Shri Bhagavatha Mangala and Felicitation function by SVBM/VMS

[Guest guest]

Dear Haribhakthas,

 

Please find here the continuation of the report about the various

functions in Bhadrapada Masa by SVBM / VMS ( WEST COAST)

 

 

9) August 26th Sunday :- Shri Jagannatha Dasara Aradhana

10) Aug 27th to Sep 1st:- Shri Bhagavatha Sapthaha

11) Sep 2nd Sunday :- Shri Bhagavatha Mangala and

felicitation to Shri Padaki & Shri Ranganath

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Jagannatha Dasara Aradhana:

 

Shri Jagannatha Dasa is one among the four revered dasas who

contributed a lot to 'Dasa Sahithya'. Especially Shri Jagannatha Dasa

has helped us a lot by bringing out the greatest philosophical

thoughts in his magnum opus work Shri HariKathamruthasara. The VMS

community in the Bay area celebrated aradhana of Shri Jagannatha dasa

on the Sunday 26th of August at Shri Pramod's residence, in Arches Apt

complex.

 

The program started in the afternoon at 3:30pm with the chanting of

first 'Mangalacharane sandhi' of Shri HariKathamruthasara. Next Shri MS

padaki started his discourse on Shri Jagannatha Dasa bringing out the

essence of his life history and made it clear that never ever any

senior person should be disregarded or dishonored. When the 'guru'

become unhappy, no one can resolve that trouble. Great people are like

moving representatives of Shri Hari and they should always be respected

and honored. One should not give more importance to external appearance

or scholastic look. Shri Padaki also narrated the bhajan

" enna binnapa kELo dEva Dhanvantari ... " , composed by Shri Gopaladasa

while praying Lord Dhanvantari for curing the stomach ache of Shri

Jagannatha Dasa.

 

After the pravachana, taratamya bhajan started and concluded with

mangala. Shri MS Padaki performed Mangalarathi to Lord Shri Hari, Shri

Vayu and Shri Jagannatha Dasa. On this occasion SVBM/VMS thanked Shri

Shridhara Subbanna (who was an active member of the team and moved

back to Bangalore for good) for donating a beautiful banner for

SVBM/VMS and a beautiful photo of Shri Ranganatha swamy. It is

remembered that Shri Sridhara Subbanna was one who started donating

vessels and other useful items to SVBM and he continues to support the

association even from Bangalore.

 

Next all devotees were offered palahara. Though it was supposed to

be simple and light, it was much more richer than regular lunch/dinner;

thanks to all volunteers who helped in preparing/bringing the prasada

and hence the program though short was quite impressive and

enlightening.

---------

Shri Bhagavatha Pravachana and Mangala

 

Bhadrapada shukla paksha is also called Prostapadhi masa and it is in

this first half of the month, Shri ParIxitha maharaja listened to Shri

Bhagavatha. So it is customary to listen Shri Bhagavatha in this fort

night. As many of you know, Shri Mahabharatha Samsodhana Prathistana

has arranged for web casting of " Shri Bhagavatha " during this time.

Added to that we had another opportunity to listen to " Shri Bhagavatha "

directly from Shri MS Padaki. Smt Jyothi and Shri Vijay offered their

residence for this sathkarya and we had " Shri Bhagavatha " pravachana

from August 27,2001 to Aug 31, 2001, daily from 7:30pm to 9:00pm.

Though it was during weekdays, devotees made it a point to attend the

pravachana regularly everyday. Shri MS Padaki went through all the

sargas and explained all the episodes. I can no way do justice in

explaining the weeklong lecture in few sentences. We considered

ourselves blessed to have this rare opportunity of listening to Shri

Bhagavatha. Though Shri Padaki said that it was his first experimental

attempt of sharing what he heard from other's lecture, it was excellent

and no way inferior to any other scholar's discourse.

 

On the first day Shri Padaki guided the devotees to do 'sankalpa'

for the 'Prostapadi sapthaha' and everyday the discourse concluded with

mangalarathi. Though few of us had heard Shri Bhagavatha through

cassettes, it was a unique different experience listening to Shri

Bhagavatha directly from a knowledgeable senior scholar Shri Padaki.

Shri Padaki brought out very clearly the inner meaning of the various

episodes like Samudra mathana, Shri Vamana avatara, Shri Dhruva

Charithre, Shri Prahlad Charithre etc. and spent considerable time in

explaining Shri Krishnaavatara, Shri Krishna's childhood activities and

tatva behind those Lila of Shri Krishna.

 

On Saturday Sep 1, 2001, the program started in the morning at 10:00

am. As per the request of Smt Jyothi and Shri Vijay, a symbolic

mangala for the pravachana was celebrated on this day. Shri MS Padaki

continued his pravachana on Dashama skanda of Shri Bhagavatha and

narrated various incidents and concluded the discourse with Shri

Rukmini Svayamvara. Shri MS Padaki also quoted many instances from

" Shri RukmiNIsha Vijaya " of Shri Vadiraja ThIrtha, another master piece

explaining Shri Krishna's childhood days. Since it was also the day

of 'Shri Anantha Chaturdashi', Shri Padaki briefly explained about

Shri Anantha Vratha and related story. After the pravachana, Shri

Padaki performed Mangalarathi to Shri Hari, Shri Vayu and the sacred

texts and all the devotees had grand thIrtha prasada, thanks to Smt

Jyothi and Shri Vijay for their instantaneous decision to host this

weeklong discourse and the mangala.

----

Felicitation to Shri MS Padaki and Shri Ranganatha Magadi

 

To make it convenient for all the devotees to participate in the

'Prostapadi' program and listen to Shri Bhagavatha, a grand function

was arranged On Sunday Sep 2, 2001, to celebrate Shri Bhagavatha

Mangala along with felicitation to Shri MS Padaki and Shri Ranganath

Magadi.

 

The program started at 10:00 am with Veda manthra chanting by Shri

Madhusudhan B.N followed by Shri Venkatesha Sthothra and Shri Hari Vayu

Stuthi. Then Shri MS Padaki took over the dais for a marathon session

of almost three hours. For the benefit of the devotees, Shri Padaki

started with the mangalacharana of Shri Bhagavatha and gave brief

summary of each skanda highlighting the important episodes. Shri Padaki

narrated about Shri Krishna Avatara, 11th and 12th canto and then

concluded with Shri Rukmini Svayamvara. Shri Padaki performed

Mangalarathi to Shri Hari, Shri Vayu and sacred texts. All the devotees

who had done 'sankalpa' on the first day of the pravachana, offered

this seva to Shri Lord by performing " krishnarpana " .

 

To mark this occasion, a felicitation was arranged to to Shri MS

Padaki and Shri Ranganatha Magadi. Shri MS Padaki needs to no special

introduction. He has revolutionized the VMS activities in Bay area

during his short stay of two months. He tried his best to pass on all

his experience and knowledge, accumulated in the last 82 years, to the

devotees and taught many key points. We can no way give him back what

we gained.. So it was quite appropriate to offer a token of

Gurudakshina on this holy occasion.

Shri Ranganath also needs no introduction, for those who know the

various activities of Shri Pejavara swamiji. Shri Ranganath is the

backbone of all the project activities of Shri Pejavara swamiji and he

has successfully completed all the projects at Badari, Haridwara, Kashi

and many other places. He is fully responsible for all the financial

and legal transactions related to all these projects. He has served the

society as Principal of APS College, Bangalore and after his retirement

from service, he has totally dedicated himself to Shri Pejavara swamiji

and his projects. He is the man behind the screen for the Tatvavada

magazine, PoornaPrajna Vidyapeetha activities, ABMM(Akhila Bharatha

Madhva Mahamandala) activities and so on.

 

The program started with the welcome speech by Shri

Sathyanarayana with brief introduction about the dignitaries. Next

Shri Ranganath gave a brief account of Shri Padaki's deep interest in

Tatvavada and appreciated his Jnana karya at this advanced age of 82.

On this occasion, Shri Puttige swamiji has sent an aashirvachana

sandesha from Belgaum, Karnataka, appreciating Shri Padaki's service.

Dr. Sethuram Pandurangi read the sandesha of Shri swamiji and Shri

Padaki was honored with a shawl, a plaque and the

aashirvachana-pathra. As a special token of 'Gurukanike', 32 golden

lotus flowers, representing 32 auspicious gunas of Shri Lord, were

offered to Shri Padaki, so that he would offer Kanakabhisheka to Lord

Shri Hari everyday during in his daily pooja. Right then, with these

golden flowers, kanakabhisheka was performed to holy text Shri

Bhagavatha while chanting Shri Suktha. Again Manglarathi was performed

to Shri Lord and holy texts. Shri Padaki who never expected anything in

return for his sincere service, prayed Lord to bless all the devotees

with more Jnana and Bhakthi. He said that Lord would always help the

devotees and send someone or other to show the path of sadhana. He

thanked all the devotees for providing him an opportunity to

recollect/refresh what he has learnt, heard back in Bangalore And do

seva to Lord through these discourses and classes.

 

Next program was felicitation to Shri Ranganath Magadi. Shri Padaki

gave a brief introduction of Shri Ranganath and appreciated his silent

services to Shri Pejavara swamiji. Though Shri Ranganath was professor

and good orator, he prefers to keep low profile and silently works for

the community. Shri Puttige swamiji was happy with the news of

felicitation and had sent an ashirvachana to Shri Ranganath. Shri

Balakrishna read out the asshirvachana and Shri Ranganath was honored

by Shawl, plaque and aashirvachana patra. Shri Ranganath thanked the

SVBM/VMS members and offered to send one set of all the SarvamUla

publications to SVBM/VMS to encourage the sadhana/learning of the

devotees. He wished them more strength and interest in continuing the

seva karyas. Shri Ranganath also announced the " Vajra Kavacha " project

of Shri Palimaru maTa and offered his service to receive the donation

and to give back official receipt.

 

Next event was thirtha Prasada; the credit goes to none other than

Shri Sheshagiri and team who started working early morning to provide

sumptuous lunch to all the members. The lunch session was filled with

bhajanas and 'nama-sankIrthana'. It was announced during the lunch

that VMS Michigan Chapter is sponsoring Bhagavatha Pravachana by Shri

Gopinaath Galagali and these pravachanas are available in the form of

CDs and cassettes. Devotees may utilize this opportunity to listen to

Bhagavatha and enlighten themselves. Smt Jyothi & Shri Vijay who

initiated this 'Prostapadi' pravachana offered this seva to Shri Lord

by performing Krishnarpana.

 

Afternoon session started with a quiz competition based on Bhagavatha.

The participants were divided into four groups namely " Vasudeva " ,

" SankarshaNa " , " Pradumna " & " Anirudhdha " . Few sample questions were

1) What is the name of the first condensed version of the Bhagavatha?

Who told that to whom?

2) What is commonality in the " mangalacharane shloka " of Bhagavatha and

Brahmasuthra's first few suthras?

3) What is the essence of Shri Prahlada's teaching to daithya balakas

in the gurukula?

4) What is the first verse of Shri Dhruva's sthothra to Lord? Which

swamiji uses this in the beginning of his lecture?

5) Which is another holy text where we can find lots of narration about

Shri Krishna and his liilas? Who wrote that? and so on .....

 

The Anurudhdha team won the competition and all the participants

enjoyed the activity, which helped them to recollect Bhagavatha once

again. Next 'tharathamya' bhajan was started and the day concluded with

the mangalarathi to Shri Lord, Shri Vayu and holy texts. The day was

so vibrant and filled with spirituality that people are not ready to

close the day, even with the repeated reminder by our timekeeper

volunteer Shri Padmanabh.

 

SVBM/VMS thanks all the devotees participated in the function. Special

thanks to Shri Pramod for providing his residence for preparing food.

Thanks to Smt Jyothi & Shri Vijay for taking special interest to

sponsor this 'Prostapadi program'.

 

Shri Hari priyatham.

 

Please pardon me for any errors / typos.

 

FOR SVBM/VMS(West Coast)

 

 

 

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