Sri Parakala Matham Acharya Thirunakshatram Celebrations

[Guest guest]

Sri:

Sri Brahmatantra Swatantra Parakala Guru Paramparayai Nama:

 

Namaskaram to all the Bhaktas

 

I would like to make a follow-up request to Sri Srinath's email

regading the upcoming Parakala Matham Acharya Thirunakshatram

Celebrations. Details regading these celebrations can be found at

 

http://www.parakalamutt.org/festivals/jeeyartn.shtml

 

 

We are not at all strangers to the knowledge regarding

the Divinity of the Sri Parakala Matham. Even a fleeting glimpse

of the fact that the Matham's Moolavar, Sri Laxmi Hayagriva once

belonged to Bhagavan Ramanuja, causes an outpouring of desperate

longing to catch a glimpse, even a Shadow maybe, only hoping to reach the

Lord's Lotus Feet as a result. There may be some temporary obstacles

that prevent us from doing that right away, but nothing prevents us

from doing the next best thing, which is to participate in the

Acharya Thirunakshatram festival by our generous sponsorships.

 

Through the sankalpams of our sponsorships and our donations, Our Divine

Acharyas always have the knowledge of our small efforts like these,

just like a mother knowing her baby's efforts to roll-over and crawl.

They will always remember our innermost and sincere desire to drown in

the ocean that is Sriman Narayana and will bless us to reach The

Lotus Feet. Further, it gets even more easier when we have some

very easy opportunities to participate even if we are not there

physically! The Acharya Thirunakshatram Celebrations include

several kaimkaryams we can sponsor, like sponsoring the Sudarshana

Homam and Annadaanam.

 

Swamy Desikan in His Sudarshana Ashtakam and Shodasha Ayudha Stotram,

very beautifully describes the Sri Sudarshana Chakram. Praying the

Sudarshana Chakram is like praying to Dashaavataaram. Sudarshana Homam

grants us the boon of " adhyaatmika chintana " and turns our mind towards

the Lotus Feet of the Lord for ever. It is a path to Moksha.

 

Another event we can sponsor is Annadaanam. In Taittiriya Upanishad, it is

said

 

" annam bahu kurviita | tad vrutam | .... "

 

" accumulate plenty of food. That is the duty... "

 

Here Bhrgu was advised to accumulated food not for himself but to feed the

students of the gurukulam and also for maintaining and serving the seekers

who might come to him for instruction. Annadaanam is a very auspicious

daanam which nurtures and helps the propagation of

knowledge.

 

Later in MahanNarayanopanishad, also referred as Chaturtha Prasna,

we find the passage that is called Annastuti:

 

" yaabhiraadityastapati rashmibhisthaabhi: parjanyO varshati

parjanyEnaushadhi vanaspataya: prajaayanta: Oshadhivanaspatibhirannam

bhavatyannEna praaNaa: praaNairbalam balEna tapastapasaa shraddhaa

shraddhayaa mEdhaa mEdhayaa manIshaa manIshayaa manO manasaa shanti:

shantyaa chittaM chittEna smRuti:(g) smRutyaa smaara: smaarENa vi~jnAnaM

vi~jnEnaatmaanaM vEdayati tasmaadannaM dadantsarvaaNyEtaani dadaatyannaat

praaNaa bhavanti bhutaanaaM praanair manO manasascha vi~jnaanaM

vi~jnaanaadaanandO braham yOni: "

 

This passage is called Annastuti since it praises food as a source

of nourishment for our senses which gives us strength,

which in turn lets us attain self-control (tapas), observe religious

practices like Ekadashi Vratam, Dwadashi Vratam etc.

As a result of this and anushTanam, our metal faculties are fine tuned,

which results in mental control, which leads to calmness of mind during

meditation. Eventually we reach a stage when we can concentrate upon the

Lotus Feet of the Lord and finally attain THEM.

 

Annam is therefore considered a liberating agent and Annadaanam is

one of the most sacred daanams that can be done. Be a part of it by

sponsoring a Annadaanam. There cannot be a better occasion to do it than our

own Acharya Thirunakshatram celebrations!

 

http://www.parakalamutt.org/festivals/jeeyartn.shtml

 

Sri Laxmi Hayagriva Para BrahmaNe Nama:

Sri Laxmi Hayagriva Divya Paaduka Sevaka, Sri Brahmatantra Swatantra

Parakala Guru Paramparayai Nama:

 

-- Rajeev Kumar Karamchedu

_______________

Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com