Jagadguru in Karkala
Procession of Jagadguru in Karkala
On 11th December morning, JagadguruShankaracharya Sri SriBharatiTirthaMahaswamiji started from Sringeri towards Karkala (कार्कळ) and was received at Karkala with great reverence. Devotees performed Pada Puja and BhikshaVandanam to the Jagadguru. In the evening, the Jagadguru graced the main roads of Karkala in a procession. The Jagadguru had Darshan at the AnantaPadmanabhaswamy temple, and Sri VenkataramanaSwamy temple. The Jagadguru then graced the Shankarotsava organized by Shankara SevaSamithi of Karkala, under the auspices of ShaankaraTattvaPrasaaraAbhiyanam of the Dakshinamnaya Sri SharadaPeetham, Sringeri. Many dignitaries including Karkala MLA Sunil Kumar welcomed the Jagadguru and offered their Pranams.
In His AnugrahaBhashanam, the Jagadguru said that in our holy country of Bharata, many great personages have taken birth, undertaken many works for the welfare of everyone, and attained ever-lasting fame. Among these personages, Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada is the first and foremost. The cause for the Avatara of Sri AdiShankaracharya and the achievements of His Avatara are well-known. What message has the Acharya given to us? How should we lead our lives? Sri AdiShankaracharya had such a nature that He wished the welfare of everyone. He was so broad-minded that He strove to illumine all of mankind. This becomes clear in His works. Even in His Stotras, Sri AdiShankaracharya did not stop with singing the praise of God and His divine attributes. He goes on to point out what prayers we must have. What must we seek from God who is Sarvajna (all-knowing), Sarvashakta (all-powerful) and full of compassion?
It is usual for different people to ask for fulfillment of worldly aspects such as success in exams, or interviews or professional endeavours or blessings for family-related events such as the fixing of a wedding or the birth of a child. While Sri Bhagavatpada does not disapprove of these prayers, He opines that it is not sufficient to restrict our prayers to these kinds. There are other prayers that will lead to your Shreyas.
Bhagavatpada first instructs that we must pray that our ego leave us. Most remain egoistic due to factors such as power, learning, status etc. Such ego leads us to the wrong path and results in sorrow even in this life. Even for one who feels that he is very learned, the Shastras themselves state – अनन्तशास्त्रंबहुवेदितव्यम् ,अल्पश्चकालोबहवश्चविघ्नाः – TheShastras are akin to an ocean and we limited by the time and obstacles that we face, have only known a vessel-full of this ocean. Hence it would be foolish to think that one knows everything.
Bhagavatpada then instructs us that we pray for the reduction and eradication of desires. We see that in general, there is no limit to desires. Aslongasonekeepsonrunning after desires, there will be no peace of mind. Many do state that they do not have peace of mind eventhough they are bestowed with everything in life.
The Jagadguru pointed out that there is a common pattern of worry seen in many people. It starts from “I have not yet got a spouse”. Once he gets married, his worry would be “I am yet to obtain progeny”. The subsequent worries after the satiation of each preceeding desire are “My child is not intelligent enough”, “My son has been educated, but he is yet to get married”, “He has been married, but he has not got progeny”, “I now have a grandchild, but my grandchild does not study well”, “My grandchild has been educated, but he is yet to get married”. When pointed out that the future of the grandson should be of no cause of worry to him and it is his son that would need to take care, he would opine, “How can this be so? Is he not my grandson”. This is why Bhagavatpada points out that people are filled with worries even in an elderly age – वृद्धस्तावत्चिन्तासक्तः.
Therootcauseofallthisisthecontinuous cropping of desires. Hence we must pray that our desires reduce and peace of mind set in.
The third prayer instructed by Bhagavatpada is to invoke the Grace of God to make us free of anger. We find that anger sets in when we are unable to accomplish what we set out for, or when someone does not listen to our instruction or performs a task allocated haphazardly. Anger clouds a man even for small issues.
After Hanuman had had Darshan of Mother Sita, he had been captured by Ravana and his tail had been set on fire. Hanuman unaffected by his burning tail set fire to Lanka. For an instant, Hanuman felt happy that he had burnt all of Lanka. However, he immediately felt that he had committed a blunder. He wondered if some harm would have befallen Mother Sita due to the fires he had set. He was crestfallen when this thought struck him and felt the purpose of his mission might have become a failure. He then reflects on the effects of anger that made him burn Lanka, expressing thus: क्रुद्धःपापंनकुर्यात्कःक्रुद्धोहन्यात्गुरूनपि- “What sinful act would an angry man abstain from? Seething with anger, He would not hesitate to insult even the noble.” Hence Bhagavatpada instructs that one must pray for the eradication of anger.
Another prayer that Bhagavatpada says that one must pray that one must have empathy – दया – the heartfelt feeling to remove the difficulties of another. When one strives for the welfare of others, it results in his ownShreyas. TheShastrasstate that even an animal, whose skin remains useful after its death, is better than a man who doesnt engage in Paropakara – welfare of others –
परोपकृतिशून्यस्यधिङ्मनुष्यस्यजीवितम्।
जीवन्तुपशवोयेषांचर्माप्युपकरिष्यति॥
If onemusthavetheinclinationtoengageinParopakara, one must first have empathy and compassion, and hence this prayer.
Can we say that these prayers were instructed for a small section or community by Bhagavatpada? On the contrary, it is evident that Bhagavatpada had the welfare of entire humanity in mind when He gave these instructions.
The Jagadguru pointed out that some elements in the society, without understanding the greatness of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada, spread criticisms. The Jagadguru invoked the blessings of God that such elements realize the greatness of Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada and remain grateful to Him for having revived Sanatana Dharma and for having striven for the welfare of all humanity. It is for this reason that the Peetham has initiated the “ShaankaraTattvaPrasaaraAbhiyanam”.
The Jagadguru remembered the visit of His Guru, Jagadguru Sri AbhinavaVidyatirthaMahaswamiji to Karkala in 1956 and praised the devotion of the residents of Karkala, and ended the AnugrahaBhashanam. Devotees then witnessed the SharadaChandramoulishwara Puja performed by the Jagadguru.