SHLOKA OF THE MONTH(AUGUST 2008)

SHLOKA OF THE MONTH(AUGUST 2008)

Vishnuna sadrusho veerye somavat priya darshanaha|
Kalagni sadrusha: krodhe kshamaya pruthivi samaha||

“Vishnuna sadrusho veerye”
SriRama is parallel to Vishnu in valour. Suka says Lord Vishnu is “Nirastha samya”, The Upanishads declare Him as “ Na thathsamaschabyadhikascha drushyathe”, The Azhwars contend that He is “Opparillappan”. However SriRama is none other than Vishnu’s incarnation. Hence this is not against their statements.
“somavat priya darshanaha”
Sri Rama matches the moon in beauty. The moon’s cool rays are a great blessing for those suffering from the scorching heat of summer. Similarly Sri Ram’s cool glances of sympathy bestow peace and happiness to those suffering from the heat of samsara. However there is a striking difference between the moon and the Sri Ram. The moon waxes and wanes. Ram is always poornan (like the full moon). The moon is cast with eclipses. Sri Ram is uneclipsed and faultless.
“Kalagni sadrusha: krodhe”
The mahapurushas never show their anger against anybody. But it is a virtue to get angry at those punishable. Infact it is one of the major roles of each incarnation to destroy the wicked. Hence Sri Ram’s anger equals the Pralayagni when he opposes the cruel and the wicked.
"Kshamaya prithivisama:" To forget is human. To forgive is Divine.
Bhumi devi (the mother earh) is otherwise known as ‘Sarvamsaha’ which denotes bearer of great burden. She is burdened with huge trees, mountains, buildings and mansions. She even overlooks the fact that we all walk on her with shoes and chappals. Sri Ram is the embodiment of patience just as mother earth. None can forgive a criminal who has kidnapped his own wife. But Ram did. He said ‘Yadi Va Ravana: svayam’ “if Ravana beg my pardon I shall forgive him too.” Neverthless Ravana did not budge an inch from his egoistic actions. Thus Sri Ram is Lord of Patience. Even the earth cracks and gives vent to earthquakes. Sri Ram never looses his patience.

EVENTS OF THIS MONTH( AUGUST 2008)

EVENTS OF THIS MONTH( AUGUST 2008)

I UTSAVAM OF THIS MONTH(JULY 2008)

Utsavam - Gokulastamy utsavam
Date - Aug 24th to Sep 2nd
Village - Paranoor

II HariAnna's programs(August 2008)

1. Srimad Bhagavatha saptaham, Kancheepuram

Date: July 30th to August 5th
Town: Kancheepuram
Venue: Kanchy Kamakoty Shankara Mutt
Time: 6.30P.M to 8.30P.M

2. Srimad Bhagavatha Pravachanam, Guruvayoor

Date: Aug 8th to 10th
Town; Guruvayoor
Venue: Rugmini Regency hall, East Nada
Time: 6.30A.M to 12.00P.M and 2.00P.M to 6.30P.M

3. Sri Krishnaleela Pravachanam, Villupuram
Date: Aug 17th to 22nd
Town: Villupuram
Venue: Vaikunta Vasal Perumal Kovil, Perumal Kovil Street, Villupuram
Time; 7.00P.M to 9.00P.M

III VishakaHari's Programs (July 2008)

1. Chennai Program:

Date: Aug1st
Venue: Image Auditorium
Time: 7.00P.M to 9.00P.M

Quiz On Srimad Bhagavatham [ AUGUST 2008]

Quiz On Srimad Bhagavatham [ AUGUST 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: [Chapter 5 to 10 – I canto]

1. Devarshi: praha viprarshim – Who is Devarshi and who is viprarshi in this phrase?

2. How old was Narada in his previous birth when he was blessed with Satsangam?

3. Did Narada have brothers and sisters in his previous birth?

4. How many times did Narada partake the prasadam offered by these Sadhus?

5. During Narada’s previous birth Sadhus stayed at his place. Which season did they stay there?

Answers for the month of July:

1. In which yuga did Vyasa avathara take place?
Ans: Dvapara Yuga
2. What is the name of Vyasa’s mother?
Ans: Satyavati
3. Who are the five disciples of Vyasa?
Ans: Paila, Jaimini, Sumantu, Vaishampayana and Romaharshana.
4. Which sastras did Vyasa preach to his diciples. Specify individually to which
disciple each shastra was taught?
Ans: Vyasa taught Rig-Veda to Paila, Yajur-Veda to Vaishampayana, Sama-Veda to Jaimini,
Atharvana Veda to Sumantu and Itihasa-Puranas to Romaharshana
5. Vyasa met Narada on the banks of a river. Name the river.
Ans: Sarasvati


July Winners:

1. Sethuraman - 10+30=40 points
1. Usha - 10 points
1. Gurumurthy - 6+10=16 points
2. AparnaGanesh - 8+24=32 points
2. PadmaNarayanan - 8 points
3. VittalRangan - 6+6=12 points

KSHETRA FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2008

KSHETRA FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2008

Srivilliputhur – Part – II

Once there lived in Srivilliputhur a devout Brahmin by name Vishnuchitha. He is famous as Periyazhwar. He is considered to be the incarnation of “Garuda” – the Divine vahana(vehicle) Lord Narayana. Periyazhwar rejoiced hearing the transcendental pastimes of the Lord Krishna. He fostered immense vatsalya bhava (motherly affection) towards the Lord. He wrote many verses (Pasurams) on the Lord’s divine leelas following the footsteps of sage Vyasa who wrote Bhagavatham. This work is known as “Periyazhwar Thirumozhi”. He made SriVilliputhur his home town. There he grew a beautiful garden, sowed it with flowers of devotion. Every morning and evening he made beautiful garlands and sent it to Lord Vatapathrasayi.
One day the Lord in his dream asked Periyazhwar to establish the supremacy of Vishnu(Vishnu Parathva) at the court of Vallabha Deva Pandya king – “Do not worry. I will speak from within you” – thus blessed the Lord. As ordered he did go to the king’s court and win over all other religions. The prize money containing gold coins fell instantaneously into Periyazhwar’s hands. He used the prize money to expand the garden and offer more flowers to the Lord. The king who wished to celebrate Periyazhwar’s success arranged for a procession of periyazhwar on the elephant. It was at this point that the Lord on Garuda appeared in the opposite direction before Periyazhwar. Periyazhwar thrilled by His enchanting beauty sang the famous “Pallandu Pallandu pallayirathandu palakoti Nurayiram” – Oh Lord may you live for thousands of years to come. As periyazhwar out of his motherly affection sang this mangalasasanam he came to be known as Periyazhwar. Indeed everything is big for the Lord – Periya kovil, Periyapiratti, Periyagopuram and periyazhwar.
It is to this Periyazhwar that the goddess earth (Bhu devi) came as a child. This child is none other than Andal, and she incarnated in none other month that this month – Adi (July – August), on a Friday in the star of pooram. The Lord holds Periyazhwar close to His heart (Chitham) and periyazhwar holds the Lord close to his bosom (Chitham). So the Vishnuchitha befits Periyazhwar.

SHLOKA OF THE MONTH(JULY 2008)

SHLOKA OF THE MONTH(JULY 2008)

Vaduvoor SriRamar

Sa cha sarvagunopethaha Kausalyanandavardhanaha |

Samudra iva gambhirye dhairyena himavaniva ||

Sa cha sarvagunopethaha:

SriRama is the reservoir of all great virtues. Love grows as virtues grow. As one hears more and more about the virtues of Rama the devotion in him swells. There is no limit to his virtues. It is indeed rare to see such a virtuous person even in the race of Ikshvakus – (Rama’s predecessors).

Kausalyanandavardhanaha:

Rama bestows happiness to one and all in this world,by his boundful virtues. Kausalya devi felt enormously happy on seeing Rama’s devotion to his father, respect to his mother, his truth, sincerity and commitment.

Samudraiva gambhirye:

Sri Rama is as deep as the ocean. It is a wonderful sight to look at the ocean. So is Rama, by his captivating beauty. He is of blue hue just as the ocean. The ocean tides swell as the moon rises. So does Rama on seeing sadhus. The ocean is the repository of gems and pearls. The gems of virtues shine in the ocean of Rama. However there is a striking difference between Rama and the ocean. The sea waters are salty but Rama is always sweet.

Dhairyena himavaniva:

He is as perseverant and sturdy as the Himalayas mountains. The Himalayas are nothing but stones. But Rama is ocean of compassion.

Event of the month (June 2008)

1. Srimad Bhagavatha Sapthaham, Hyderabad

SriVenkatrama ganapadigal has established an institution by name “Veda Bhavanam” at Secunderabad. He runs a Veda patashala. This patashala trains almost 100 students at a time. Sri HariAnna’s saptaham was beautifully organized at Veda Bhavanam from june 4^th to 10^th. Sri HariAnna commenced the saptaham with a beautiful introduction on the greatness of Vedas. Vedas are eternal. It is beyond time and tide. The age of puranas and ithihasas has been deciphered. However the age of Vedas is still under research. Bhagavatham is the fruit of Vedas. If Vedas be a tree the Bag2.avatham is its fruit. There is no fruit without a tree. There is no Bagavatham without Vedas – thus he said. Every day he quoted Veda mantras during his pravachan. Krishna leelas were full of bhava and rasa. It was joyous to patashala students. Always Divyanama is grandeur at Veda Bhavanam. Almost 50 students participate in the Divyanama with enthusiasm. The unchvruthi went on from 10.00 to 10.45A.M. on Sunday. It was followed by a grand RadhaKalyanam from 11.00 to 12.30. Everyday there was parayanam, astapathi, govinda shatakam, dolothsavam etc.

2. Srimad Bhagavatha Sapthaham, Srirangam

It is the streets of Srirangam, Vadakku Chithrai veedy to be specific. There is a huge crowd of devotees gathered to hear HariAnna’s lecture series on Bhagavatham from june 19^th to 27^th. Sri HariAnna began the first day lecture meditating upon the Ranganatha. “There are several sayanas of the Lord – Bhoga sayana, Yoga sayana, Chala sayana, Jala sayanam, Sthala sayanam. Out of these the lord is at Yoga sayanam in Srirangam. This is the form the lord assumes before srushti, controlling within Him all matter. He alone exists. Vyasar begins the Bhagavatham by meditating upon that very swaroopa. That swaroopa created Brahma himself, and bestowed Brahma with gnanam(wisdom). Maya pushes us into samsara taking us away from this swaroopa. However this swaroopa shines well beyond Maya.

Thus the very first sloka represents Lord Ranganatha” continued HariAnna. He showered quotations from Azhwar pasurams and spoke much about Namperumal. “At other places the pravachanams are conducted at halls are sabhas. It is only at Srirangam veedhi that we are fortunate to listen to and conduct pravachanam at the very feet of Namperumal”- thus said HariAnna. The audience was highly excited.

3. Venkatachala Mahatmiyam, Chennai

By the bountiful grace of Lord Srinivasa and goddess Padmavathy the Venkatadri Mahatmyam series by smt. VishakaHari at Asthika samaj, Alwarpet, Chennai was a grand success. The function was held for 3 days at a stretch. The Harikatha was attended by an overflowing crowd of 2,500 devotees. Smt. Vishaka presented the sangeetha upanyasam from SriSriAnna’s DivyaDesha vaibhavam, Anna’s telgu keerthanas, Annamacharya, Dikishitar, Tyagarajar, Papanasam sivam, Pattinam SubramaniIyer, Purandaradas songs interspersed with Azhwar pasurams. The program was very well organized by Shri A.K.Ramamurthy, founder of Vedic Sangeetha Foundation. 2 big plasma screens, 2 small LCD TVS, 4 screens in all facilitated all devotees to enjoy the harikatha in closer view. Prasadams were distributed to all everyday. On the concluding day a huge Srinivasa momento from Tirupathi was presented to her as prasadam.

EVENTS OF THIS MONTH( JULY 2008)

EVENTS OF THIS MONTH( JULY 2008)

I UTSAVAM OF THIS MONTH(JULY 2008)

Date: July 15th to 17th
Town: Melkote
Venue: Krishnasuri Ramanuja koodam
Sri Chellapillai arrives at our Ashram on 16th evening. Radhakalyana utsavam on 17th Morning. Reception to SrisriAnna on 16th morning

II HariAnna's programs(July 2008)

1. Srimad Ramayana Navaham, Bangalore:

Date: July 4th to 12th
City : Bangalore
Venue: Sri Venugopala swamy temple, Malleswaram
Time : 6.30 P.M to 8.30 P.M

2. Srimad Ramayana Mahasamrajya pattabhishekam, Chennai:

Date: July 24,25,27,28
City : Chennai
Venue: Ayodhya Mandapam, Mambalam
Time: 4.00 P.M to 6.00 P.M

3. Srimad Bhagavatha Saptaham, Kancheepuram:

Date: July 30th to Aug 5th
Town: Kancheepuram
Venue: Kanchi Kamakoti Sankara Mutt
Time: 6.30 P.M to 8.30 P.M

III VishakaHari's Programs (July 2008)

1. Chennai Program
Date: July 26th
Topic: Sabari Moksham
Venue: Ayodhya Mandapam, Mambalam
Time: 4.00P.M to 6.00 P.M

2. Chennai Program
Date: July 31st, August 1st
Venue: Image Auditorium
Time: 7.00P.M to 9.00 P.M