Day 5 (evening) proceedings of Athi Rudra Maha Yagna, Navarathri Homa and Durga Puja
Saturday, October 17, 2015 – Evening: Navarathri marks the auspicious times when the earth pulsates with 'Shakthi' or the power of the female aspect of consciousness.
Bhagawan arrived at the venue at around 5:15pm, in midst of blissful bhajans. The proceedings of the evening programme commenced with Veda chanting by the Alike students. Swami blessed them each with a Vibhuti packet.
Veda chanting by students from Alike Campus
Sri Badri Narayanan thereafter enthralled the audience with his insights from the Bhagawatham. He recapped the story of Daksha Prajapati as commanded by Swami to him, and completed the Shiva-Parvathi Kalyanam story, which was unfinished the previous day. He narrated the story of Bali Chakravarthi who was the grandson of Prahalada himself. Misguided by his guru Shukracharya, he performed 100 Ashwamedha Yagnas to conquer the seat of Indra (The Lord of Heaven). Vamana – the dwarf Avataar of Vishnu born to Aditi and Kashyapa, came all the way to seek alms as a brahmin boy. Bali Chakravarthi out of arrogance, agreed to his request of three footsteps measure of space. Vamana grew bigger in size and gained the whole earth in one step, covered the other worlds in the second and in the third step, He placed His feet on Bali Chakravarthi's head and sent him to netherworld. The significant thing to note is that, Bali's guru, the demonic sage Shukracharya did caution him, but the king said, "If the one who has come as a dwarf is Mahavishnu Himself, then what can be a greater fortune than to give Him whatever He asks. It is His compassion on me that He has come to ask, else He could have as well taken it all away by force by tearing me apart, like my great grandfather Hiranyakashyapu". King Bali was blessed then to rule the nether worlds and Vamana Himself became the door keeper. Tears flowed down the eyes of Sri Badri as he wondered whether we are here to serve the Lord, or is the Lord here to serve us. The atmosphere was filled with the most sacred of all emotions – Devotion!
Sri Badri Narayanan narrating the story of Bali Chakravarthi
The evening's proceedings continued with two speakers addressing the audience thereafter, Sri Yagna Murthy Bhatt and Sri Vijay Sai.
The first speaker was the purohit from Sringeri, Sri Yajna Murthy Bhat, who is conducting the Navarathri Homa. He expressed his gratitude and felt blessed that Bhagawan himself asked him to conduct this yajna. He recollected incidents from his past where Bhagawan has been his saviour and guide.
Sri Yajna Murthy Bhat recollecting his experiences with Bhagawan
Sri Vijay Sai began his speech by sharing his wonderful experiences with Swami. He reiterated the statement of Swami made in 1988 where Swami explained to him and his brothers to not be like the frogs near the lotus, but be like the bees which come from far to suck the nectar from the lotus. Thus illustrating the fact that how each one of us are truly blessed, and chosen by Swami Himself to be in the vicinity of His divine presence. Sri Vijay Sai further narrated few other blissful moments, where Swami had asked several devotees to just let go and surrender themselves entirely to Him, and that He would take care. Truly, when we surrender ourselves entirely to Swami, we indeed have nothing to fear, and we need not take upon ourselves any burden – "Sai will take care of us". With this appeal, he concluded his speech.
Sri Vijay Sai expounding on the feeling of surrender
Every person has six relatives. Truth is the mother; wisdom is the father; righteousness is the brother; compassion is the friend; peace is the wife; forgiveness is the son – these are the six relatives of every person. Everyone who is born in this world will be born in a family. In the family there will be many relatives like father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters. But all these relationships last only as long as this body is there. As soon as the body is lost, we lose all relationships. Relationships that you develop on this earth are only bondages; they are not real relationships. There is only one true relationship. That is the 'atma sambandha', or the relationship with the atma.
Only when you live for God you can know that everyone is your brother, everyone is your sister. True devotion is to think that everyone in the world belongs to you. Whoever we salute, we are saluting God Himself. We should know that whoever you ridicule, you are ridiculing God Himself. This world is called 'jagat' because everything comes and goes. All worldly relationships are selfish in nature. Only God is selfless.
There is no happiness equal to wisdom. When you get true wisdom that I am God Himself, I am the atma, you will get rid of all worries. 'Yogakshema' or welfare does not mean that you have to struggle for your family and earning money. 'Yogakshema' means we have to put in effort to attain the highest happiness or joy or bliss. Therefore we have to give up everything that is temporary and put in effort to attain God who is permanent. Not by money, not by progeny, not in activity you find immortality; only by sacrifice you attain immortality. We have to sacrifice our selfishness and self-interest, ego and attachments. All of you should try to cultivate good relationship with God which is permanent. Many students develop the desire to become engineers and doctors. It's good. There is nothing wrong in those desires. It depends upon what you do after becoming an engineer or doctor.
Among the volunteers, there are from Bangalore many engineers, doctors, businessmen and lawyers. They are serving you with great humility and a sense of obedience. All these people are doing everything for the love of Swami. There is no selfishness, ego and attachment in their activity. They have only one desire – to satisfy Swami in all ways. All of you should become servants. True servants are true leaders. Sometimes when you involve yourselves in service activities there may be some differences of opinion. Five fingers are different in their shape and size. When all of them get together, the work happens. Only when you work with unity, you can achieve anything. I am conducting this program with the only purpose of making you pure and also eliminate your ego.
What service you do here, you should do service at home also. In fact the service should begin at home. When you do service at home, set an ideal for your children, they will also join the service activity. Children will not learn from what you speak; they will learn from what you do. It is not just speaking; you have to practise what you speak and develop a good image for yourself; then everybody will look up to you.
Soon after Swami's discourse, students from the Alike campus, performed a Yakshagana. Dakshaayaga – the story of Dakshaa Prajapathi was narrated through delightful dance, music, dialogue and attractive costumes. The story of Dakshaa Prajapathi as elucidated earlier by Sri Badri Narayanan during the Bhagwatham was exhibited now in front of everyone, with live characters enthralling all, with striking dialogues and countenances that left all in awe and admiration for the next one hour. Swami was pleased with all of them and distributed gifts at the end of the enactment. He commented, "See you have put on the makeup and look different. But once we remove the makeup and costumes, we know our true self. Likewise body is a costume and we are all playing our part, whereas our true reality is atman."
Students from Alike enacting the story of Dakshaa Prajapathi through Yakshagana
He specially blessed the Bhagawatha or the narrator/singer of the Yakshagana, as well as the boy who acted as Shiva.
The evening concluded with Arathi and Bhagawan retired at 9:30pm.
Watch the proceedings below:
Entradas
