Panchamukha Patala Anjaneya Pratishtha in SGS Ashrama, Kochi
His Holiness Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji visits Cochin Ashrama perform Prathishta and Kumbabhishekam of the Panchamukha Paathala Anjaneya Temple from 2nd to 4th November 2019
Pujya Sri Swamiji arrived from Mysore at 11 am on 2nd November 2019, and was received at the airport by the Chairman of the Trust Sri R Padmanabhan and Executive Trustee Sri T S Ramaswamy. On his arrival at the Ashrama he was received with great joy by many devotees gathered there. He was offered Poornakumbham, after which he offered prayers at the Ganapathi, Datta, Anjanaya and Navagraha temples within the Ashrama. He then proceeded to the Guru Nilayam.
Many dignitaries visited Pujya Sri Swamiji that evening. They included Sri K V Thomas, Former Union Minister, Sri Kummanam Rajasekharan former Governor of Mizoram, Sri Benny Behanan MP, Sri Anwar Sadath MLA and Sri K P Dhanapalan former MP.
Trustees and devotees got the sacred opportunity to offer Pada Puja to Pujya Sri Swamiji.
Pujya Sri Swamiji visited the newly constructed Paathala Anjaneya temple premises in the evening and gave final instructions for the Prathishta and Kumbabhishekom which was to take place the next day.
At 7 pm the Swagatha Sabha started. Pujya Sri Swamiji was offered garlands by all the trustees of Cochin Ashrama. A Thiruvaathirakkali performance based on Pancha mukha Anjaneya was performed by a group of lady devotees. Sri Anwar Sadath MLA and Sri Benny Behanan MP spoke about the various social activities that is being done by the Ashrama.
In his Anugraha prabhaashanam, Pujya Sri Swamiji highlighted the concept of Panchamukha Paathala Anjaneya and how devotees will get salvation by praying before the Lord. Life is a cycle of birth and rebirth. In each birth we get opportunities to do more and more sins. We have bad influences in food, art forms, friends etc and we deviate from a Satvik way of life. This Prathishta, Pujya Sri Swamiji says, is an opportunity for all devotees to absolve sins and it opens up a way to Mukti.
Pujya Sri Swamiji explained to the devotees how Mahi Ravana, an Asura who practices black magic assumes the form of Vibhishana and abducts Sri Rama and Lakshmana to Paatala Loka. Lord Hanuman then assumes a Sukshma roopa and goes in to Paatala loka. He then destroys Mahi Raavana by assuming the form of Panchamukha Anjaneya and rescues Sri Rama and Lakshmana. Pujya Sri Swamiji said that the human body can be compared to Ramayana and Panchamukha Anjaneya is nothing but a representation of the five senses.
Pujya Sri Swamiji also mentioned that devotees in Cochin are extremely lucky because this is a very unique temple which has three Anjaneya Prathishtas, Bhumi tatva, Paatala tatva and Aakasa tatva. This is the only the second such temple after Mysore Ashrama.
At 7:30 am on 3rd November, Pujya Sri Swamiji performed Yanthra Prathishta of the new temple. This was followed by Sri Chakra Pooja and Purnahuti. All the artisans and donors of the new temple were honoured by Pujya Sri Swamiji.
Pujya Sri Swamiji then related a miraculous event. 40 years back, Sri Swamiji had visited this very place along with Late Sri KuttiKrishnan. He has actually laid a foundation stone for a Hanuman temple at that time. But the Ashrama could not acquire that plot of land and Ashrama was built in the adjacent plot of land. Many years later, the Ashrama could buy that particular land also and now the new temple has been built at exactly the same spot which Pujya Sri Swamiji had chosen 40 years ago.
At 12 noon Pujya Sri Swamiji performed Kumbabhishekam of the new temple marking a historic and momentous occasion for this Ashram and all Datta devotees throughout the world. Hundreds of devotees waited in the scorching sun to pray before the Panchamukha Paathala Anjaneya temple.
From 5:30 pm to 6:30 pm, the Cochin Ashram Bhajana mandali sang bhajans. Then the much awaited concert by Pujya Sri Swamiji began. Before the bhajans, Pujya Sri Swamiji stressed on the importance of Divya Naama Sankeerthanam in getting nearer to God. The path to Mukti or salvation is long and arduous. The first step in this direction is through Bhakti or devotion. The main way to focus on this is by repeatedly chanting the name of God. Then come Jnana or knowledge and then comes Vairagya or liberation. And finally you go out of the cycle of birth and rebirth and attain Mukti or salvation.
Pujya Sri Swamiji then enthralled the audience with six bhajans. He was accompanied by Sri Jaitra, Sri Mani, Sri Sankar Ramesh and Sri Mahesh Bhat. Mangala Aarati was offered to Pujya Sri Swamiji by the members of the Matru Mandali.
Pujya Sri Swamiji returned back to Mysore on the morning of Monday the 4th of November.
