Thursday, May 12, 2016

GOSPEL OF SRI ANNA---MAY 2016


Just as we pick only the rose and not its thorns
So do we need to take only the quintessence of the sastras. Leave the asaara and take only the saara ( the essence).

From the pravachanams of Sri Hari Anna


Sri Bhadrachalam Ramadasar
Tuesday (Feb 23rd), the second day of this year’s discourse series saw Sri Hariji discoursing on the
charithram of Sri Bhadrachalam Ramadasar. The extraordinary incidents in Sri Ramadasar’s life are
very well known. While Sri Hariji did narrate these incidents with all the intricate details, the
nuances of dharma and bhakti that he elaborated upon were very important.
In fact, he began his lecture with the famous sloka from Bhagavad Gita “Paritraanaaya
saadhuunaam”. He pointed out that God has declared here about his commitment to take
avathara in every yuga, for protecting the good people, to destroy the bad people and to establish
Dharma. But He is known as “Triyugan” meaning He takes avathara only in three of the four yugas.
How do we reconcile this contradiction? Further, it is Kaliyuga which will see the worst of erosion
of dharma. And it is this yuga which badly needs the emergence of God to re-establish dharma.
The answer is, emphasised Sri Hariji, that God takes avathara in Kaliyuga through a series of
Mahans. He listed out how mahans of various kind right from Aazhwars, Nayanmars and others all
the way to Saint Thyagaraja in recent times have emerged to guide and uplift people. They have
been performing the task of dharma samsthaapanam and protecting/uplifting the good people.
The one essential difference is that there is no “vinaashaaya ca dushkrutham” (destruction of bad people) in the case of Mahans. Instead the Mahans try to correct such people.
And in this series of Mahans, Bhadrachalam Ramadasar is one of the renowned Rama bhaktas. He has written many keerthanas and also set them to Ragas (Vaggeyakara). His keerthanas are famous for their bhakti rasam. In the bhajan sampradayam, during dhivyanamam it is a tradition to sing Bhadrachalam Ramadasar’s keerthanas first, said Sri Hariji. Sri Hariji sang excerpts from a few of Ramadasar’s well known krithis. “Sri Rama nee naama yentha ruchiraa” was one of the sweet krithis sung by him during the discourse.
In the midst of the discourse, Sri Hariji went into an exposition of ‘What is bhakti?’. Bhakti is ‘premai’. It is a love for God. It is something that cannot be taught or imparted as a message. It has to be an innate urge. Priya (premai) is the very form of God, says Upanishad. Sri Hariji quoted Taittiriya Upanishad (Anandavalli): तस्य प्रियमेव शिरः। मोदो दक्षिणः पिः । िमोद उत्तरः पिः। आनन्द आत्मा । Sri Bhadrachalam Ramadasar’s sufferings in the prison were emotionally detailed by Sri Hariji with the help of the many keerthanas that Ramadasar had composed while in the prison. Each was an emotional appeal to his Lord Rama, dripping with bhakti and suffering. Eventually when he appealed to Matha Sitamma through the keerthana “nanu brovamani cheppave sitamma thalli nana brovamani cheppave” Rama melts and comes to his rescue. Sri Hariji’s explanation for the long delay in Rama’s rescue of Ramadasa went like this: Sri Rama is a very majestic and straightforward Purusha. He wanted others not to follow Rama Dasar’s action of using someone else’s money/wealth to do seva (build temple) for Him. But Rama was full of compassion and love towards his great devotee. Hence he delayed his rescue and then personally came over to have him released from the prison. In fact he had personally come over once earlier to save Rama Dasar’s child too. In this process, the Nawab Tanisha was blessed with a personal darshan of Rama & Lakshmana. How fortunate!
(Lord Sri Rama with Sitamma and Lakshmana at Bhadrachalam)
A sloka from Srimad Bhagavatham which comes up repeatedly during Sri Hariji’s discourses on the charithra of Mahans is this:
न ह्मम्मयानन तीर्ाानन न देवा मॄच्छिलामया: |
ते पुनन्त्युरूकालेन दर्ानादेव साधव: ||
(भागवत 10-48-31)
The meaning of this sloka is …… “The kshetras of holy water and God in idol form do purify the devotees, but they do so slowly over time. However the very sight of Saints purifies one immediately”.
----------------Written by Sri Prabhakar Rao of Singapore

  SRI HARI ANNA'S AND SRIMATHI VISHAKHA HARI'S AMERICA TOUR



PROGRAM AT CHICAGO
On April 1st Brahma sabha organised Sri Hari Annas program at Lemont Rama temple. Many devotees  attended the lecture and felt delighted.






PROGRAM AT LOS ANGELES--IRVIN
On April 15th Sri Hari Anna delivered lecture on Rama Jananam at Irvine, Mandir- organised by Srishti Fine Arts,  Sri Jith Veeravalli.



SMT.VISHAKHA HARI'S PROGRAM AT CHICAGO





Smt. Vishakha Hari's program at Chicago was held at Meter Valley, Chicago on April 9th. Brahma Sabha, led by Sri Raju ( Ramki) conducted this program and many rasikas attended the event.

                                                      PROGRAM AT SAN JOSE




At San Hose- Kalalaya Smt. Kala Iyer organised the harikatha of Smt. Vishakha Hari at Sunny Vale temple auditorium on April 17th. Hundreds of devotees attended the program. Rajagopal, son of Sri Hari Anna and Smt.Vishakha manni recited Veda sukthas, Bhagavatha slokas and sang along in all the programs along with his mother.

All the organisers of the US tour of Sri Hari Anna and Smt. Vishakha Hari organised the programs with great enthusiasm, sraddha, prem and devotion. Many bakthas were benefitted by it.

QUIZ ON SRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM---FOR THE MONTH OF MAY 2016


RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR THE QUIZ
1) The answers to the quiz should be sent to the email idannahariji@gmail.com within 26th of each month.
2) Every month the answers will be evaluated and marks shall be given as points. These points shall get cumulatively added each month.
3) The highest score winner of the year ( April to March) will be awarded 1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes.


QUESTIONS FOR THE MONTH OF MAY 2016
1)      “ Samachiththo babuva ha”--- Write the two meanings.
2)      Who is a nithya muktha and who is a nithya badhdha?
3)      What objects should we not use in a temple?
4)      How should we honour a  devotee ( a Vishnu Baktha?)
5)      “ Na rodayathi Mam Yogo Na sankhyam”—Will the Lord be inaccessible for yogis and hermits who are engaged in tapas?

ANSWERS FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2016 
1)      The true disciple’s characteristic will be to consider the Guru as God and serve him.
2)       Prema bakthi is born of sadhana bakthi.
3)       Perforimg Nishidda karma is vikarma and sanyasa ( renunciation) is akarma.
4)      Trethayugam
5)      The yugadarma of Kali is Namasankeerthana. Hence saints are born out of this desire to sing on the Lord.

ANSWERS FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL 2016
1)      Jayanthi
2)      Tongue or mind
3)       More you desire, more is the suffering. More you give up desires, more is the happiness.
4)      The gnanis ( wise) and children are devoid of worries.
5)      Pingala.

Winners for the month of March 2016
1)      Sriram Krishnamurthy-------------------I---------------------102+10=112
2)      LakshmiKumar-----------------------------I----------------------104+10=114
3)      Hema V-------------------------------------I------------------------94+10=104
4)      Padma Narayanan------------------------I--------------------------84+10=94
5)      N.Krishnan------------------------------------I-----------------------96+10=106
6)      Adithi Venkateswaran---------------------I-----------------------100+10=110
7)      SriVidya Krishnan-------------------------II------------------------90+8=98
8)      Vishnupriya-------------------------------II-------------------------64+8=72
9)      Aparna Venkat------------------------------II-------------------------100+8=108
10)   Lalitha Narasimhan----------------------II--------------------------96+8=104
11)   Srinivasan Sujatha--------------------------II----------------------86+8=94
12)   Hariharan------------------------------------III---------------------16+6=22


CONGRATULATIONS WINNERS

WINNERS FOR THE YEAR APRIL 2015-MARCH 2016
1)      LakshmiKumar------------------------------I------------------114
2)      Sriram Krishnamurthy-------------------II------------------112
3)      Adithi Venkateswaran------------------III------------------110

WINNERS FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL 2016
1)      Sriram Krishnamurthy----------------------I-----------------------------10
2)      Lalitha Narasimhan-------------------------I--------------------------------10
3)      Hariharan Iyer---------------------------------I------------------------------10
4)      N.Krishnan------------------------------------I--------------------------------10
5)      Padma Narayanan-------------------------I-------------------------------10
6)      LakshmiKumar----------------------------I---------------------------------10
7)      Adithi Venkateswaran---------------------I------------------------------10
8)      Aparna Venkat-----------------------------I-----------------------------10
9)      Hema V--------------------------------------I---------------------------10
10)   Vishnupriya---------------------------------II-----------------------------8
11)   SriVidyaKrishnan-----------------------------II--------------------------8
12)   Sethuraman------------------------------III---------------------------6

UTHSAVAM OF THE MONTH ----MAY 2016


UTHSAVAM: VASANTHOTHSAVAM
DATE: MAY 12 TO 21ST
VILLAGE: PARANOOR


UTHSAVAM: RADHA KALYANA UTHSAVAM
DATE: 16TH MAY TO 21ST
TOWN: BRINDAVANAM
BARATHY: MAY 20TH
RADHAKALYANAM: 21ST MAY

                                          SRI HARI ANNA'S PROGRAM--JUNE 2016
1)PROGRAM AT CHENNAI
DATE: 2ND JUNE TO 8TH JUNE
CITY: CHENNAI
VENUE: ARDHANAREESWARAR TEMPLE, NANGANALLUR
TOPIC: SRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM
TIME: 7.00 P.M TO 9.00 P.M

2) PROGRAM AT CHENNAI
DATE: JUNE 18TH TO 26TH
VENUE: AYODHYA MANDAPAM, MAMBALAM
TOPIC: SRIMAD RAMAYANAM
TIME: 7.00 P.M TO 9.00 P.M

SMT. VISHAKHA HARI''S PROGRAMS-- MAY 2016


PROGRAM AT BANGALORE
DATE: MAY 8TH
CITY: BANGALORE
PLACE: FORT HIGH SCHOOL GROUNDS, CHAMARAJPET
ORGANISER: SRI RAMA SEVA MANDALI
TIME: 6.30- 9.30 P.M

PROGRAM AT TIRUPATHI
DATE: 24TH MAY
TOWN: TIRUPATHI
VENUE: NADA NEERANJANAM AUDITORIUM
TIME; 6.30 P.M

KSHETRA FOR THE MONTH OF MAY 2016

                                                       
                                                             THIRUVIDAVENDHAI
There was a king called Pallavan who was ruling Thondaimandalam. He had kanchipuram as his capital city. He was devoted, generous, virtuous, truthful and famous. He came to the banks of the east coast ( Bay of Bengal). There he worshpipped Varaha swamy at Thiruvidandhai ( Kalyanapuram).. He resolved to do a kannikadaanam everyday. All the poor were very happy. They took their daughters to the king who married them off to suitable grroms. Thus all the brides in that place got married.. There was no more girl to be married off. Now whatr would happen to this king’s resolve? At this time a groom came along with his bride and other relatives to the king asking him for help. The king asked him thus “ Who are you? You look so beautiful? What is your name and which is your gothra? Where do you live and whose daughter is this girl?

 The groom replied happily “ Oh King, My name is Nithyakalyana. I belong to this village and am of the Kashyapagothra.. I have learnt all the Vedas and Vedangas. This girl is Komalavalli and she belongs to the Bhargavagothra. Please marry us off and be bestowed with praise. The King also did as requested. He gave them enormous wealth. After the marriage he was unable to send them off. The bride and the grrom ntered the temple of Varaha swamy at the village. Having entered the sanctum sanctorium Nithyakalyana and Komalavalli disappeared. The King was stunned and had tears in his eyes. He worshipped the Lord. The Lord said “ Iam pleased by your resolve to marry off poor girls to suitable grooms. Do not worry that there are no more prospective brides. Conduct my kalyana uthsava everyday and beget prosperity. Thus the king began performing the Lord’s kalyanothsava everyday. Those who perform kalyanauthsava here will get married soon.