Vyasa Puja
Bhagavan Sri Vedavyasa
In the course of this Puja, worship is offered to three groups of Acharyas, each group consisting of five Acharyas. These three groups are mentioned below separately. The “Yati Dharma Sangraha” of Visweshwara Saraswati, otherwise known as “Visweshwara Samhita” gives in detail the procedure to be adopted for the Puja.
व्यूहः पुनस्त्रय एव कृष्णव्यासभाष्यकाराणामेव समाचरेत् ।
व्यूहत्वं च तत्परिवारयोगात् ।
परिवारश्च पुराणादिषु दृष्टः ।
तत्र कृष्णस्य सनत्कुमारसनकसनन्दनसनत्सुजाताः ।
व्यासस्य सुमन्तुजैमिनिवैशंपायनपैलाः ।
भाष्यकारस्य पद्मपादविश्वरूपतोटकहस्तामलकाचार्याः ।
तत्र मध्ये कृष्णपञ्चकम् ।
तस्य दक्षिणतो व्यासपञ्चकम् ।
वामतं आचार्यपञ्चकमिति ।
न्यायादाचाराच्च गुरुपरमगुरुपरमेष्ठिगुरुपरात्परगुरवोऽन्ये च ब्रह्मविदाचार्या यथासंनिवेशं भगवतः पुरतः पूज्याः ।
Krishna Panchakam
Sri Krishna and four others, namely Sanatkumara, Sanaka, Sanandana and Sanatsujata consist of Krishna Panchakam. Sri Krishna is placed in the centre and others to the east, south, west and north of Lord Sri Krishna. The Lord is worshipped with Sri Krishna Asthottara Satanama Archana. For each Panchaka, after the Puja, Arati is waved after Special Naivedya.
Vyasa Panchakam
Veda Vyasa Bhagavan is placed in the centre. His four disciples namely Sumanthu, Jaimin, Vaisampayana and Paila are placed in the four quarters to the east, south, west and north of Vyasa respectively.
Shankaracharya Panchakam
Sri Shankara Bhagavatpada is placed in the middle and His four shishyas, namely, Padmapadacharya, Sureswaracharya, Totakacharya and Hastamalakacharya are placed in the four directions.
Separate Pujas and Arati are offered by His Holiness to the three sets of Panchakams mentioned above. After the Pujas, the Sringeri Jagadguru Parampara Stotra is recited and worship is offered to Sadasiva, Shankaracharya and to the illustrious Acharyas who gracefully adorned the Sringeri Sri Sharada Peetham up to Jagadguru Sri Sri Abhinava Vidya Tirtha Mahaswamiji.
The Chaturmasya Sankalpa is then performed by the Acharya of the Peetham, Jagadguru Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji.
प्रायेण प्रावृषि प्राणिसङ्कुलं वर्त्म दृश्यते
अतस्तेषामहिंसार्थं पक्षा वै श्रुतिचोदनात् ।
स्थास्यामश्चतुरो मासानत्रैवासति बाधके ॥
Stating that according to the Vedic dictum “पक्षा वै मासाः” the Vrata is observed for two months according to tradition (three months in case of Adhika maasa), staying at one place to avoid injury to moving insects during rainy season. To this, the disciples pray in chorus —
निवसन्तु सुखेनात्र गमिष्यामः कृतार्थताम् ।
यथाविहितशुश्रूषां करिष्यामो वयं मुदा ॥
— promising the Guru, that to the best of their ability, they will serve the Guru and requesting Him to stay comfortably at the location of Chaturmasya. On their part, the disciples rest contented having accomplished the object, namely, the Jagadguru’s Gracious Blessings.