SHLOKA OF THE MONTH MARCH 2010

Imou Kumarou Badram te Devathulyaparakramou

Gajasimhagati veerou Shardoolavrushabhopamou

Padmapatravishalakshou Khadgatunidhanurdharou

Asvinavivarupena samupasthitayouvanou

Varayudhadharou veerou kasya puthrou mahamune

Bhushayanthaavimam desham candrasuryaavivambaram

Parasparasya sadrushou pramanengithacheshtithaihi

Kakapakshadharou veerou srothumichami thathvathaha.

Viswamithra arrives at the yagashala of Janaka along with Rama, lakshmana and other maharishis. At the very sight of Rama and Lakshmana Janaka is thrilled. He lost himself in ecstasy. With great joy he enquires Viswamithra “ Oh Great sage

Imou Kumarou Badram the Devatulyaparakramou

I do not believe that these two persons standing before me could be just ordinary men. They must be Devas. Who are they. May you be blessed.

Men older in age can bless those younger to them. This is called Ashirvadam. Younger ones can also wish prosperity for those older to them. This is called Mangalashasanam. Here Janaka younger in age to Viswamithra blesses the sage out of great bliss ( on the sight of the Lord).

“ Gajasimhagatheeverou shardoolavrushabopamou”

Sri Rama walks on the streets. His majestic gati resembles that of an elephant. In the sabhamandapa he walks like a tiger and as he enters the sabha his gati is that of a lion. He stands at the sabha like a majestic bull. Janaka hence appreciatingly enquires “ Who are these men who walk like a lion and an elephant, who stand like a tiger and a bull.

“ Padmapathravishalakshou khadgathoonedhanurdharou”

Their eyes are like fully blossomed lotuses, Knife tied on to their waist, armour at their shoulders, bow and arrows in their hands they look beautiful. Who are they?

“ Ashwinavivaroopena Samupasthithayouvanou”

Amongst the Devas Ashwinikumaras are always 2 in number. Here too these youn men are two in number. May be they are Ashwinikumaras. Sri Rama is 15 years old ( yet a teenager). This is the congruence of youth and childhood. ( There is an interesting commentary on this statement.Childhood refuses to go away from Sri Rama. Youth forces childhood to leave. Its my turn now. Childhood refuses to leave asking for a little overtime). This adolescent age is called Koumaram. Janaka asks “ Rama and Lakshmana seem to be still in the stage of Koumaram.”

Kasya Puthrou mahamune?

Why have you made them walk all along. Their tender feet would be afflicted with great pain. Would you have done such an act if they had been your sons? Hence May I ask of you “ Whose sons are they”

“Bhooshayanthaavimam Desham”

The Sun and the moon are ornaments of the sky. So are these two children ornaments of Mithila.

“ Parasparasya”

Rama resembles lakshmana and vice versa too.

They resemble each other in form, act, manners, including their curly hair.

Janaka is a mahagnani. As soon as he saw Rama he realized that he was none other than the Lord Himself. Still immersed in the beauty of Sri Rama, he wanted to listen to Ramagunas from the very mouth of Viswamithra. Hence he made all the above enquiries.

EVENTS OF THE MONTH JAN 2010

CHENNAI PROGRAM

Sri Rama Bhakthajana Samaj, K.K Nagar, Chennai conducted Sri Hari Anna’s Srimad Bhagavatha Pravachanam from Jan 20^th to 27^th at the Padma Seshadri school grounds. The ground was overflowing with people on all 8 days. They enjoyed the pravachanam with great joy. On the first day Sri hari Anna delivered the lecture till Bheeshma sthuthi.. He said while describing Bharatha charitram “ Yatho vacho Nivarthanthe”- Shastras cannot measure Brahmam. Ignorance is considering non- athma as athma. That has to be expelled as “ Nethi Nethi”. This is the goal of the shastras. Anubhuthi comes out of Gurukripa. While lecturing on Prahlada charitram he said “ Prahlada preached to the young boys that all of us should engage in devotional service right from our young age- koumara achareth pragnaha”. He followed the advice himself. Our children should be in our dharma right from their birth. They should be exposed to our culture, our traditions and should be moulded in such a way that they are patriotic towards our nation.

Jan 28^th and 29^th Smt Vishakha Hari rendered Jayadeva charitram and Sri Purandaradas charitram. She sang rare krithis of Purandaradas. This time she also had a konakkal accompaniment. The artist also gave Thirukural verses in his konakkol. The audience around 2000 people gave big rounds of applause.Both days they enjoyed the musical upanyasam with joy and enthusiasm.

BANGLORE PROGRAM

Smt Vishakha Hari gave an English lecture on Sri Thyagaraja Swami for almost 3 hours. This was held at the Chowdiah Auditorium in Bangalore under the auspices of Ganjam, Bangalore. A serene ambience, an elite crowd the lecture was filled with messages, sedate music and rich emotion. Maanamuleda, Hameerkalyani was the main piece. The crowd ( a full packed hall) enjoyed both the music and the English lecture

EVENTS OF THIS MONTH MARCH 2010

I UTSAVAM OF THIS MONTH

UTSAVAM : SRI RAMA NAVAMI UTSAVAM

DATE :MARCH 22 TO 24

VILLAGE : SENGANOOR

II HARI ANNA'S PROGRAMS (MARCH 2010)

SRIMAD RAMAYANA NAVAHAM,CHENNAI

DATE:MAR 14 TO 22

CITY:CHENNAI

TOPIC:SRIMAD VALMIKI RAMAYANAM

VENUE:AASTHIKA SAMAJAM,VENUS COLONY,ALWARPETTAI,CHENNAI

TIME:6:30 PM TO 8:30 PM

II VISHAKA HARI'S PROGRAM (MARCH 2010)

1.PROGRAM AT CHENNAI

DATE:MAR 16,17

CITY:CHENNAI

TOPIC:SRIMAD VALMIKI RAMAYANAM

VENUE:AASTHIKA SAMAJAM,VENUS COLONY,ALWARPETTAI,CHENNAI

TIME:6:30 PM TO 8:30 PM

2.PROGRAM AT DELHI

DATE:MAR 20,21

CITY:DELHI

TOPIC:RUKMINI KALYANAM,VALLI KALYANAM

VENUE:DELHI TAMIL SANGAM HALL

TIME:6:30 PM TO 8:30 PM

QUIZ ON SRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM MAR 2010

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) How many children did Parikshit have?

2) How many times did Parikshit do the Ashwamedha yaga?

3) “Veerasana”- What does this term indicate with reference to Chapter 16, Sloka 16-. Which act of Lord Krishna does this refer to?

4) What are the 4 padas of Dharma created in the Krutha yuga?

5) What are the five places allotted by Parikhit to kali purusha?

ANSWERS FOR THE MONTH OF FEB 2010 :

1) The Lord forgave Arjuna’s mistakes just as a friend tolerates another friend’s follies and a father forgives his son’s blunder.

2) He was defeated by the cowherd boys.

3) Vajranabha

4) Prabhasam

5) The day Lord Krishna ascended to Vaikunta, Kali yuga began.

FEB WINNERS :

1)KARTHIK VENKATARAMAN -- I -- 76+10 POINTS

2)SETHURAMAN SWAMINATHAN -- I -- 74+10 POINTS

3)PADMA NARAYANAN --I -- 72+10 POINTS

/4)GOPIKA SAMPATH --I--70+10 POINTS

5)SUDARSHANA NARAYANASWAMY -- I-- 26+10 POINTS

6)LAKSHMI KP --I-- 8+10 POINTS

7)RADHIKA VENKATARAMAN --I--86+10 POINTS

8)GIRIJA SITARAMAN --I--80+10 POINTS

9)MAHALAKSHMI VISHWANATHAN -- II-- 8 POINTS

10)SHRIKANYA SRINIVASAN --III-- 6 POINTS

KSHETRA FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2010

THIRUKKANNAPURAM PART I

Thirukannapuram is a famous Divyadesham . It has the mangalashasanam of several azhwars. .The Lord Showrirajan shines here along with Padmini thayar. The sthalapuranam goes this way:

Once a sage by name kanva questioned the Great Narada. Iam told that the best of all mantras is Ashtakshara mantra. It bestows all prosperity and also gives salvation to a seeker. Which kshetra is the best one to chant this mantra. I want to know which place I have to visit so that I have a quick sidhdhi of the ashtakshara.

Narada at once replies” Oh Sage May you go to Krishna kshetra ( Thirukannapuram) which lies on the coast of Bay of Bengal. The Ocean of Mercy Sowriraja Perumal lies at the coat of this ocean. It is very difficult top obtain a punya kshetra, city, forest,, sea, river, lake, vimana- all the seven of these. Here there is a confluence of all these seven. Krishnaranyam –forest, the town of Thirukannapuram,the Bay of Bengal, the river Cauvery merging into the sea,the lake of Nithyapushkarani,the vimana of Uthpalavartha all the seven put together shine here. Sages meditate upon Lord Krishna here. You shall obtain the fruit of your penance there.”

Kanva and his disciples immediately left for Thiukannapuram.As they were engaged in severe penance an asura by name Vikataksha troubled them all. Kanva prayed to the Lord to save them all from this demon. The Lord Sowriraja came on a horseback and killed the demon. Disguised as an ordinary man he came to the ashrama of kanva and asked him for some water. The sage showed him the Nithyapushkarani pond. He accompanied him along to the pond. There at the banks of Nithyapushkarani theLord revealed His Divine Form.With Lotus hands and lotus feet, lotus face, louts navel, the Lord showed His magnificient form. The Sage extolled Him with beautiful sthotras. The Lord said “ Indra on committing the crime of Brahmahathi during Vrithrasura’s vadam performed 100 Ashwameda yagas at this kshetra and regained his post as Indra. That is why he is called Shathamakhan. His sins were destroyed. Those who come here and chant the ashtakshara will indeed obtain my darshan.. Even today there is the sanctity of Lord Krishna at this kshetra.