rama kept his father’s vow by going to the forest. Thus he was a staunch follower of samanya dharma. Seetha Devi accompanied him to the forest, served her husband and thus followed Sri Rama’s path of Dharma.

Sri Rama was a little hesistant to take Seetha along with him to the forest. He felt that she should not suffer the miseries of forest life. He hence asked her to stay at Ayodhya for the next 14 years. Devi refused. She requested him instead to take her along with him. “ Am I not your devotee? Am I not your beloved? Can I ever stay even for a second parted from you? I do not fear the rakshasas or wild animals of the forest. Arent you there to protect me from all kinds of dangers? Your taps of brahmacharyam will never be disturbed by me. Am I not a chaste wife?A chaste wife always has an equal share in her husband’s suffereings and happiness. Can a woman ever be called a pathivratha if she lives along with her husband during times of happiness and leaves him away during Dire straits. Will I ever lie down on a bed of roses when you shall sleep on the naked floor? Will I ever eat delicacies while you partake of fruits and roots in the forest?Will I ever decorate myself with grandeur while you cover yourself with the tree’s bark? Will I ever listen to the music of veena while your ears hear the piercing sound of animals?Will I ever walk on a carpet of flowers when your feet are worn due to to thorns and stones? I will instead walk in front of you sweeping the ground of such stones and thorns. I shall not leave you alone to the forest. Savithri brought back her husband Sathyavan from Yamadharma raja by her chastity.Iam like that Savithri. As Iam your devotte, achaste wife and your faithful follower may you take me along with you to the forest.



EVENTS OF THE MONTH JULY 2009

GURUVAYUR SAPTHAM







Where a sapthaham takes place there all punya kshetras and teeerthas show their sanctity. Still devotees like to conduct sapthahams at various kshetras.This shows their devotion. Guruvayur is a very prominent Krishna kshetra. At Guruvayur and Brindavanam always Bhagavatha sapthahams are being conducted continuously.

Every year Sri Chandran of Mumbai conducts Bhagavatha sapthaham during the month of Aadi ( July-Aug). Around 400 devotees had assembled there from various cities especially Mumbai.Parayanam, Pravachanam and Sankeerthanam were conducted at Rukmini kalyana mandapam. It was a parayana sapthaham. Hence the parayanam and pravachanam went on alternatively from 7.00 in the morning to 7.00 in the night. Sri Hari anna and Sri Rangaji delivered the discourses alternatively. The audience comprising fully of Bhagavatha rasikas enjoyed the pravachanams thoroughly. Hari Anna refered to Narayaneeya slokas and Sri Guruvayurappan in his every day pravachanams. In the first day discourse he described the sloka “ Kashta they shrishticheshta”. He concluded that this universe has been created by the Lord only to drink the nectar of Bhagavatham through our ears and the nectar of Guruvayurappan’s darshan through our eyes. At Guruvayur everyday Guruvayurappan was dressed up in a new alankara.Sri Hari Anna went for the Lord’s darshan everyday after the evening pravachanam. One day he went to the temple after delivering the discourse on Gajendramoksham. Guruvayurappan was decorated in Gajendramoksha alankaram. After the darshan he said “ Archavatharam talks to us”. Rukmini kalyana pravachanam by Srimathi Vishakha Hari was a grand event.When she quoted Manjula’s charitram in Guruvayurappan’s leela the devotees went ecsatatic. As usual Kathakali went on well. In this sapthaham which went on from July 23rd to 30th the devotees filled their ears with Bhagavatham and their eyes with Guruvayurappan’s darshan.



SRI KRISHNA LEELA PRAVACHANAM,CHENNAI









June 26, 27, 28th witnessed a mass crowd at Asthika Samaj, Venus Colony, Alwarpet, Chennai. It was Srimathi Vishakha Hari’s sangeetha upanyasam on Krishna leelas for 3days consecutively. ON the first day it was Krishna Avatharam followed by Bala leela and Brundavana leela. The third day concluded with Akruraragamanam, Kamsa Vadam and Rukmini Kalyanam. Every day she handled various songs, slokas and pasurams including Sri Thyagaraja, Dikshitar, Purandaradas, Andal, Subramanya Bharathi. She used several of Sri Anna’s songs from Govinda Shathakam and slokas from Govindakathamrutham. The second day when she delivered Kaliya Narthana she used her Guru Lalgudi Jayaraman’s tillana which was specifically composed for this programme. She acknowledged her indebtedness to him on the spot for having composed this tillana for her sake. It was in raga Nagaswarali depicting the dance of the Lord on Naga ( snake). It was an outstanding success rousing ovation from the audience who clapped their hands continuously for 7 minutes. She immediately said this ovation is to Lalgudi sir. The third day witnessed an overwhelming crowd. Sri A.K Ramamurthy of Vedic Sangeeta Foundation had organized the programme meticulously. He distributed prasadams to more than 1500 devotees each day. He had also arranged for 4 T.V screens ( plasma screens) and 2 huge screens. The audience were seated very comfortably. On the final day he presented Srimathi Vishakha Hari with a lovely Tanjore art painting of Sri Krishna.


EVENTS OF THIS MONTH (SEP 2009)

I UTSAVAM OF THIS MONTH(SEP 2009)
UTSAVAM : NAVARATRI UTSAVAM
DATE : SEP 19 TO 27
VILLAGE :PARANOOR

II HARI ANNA'S PROGRAM
SRIMAD BHAGAVATHA SAPTHAM ,NEW DELHI

DATE : SEP 2 TO 9
CITY :NEW DELHI
TOPIC : SRIMAD BHAGAVATA SAPTHAM
VENUE : DEVI KAMAKSHI MANDIR,A-11,ARUNA ASAF ALI MARG,NEW DELHI
TIME :7 PM TO 9 PM
III VISHAKA HARI'S PROGRAM
1.PROGRAM AT COIMBATORE
DATE: 7 SEPTEMBER
TOPIC :THYAGARAJA CHARITRAM
CITY:COIMBATORE
VENUE:MANI'S HIGH SCHOOL,PEELAMEDU
TIME:6 -9 PM

2.PROGRAM AT KUMBAKONAM
DATE:11 SEPTEMBER
TOPIC: SRI KRISHNAVATARAM
TOWN:KUMBAKONAM
VENUE:REDDYAR KULAM,KEELAKARAY
TIME:4-6 PM

QUIZ ON SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM( SEP 2009)


RULES AND REGULATION:
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) When Krishna returns to Dwaraka the kourava women send Him off. “ Viratathanaya means Uththarakumari. Mathsyasutha also menas Uththarakumari. In the 10th chapter Sri Vyasa gives the list of Kourava women who send Him farewell. In the 9th and 10th slokas why does he refer to Uththrakumari twice?

2) “ Indra Ivajithaasrayaha”. The term “Ajithaasrayaha has a speciality. What is it?

3) Who fanned the Lord ( did the chamara upachara) when Lord Krishna went to Dwaraka?

4) Sage Vyasa says the bleesing of the brahmanas was both relevant and irrelevant for the Lord. Why is it so?

5) Give the meanings for :

a) Udyanam b) Upavanam c) Aaramam d) Prasadam


ANSWERS FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2009:

1) Which time did Bheeshma expect while lying on the sharathalpa?
Bheeshma lay on the sharathalpa expecting the uththarayana kala.

2)
What was the vow of Bheeshma in the battle?
Bheeshma vowed “ I will destroy the Pandavas by tomorrow evening lest the war is not obstructed by any means.” Also he made another vow. The Lord had vowed not to take any weapons in the Bharatha yudhdha. Bheeshma vowed that he will make the Lord take weapons the very next day of yudhdha.

3) Which vow did Krishna sacrifice in the battle?
The Lord vowed not to take any weapons.

4) What was the reaction of everyone when Bheeshma attained moksha?
Everybody was as silent as the birds in the evening time.

5) How did the sages go back to their ashram after Bheeshma’s mukthi?
The sages returned to the ashram meditating upon Lord Srr Krishna in their mind.

AUGUST WINNERS:

1.Radhika Venkataraman I 36+10 points

2.Hari Gurumoorthy - I -28+10 points

3.Padma Narayanan - II -24+8 points

4.Arvind Hariharan - II -38+8 points

5.Girija Sitaraman -II -26+8 points

6.Gopika Sampath - II -18+8 points

7.Sethuraman Swaminathan -II-26 +8 points

8.Natraj punjai -II -28+8 points

9.Sujatha Nandakumar -II-30+6 points

10.Karthik Venkataraman -III-34 +6 points


KSHETRA FOR THE MONTH OF SEP 2009

SRI RANGAM PART VII

Vibheeshana looks down at the town- a small, serene town covered fully with coconut trees, bees buzzing, cuckoos cooing, peacocks dancing, the cool wind blowing, sugarcane groves and plaintain trees the place looks extremely beautiful. ( Vandinam muralum sholai- Azhwar’s mangalasasanam). Both sides the river Cauvery gushes. Chandrapushkarani pond lies in between.. This place is an island. The town is none other than the Bhoolokavaikunta- SriRnagam. It captivates the heart of Vibheeshana who involuntarily descends from the skies. It is evening time. Vibheeshna keeps the Lord along with the Vimana on the ground, goes for his evening anushtana. The Lord has other plans. He prefers to stay at SriRangam forever. Ayodhyanathar becomes SriRanganathar. Whoever did penance for the Lord to come here of his own accord? It is not the result of one or two years of penance but several years of SriRangam, Uraiyur have all been capital cities at such times. The reign of Dasharatha. DharamaVrama was the chozha king. Dasartha did the world famous Puthrakameshti yaga. He invited all kings including the Chozha, Pandya kings. Our Dharmavarma being invited went to Ayodhya. Being a Vishnu Bhaktha he went to see the temple there. He was amazed to see Lord Ranganatha in full splendour. Dharamavarma loses himself. He goes ecstatic over the Lord’s beauty. “ Dasaratha, he gently starts his favour “ You are my close friend and associate. There is nothing that should not be shared or given in friendship. A friend will even be ready to part his house or wealth or even his life for his friend. Please may I ask you to give me this Lord Ranganatha. I shall worship Him with all sincereity as you do. I have lost myself in His charm. I know that He is your Kuladeiva. Still there are so many people who offer their prayers to their Kuladeiva who is situated in faraway lands. You may please consider my request. Does Dasaratha agree ? ( To be contd)