Tirthahalli Camp of the Jagadguru
It has been a tradition of the residents of Tirthahalli, a taluk near Sringeri, to revere the Acharyas of the Sharada Peetham as their Guru. In the recent past, Tirthahalli has been graced by the visits of the Jagadgurus of Sringeri until the time of the 35th Acharya, Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji who had graced the Taluk in 1962. In continuation of this tradition, the residents of the Taluk reverentially invited Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji to grace Tirthahalli. Graciously consenting, the Mahaswamiji went on a one-day camp to Tirthahalli on 4th February 2010. The entire town of Tirthahalli had assembled to receive the Jagadguru who was then taken in the Adda Pallaki golden palanquin from the Gayatri Mandira to the temple of Goddess Marikamba, where the Jagadguru had Darshan. The Mahaswamiji delivered an Anugraha Bhashanam and stressed the importance of Dharma. The Mahaswamiji explained four important characteristics of a Dharmika, as stated by Jagadguru Sri Adi Shankaracharya —
1. The Lord must be remembered everyday. One must chant the Lord’s name atleast for a few minutes before starting any task in our daily lives. One must reflect always that everything that happens is due to Divine Grace and that he or she is only an instrument.
2. One must be humble and respectful to elders and to seniors.
3. One should stay near a Satpurusha. A Satpurusha always sees the good qualities in everyone. This quality will naturally come to you if you have a constant association with a Satpurusha.
4. One should perform charity in accordance to one’s ability.
On 5th February, the Mahaswamiji inaugurated the Vipra Naukara Kshemabhivriddhi Sangha at the Gayatri Mandiram. The Mahaswamiji had Darshan at the temples of Lord Rameshwara and Lord Vinayaka in the Tirthahalli Taluk.
Jagadguru performing Mangala Arati to Goddess Marikamba at Tirthahalli after
dedicating the Swarna Mukha Kavacha
The Mahaswamiji then offered a Swarna Mukha Kavacha to Goddess Marikamba and performed a special Pooja to the Goddess and blessed the gathering with an Anugraha Bhashanam describing the compassion of the Divine Mother, and returned to Sringeri the same evening.