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May 2000 Events GURUVAYUR SHRIMAD BHAGAVATHA SAPTHAHA SATHAKRATHU MAHOTHSAVAM
" BHAGAVATHAM - the very sound showers blessings on one and all. To listen to the recital of even one shloka (verse) earns enormous blessings. To listen to the recital as a sapthaham (seven-day rendering of the entire text) is indeed a rare fortune. But all of us here are extremely fortunate to be part of this mahothsavam, where 108 bhagavathars will simultaneously render Shrimad Bhagavatham for seven days." " The worth of any act varies according to Desa, Kaala and Vyakthi(i.e, place, time and person, respectively.) In this case, the place is Guruvayur which is the Bhagavatha kshethram; the time falls between Sankara Jayanthi and Sri Mahaperiyaval's (Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamigal) Jayanthi; and, the person/listener is none other than Lord Guruvayurappan." - SRI MURALIDHARA SWAMIGAL, in His inaugural address on May 10, 2000.
Shrimad Bhagavatham is a sacred text rendered by Sage Veda Vyasa. Despite the fact that Veda Vyasa passed on the Vedas, the Puranas and the Mahabharatha to his disciples he felt a void in his heart. To fill this void, he was initiated by sage Narada into doing a Bhakthi Grantha (devotional scripture) on LORD KRISHNA, namely, SHRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM. Though Sage Veda Vyasa passed on theVedas, the Puranas and the Mahabharatha to his disciples he kept SHRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM, the greatest treasure, to himself, as he felt that the recipient had to be of the highest order. And so it was later given to none other than his own son - BrahmaGnani (man of supreme knowledge) Sri Shuka. The Bhagavatham that we read is the one that Sri Shuka narrated to King Parikshith (son of Abhimanyu and the grandson of Arjuna) on the banks of the Holy Ganges for seven days. Just listening to the narration of Bhagavatham took Parikshith to eternity. Such is the greatness of this text. It is said that, SHRIMAD BHAGAVATHAAKYOYAM PRATHYAKSHA KRISHNA EVAHI' The Essence of Shrimad Bhagavatham Dharma is classified into Vaidhika dharma and Bhagavatha dharma.
The six ways of nithya karma (daily duties) constitute Vaidhika dharma.
And Bhagavatha dharma constitutes, Prabhodanam, Unchavruthi,
Japa/paarayana, katha shravanam, keerthanam and dolotsavam
(waking up the Lord, begging for food, repetition of a single
name of the Lord/reading the Bhagavatham, listening to the
divine plays, singing the glory of the Lord and putting the
Lord to bed, respectively). Observance of this Bhagavatha dharma
is the very essence of Bhagavatham and will take one to the
ultimate goal - God-realisation.
Significance of Guruvayur as the Kshethra(place) for Bhagavatha Sapthaham Sri Swamigal said,
Guruvayur is Bhagavatha kshethram. The great saint NARAYANA BHATADHRI wrote NARAYANEEYAM, a concise version of Shrimad Bhagavatham, in this very place. Lord Guruvayurappan (none other than Lord Krishna) approved every single verse of Bhatadhri's Narayaneeyam by performing all the lilas(divine plays) before him. Guruvayur is a picturesque town about two hours drive
from Cochin, Kerala(a state in South India). LORD
GURUVAYURAPPAN TEMPLE is the centre point around which the
town has developed. Devotees from all over the country throng
the town to have darshan of Lord Guruvayurappan.
The air reverberates with the sound of
'NARAYANA' Naama coming from the devotees queuing up to see the
Lord and the BHAGAVATHA PAARAYANAM which goes on incessantly
in the temple premises. Down the ages, this place has been
hallowed by BHAGAVATHA PAARAYANAM and BHAGAVAN NAAMA, that
even a lay person who visits this place is lifted up from
his mundane life and experiences divine bliss.
Mahaperiyaval's Jayanthi Celebrations This Sapthaha Sathakrathu Mahothsavam has been organized by Sri Swamigal to celebrate the Jayanthi of MAHAPERIYAVAL (HIS HOLINESS SRI CHANDRASEKHARENDRA SARAWATHI SWAMIGAL - Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam). Sri Swamigal said,
Back to the top May 10, 2OOO, 6.00 pm - Inaugural Function The inaugural function was held at BRAHMANA SAMOOHAM in the august presence of our POOJYA SRI MURALIDHARA SWAMIGAL.
The paarayanam (recital) then started off
with BHAGAVATHA MAHATHMIYAM (The greatness of
SHRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM). Brahmashri Srikanth Sarma
delivered a discourse on the same in Tamil.
The day ended with Dolotsavam of Sri Premika Varadhan and Madhuri Saki.
Daily Events From May 11, 2000 to May 16,2000. 4.45 am : The day began as the devotees assembled in front of the Guruvayurappan temple and eagerly awaited the arrival of SRI SWAMIGAL. The public address system of the temple played sweet kirtans such as 'Krishna Krishna Mukunda Janardhana!'. The entire place was filled with pilgrims who had queued up for the darshan of Lord Guruvayurappan. When SRI SWAMIGAL arrived, the chant of
HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE, rented the air. This went on for a few minutes until the commencement of NAGARA SANKIRTHANAM (singing the praise of the Lord while going around the temple) led by Brahmashri Yagnarama Sarma and Sri Sumanth Bhagavathar. Sri Swamigal, bedecked with jasmine and lotus garlands offered affectionately by the devotees and surrounded by a large group of Bhagavathars went around the temple, blissfully chanting NARAYANA NAAMA to the tune of cymbals and dholki. After the Nagara sankirthanam the devotees went over to Brahmana Samooham to witness the Prabhodhanam of Sri Premika Varadhan and Madhuri Saki. The stage was literally set, with as many Guruvayurappan idols as there were Bhagavathars, for the Bhagavatha Sapthaha Sathakrathu at Brahmana Samooham.
6.00 am :
The melodious and clear recital of the Text by Sri Chandrasekhar and Sri Nagarajan (students of Sri Srikanth Sarma), who led the paarayanam, had the whole gathering glued to their seats throughout the six hours of rendering. Every morning around 10'clock Sri Swamigal conducted abhisheka to the Saligramams and archana to Mahaperiyaval's Paaduka and Premika Varadan - Madhuri Sakhi. Sri Swamigal then blessed the devotees with 'thirtha prasad' (holy water). 3.00 pm - 5.00 pm : Narayaneeya Paarayanam was done by Sri Ramachandran of Bangalore. 5.30 pm : The entire pandal reverberated with the sound of Vishnu Sahasranamam. 6.00 pm to 8.00 pm : Sri Srikanth Sarma enthralled the audience with his discourse in Tamil, on the day's Bhagavatha paarayanam.
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The day's paarayanam included "Sri Krishna Jananam" (birth of Lord Krishna). As the bhagavathars read the sloka
Tham adbutham balakam ambujekshanam
Back to the top May 15, 2000 (Dwadasi) - Rukmini Kalyanam
Back to the top May 17, 2000 - 'Avabhrutha Snanam The Bhagavatha Sapthaha Sathakruthu was nearing completion with only a few chapters remaining in the 11th and 12th Skandam. The paarayanam was completed in three hours followed by the Bhagavath Gita recital by the Bhagavathars. And then the whole entourage was ready for the Avabhrutha Snanam (holy dip in the temple pond).
Sri Swamigal started the Bhajan with 'Krishna Rama Govinda, Narayana...". The Bhagavathars followed suit. They then started singing,"NARAYANA,NARAYANA, NARAYANA...................". Sri Swamigal went into divine ecstasy and started dancing with arms raised, eyes half closed and directed upwards, chanting the Narayana namavali. The cool breeze then broke into a light drizzle. Sri Swamigal started dancing in a circle on the road surrounded by devotees who also broke into singing and dancing. This went on for a few moments and then Sri Swamigal stopped dancing and the party proceeded towards the pond.
But the devotees, charged by divine fervour, continued to dance and chant loudly as they proceeded towards the pond. Alwar has said in one his 'paasurams' that if one does not take the name of the Lord and dance, not an iota of his education is of any worth. The drizzle strengthened into a rain as if to keep up with the devotees' chanting and dancing.The local people, too, joined the chanting. It then seemed as if the whole of Guruvayur had stopped its activities only to break into chanting the sweet name of Narayana. The elixir from above came down with such force as if to embrace the devotees like the boundless grace of Shukadeva towards King Parikshith, like the selfless love of a guru towards his disciple, like the compassion of Sage Narada towards Dhruva, like the inexplicable love Bhaktha Prahalad had towards Lord Narayana... The rain freed the devotees from the fetters of fatigue and their feet moved in rhythmic dance. Generally a shower from the heavens is taken as a sign of God's acceptance of the event. Rain during the Avabhrutha snanam is very auspicious and rare indeed. And in Guruvayur it did not just rain..... IT POURED!!! The procession neared the temple pond. As one looked up, there was not a single shut window. All the local devotees were seen to be totally absorbed in this divine fervour. Sri Swamigal, with baby Krishna idol held on his head,took three holy dips in the temple pond. Devotees eagerly took the water falling out of the idol as prasadam. Like the unabated rain, the devotees, following the quick steps of Sri Swamigal, continued to sing and dance even as they traced their steps back to the Bhagavatha sapthaham hall with their spirits high and a memory of the event etched permanently in their hearts. As soon as the group reached the Brahmana Samooham the rain weakened and within a few moments stopped totally and gave Lord Surya Narayana a chance to peep out to see those who were calling on him! But alas! it was already too late... This entire 'rain leela' of the Lord is not new to him... As Krishna in Vrindavana, the Lord used to play pranks with the Gopis but in front of his mother he used to be as docile as a cow as if he had nothing to do with all the pranks played!!!! When Sri Swamigal and his devotees sang and danced to the Narayana Namavali, it poured cats and dogs and when the event was over the whole atmosphere changed so abruptly as if nothing had taken place!!! But for the tell-tale puddles in the road none would have guessed that it had poured cats and dogs just a few moments earlier!! Anyways, who can really understand the ways and the grace
of the Lord!!!----- For the downpour was only in the three kilometre radius
of the Guruvayurappan temple !!!
May 17, 2000 - Valedictory Function
Sri Swamigal also honoured Sri Murthy
of the Gurupavanapura Sapthaha Sathakrathu committee with
a golden bracelet in appreciation of his part as an
enthusiastic coordinator of the whole event. It
needs to be mentioned here that the entire event was well
covered by local newspapers such as 'Maathru boomi'.
Every Jayanthi Mahotsavam of Mahaperiyaval has been marked by a grand procession of Mahaperiyaval's Portrait led by Sri Swamigal. And this year's Jayanthi celebrations acquires a special significance, in that, it has been held in the Bhagavatha Kshetra amidst 108 Bhagavathars reciting Bhagavatham, the beloved Text of Mahaperiyaval. To give a grand finale to the mega event Sri Swamigal, very aptly, decided to take Madhuri Sakhi sametha Premika Varadan, Mahaperiyaval's portrait and that of the Lord of the Kshetra, Sri Guruvayurappan, on an elephant procession.
The tallest of the three beautifully decorated elephants, belonging to the Guruvayur Devaswom, had the privilege of carrying our Sri Swamigal's Madhuri Sakhi sametha Premika Varadan, flanked by the other two elephants carrying Mahaperiyaval's and Lord Guruvayurappan's portraits. Traditional colourful umbrellas were held over the deity and the portraits and they were fanned with vensamaram (traditional fans used in temples). The elephants were preceded by a group of traditional Keralite cymbal and drum players. Young students of our mission's Veda Patashala walked ahead chanting the Vedas.
The procession led by Sri Swamigal set the whole
town ablaze and even as the procession moved towards
the temple, both sides of the streets were lined by
awe-struck locals and devotion-filled pilgrims. At
the eastern side of the temple the elephants lined
up side by side and offered salutations to Lord
Guruvayurappan. The procession returned to Brahmana
Samooham after almost an hour and a half.
May 18, 2000 - Radha Madhava Vivaham Sri Swamigal, with a beautiful lotus garland around His neck, flanked by Sri Yagnarama Sarma and Sri Sumanth Bhagavathar and followed by horde of devotees went on a long procession of the town, entering the temple from the western end. The glory of the Lord was sung throughout the long procession.
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