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His Holiness Sri Sri Swamiji visited Ernakulam and participated in the Srimad Bhagavata Saptaha performed at the residence of Smt. Gita Sethuraman and Sri Sethuraman from 13th October, 2003 to 19th October, 2003. During His stay at Ernakulam, His Holiness visited the nearby Holy Places along with His devotees.

Smt. Kanchana Sankaran, Smt. Jayanti Janakiraman, Smt. Lalita (Coimbatore), Ms. Sangeeta Janakiraman, Ms. Janani Kumaraswamy led the Bhãgavata pãrãyana. Sri Subramani performed puja to Radha-Krishna.

Everyday Srimad Bhãgavata pãrãyana was performed from 6.00 a.m. to 11.30 a.m.

On the 14th evening His Holiness visited Kaladi, which is about 40 kms. from Ernakulam. Kaladi is the proud soil that gave birth to the great Adi Sankara. It is a small quiet village on the banks of the Poorna River. His Holiness remarked that Kaladi was filled with the ‘sannidhya’ of Adi Sankara. Here, on the very banks of the Poorna is found the ‘adhishttãna’ of Aryãmba, the Holy mother who gave birth to Adi Sankara. A small stone pillar just adjacent to this ‘adhishttãna’ marks the very place of birth of Sankara.

After a dip and performance of japa in the Holy water, His Holiness along with the devotees chanted ‘Ganesha Pancharatnam’, ‘Thotakãshtakam’ and ‘Kanakadãra stotram’ in front of the Adi Sankara ‘sannidhi’ here. Moving to the ‘sannidhi’ of Saradãmba, His Holiness and the devotees chanted ‘Annapoornãshtakam’.

Close by is the Temple of Lord Krishna who was the family deity of Sankara. His Holiness informed the devotees that Sankara’s family bequeathed all their wealth to this Deity. His Holiness further said, “Every day Sankara used to visit this Temple and worship Lord Krishna here. It is said that Sankara’s first sloka was ‘Kanakadara’. But, that is not right. Even while a little boy Bhagavat Pãdãl composed a sloka on this Krishna, their family Deity. So, his first composition was on Krishna.”

The ghat here is the place where a crocodile caught hold of the foot of little Sankara; and on the promise of the mother to permit him to embrace ascetic life the crocodile spared the life of the little boy. His Holiness Sri Sri Swamiji sat under the Aswatta tree inside the Temple. The whole place was highly vibrating. At the behest of His Holiness the devotees sat around Him and chanted the ‘Vishnu Sahasranama’ and the ‘Pancha Gita’.
The Krishna here is ‘chatur bhuja’ holding Shankha and Chakra.

His Holiness and the devotees then visited ‘Vijaya stambam’ – the Stupi erected by ‘Kanchi’ Sri Sri Chandrasekhara Maha Swami in memory of his Guru Adi Sankara.
Here, His Holiness sang a new kirtan on Adi Sankara. This structure consists of several floors with a winding staircase within. Each floor houses the deity depicting each of the ‘shanmata’ (six faiths – Gãnapatyam, Kaumaryam, Sauryam, Sãktam, Saivam, Vaishnavam ) established by Adi Sankara.

On the 15th evening, His Holiness visited Ambalapuzha that is around 70 kms. from Ernakulam. The Krishna Temple here is housed in a huge compound. Waves of Srimad Bhagavata floated down from the big traditional west coast style hall here. The hall was filled with devotees. Two Bhãgavats were seated at the head reading alternately. It was ‘udaya-astamana’ Saptãha. It was learnt that this was their 144th Saptãha. This evening Rukmini Kalyanam was being read.

The Temple authorities here offered a warm welcome to His Holiness.

After the bath in the Temple pond and performance of ‘sandhi’ His Holiness joined the devotees here. His Holiness listened to the expounding of Rukmini Kalyanam by the Bhãgavats. His Holiness then honoured the Bhãgavats with shawl and flower garland.

His Holiness then moved into the Temple and had darshan of Lord Krishna here. His Holiness circumambulated the ‘Sanctum Sanctoram’ several times. A special offering of ‘payasam’ is made to the Lord here. The Lord in the form of a child here wears the ‘araijnãn’ (a chain worn around the waist). The ‘araijnãn’ gets tightened at the waist as the offering of ‘payasam’ is made!

His Holiness and devotees chanted the ‘Vishnu Sahasranama’ and ‘Atma nivedanam’.

Elephants are found in most of the Kerala Temples. There was one here, too. It was an old elephant. His Holiness fed the elephant with pumpkin. Receiving the whole pumpkin the elephant placed it on the ground and smashed it with one of its feet! Picking it up, it peeled the skin and gulped down the pumpkin! When next His Holiness offered coconut (in full) it received it but threw it down! The mahout explained that this elephant being old preferred the shell to be removed and fed only with the coconut! This was done. His Holiness then offered dozens of bananas. The elephant seemed enthusiastic in eating the bananas. However, it did not respond to the mahout’s instruction to touch the heads of the devotees in blessing! With a smile His Holiness and the devotees left.

On the 16th evening, His Holiness visited the tri-temples Yettumãnnur, Kaduthirithi and Vaikom. It is believed that all these three Siva Temples should be visited on the same day. These Temples are not very far from Ernakulam.

At Yettumannur, His Holiness sat in dhyana on the steps leading to the Temple pond. Here crackers are burst in worship – ‘vettu vazhipãdu’. His Holiness offered ‘vettu vazhipãdu’ – one for each in the group. His Holiness wondered at the cleanliness maintained in all Kerala Temples. The Temples here are built of wood and has tile roofings. The Sanctum Sanctorum is usually surrounded on the very outer side by wooden planks that have provision for holding hundreds of lamps. Lamps are lit on festivals days. The ‘dwajastambam’, which is very tall, is dazzlingly clean. The elephant here in this Temple could not be approached.

Kaduthirutti is a very small quiet village. One has to ascend several steps to reach the Temple. The Temple was empty but for an ox! His Holiness and the devotees chanted the Vishnu Sahasranama here before having darshan of the Deity.

At Vaikom the Temple is unbelievably large. It was filled with devotees. Here again, His Holiness offered ‘vettu vazhipãdu’.

On the 17th evening, His Holiness visited Chottãnnikara, which is only about 10 kms. from Ernakulam. Chottannikara houses the famous Bhagavati Temple. One can hear the loud call of the devotees, “Amme Nãrãyana! Amme Nãrãyana!” here. This Temple is also popular for healing victims of black magic.
Here also His Holiness fed the elephant with pumpkin, coconut and bananas.

From Chottãnnikara, His Holiness and devotees went to Thirupannathura where a Temple of Santhãnagopalakrishna is situated. At the top of the threshold leading to the interior ‘prakãram’ is a rare black and white picture depicting a scene from the Bhagavatam. Vaikuntapati, seated on His throne with His two consorts on either side, is holding a just-born infant on His lap. There are eight other children of various ages around Him. Krishna and Arjuna are standing in front of Him. After having darshan of Santhana Gopalakrishnan His Holiness went around the Sanctum Sanctorum. The walls around the Sanctum Sactorum is covered with a brass plating on the exterior. Figures of Deities are carved on them. One Deity having four arms, holding Shakha, Chakra on the rear arms, a small ‘kalasa’ that seemed like the ‘amrita kalasa’ in the front left arm and a lotus on the front right arm could not be identified.

The devotees sat on the pyol outside the sanctum sactorum and chanted the ‘Vishnu Sahasranama’ while His Holiness went to the Temple pond to perform ‘sandhya vandana’. His Holiness then offered pumpkin, balls of jaggery and bananas to the elephant here. This was a young elephant who received these earnestly. But, the mahout warned that it was quite a dangerous one.

His Holiness next visited the Temple of Lord Vamana, not far from here.

On the 18th instant after the completion of the day’s Bhãgavata pãrãyana,
From 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Jayadev Ashtapadi was rendered by Sri Sumant Bhãgavata and his party. It was continued from 4.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m.
From 9.00 p.m. to 11.30 p.m. Divya Namasankirtan was performed by His Holiness and devotees. The home of Sri Sethuraman already filled with waves of Srimad Bhãgavatam was now drowned with the Divine Name of the Lord, the panacea from this ocean of ‘samsãra’!

On the 19th instant, after the completion of Srimad Bhãgavata Saptãha, at the behest of His Holiness, a young local Bhãgavata rendered a brief ‘upanyas’ on an episode from Srimad Bhãgavatam. ‘Radha Kalayanam’ was then performed by Sri Sumant Bhãgavata. Several local devotees participated in the auspicious function.
His Holiness blessed all devotees with ‘akshadai’.
His Holiness then poured the ‘kalasa teertha’ on the young couple Sriram-Rema (the son and daughter-in-law of Sri Sethuraman-Gita).

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