Dattatreya Jayanti - 11 to 13 December 2016
Dattatreya Jayanti - 11th to 13th December 2016
On the first day of Datta Jayanti - Sri Swamiji performed Sri Chakra Puja followed by Panchamrita Abhisheka to Kalagni Shamana Dattatreya Swami. Later Sri Swamiji performed Punya Smarana - rice heap was offered to those who passed away in the preceding year.Sri Swamiji released the newly designed Datta Vastram.
In the evening, Vidwan.Elangovan from Madurai was honored with the title "Datta Peetha Asthana Vidwan". He is a Pourakarmika (street sweeper) who learnt Tavil - a rhythm instrument with passion and has become a proficient musician. Sri Swamiji was greatly elated to hear about his deep interest in music and hence honored him. Later, Sri Swamiji sang Datta Bhajans in the Datta temple.
The second day of Datta Jayanti (12.12.2016), was also the Hanuman Jayanti festival. Pujya Sri Bala Swamiji performed Abhishekam to Karya Siddhi Hanuman. Later Sri Swamiji performed Archana and Maha Mangalarati to Hanuman. Sri Swamji also performed Thora Puja to Hanuman.
Later in the morning, a newly created Herbal / medicinal plant garden was inaugurated by Pujya Sri Swamiji. This garden is newly developed to the south of existing Bonsai garden. In the evening, a special concert with two world renowned percussionists was held in Nada Mantapa. Vidwan.V.Suresh on Ghatam and Mr.Zohar Fresco from Israel on Frame drum gave an enchanting two hour concert. Before the concert commenced, DVD of instrumental ensemble led on Harmonium by Pt.Ravindra Katoti in Nada Mantapa released by Parama Pujya Sri Swamiji.
On 13th Decmber 2016 - Dattatreya Jayanti Purnima day, Pujya Sri Swamiji worshipped the Moola Virat Dattatreya Swami in universal prayer hall. It is only on this day that the idol is brought from Guru Nilayam for public Darshana. Sri Swamiji then performed Thailabhisheka to Kalagni Shamana Dattatreya Swami. Sri Swaiji released "Sethu Bandha" audio CD containing melodious Bhajan singing by long time devotee Sri.T.R.Sethuraman, Trustee of Kochi Ashrama. He is accomoanied by accmplished musicians & Kochi Ashrama Bhajan Mandali. Sri Swamiji also released the book "Kumara Kriya Yoga" which details simple Kriya Yoga Pranayama exercises for students. Sri Swamiji then gave Datta Jayanti discourse
Dattatreya Jayanti message 2016
Who is a Paamara (Lay Man or Uneducated or uncultured)?
Anyone who does not accord priority and time for correct work at correct time, can be coronated as Paamara. Whoever doesn't think of the purpose of the birth fits the bill.
Paradoxically so called educated and wise persons are often lacking the devotion, wasting their education and life as well.
However the incarnation of Shankara, in the form of Aadi Shankara Acharya, with all his mastery over several Shaastras and Vedas has given innumerable couplets and hymns in praise of deities.
The illusory effects of envisioning a serpent in a rope and all pervading. Every thing is Mithya (neither true or false). We are just stuck there and cannot come out of that phenomenon. Acharya has given us the tools to extricate out of the intricately woven web called the World or Samsaara.
Dattatreya, the complete Avataara to bestow wisdom to liberate mortals from this delusion called Maya has blessed with his philosophical teachings.
We don't see this world as the embodiment of the divinity. Even though we announce and preach around, experience is far from the fact for us.
But, Dattatreya has made these preachings to one and all. Only those who deserve this class were blessed by his guidance. All his 16 forms of Avataara stand as a testimony to this exceptional style of Aadi Guru Datta.
Since we don't qualify for the eligibility criterion of those liberated souls, we can't appreciate the Guru Tattwa completely. However studying Guru Charitra, the story of his recent Avataras such as Natha seeds, Sripadavallabha, Narasimha Saraswati can act as a tool for qualification.
The commentaries of Shankara Acharya will help us transform to qualify for liberation. The stotras are actually droplets of Elixir.
Guru can show the path. But you have to traverse the path, how much ever wretched and tough it is likely to be.
When we learn to swim, the guardian of teacher dumps the student in the water. We struggle and learn the hard way, which can never be forgotten.
Even if we fail nothing to worry. Even the loss of life in the spiritual practice is not at all wastage. Even the Guru cannot annul the efforts and practice to achieve spiritual heights. The merit will be carried forward. We are destined to be born at least 8 million items. In this long sojourn, if one or two lives are finished, it is a sign of progress. We should not aspire to prolong the life by fixing pipes to the body as alternative mechanism for survival bypassing the expired organs of the body given by the God. What is the use of such excruciatingly extended life? You would have any to see more children, eat more and enjoy more?
Just think. What exactly is the fun in enjoying the pains of life. Why do you hang over the almost dead body?
I have a straight direction. Never aspire for the expiration of life. You should only seek to reduce he pain and transcend this life painlessly. In my entire life only 5- 6 people sought such blessings.
We have a world population ticker App on our phones. Just check that. Birth counter is galloping and death counter is dragging. We don't know what people gain by extending life without quality. While we cherish the longevity we forsake the quantity.
As a Guru, I ask what is there for me with the extended life's of yours? This question does not beseech any personal benefit for me, but for your personal spiritual progress. Your spiritual accumulation is my asset.
Try to understand the impermanence of the life. Let us play the game called life. Enjoy it as a player. But don't take it to the mind and get afflicted. As we raise the children or attend to aged parents, we are squaring off som old balances from earlier births.
Complete your duties. Do not evade them. If you try to evade it, you may need another additional birth to clear this balance. Except for my teachings, never take any relationship or events to the mind. Even, the conjugal bliss or the pleasures of/ from progeny are short lived. Even your ancestors and forefathers had this. Nothing new.
Take an example of Italian marble in the home or polished tiles in the bath room. I am always afraid of skidding. Similarly the family relationship is also very polished tiles of the bath room or him. If the floor is wet, your problems get compounded. What is the fun of having such polished floor, getting skid and breaking bones. You can't be care free.
Let this example permeate your mind. Don't take these relationships of the Maya drag you, skid you and break you.
Read Maya Panchakam of Shankara Acharya. These five short stanzas will give you a new dimension to your life.
That is my instruction for this Datta Jayanti.
Jaya Guru Datta
Then, devotees had the sacred opportunity of performing Thailabhisheka to procession idols of Dattatreya Swami. During that program, the Kochi Ashrama Bhajan group sang Bhajans composed by Pujya Sri Swamiji and Sri Bala Swamiji. In the afternoon 15 children from Mysore (most of them residents of Datta Peetham) performed the unbeleivable feat of chanting entire 700 stanzas of Bhagavad Gita from memory. They learnt the Gita in just four months from Ashrama Samskruta teachers Vid.Prasanna Adiga & Vid.Kalyan Chakravarthi Ghanapathi. Participants were: Pavan Datta, Kesari Datta, Charu Datta, Akhil Datta Mrudula, Bhargavi, Padmavathi, Nityasree, Varenya, Sai Krupa, Shreya, Nitya Mahesh, Sindhuri, Madhuri and Srikruti. The audience greatly appreciated the dedication and devotion of the children. Later in the evening, Pujya Bala Swamiji performed Kakadarati of Kalagni Shamana Dattatreya Swami.
