SHLOKA OF THE MONTH JULY 2009

Asankalpithameveha yadakasmath pravarthathe

Nivarthyarabhamaarambam nanu deivasya karma thath

Jeevan is always under the control of many forces. The Lord is sarvaswathanthran , i.e., always independent of all forces. The jeevan is controlled by time, karma, planets, the Divine will, sensory organs and much more. Thus his activities are influenced by these. He cannot act independently. But the omnipotent Lord is Swathantra purusha. The time or karma or demi-gods act as per His orders. Thus He executes His will.

Dasaratha had arranged for Rama Pattabhishekam. He hence invited all kings, ministers, rishis like Vasishta and relatives. The people of Ayodhya eagerly awaited the grand event. The streets were full of people. The city wore a festive look with litted lamps, garlands, Dwajasthambas, Plaintain trees, perl shamianas. Yet Sri Rama’s will was different. Sri Rama is God Himself.. The coronation ceremony suddenly halted. The will of the human mind was not fulfilled. The will of the Lord was victorious as it is always. The will of Rama was to destroy the ferocious Ravana. This is what Rama indicates to Lakshmana quite indirectly. Rama tells lakshmana “ Whichever incident takes place suddenly, without any expectation may you consider those as the Lord’s will or the Lord’s act”.

EVENTS OF THE MONTH MAY 2009

PONDICHERRY NAVAHAM

Sri Hari Anna conducted a navaham from May 22^nd to May 31^st at Pondicherry Sharadambal temple premises located at Ellaipillaichavadi.. It was organized by Sri Krishnapremika Bhajan Mandali of Pondicherry. Hundreds of devotees attended the navaham and were benefited immensely by it. The temple was filled with rasikas who listened with rapt attention and sincerity. Infact the premises was overflowing for want of space. Even those who had planned their summer vacation to other cities cancelled their plan to attend the Ramayana pravachanam at length. As usual Hari Anna was received with a grand nama sankeerthanam. . Astapadhi, unchavruththi, Divyanamam, Radha Kalyana mahothsavam were all conducted with great grandeur. On May 31^st Smt Vishakha Hari’s sangeetha upanyasam on Sri Thyagaraja Charitram was also soul stirring. Sri Balu, Sri Ganapathy Raman, Sri VedaRaman organized the navaham very sincerely on behalf of KrishnaPremika Bhajan Mandali.

II SRI RANGAM PROGRAM

Ekadasa skandam is the crown of Bhagavatham which is considered as the very embodiment of Lord Krishna. The navayogis are the nine gems of that crown. This discourse can be rendered only to deserving audience. Such is the level of the audience at Srirangam. They are special in that they are ardent devotees of Sri Ranganatha. Whatever may be the discourse be it Ramayanam or Bhagavatham they get scintillated if spoken about Lord Ranganatha. This year Sri Hari Anna’s pravachanam on Ekadasa skandam was conducted at Vadakku Chitra street, Goratha corner from June 15^th to 18^th. The stage itself was big and looked exclusively beautiful as Lord Ranganatha adorned the back stage decor. It looked as if the pravachanam was being conducted at the very feet of The Lord. Sri Anna attended the pravachanam on June 17^th and also gave an anugraha bhashanam. In his bhashanam he said “ In a divyadesham one should spend his time usefully. For us our goals are double purpose, one we should hear Bhagavath guna pravachanam and secondly have the Lord’s beautiful darshan. On June 19^th Smt Vishakha Hari’s Padmavathy kalyanam was a grand event. Sita Kalyana mahothsvam was celebrated on June 21^st. Every year Sri Harinna’s pravachanam is conducted as a part of such Sita Kalyanam by the Sita Kalyana mahothsava committee.

EVENTS OF THIS MONTH JULY 2009

I HARI ANNA'S PROGRAM

PROGRAM AT RAMESHWARAM :

DATE: JULY 8 TO 16
TIME: 6:30 PM TO 8:30 PM
TOPIC: SRIMAD RAMAYANAM
VENUE: GOSWAMI MADAM,MELE THERU
TOWN: RAMESHWARAM

125 DEVOTEES WILL DO PARAYANAM

2.PROGRAM AT GURUVAYUR

DATE: JULY 23 TO 30
TOPIC :SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM
TIME: 7 AM TO 12 NOON ADN 2 PM TO 6:30 PM
VENUE :RUKMINI REGENCY HALL( EAST NADA )
TOWN :GURUVAYUR

II VISHAKA HARI'S PROGRAMPROGRAM AT RAMESHWARAM

DATE :JUL 13 TO 15
TIME: PM TO 6 PM
TOPIC: SRIMAD RAMAYANAM
VENUE: GOSWAMI MADAM,MELE THERU
TOWN: RAMESHWARAM

QUIZ ON SRIMAD BHAGAVATAM JULY 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 FOR THE MONTH OF JULY 2009:

1) “ Vyasadyaihi Eeshwarehagnaihi”- Vyasa and other sages did not discover the Lord’s will. Which will does this refer to?

2) Did the guru of Bheeshma visit Bheeshma at Kurukshetra? Who was he?

3) Arjuna refused to fight his opponents who were his relatives at the battlefield. Why did Bheeshma refer to this as a wrong thought?

4) As per Advaitha sidhdhantha is the soul one or many?

5) What example does Bheeshma give for the above?

ANSWERS FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE 2009

1) a) The son of Ganga b) father of Rukmini c) Sri Rukmini d) The capital city of Swayambhuva manu as well as the wife of Priyavratha.

2) a) “ Vigatha thrushna” – I offer unpolluted mind- desireless of the material world.

a) “ Visheshena thrushna”- I offer you my heart which is full of affection for you.

3) Dharmaputhra considered the Lord as his relative, beloved, friend, minister, ambassador, charioteer etc

4) “ Advayasya”- Advaithis are not different from Brahmam. So they refer as advayam. Vishishtadvaithis say there is no equal to Paramathma. Hence it is advayam.

5) Nirgunabrahmam will not create the world.

JUNE WINNERS:

1.Arvind Hariharan --I-- 20+10 points
2.Sujata Nandakumar-- I--20+10 points
3.Natraj Punjai --I--18+10 points
4.Karthik Venkataraman --II--18+8 points
5.Radhika Venkataraman --II--18+8 points
6.Nandakumar Mutthukrishnan --III--18+6 points

KSHETRA FOR THE MONTH JULY 2009

SRI RANGAM PART VI

IKSHVAKU KULADANAM

Sri Ranganatha concluded His Ranga Gita and then gave Himself to Brahma. “ May you take Me to BrahmaLoka and worship Me as I have instructed”- the Lord said. Immediately the Lord along with the Vimana flew from Ksheerabdi to Brahma Loka quite like the pushpaka vimana. Brahma worshipped Him first. Hence the uthsavam is called Brahmothsavam. As he appeared in the month of Chitra, with Revathi star shining the skies this Brahmothsavam is conducetd in the month of Chitra ( April- May). The Chariot procession is conducted on the day when the star is Revathi, the Lord’s birth star. Lord Ranganathar appeared in the Swayambuva manvathara for Brahma.. Swarochisham, uthamam, thamasam, raivatham, chakshusham passed. Totally the Lord stayed at Brahmaloka for 6 manvatharas. The seventh manvanthara, Vaivaswatha manvanthara arrived. Vaivaswatha Manu was the manu of that manvantharam. He established the city of Ayodhya in the bhuloka ( the city as it is at present). He once visited Brahma Loka and looked at the Lord lying on the thousand headed serpant. The Lord shone in splendour with his Pithambar, long hands touching His feet, moon like face and wonderful feet.

Vaivaswatha manu longed to take Him to his abode at Ayodhya. The Lord willingly consented. As ordained Vaivaswatha manu took Him to the banks of Sarayu and established a beautiful temple there with 7 prakaras. Vaivaswatha manu along with his wife Sradhdha prayed theLOrd for a deserving successor. The Lord blessed them with a child who was named Ikshvaku.. The entire race came to be called after him. ( Ikshvakukula) In the same race appeared Raghu. The vamsha came to be called after him. ( Raghuvamsha). Raghu had a son Aja and he was in turn blessed with a son by name Dasharatha who was none other than Lord Rama’s father. They were all ardent devotees of Lord Ranganatha. Finally by the Lord’s blessings Dasaratha conducted a puthra kameshti yaga where the Lord decided to give Himself to Dasaratha. Sri Rama the greatest incarnation was born to him. Lord Rama now takes over the pooja of the Lord as Dasaratha’s decendent. Thus this is the reason why all over the world Lord Rama is considered as a diety but in Srirangam He is a devotee. The diety here is Lord Ranganatha. Till Today Lord Rama stands tall at the banks of Chandrapushkarani where Lord Ranganatha enquires welfare of Him during his procession.