1st 'Purattasi Sani', Mathurãpuri Ãshram
September 21st, 2002 -- Poornima
The four Saturdays falling in the Tamizh month of Purattasi (‘Purattãsi Sani’ (‘Sani’ in Tamizh means Saturday) is very special for Perumal (Lord Vishnu). The first of these was Poornima (full moon). ‘Bhakta Kuthoohala’ (the ‘Utsava murti’ [metal idol of the Lord meant to be taken on procession] of our Mahanyam Sri Kalyana Srinivasa Perumal Temple) was taken in procession to the local Malaipattu village.
On this first ‘Purattãsi sani’ procession our Satsang Bhãgavat Sumant was joined by
Bhãgavats Sri Viji and Sri Balaji, Sri ‘Pãttu’ Balaji, Sri Chattanatha, Sri Srikant and others. Around 6.30 p.m., Sri Swamiji stood by the side of the colourfully decorated bullock cart that was carrying ‘Bhakta Kuthoohala, as ‘karpoora hãrati’ was being taken by ‘Pammal’ Bãlãji (‘pujai’ [priest] of our Sri Kalyana Srinivasa Perumal Temple).
Sri Swamiji walked a few steps along with the procession. Sri Swamiji then returned to the temple precincts as ‘Bhakta Kuthoohala’ made His way to the village, surrounded by innumerable Bhãgavats and devotees. The Lords’ Nãma - Govinda! Hari! Krishna! - filled the air, as the procession made its way into the village.
‘Uri adi’ was played by the village youths. Every house was decorated with ‘kolam’ at the doorstep and the enthusiastic villagers dressed in new clothes awaited the visit of ‘Bhakta kuthoohala’ at their doorstep. At every home betel leaf, nut, coconut, banana, ‘karpoora’ were offered to ‘Bhakta Kuthoohala’. Men, women and children joined in the Nãmasankirtan.
S
ri Swamiji was visited by many local village devotees and those from the City for darshan as Sri Swamiji sat in the Kalyana Srinivasa Perumal Temple. A group of 4 men (three young and one elderly) who were building labourers came up hesitatingly for
Sri Swamiji’s darshan. They seemed unsure as they approached Sri Swamiji who was listening to some devotees from the City. Sri Swamiji signed to them to sit down. Soon after Sri Swamiji called the four men up and enquired them of their names, native place, etc. Sri Swamiji then very melodiously sang the Maha Mantra - ‘Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare! Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare!’ word by word and asked the men to repeat. The men repeated. This went on for about half-an-hour or more. Very devotedly the four construction workers repeated the Maha Mantra as
Sri Swamiji taught them to sing. Sri Swamiji then blessed these devotees with ‘kumkum’.
Sri Swamiji asked them to always keep chanting this.
Around 9.30 p.m. Sri Swamiji returned to Bhãgavata Bhavanam Hall in the ashram.
Sri Kalyana Krishnan performed the regular ‘Poornima’ Pãda Puja to Guru Maharaj.
The devotee offered a beautifully strung Tulasi mãla and a Lotus mãla to Guru Maharaj who kindly accepted them and wore them around His neck.
Sri Kalyana Krishnan placed a brass plate on which Guru Maharaj placed His Lotus Feet. Sri Kalyana Krishnan first
washed the Guru’s Lotus Feet with ‘teertha’ (water) and then offered milk. The devotees began to sing devotional songs.
The devotee offered ‘chandan teerta’ followed by honey to Guru Maharaj’s Lotus Feet. Washing the Lotus Feet of our Guru
Maharaj with ‘teertha’, Sri Kalyana Krishnan wiped the Guru Mahraj’s Lotus Feet dry and placed them on a round
brass plate beautifully decorated with flowers. He offered a small jasmine mãla to Guru Maharaj’s Lotus Feet as also some lose unstrung flowers. The devotees continued to sing Nãmasankirtan. Sri Kalyana Krishnan then offered a glass of milk to Guru Maharaj. As soon as the ‘Pãda Puja’ was over, Guru Maharaj removed the Lotus mãla and left Bhãgavata Bhavanam Hall, with the Tulasi mãla around His neck, to Madhuvanam [Sri Swamiji’s kutil].
A wonderful darshan awaited the devotees as Guru Maharaj came out of Madhuvanam after His ‘bhiksha’. The Tulasi mãla was worn around His head like a crown!
With all the devotees at His heels, Guru Maharaj went to the Temple. Guru Maharaj sat on the corridor to the right side of the ‘sannidhi’, leaning against a pillar. The Tulasi mãla was still around His head. The devotees sat a little away. Our Guru Maharaj called up one of the devotees and asked her to sing, ‘Swãtagam! Swãgatam! Sadgurnãtha!’
Our Guru Maharaj joined her and all the devotees, too. Our Guru Maharaj asked the devotee, ‘Do you know the specialty of the day?’
The devotee replied, ‘The day that Bodendra* attained Siddhi.’
Our Guru Maharaj nodded His head. The devotee was then asked to sing three more songs on Guru - ‘kara kamalam mama sirasi nidhãya karunmãm chakre Gurunathah’;
‘Vijayi bhavatu Gurunathah! Vijayi bhavatu Gurunathah’; ‘Tvameva mama sharanam! Hey Gurunatha!’ - all on Bodendra Swami.
Blessed as all the devotees present were, suddenly the electric power went off and it was a ‘feeling’ to be experienced - sitting in the moonlight in a Temple in front of our Guru Maharaj singing kirtans on the glory of the Guru!
*Bodendra Swamigal is the disciple of Sri Ãtmabodendra Swamigal (whose Mahasamadhi is at Vadavambalam. It is here that our Sri Swamiji celebrates Mahasivaratri every year), a pontiff of the famous Kãmakoti Peetam. It is this Bodendra Swamigal who spread Nãma Siddhanta at the behest of His Guru. His ‘Jiva samadhi’ is in Govindapuram, Tamizh Nadu, South India.
2nd 'Purattasi Sani', Mathurãpuri Ãshram
September 28th, 2002
Sri Swamiji was at the ashram since morning. Sri Swamiji performed Thirumanjanam for
Premika Varadan-Madhuri Sakhi and blessed all the devotees present with ‘teertha’.
This evening ‘Bhakta Kuthoohala’ was beautifully decorated and carried on the bullock cart to Mãhãnyam village. The procession was seen off by Sri Swamiji
around 6.00 p.m.
Sri Swamiji then walked towards the Malaipattu village flanked by some devotees.
Sri Swamiji sat in the small Krishna-Vinãyaka temple that is at three cross roads.
This is a small temple built of stone. Every morning two students of our Sãndeepani Gurukulam perform puja and offer ‘naivedya’ here. This evening, too, the electricity failed and Sri Swamiji’s darshan was had in the temple lamp! In this opening onto the street temple, Sri Swamiji sat leaning against a pillar. Immediately innumerable villagers collected around to have Sri Swamiji’s darshan and pour out their woes to Him.
Sri Swamiji listened patiently and keenly to each one of them. Two young men of the village rushed off on their bike and returned quickly with a petromax lamp. A young mother came with a few days old infant in her hand and requested Sri Swamiji to name him. Sri Swamiji kindly received the infant in His hands and looked at him for a while. Sri Swamiji returned the baby to the mother. The child was named ‘Yogesh’.
Every village youth passing by on his bike after work stopped to prostrate to Sri Swamiji and receive His blessings. All were gleeful to find Sri Swamiji here. Suddenly
Sri Swamiji became quiet and there was deep penetrating silence all around. None stirred - not even the little ones. The ‘sound’ of silence was experienced for about fifteen minutes to twenty minutes. To everyone Sri Swamiji enquired if they were chanting
‘Hare Rama Hare Krishna’ without fail. Almost all of them were chanting the Maha Mantra in their homes without fail. A mother and son from another village who had come on a visit were excited to find Sri Swamiji. The mother said to Sri Swamiji, ‘Sãmi! Your talk on the television at 5.30 a.m. is simple and comprehensible. We all find it very useful. We do not miss it.’
At 8.30 p.m., Sri Swamiji flanked by the few devotees who had come with Him walked back to the ashram.
