Ubhaya Jagadgurus grace Nagara and Karanagiri hamlets
On 28th December 2015, Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahasannidhanam and Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Sannidhanam gave Darshan at 8:30 am to devotees at Sringeri and started towards Karanagiri in Hosanagara, Shimoga District.
En route, the Acharyas visited the Neelakanteshwara Swamy temple in Nagara, had Darshan and performed the Shilanyasa ceremony for the renovation of the ancient temple.
Rajamata Smt. Pramoda Devi and Maharaja Yaduveera Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wodeyar of the Mysore Samsthanam offer their pranams to the Ubhaya Jagadgurus during their visit to Karanagiri in Shivamogga district in Karnataka
The Acharyas then arrived at the Siddhi Vinayaka temple at Karanagiri around 11:30 am, and were welcomed by a huge gathering of devotees led by Sri S Gangadhara Aithal and the temple authorities.
Raja Mata Pramoda Devi Wodeyar and Maharaja Yaduveera Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wodeyar of the Mysore Royal family, as well as former Karnataka Chief Minister & Shimoga MP, Sri B S Yeddyurappa and MLA Sri B Y Raghavendra were amongst the many dignitaries who offered a devout welcome to the Jagadgurus.
Jagadgurus bless and grace the Purnahuti ceremony of a Laksha Modaka Ganapati Home performed at Karanagiri in Shivamogga District, Karnataka.
Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam first had Darshan of Lord Siddhi Vinayaka and then graced the Poornahutis of the Laksha Modaka Homa, Sahasra Narikela Homa, Ganapati Atharvasheersha Homa, Durga Homa and Rudra Homa.
In the public function organised on the occasion, a Binnavattale offering a formal respectful welcome to the Sringeri Jagadgurus was read out. Sri Gangadhara Aital was felicitated by the temple authorities for his contributions.
In His Anugraha Bhashanam, Sri Mahasannidhanam expressed happiness at the various Dharmic activities such as the Laksha Modaka Homa and Sahasra Narikela Homa had taken place at the temple in Karanagiri, sanctified by the divine presence of Lord Siddhi Vinayaka, who is akin to a Kalpa Vriksha (wish fulfilling heavenly tree) to all devotees.
Sri Mahasannidhanam spoke about Sanatana Dharma and Bhaarateeya Samskriti and described that we look up to divine personages as Sri Rama for upholding Dharma.
Sri Mahasannidhanam also pointed out that there have always been two categories of people in this land – The Astikas, who have firm faith in God and in Dharma, and the other being Nastikas, who have no such faith and lead a life purely driven by the pursuit of enjoyment.
We even have instances from the times of Sri Rama, where Nastikas disturbed acts of Dharma. Demons such as Subaahu and Mareecha had scant regard for Dharma and caused havoc when sages such as Vishwamitra performed Yagas. Did they gain anything out of disturbing the performance of Yagas? They gained nothing out of it and were worse than people who trouble others for their own gains.
When such was the case even in the time of Sri Rama, there need be no surprise that people belonging to both these categories exist today. Whenever acts of Dharma have been performed, there has always been a set of people that state that all such acts are pointless. There have always been people who have questioned why various offerings are being made into the sacrificial fire.
We, as Astikas, have firm faith in the Shrutis (Vedas), Smritis and Puranas and act in accordance to the Dharma expounded therein. We have always been following what our Shastras state. We do not perform a Yaga with the feeling of putting these objects into the fire. We perform the Yaga with the pure feeling of performing a humble offering to the Lord who is the Support of the entire Universe.
Sri Mahasannidhanam recounted an incident from the life of the 16th century saint-scholar, Sri Appayya Deekshita, renowned for his scholarship, a Aahitaagni and a devotee of Lord Shiva. Once when he was rewarded with a shawl by the king of the land, he offered it into the sacrificial fire. Coming to know of this, the king became angry and came to Sri Appayya Deekshita and questioned, “O renowned scholar! How is it that you have taken the impunity to offer the shawl that I had so respectfully awarded, into the sacrificial fire?”. Sri Dikshita in turn asked the king to come along with him to the Nataraja temple in Chidambaram. When the king did so and arrived at the temple, he saw to his amazement, that the shawl was clad around the Vigraha of Lord Nataraja! The king then prostrated to Sri Appayya Dikshita and begged his pardon.
This true incident points to the fact that what we offer to the Lord via the sacrificial fire indeed reaches the Lord. Our Shastras state – अग्नौ प्रास्ताहुति: सम्यगादित्यमुपतिष्ठते | आदित्याज्जायते वृष्टिर्वृष्टेरन्नं तत: प्रजा: || It is also said that just as the Sun draws water from the earth in summer and returns it manifold by causing rain – सहस्रगुणमुत्स्रष्टुमादत्ते हि रसं रविः – so too do the performance of such Yagas please the Lord and bring about manifold benefit to one and all.
Sri Mahasannidhanam stated that there need be no doubt that the Lord gets pleased by such Dharmic acts, and blesses everyone and hence such Dharmic activities must be continued.
Sri Mahasannidhanam had words of praise for Sri Gangadhara Aitaal, who has offered his all at the service of Lord Siddhi Vinayaka. Sri Mahasannidhanam explained that such acts of Dharma, as initiated and performed by Sri Aitaal, can spring up only when there is Bhakti – devotion, and Tyaaga – the sense of sacrifice.
Sri Mahasannidhanam expressed happiness at the presence of the Rajamata and Maharaja on the occasion. He conveyed His Blessings to them and also to dignitaries led by Sri BS Yeddyurappa and Sri BY Raghavendra.
Sri Mahasannidhanam then blessed Sri Gangadhara Aitaal with a Vigraha of Lord Siddhi Vinayaka.
Rajamata Pramoda Devi Wodeyar and Maharaja Yaduveera Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wodeyar of the Mysore Royal family made offerings with Pranams to Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam and received blessings.
Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam then blessed all the assembled devotees. Asirmantrakshatas were then distributed to all.
The Acharyas returned to Sringeri the same evening.