The great Traditions -- Chatur Masya

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VYASA PUJA WILL BE PERFORMED ON 2 JULY 2004 at Kanchipuram and Their

Holiness will observe Chaturmasya till 28 September 2004 at Srimatam,

Kanchipuram.

 

CLICK HERE FOR <http://www.kamakoti.org/news/ChaathurmaasyamEvents.htm>

LIST OF PUJAS/ EVENTS/ SPECIAL OCCASIONS DURING Chaathurmaasya 2004

 

Every aasrama has its special dharma or duty. It has been enjoined that a

sanyasi should not remain in one place for any length of time. He has to be

a parivraajaka or wandering mendicant. The idea is that he should be moving

from place to place, coming into contact with his lay disciples, ministering

to their spiritual needs, and guiding them to regulate their lives according

to the sastras.

 

This constant movement from place to place may prevent a sanyasi from

devoting sufficient time to meditation and other spiritual practices, and to

the acquisition of aatmajnanam leading to the realization of the Ultimate

truth. Therefore, he is permitted to remain in one place during the

Chathurmaasya period, commencing from the full moon in the month of Aani.

This period also coincides with the rainy season, known as praavrt season.

 

There is a reason behind the selection of the praavrt period for

Chathurmaasya. The sanyasa aasrama is essentially one of ahimsa - causing no

harm to any living being. During the rainy season, numerous insects spring

to life and infest pathways. Any travel, during this period, will inevitably

lead to himsa, causing pain or injury, to these insects. In fact, while

making the sankalpa for chaturmaasya, a sanyasi has to tell the assembled

devotees that the praavrt period is on, that he sees a host of insect life

(praani sankulam) everywhere, and that if it is not inconvenient for them he

proposes to observe chaaturmaasyam in that place. The devotees, who feel

honoured by the opportunity for this kainkarya (service), in their turn,

request him to remain in their midst comfortably, and assure him that they

will serve him to best of their ability.

 

The chaaturmaasya observance is a common feature of Hinduism, Buddhism, and

Jainism. The Ashokan edicts, which are about 2,000 years old, show that

chaaturmaasya was observed for four months, as the term indicated. It is not

clear when the period came to be reduced to two months. Probably the rule

that a maasa (month) is synonymous with paksha (fortnight) - pakshovai mash

- came to be applied, and chaaturmaasya limited to four pakshas or two

months.

 

A sanyasi takes the resolve to observe chaaturmaasya after performing Vyasa

Pooja. This pooja is important to sanyasins as Upaakarma is to those who

belong to the other aasramas. The object of Upaakarma is to revitalise the

Vedic mantras, should their efficacy be impaired, through causes like faulty

pronunciation. The Vedas are recited on that day, after invoking the grace

of Sri Veda Vyasa, who perceived, through his spiritual powers, the Vedas

and transmitted them for the benefit of the world, and invoking the grace of

Sri Veda Vyasa, who perceived, through his spiritual powers, the Vedas and

transmitted them for the benefit of the world, and invoking the grace of the

rishis.

 

Similarly the sanyasins invoke the grace of Sri Veda Vyasa and other

preceptors of aatma jnaana, before commencing their discipline of

meditation, Yoga and aatmaichara.

 

It is not Veda Vyasa alone who is worshipped on Vyasa Pooja day. Six groups

of preceptors (moola purushas) of jnana, each group consisting of five

preceptors are worshipped. The first group is called Krishna Panchaka and

consists of Sri Krishna, Vaasudeva, Pradyumna, Anirudha and Sankarshana. The

five groups, besides the Sri Krishna Panchaka mentioned above, are:

(1) The Vyasa Panchaka, consisting of Sri Vyasa, Sri Paila, Sri

Vaisampayana, Sri Jaimini and Sri Sumantu;

(2) The Bhagavatpada Panchaka, consisting of Sri Sankara Bhagavtpada, Sri

Padmapaadaacharya, Sri Sureswaraacharya, Sri Hastamalakaacharya and Sri

Totakaacharya;

(3) The Sanaka Panchaka, consisting of Sri Sanaka, Sri Sanandana, Sri

Sanaatana, Sri Sanat Kumara and Sri Sanatsujaata;

(4) The Dravida Panchaka, consisting of Sri Dravidaacharya, Sri

Gaudapadaacharya, Sri Govinda Bhagavatpadaacharya, Sri Sankshepakaacharya

and Sri Vivaranachaarya; and

(5) The Guru Panchaka, consisting of the Guru, the Parama Guru, the

Parameshti Guru, and the Paraapara Guru of the Sanyasin, and other

promulgators of the sampradaya (anye brahmavidyaa sampradaaya kartaarah

guruvah).

 

Worship is also offered to Sri Suka, Sri Narada, Sri Durga, Sri Ganapati,

the Kshetrapaalaas, Sri Saraswati and the ten guardians of the directions,

beginning with Indra. Finally pooja is offered to Suddha Chaitanya, whose

aavaahana is made in the Saaligramah and omnibus worship (samashti pooja) is

performed at the end.

(Excerpted from the discourse of the Paramacharya, Sri Chandrasekarendra

Saraswati, in Madras (Chennai) in 1957).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ganapathy --- Vijaya

 

" Jai Bhavani "

 

 

 

 

 

 

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