Sri Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya Mahasamsthanam, Dakshinamanaya Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri

Sri Durgamba Rathotsava

March 10, 2009

Jagadguru worshipping goddess Durga on rathotsava day

The Rathotsava of Goddess Durga, the guardian-deity of the South installed by Sri Adi Shankaracharya, took place on March 5th. The Jagadguru Shankarcharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji offered a special worship to Goddess Durga at noon. This year, a new Ratha was offered at the shrine and the Rathotsava took place in the Jagadguru’s presence with great fervor and was attended by thousands of devotees. As part of the dedication of the new Ratha, a Shatachandi Mahayaga was performed with the Poornahuti happening a day prior to the Rathotsava in the Jagadguru’s divine presence.

The rathotsava of goddess durga in the new ratha in the presence of the jagadguru

Weapons do not cut This (Atma); nor does fire does burn It. Water does not wet (nor drown) nor does wind dry It. This (Atma) cannot be slain, nor burnt, nor wetted, nor dried up. It is changeless, all-pervading, stable, immovable and eternal. Bhagavan Sri Krishna on Significance of God
Do not be proud of wealth, people (relations and friends), and youth. All these are snatched by Time in the blink of an eye. Giving up this illusory world, know and attain the Supreme. Jagadguru Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada on Mohamudgara
Today God is altogether ignored and this is the cause of all our suffering and misery. Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Mahaswamigal on Significance of God
By God’s grace, we have obtained a human birth, the power of discrimination and someone to teach us about the ultimate, truth. If we still remain lazy, we will be wasting a marvelous opportunity. Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamigal on Significance of God
No man is omniscient. Hence man should not have the ego that he knows all. It is ego that leads man astray and drives him to commit sins. Jagadguru Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamigal on Significance of God's Names