Pittsburgh Bhaktha Sammelanam , May 23-24, 1998

[Guest guest]

Dear BhakthAs of Sri VenkatEsA :

 

I can not thank you enough for the substantive contributions

that you made to make the Pittsburgh Conference a delectable

anubhavam and grand success that it is . Thank you for your

acceptance of my invitation to particpate in this conference

and cover the topics assigned to you to make the whole conference

an integrated essence of Sri Bhagavadh RaamAnuja SiddhAntham .

>From the feedbacks that all of us have received , it is clear

that the participants and the audience had a wonderful time

appreciating the great contributions of AzhwArs , AchAryAs

and NadhOpAsakaas for celebrating the glories of the Lord

of Sapthagiri .Personally , it was a moving experience

for me and I thank you for all of your co-operation

and courtesies extended during the organizational

phase of the conference as well as the support during

the two days of the conference itself.

 

Our special thanks are to our host Dr.Narender Reddy and

the Executive Board of the Temple for supporting

this confernce in every way they can and for deciding

to have these SammElanams annually .The topic for

next year would be Srimadh Bhaagavatham . Dr.Narender Reddy

has helped us immensely at every phase of the organization of

this conference . I extend to him , my personal thanks

as well . The recognition of the participants by

the President and all other officials at the end of the

sessions with Veda Manthrams recited by Sri Saaranaatha Bhattar

was a memorable experience .

 

We started with Chathur Vedams , followed it with

Divya Prabhandham recital and had twice the most

beautiful naadha NaivEdhyam by VidvAn Madhurai Sundar

and party as well as by Dr. Myhtili Krishnan .

We concluded the function with Ghanam rendering

and thus Veda GhOsham ( Sanskrit an Tamil) were

enjoyed at the beginnings and end of these sessions .

 

Sri Madhurai Sunder's taste in the selection of AzhwAr krithis

abnd other krithis appropriate to DasAvathAram of

Lord VenkatEsa and his exquisite muscial talent

and Bhaavam in rendering these krithis are very much appreciated .

 

This musical NaivEdhyam continued wiht the rendering of the two

Purandara Daas Krithis by the musicians associated with

Professor M.G.Prasad's group .The final Naada NaivEdhyam was

provided by Dr.Mythili Krishnan , who rendered the bhakthi-laden

padams of AnnamAchAryA , who received the BharanyAsam

from the First Jeeyar of AhObila Mutt . That lovely

lec/dem fitted very wel with the central theme of

the conference (viz)., SaraNAgathi at the Lotus feet of

Sriman NaarAyaNA .

 

Every one of the speakers brought special insights

into the topics assigned to them and gave spirited

and enjoyable presentations . The care they took

and the cogency with which they drove the central

messages of their talks were noteworthy .Thanks one and

all for your most appreciated contributions .

 

Our Special thanks to Dr. Bindhu Madhavan , Srimathi

Jahnavi Madhavan and Dr.Gajavalli Srinivasan and

Srimahti ShobhA Srinivasan for their wonderful

hospitality to many of us and inviting us to join

in the prAtha: kaala AarAdhanam and sharing of

Bhagavadh PrasAdham at the end of these AarAdhanams

on the Dwaadasi day and the next day . The hospitality

of this family is legendary and our prayers to

Sri VenktEsA and Udippi KrishNA to bless this

family with every soubhAgyam .

 

personally , IT WAS A GREAT BHAAGYAM FOR ME TO BE BLESSED BY

SRI VENKATESAA TO BE THE CHAIR OF THIS CONFERENCE THAT

FOCUSED ON HIM AS THE PRESIDING DEITY OF THE PITTSBURGH

TEMPLE . HE USED ME AS HIS INSTRUMENT TO ORGANIZE THIS

EVENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF HIS BHAKTHAAS . HIS DARSANAM

AFTER HIS THIRUMANJANAM ALONE ON SUNDAY WAS SUFFICENT REWARD

FOR THIS KAIMKARYAM THAT HE COMMANDED US TO DO TOGETHER .

 

Thanks for all of your support in creating a trend-setting

conference in support of Sri Bhagavadh RaamAnuja SiddhAntham

at America's renowned VishNu temple , where Pittsburgh Gireesan

presides .

 

Sarvam KrishnArpaNam asthu .

Govindha Naama Sankeerthanam , GovindhA , GovindhA !

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan