Jagadguru graces Karwar
On 2nd Dec 2014 evening, the Jagadguru Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji reached Karwar and was received with traditional Poornakumbha Swagatam. After the Dhulipadapuja, a Sabha programme was conducted in which the Karwar Mahila Bhajana Mandali sang a beautiful Swagata song with Harmonium and Tabla accompaniments. Then the devotees offered an Abhinandana Patra. In the Anugraha Bhashanam, the Jagadguru mentioned that His Guru, Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji founded the Karwar Sringeri Shankara Math and installed Goddess Sharadamba. The Jagadguru also recalled the efforts of late Sri Ramachandra Nagappa Shetty in the establishment of the branch Math at Karwar that caters to many thousands of Astikas as a Dharmic centre.
The Jagadguru then stated that we must always remember Sri Adi Shankaracharya for His contribution to the sustenance of Sanatana Dharma in his short life of 32 years. His life and achievements are themselves testimony to the fact that Sri Adi Shankaracharya is an Avatara Purusha like Sri Rama and Sri Krishna. He had mastered the Shastras by the age of twelve. However, even today, the best of scholars feel that mastery of the Shastras is a far-away ideal. Sri Adi Shankaracharya completed His Bhashyas by the age of sixteen.
Even now, new insights into Adi Shankaracharya’s Bhashyas are acquired despite years of study and teaching. We must all feel fortunate to be able to revere Sri Adi Shankaracharya as our Guru. By penning Prakarana Granthas and Stotras, Bhagavatpada has made the Vedantic knowledge available to all, and has given His teachings in simple language.
However, it is important to note that while we seem to understand the teachings, we fail in putting them to practice. The Jagadguru narrated an incident from the Udyoga Parva in the Mahabharata. After the Pandavas had spent their periods of Vana Vasa (living in the forest) and Ajnaata Vasa (living incognito) in the Virata kingdom, and after the wedding of Abhimanyu and princess Uttara, Dhritarashtra was worried as to what would happen next. One night he called Vidura and asked his counsel. Vidura dwelled on a number of matters relating to ethics and the nature of Dharma, which has become famous as Vidura Neeti. Dhritarashtra however wished to hear about Vedantic tenets. At the behest of Dhritarashtra, Vidura prayed to Rishi Sanat Sujata. The Rishi appeared and taught the essence of Vedanta to Dhritarashtra. It is to this teaching that Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada has written a commentary called the Sanat-Sujateeya Bhashyam. Dhritarashtra, however, having listened to the wise words of Vidura and the Vedantic teachning of Rishi Sanat Sujata, went to sleep and the very next morning, felt perturbed again. Forgetting all that he had heard the previous day, he summoned Sanjaya and asked him to go as a messenger to Yudhishthira to convey that Yudhishthira would be well wherever he is, and that he not come to ask back his kingdom. Thus did Dhritarashtra fail to understand what he was taught. Today, everyone is akin to Dhritarashtra. The Jagadguru opined that everyone must strive to follow Dharma and the instructions of Bhagavatpada, and attain spiritual welfare.
Jagadguru having Darshan at Bindumadhava Devasthana at Kodibaga, Karwar
On 3rd December 2014 morning, the Jagadguru had Darshan at various temples in and around Karwar. These included Mahalasa Narayani temple, Bindu Madhava Temple in Kodibaga, Ishwara temple and Siddhivinayaka temple. It is to be noted that the Jagadguru performed Kumbhabhisheka in this Siddhivinayaka temple during His previous Yatra to Karwar on 22nd May 2011. Then the Jagadguru gave Darshan to devotees of Karwar after which He graced the Poornahuti of the Rudra Homa conducted on the occasion.
The Jagadguru at the Guruvandana Programme held near Rabindranath Tagore Beach in Karwar
In the evening, an elaborate Guruvandana programme was organised by Sri Ganapati Ulvekar in the magnificent open auditorium in the Sri Rabindranath Tagore beach. In the Anugraha Bhashanam, the Jagadguru Mahaswamiji said that everyone naturally desires happiness and detests suffering. However are these desires satisfied? We cannot say so because many keep on suffering and remain unhappy. We can reason this out as follows: people desire happiness but do not go after the proper means to obtaining it. People detest sorrow and suffering but hold on to actions that lead to suffering. This is equivalent to a student failing to touch his textbooks and desiring to pass his exams in flying colors. The Shastras state that Dharma leads to happiness and Adharma leads to sorrow. Our ancestors have stated that it is man’s nature to abstain from good deeds though desiring Punyam, and to engage willfully in actions leading to sin despite the aversion to suffering:
पुण्यस्य फलमिच्छन्ति पुण्यं नेच्छन्ति मानवाः ।
न पापफलमिच्छन्ति पापं कुर्वन्ति यत्नतः ॥
This strange behaviour is seen in many of us. This is the reason for our aforementioned desires to not fructify. This truth must be realized and the nature to hold on to Dharma and give up Adharma, must be cultivated.
The Jagadguru visiting Padmapushpa Veda Vedanta Samskrita Gurukulam at Karwar
In the morning of December 4th, 2014, the Jagadguru visited Padmapushpa Veda Vedanta Gurukulam of Karwar and enquired the details about the activities of the Gurukulam and blessed the couple Sri Shivamurthy and who are teaching and running the Gurukulam and involved in the Vaidika Dharma Samrakshanam.
Devotees of Sringeri Jagadguru at Sri Mahaldev Sri Mahasati Devi temple, Karwar doing Padapuja
In the evening, the Jagadguru visited the temple of Sri Mahaldev and Sri Mahasati devi at Araga in Karwar. The residents being staunch devotees of the Sringeri Jagadguru, performed Dhuli Padapuja and prayed for the blessings of the Jagadguru. Giving His whole hearted blessings, the Jagadguru said that the Guru and His will guide them forever and expressed the happiness over their maintenance of the temple and their devotion to the Sringeri Jagadgurus.
The Jagdguru blessing the Kshatriya Kumara Pantha Samaja on the way to Ankola
The Jagadguru also blessed the gathering of Kshatriya Kumara pantha Samaja. Ardent devotees of the Sringeri Jagadguru, the members of he Samaja had done elaborate arrangements for the visit of the Jagadguru with beautifully made pathways and flowery decorations. The Jagadguru praised their great devotion and compared it to the pure devotion that the Nishaada King Guha had towards Sri Ramachandra in the Ramayana, and blessed that by the grace of Sri Sharadamba the Samaja will prosper very well.