69th Vardhanti of Jagadguru Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahasannidhanam
The 69th Vardhanti of Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahasannidhanam was celebrated at Sringeri in a glorious manner. The Mahotsava included special Pujas and Yagas performed for the welfare of humanity, cultural offering by eminent musicians and a reverential Guru Vandana by devotees in honour of Sri Mahasannidhanam.
The celebrations commenced on April 7, 2019 with the Sahasra Modaka Ganapati Homa and the Mahasankalpa for the 5-day long Shata Chandi Mahayaga in the divine presence of Sri Sannidhanam. On April 8, Sankalpa for the Maharudra Yaga was performed in the divine presence of Sri Sannidhanam. On April 10, a day prior to the Vardhanti day, Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam arrived at the Malahanikareshwara Swamy temple. Sri Mahasannidhanam first performed Puja at the Stambha Ganapati. Thereafter, the Ubhaya Jagadgurus performed a special Puja to Lord Malahanikareshwara. Later, Sri Mahasannidhanam performed Puja to Goddess Bhavani.
On April 11 (Chaitra Shukla Shashthi), the Vardhanti Day, Sri Mahasannidhanam blessed thousands of devotees with Ahnika Darshanam from 7 am to 8.30 am in the morning. A large number of devotees performed Bhiksha Vandanam and Vastra Samarpanam, and had Darshan of Jagadguru Sri Sri Vidhushekara Bharati Sannidhanam in the main hall of Gurunivas and were blessed with Bhikshavandana Prasada. Thereafter, Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam proceeded to the northern banks of the Tunga for Aalaya Darshan at every temple. Then Sri Sri Mahasannidhanam performed a special Puja to the exquisitely adorned Goddess Sharadamba. Post the Puja, Sri Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sri Sannidhanam graced the Poornahutis of the Maharudra and the Shata Chandi Mahayagas.
The Guru Vandana function organized by devotees in honour and reverence of the Jagadguru, commenced at 6 PM at Guru Nivas with Vedic invocations and a devotional song in honour of Jagadguru Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahasannidhanam. Representatives of Sri Ramanathaswamy temple at Rameswaram, the Kshetram for the Peetham and the Kapaleeshwara temple at Chennai, offered Prasada of Sri Ramanathaswamy to Sri Mahasannidhanam and Sri Sannidhanam. Sringeri Math CEO Sri V. R. Gowrishankar and the Pandits of the Sadvidya Sanjeevini Samskrita Maha Pathashala offered Phala Samarpanam on behalf of all devotees. Sri Mahasannidhanam released a book named, “Bhajanamrita” containing a collection of Bhajans brought out by the devotees of the Sri Rama temple located in Vidyaranyapura Agrahara, Sringeri.
On the occasion of the 69th Vardhanti of Sri Mahasannidhanam, the restoration task of the exquisitely made wooden palanquin offered by the then Mysuru Maharaja and used by the 34th Acharya of the Peetham, Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Mahaswamiji was undertaken. The beautifully restored palanquin was brought to the main hall of Guru Nivas before the evening function and offered, and remains there for all to behold.
Sringeri Math CEO Sri V.R. Gowri Shankar in his address mentioned that the Sringeri Jagadguru is revered by devotees as Jagadguru Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada Himself. Bhagavatpada Himself has stated in His Mathamnaya that the Acharya adorning the Peetham is Himself. Detailing the many activities of the Sringeri Math under the guidance of Sri Mahasannidhanam, Sri Gowrishankar explained that Sri Mahasannidhanam’s directives are oriented towards the welfare of humanity. Sri Gowrishankar also mentioned that the Shankaracharya hill, a landmark monument in Sringeri for Jagadguru Sri Adi Shankaracharya would be completed by the 70th Vardhanti of Sri Mahasannidhanam.
He recounted the special Vardhanti Celebrations from 1953 during the Shashtiabda Poorti of the 34th Acharya, Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Celebrations, from 1986 during the 70th Vardhanti of the 35th Acharya, Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji and from 2011 during the Shashtiabda Poorti of Sri Mahasannidhanam when the grand Ayuta Chandi Mahayaga was performed. He sought Sri Mahasannidhanam’s guidance for further engaging in Dharmic and developmental activities in the coming years.
Anugraha Bhashanam of Sri Mahasannidhanam
Blessing the gathering of devotees with His Anugraha Bhashanam, Sri Mahasannidhanam invoked the grace of Goddess Sharadamba, Jagadguru Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada and His Guru, Jagadguru Sri Abhinava Vidyatirtha Mahaswamiji and attributed the developments of the Math to Their unbounded Grace.
Sri Mahasannidhanam added that we all are bound to be grateful to Sri Sacchidananda Shivabhinava Nrisimha Bharati Mahaswamiji, the 33rd Jagadguru of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham, for He had discovered Kalady as the birth place of Sri Adi Shankaracharya and ordained that Vaishakha Shukla Panchami be celebrated as Shankara Jayanti. The 33rd Jagadguru had also established a Pathashala in Sringeri for the sustenance and propagation of the Vedas and Shastras.
Sri Mahasannidhanam recalled that His Paramaguru and Guru tread the same path of spreading Dharma and Vedic knowledge. Having been ordained into Sannyasa and given the duty of adhering to this sacred tradition by His Guru, Sri Mahasannidhanam mentioned that He too has been following in Their footsteps, with Their Grace, to uphold Dharma. Sri Mahasannidhanam added that the Shishyas of the Math have played a crucial role in the execution of many Dharmic activities and expressed His satisfaction and happiness. Sri Mahasannidhanam recounted how various Sankalpas including those of dedicating a golden chariot to Goddess Sharadamba, Swarna Shikhara above Her sanctum, a Rajagopuram, a Research Centre in the name of Sri Adi Shankaracharya, a new campus for the Sadvidya Sanjeevani Mahapathashala, a Guru Nivas in Narasimha Vanam, had been fulfilled with utmost Shraddha by the Shishyas of the Math.
Sri Mahasannidhanam then went on to state with great joy that it has been the Grace of the Goddess and all the predecessor Acharyas, as well as the fortune of all the devotees and disciples of the Sringeri Math, that He has been blessed with His Shishya, Sri Sannidhanam (Jagadguru Sri Vidhushekhara Bharati Sannidhanam). Remarking that Sri Sannidhanam functions in all His activities in tandem with His Guru’s Sankalpa, Sri Mahasannidhanam also mentioned incidents where Sri Sannidhanam did exactly what He Himself would have done in a similar situation. Talking about the recently undertaken Vijaya Yatras of Sri Sannidhanam, Sri Mahasannidhanam said that Sri Sannidhanam had graced innumerable devotees inspite of His hectic schedule and unmindful of His personal inconveniences.
Sri Mahasannidhanam then stated that with all activities of the Math being ably guided by Sri Sannidhanam, He truly had no more Sankalpas, and was in a state of complete satisfaction as well as withdrawal from the regular affairs of the Math. However, as the CEO Sri Gowrishankar had made a request for guidance, Sri Mahasannidhanam, to the joy of all devotees, stated that the Shikhara atop the sanctum of the beautiful Adi Shankaracharya temple be made golden.
Sri Mahasannidhanam then showered His blessings on the gathering and ended His Anugraha Bhashanam.
Anugraha Bhashanam of Sri Sannidhanam
Sri Sannidhanam began His Anugraha Bhashanam mentioning the sacredness of the day – Chaitra Shukla Shashthi, the Janma Tithi of Sri Mahasannidhanam and pointing out this year, the day fell on Guruvaar and that it also coincided with the birth date (April 11 in 1951 CE) this year.
Sri Sannidhanam expressed that He felt as if the upcoming festivals of Sri Rama Navami and Sri Shankara Jayanti, marking the advent of Sri Rama and Sri Adi Shankaracharya had also arrived on this very day.
Sri Sannidhanam said that after having listened to the Anugraha Bhashanam of His Guru, there was nothing more to be said or heard. Sri Sannidhanam compared this to how there remains nothing more to be stated when, after answering all the Poorvapakshas (objections), the Siddhanta (established conclusion) is stated in Shastraic texts. Sri Sannidhanam said that He was however duty bound to follow the directive of His Guru to speak.
Sri Sannidhanam then stated that the entire body with its sense organs must be used by us well to secure Shreyas (higher good). The Katha Upanishads strike a comparison that our body is equivalent to a chariot with the Jeevatman being the traveller, driven by the charioteer of the intellect using the rein of the mind the horses of our senses –
आत्मानं रथिनं विद्धि शरीरं रथमेव तु ।
बुद्धिं तु सारथिं विद्धि मनः प्रग्रहमेव च ॥
इन्द्रियाणि हयानाहुर्विषयांस्तेषु गोचरान् ।
आत्मेन्द्रियमनोयुक्तं भोक्तेत्याहुर्मनीषिणः ।।
One who has regulated his mind through the wisdom of the intellect will eventually be lead to the summum bonum – the supreme state of the All-Pervasive Reality –
विज्ञानसारथिर्यस्तु मनःप्रग्रहवान्नरः ।
सोऽध्वनः पारमाप्नोति तद्विष्णोः परमं पदम् ॥ ९ ॥
Sri Sannidhanam pointed that even as the “chariots of today” (cars) are purchased by expending a lot of money, the chariot, which is the human body, has been obtained by spending a lot of Punya (good deeds of past lifetimes that have fructified and resulted in the acquisition of the human body).
Sri Sannidhanam then mentioned the greatness of serving the great personages in the Brahma Vidya Sampradaya – the tradition of Vedanta. It has been stated that the results we accrue when engaging in serving others are in accordance to the nature of those being served. The Upanishads point out that it is hence in our best interests to serve a Brahma Jnani –
यं यं लोकं मनसा संविभाति विशुद्धसत्वः कामयते यांश्च कामान् ।
तं तं लोकं जयते तांश्च कामांस्तस्मादात्मज्ञं ह्यर्चयेद् भूतिकामः ॥
Recalling a verse from the Vairagya Shatakam of Bhartruhari, Sri Sannidhanam explained that it can be said that if the wise have the wealth of knowledge, the worldly people too have wealth. If the wise have the power of defeating opponents with misconceptions in debate, there are also people in the world control immense power and have the military strength to defeat armies. If the wise have the ability to donate or shower knowledge to seekers, there are philanthropists in the world who engage in great charitable work. So can it be stated that the wise and the worldly are equivalent. This cannot be so, because while the wise do not need anything further,the worldly even if possessed of power, wealth or might would still need to come to the path of wisdom and the knowledge of reality –
अर्थानामीशिषे त्वं वयमपि च गिरामीश्महे यावदित्थं
शूरस्त्वं वादिदर्पज्वरशमनविधावक्षयं पाटवं नः ।
सेवन्ते त्वां धनान्धा मतिमलहतये मामपि श्रोतुकामा
मय्यप्यास्था न ते चेत्त्वयि मम सुतरामेष राजन्गतोऽस्मि ।।
Sri Sannidhanam then enunciated that in our Sanatana Sampradaya, we have a number of illustrations in the Vedas, Puranas and Itihasas that point that even kings and the divine beings (the Devatas) sought refuge in a Jnani seeking the Ultimate Knowledge. Sri Sannidhanam mentioned in brief two instances from the Chandogya Upanishads – those of king Jaanashruti seeking the Jnani Raikva & Indra and Virochana, the chief of Asura Virochana seeking the knowledge of Reality from Lord Brahma.
Alluding to Bhatruhari’s verse, Sri Sannidhanam said that His Guru, Sri Mahasannidhanam is such a Jnani and that we are all fortunate to being beholding and serving such a Jnani.
Pointing out that even the Darshan of Sri Mahasannidhanam fetches good and people feel blessed, Sri Sannidhanam narrated an incident from one of His recent Vijaya Yatras where a man came to have His Darshan and said “I was in a grave situation in my life sometime back. One night, I dreamt of a Sannyasi who appeared and gave me certain instructions in the dream. While I remembered the face clearly, I had never seen this Sannyasi earlier. However, I acted accordingly and soon got out of my grave situation. Ever since, I had been trying to find out who this Sannyasi was. Now when Your Holiness was about to come to our place, banners of Your Holiness and Your Holiness’ Guru had been put up in this town. It was only then that I realized that the Sannyasi who blessed me was Your Holiness’ Guru, the Sringeri Jagadguru Sri Mahasannidhanam. I have hence come to pay my respects to Your Holiness, Sri Sannidhanam in gratitude.”
Sri Sannidhanam ended His Anugraha Bhashanam stating that even the Vijaya Yatras that He had undertaken had only been possible owing to the Grace of His Guru, Sri Mahasannidhanam.
Sri Mahaasannidhanam then performed a special elaborate Puja with Panchamrita Abhisheka to Lord Chandramoulishwara that night.