Sri Jayatheertha Aradhane

[Guest guest]

Dear Hari Bakthas,

 

By the grace of Sri Hari, Vayu, Gurugalu, Sri Jayatheerthara Aradhane was

celebrated in Allentown last weekend. More than 100 devotees from the

states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington D. C and Virgina

had participated. Most of them were our " regulars " and there were quite a

few interested and motivated new comers also.

 

The program started on Saturday (14 July) morning with Devarapooja. We

chanted Srisookta, Purushasookta, Hari Vayussthuthi, Vishnushasranama,

Dwadasastothra, Krishnashtaka, Roupyapeeta Krishnasthuthi,

Harikathambruthasara (couple of stanzas), Lakshmiashtaka, first sarga of

Madhvavijaya, Narayanasookta, Anubhashya, Gita 15th chapter during the

pooja. Then we performed abisheka, alankara to the couple of mruthika

brindavana of Sri Jayatheertha and paada pooja to the paaduke of Sri

Jayatheertharu. Theertha, Hastodaka and mangalarathi were offered to Sri

Jayatheertharu. Sri Jayarayasthuthi (by Sathyapriya Theertharu), Sri

Jayarayaastaka and Sudha Sthothra (by Vishnu Theertha) were recited.

 

Paadapooje to Sri Jayatheertharu was performed one by one by all assembled.

Devaranaamas were sung when paadapooje was in progress. The atmosphere was

divine. Sri Murthy Navarathna directed the paadapuje and subsequently the

Alankara Pankthi. (Sri Murthy was so real in this role that a new comer had

mistook him to be a " real " aachar and invited him to perform Sathyanarayana

Pooja in his house!).

 

Then paadapooje, offering of various upacharaas were done to Anirudha,

Shankarushana, Pradyumna, Vasudeva, Narayana forms resident in the five

Brahmanas and Alankara Pankthi was performed. Devaranaamas were sung during

the Alankara Pankthi. The atmosphere was sublime.

 

Sripadaraj and Srinivasan (GV) were the cooks who prepared theertha prasada

for Devaru, Jayatheertharu, Alankara Pankthi and for all according to

strict vratha requirements. They started cooking at 4 am!

 

Alankara Pankthi concluded around 2 pm. Then theertha prasada for all were

served in two pankthis.

 

The lecture session started around 4 pm. Sri Sriprasad talked on Sri

Jayaraya Sthuthi of Sri Sathyapriya Theertharu. Sri Keshava Rao talked on

the last couple of slokas in Sri Ananda Thirtha's Rigbhashya. Sri Murthy

Navarathna talked on Tatva Prakasika (an introduction) and the Mangalasloka

in Brahmasutrabhashya. Sri Jaikrishna concluded the lecture session with

his part-2 talk on Eko Devaha.

 

All the speakers gave very useful hand-outs of the contents of their talks.

These hand-outs are a boon for self-study by the aspirants and are to be

treasured since such materials, tailor made for us, are indeed very rare.

There will be separate postings on these lectures and the hand-out lecture

materials.

 

After sandhya, the Devaranama session started around 7:30 pm. It was so

relaxing and peaceful in the evening hour (Sun set at 8:15 pm) to enjoy the

soul stirring, melodious Devaranaamas sung by all our own very talented

regular and new singers. Supper was served around 9:45 pm. During and

after supper, Sri Jaikrishna and Sri Raghavendra Batni thrilled the

devotees with their " professional quality " singing of choice selection of

Devaranaamas. We retired to bed, so filled up with shaanti, after

mid-night.

 

Next day started early around 5 am. Devarapooja and Sri Jayatheerthara

pooja were concluded by about 10:15 am. Sri Sarvothama Das, the visiting

Hari Katha expert from Karnataka, gave a very enjoyable and delightful

discourse on Sri Vijayadasaru and a selected few incidendts in his life,

including his mercy on a simpleton paricharaka (food server) to give an

erudite lecture on Nyayasudha (there is a similar incident of Sri Ragothama

Theertha bestowing his blessings on an spiritually aspiring cook in his

matha who for a momentory period gave a scholarly exposition on Nyaya

Sudha). Theertha prasada was served around 12:30 pm and the program

concluded around 2 pm.

 

All of us were happy and lingered around exchanging tidbits and jokes and

there were waves after waves of laughter emanating from the happy bunch of

people, who were enjoying the company of each other in a truely " universal

family " atmosphere and reluctant to get on with their short or long drive to

their respective homes.

 

We are also happy to report that a total sum of $825 was received from the

devotees as their offerings to Sri Jayatheertharu during paadapuje and

hastodaka. This amount will be presented to Sri Sathyathma Thirtharu,

Swamiji of Uthiradi Matha, currently performing chathurmasa in Thirukoilur

(Sri Ragothama Theertha Brindavana) later this month to utilize this fund

for upgrading facilities in Malkede (Sri Jayatheertha Brindavana).

 

Namaskaragalu

 

Bindu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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