Ati Rudra Yaga in Varanasi - Inauguration
Parama Pujya Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji conducted a 11-day-long Ati Rudra Maha Yaga on the banks of the sacred Ganga River at Chet Singh Ghat in the most ancient and holy city of Varanasi (Kashi/ Banares) from 14th to 24th November 2019.
Thousands of devotees from all parts of the world flocked to the timeless city to experience the once-in-a-lifetime Ati Rudra Yaga in the presence of His Holiness Sri Swamiji, and Sri Bala Swamiji, in the precincts of the most holy garbha Kashi region of the city, in the month most dear to Lord Shiva: Karthika Maasa.
The sprawling Chet Singh Maidan was covered with a large hanger and the main stage on the banks of the Ganga was constructed to include 11 Homa Kundas for Ati Rudra Yaga, 1 Homa Kunda for Shiva Panchakshari Homa, 1 Homa Kunda for Chandi Homa and 4 Homa Kundas for Datta Koti Yaga. Thousands of devotees witnessed the Homas on all eleven days which started at 7 AM daily and Purnahuti at the day’s main Homa Kunda held around noon everyday. Rudra Kramarchana was performed daily at 4 pm by the officiating Rithwiks. There were counters for registration, Puja donation, medical facility, book stall etc.
Two Shivalingas were installed on each side of the homa vedika : One Shiva Linga was for devotees to perform Abhisheka and the other was exclusively for continuous Rudrabhisheka by priests throughout the yaga.
As instructed by Their Holinesses, the Datta Homa Vaidika volunteer team who have completed four crore Datta Mantra Homa travelled to Varanasi to perform Datta Homa during Ati Rudra Yagam.
One 13th November morning, Pujya Swamiji performed Abhisheka to Kedareswara Shiva Linga. In the evening, Sri Swamiji performed Sri Chakra Puja in the Yaga Shala stage.
Later in the welcome program,
Shri Ravindra Jaiswal, Minister in government of Uttar Pradesh
Prof.Rajaram shukla , Vice Chancellor, Sampoornanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi
Prof.Ramamurthy Chaturvedi, Trustee of Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidya Peetha
Prof.Yugal Kishore Mishra, Trustee of the eminent Gyan Pravaah organization , & former Vice Chancellor of Rajasthan Sanskrit University
Prof.Shri Kishore Mishra, Former secretary of Maharshi Sandeepani Rashtreeya Veda Vidya Pratishthan, Ujjain
Dr.Sharadendu Kumar Tripathi, Professor, department of Sanskrit studies, Banares Hindu University
And Veda Nidhi Vid.Rama Ghanapathi participated.
All dignitaries spoke on the occasion and spoke about the greatness of Varanasi and the Ati Rudra Yaga. Sri.Ravindra Jaiswal lit the inaugural lamp and inaugurated the programs. A student of Vid.Rama Ghanapathi recited the Sanskrit Stotram composed by the great scholar in honor of Pujya Swamiji.
Sri Swamiji blessed ritual clothes to the Homa Pundits in a ritual called “Ritvigvarana”.
On 14th November morning, Pujya Swamiji performed Sri Chakra Puja and went around all eleven Homa Kundas in which Ati Rudra Yaga was being performed to the sacred Rudra Prashna Mantras from Yajurveda by 11 priests in each Homa Kunda.
In the evening Vid. Malladi Ram Prasad & Malladi Ravikumar sang Carnatic classical vocal as part of the cultural programs held in the evenings.
On 15th evening, Vid. Vibhishana Sharma, Secretary, Dharma Prachara Parishad of TT Devasthanams gave a lecture on the oneness of Shiva & Keshava Tattvas.
On 15th, Pujya Swamiji blessed Om Namah Shivaya written books from Warangal. Devotees had written 50 million Namah Shivaya names.
On 16, 17 & 18th November, Sri Swamiji gave discourse on the greatness of Kashi, and it’s associated history and purana . A book, Kashi Khanda - written by Pujya Swamiji, was published in Telugu & English. On 17th Shri.Ashwini Kumar Chaube, union minister of state for health and family welfare participated in the Yaga. He received Yaga Prasadam from Pujya Swamiji. He spoke on the occasion and thanked Pujya Swamiji for arranging the very rare Ati Rudra Maha Yaga in Varanasi. He recalled his visits to Datta Peetham earlier.
On 18th, devotees had arranged hundreds of Diyas in the form of Shiva Linga across the Ganga river. Sri Swamiji looked at the lamps and blessed the devotees who went across the river to arrange it as part of Karthika Masa Deepa.
On 19th November, renowned scholar Vid. Sundarkumar from Chennai gave a scholarly lecture in English on Shiva Tattva and the greatness of Ati Rudra Maha Yaga. Later in the evening, Pujya Sri Swamiji and Sri Bala Swamiji visited Viswanatha Mandir for Shringara Arati Darshana.
SDHS Volunteers gifted hundreds of dust bins to neighbors around new Kashi Ashrama and Yaga place as Swachchata mission.
On 20, 21 & 22nd evening, Pujya Bala Swamiji gave discourse on the meaning of Rudra Mantras. Two books in English & Telugu by Pujya Bala Swamiji, titled Rudra Bhashyam, were released. On 20th, Pujya Swamiji visited the Saraswati temple located in the Yaga Shala area and offered Arati.
On 21st Rajamata Smt.Krishna Priya attended the Homa and took Blessings from Pujya Swamiji.
On Friday, 22nd November, Sri Bala Swamiji performed Rudraksha Archana to Pujya Swamiji. Later, Maha Purnahuti of Koti Datta Homa was offered by Sri Swamiji. Sri Swamiji took the Datta Yaga Rithwiks to Ganga river and sprinkled Ganga water on them.
In the afternoon, Sri Swamiji visited the shrines of goddess Annapurna Devi, Goddess Vishalakshi and Sri Kashi Viswanath.
In the evening, Pujya Swamiji addressed a media conference in Varanasi Ashrama where media personnel from Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh had assembled.
On Saturday, 23rd November morning, Pujya Swamiji performed Sri Chakra Puja. Uttar Pradesh Government Endowments minister and Varanasi in charge minister, Dr,Neelkanth Tiwari took Blessings from Pujya Swamiji and spoke about the greatness of Guru as elucidated by Goswami Tulsidas ji. He expressed his gratitude to Pujya Swamiji for conducting Ati Rudra Yaga in such large scale and bringing thousands of Datta devotees to Varanasi. He expressed his happiness over the new Datta Peetham branch in Varanasi.
Later the Ritwiks of Ati Rudra Yaga were blessed by Sri Swamiji. They also were taken to the banks of Ganga and Sri Swamiji took bath in the sacred Ganga at Chet Singh Ghat and sprinkled Ganga waters on them.
In the evening, Sri Swamiji along with seven “Sapta Gotri” priests performed a mesmerizing Ganga Arati at Chet Singh Ghat. The ghat steps leading to Ganga river from the foot of Chet Singh Fort were decorated with hundreds of resplendent oil Diyas. The splendor of the lamps shimmering on the gushing waters of Mother Ganga who seemed to be dancing to the vibrato of the arati bells effortlessly induced a divinely contemplative atmosphere.
Later in the evening, Pujya Swamiji addressed Kriya Yoga students and later sang Shiva Bhajans which were soul- stirring and scintillating. To hear thousands of devotees chant Om Namah Shivaya in unison with Pujya Swamiji’s powerful voice was an unforgettable experience. Sri Swamiji also sang Hanuman Chalisa since Kashi is the birth place of Hanuman Chalisa.
On 24th November, Sri Swamiji performed the Maha Purnahuti of Ati Rudra Maha Yaga. Tens of thousands of devotees witnessed the unique event with full devotion and faith.
Sri Swamiji later performed Rudra Kramarchana to the Homa Kalashas and performed Maha Mangala Arati. The Kalashas were later carried to Kashi Viswanath temple where Sri Swamiji performed Abhisheka of the sacred Ati Rudra Yaga Kalashas to the Viswanatha Shiva Lingam.
Over the course of 11 days, Sri Rudram was chanted 14,641 times by 132 priests around the 11 homa kundas.
The Ati Rudra Yaga rituals were led by Dr.Vamshi Krishna Ghanapathi, Trustee of Avadhoota Datta Peetham. Smt. Padma Raman and her son Sri. Venkatraman from Chicago were Pradhana Yaga Karthas, and ably supported all Yaga activities to fulfillment.
On all the 11 days, Pujya Sri Swamiji blessed thousands of devotees with Rudraksha Mala for men and Tulasi Mani Mala for women.
On two days, Sri Swamiji blessed those having cardiac problems with Vibhooti. Sri Swamiji also blessed Vibhooti to those who were named by him.
Annadana was performed thrice a day to all visitors in the adjacent grounds. Over 115,000 persons were given Annadana.
The entire program was widely covered by both electronic and print media.
The services of Sri Mani ji of Kanchi Matha, Sri Ramanan, Sri Shekar Dravid, Sri Anil Kinjavdekar, and Sri Kamal Kapoor were exemplary in making the program a grand success.
250 SDHS Volunteers offered dedicated services including street-cleaning during the frenzied two weeks of programs.
The momentous Kashi Yatra will remain etched in golden letters in the archives of devotees’ reminiscence forever. Are there any more fortunate than the blessed devotees’, and their lineages, who were able to spend so many days at a stretch in the presence of their Sadguru on such sanctified land?
