Gi:tha Jayanthi Celebrated Grandly in Bharat – Dec 2nd 2014 Today, thousands of devotees celebrated Gi:tha Jayanthi along with HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji in Vijayawada PWD Grounds. After distribution of thi:rttham at 8:30 am, HH gave a brief introduction about the origin of Bhagawad Gi:tha. Though Gi:tha was revealed on the first day of Margasi:rsha month, it was revealed to the world only on the 11th day of Ma:rgasi:rsha month. Dhritharashtra asked Sanjaya about the happenings of war on the 11th day since the battle began. Until then, Dhritharashtra was confident that Kauravas would win the war as Bhi:shma:cha:rya was on their side. So he did not care to ask about the details. But when he heard that Bhishma was hit, he was shocked. Then, he summoned Sanjaya who was given the divine vision by Lord Krushna and ordered him to tell what happened in the war. Thus, Sanjaya revealed Bhagawad Gi:tha which was given as Upadesam by Lord Krushna to Arjuna to remind him of his duty and fight the war. Hence, we celebrate Gi:tha Jayanthi on Ma:rgasi:rsha Sukla Ekadasi – 11 th day . All the 18 chapters were chanted. Prasadam and Harathi was offered to Lord after every chapter. HH Sri Swamiji gave a sweet, crisp and beautiful summary of every chapter after recitation of the same. The whole pandal was filled with devotees. Many went upto the yajna sala , sat there and participated seeing the close circuit TV. Many scholars and dignitaries too joined the chanting of Bhagawad Gi:tha. It was a feast to eyes and ears to see so many devotees gathering at a place and praying to Lord Krushna to bless everyone with prosperity. Later, all the dignitaries and volunteers were honored by Sri Swamiji. The whole Vijayawada felt blessed and sad at the same time that 9 days flew away in no time. They sent off Sri Swamiji with a heavy heart and expressed their wish to see Sri Swamiji soon and participate in volunteering activities. HH Sri Swamiji offered managalasasanams to everyone. ********************************************************** Sri Ramanuja Sahasrabdi Sahasra Granttha Prakasana Sadas Project Launched on Nov 2nd, 2014 – Update from Bharat Under the huge project “Sahasrabdi Celebrations of Bhagavad Ramanujacharya” several activities are being planned. One among them is “Sahasra Grantha Prakashan”. To bringout one thousand scriptures of our Sampradaya a congregation of 55 scholars was organized on 2nd Nov 2014. All the invited scholars participated and appreciated the huge tasks undertaken by JIVA and promised extend their support exclusively for this project. The positive approach of the scholars strengthened the aim of JIVA. The pro-vice Chancellor of Central University of Hyd and familiar Mathamatician of our nation Prof. V.Kannan and the Director of JIVA Prof.Samudrala Ranga Ramanujacharya organized the program and the whole proceedings went on as per the plan. HH Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji astonished all the scholars by inaugural and conclusion speeches where Sri Swamiji summarized the aim and views of scholars elaborately in a scholarly manner. ********************************************************** Varija Asram Under The Reel Of Cyclone Hudhud Mother Nature yet again showed her agony by saving the coastal states with less damage. People call it Her anger but it is the human error that resulted once again in this Hudhud disaster. Cyclone Hudhud pounded the districts with gale winds of almost 200 kmph on Sunday. People are still facing the continuous batter of rains. Lack of power, non-availability of drinking water, disrupted communication, broken roads and depleting essential supplies has added to their woes. Our Varija Asram which is on the shore of Bay of Bengal also became a victim of Hudhud cyclone. All the kutirams, thatched sheds constructed for classrooms, dining and discourse purposes were flown away. 50% of the solar panels which were erected for 100 KB were badly damaged. Uprooted trees, utensils, roofing materials, trash and broken power lines are strewn everywhere. The recent construction of Nethra Vidyala made by the sincere efforts of Mr. Srimannarayana Reddy and with the dedicated help of VT Seva really saved the lives of blind children, Vedic students and inmates of asram. The building was constructed taking lot of risks and now it proved worth taking all those risks. If the building was not constructed, nothing would have remained due to this cyclone. JET and Vikasa Tarangini volunteers raised to the occasion and are pooling up resources to conduct rescue operations. HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji cancelled all festive activities during the Diwali and Thirunakshathram celebrations. HH Sri Swamiji is urging everyone to join hands to alleviate the sufferings of the victims. HH suggested everyone to donate the money spent on buying new clothes, buying crackers and lend a helping hand to the victims of cyclone. Please donate generously. Contact your JET Australia Foundation local branch or If you would like to donate: Online Bank Transfer – Vikasa Tarangini , Andhra Bank , Samshabad Branch a/c no. 141010100018097; IFSC Code – ANDB0001410 ( OR ) Vikasatarangini Axis Bank Ltd, 1 Town Branch Vijayawada a/c no. 555010100060969 IFSC code- UTIB0000555 https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10152438686267205.1073742251.332248867204&type=1 *************************************************************************************************************************************** Acharya’s Speech on the occasion of Sarannavarathri The Glory of Divine Mother The celebrations of Sarannavaratri are going on and as a part of that, the divine shower to Mother Lakshmi is being performed every morning. Along with that Sri Ya:gam is conducted to get the blessings of the divine Mother. Every evening, Mother Lakshmi De:vi is dressed up and decorated in a particular get up that is followed by a procession around the area. The divine Mother Lakshmi arrives inside the temple and placed in the swing for the “U:njala Seva”. Her grace is blessed to all the devotees for some time and then returned to the sanctum. We are in the fourth day of the celebrations. All the devotees are participating in the celebrations, especially in the evening procession celebration, with vigour. The period of nine days starting at the beginning of the year is called “Vasantha Navara:tri” and now these nine days being celebrated are called “Devi Navara:tri” where Mother Lakshmi is prayed prominently. The divine Mother promises that she is always prepared to support us for receiving the grace of Bhagava:n. According to Ve:das, Bhagva:n also has accepted the only way for any living being to obtain Him or His grace is to take the shelter of Mother Lakshmi. The living being could be anything either an animal or a human being and etc. Bhagva:n stated that He wholeheartedly accepts only those devotees no matter how low they could be in life but that are being recommended by the divine Mother. This was declared by great personalities and accepted by the Lord. If we approach Bhagva:n directly, He might just ignore and not even notice. The “Sasthra:s” also do not recommend going directly to the God. One should first approach the feet of the divine Mother and then receive the Grace of the Lord through Her. The Sastra:s are declaring clearly that one should have the divine Mother leading the path to receive the Lord and His grace. So, those who have Sri Lakshmi supporting in the front and leading will only be able to receive the Lord’s Grace. The Ve:das about the divine Mother and Her grace The manthra from the Vedas also goes like this… “Sri:manna:ra:yana Charanau Saranam Prapadye:” while approaching for the grace and “sri:mathe: na:ra:yana:ya namaha” while receiving the grace. Here the divine Mother fulfils two steps, one being a means to make the beings reach the feet of the Lord and then accompanies the Lord receiving the services of the approached beings. Bhagva:n has the divine Mother joining Him for making the devotees reach the grace of the Lord. So the first step of being a means is called “Upa:yamu” and the second step of receiving the prayers along with Baghv:an is called “Upe:yamu”. The means role of the divine Mother is like the taxi or vehicle used to reach the station to catch a train to travel to a destination. The means is called “Pra:pakamu”. Once the being (soul) is made to reach the feet of the Lord, the divine Mother then joins the Lord to receive the services from the being (soul). This is explained in the line “Sri:mathe: na:ra:yanaya namaha”. Sri Ramayanam- An epic becomes divine with the saga on the compassionate divine Mother Si:tha The manthra has two parts together and is called Dwaya Manthra. Baghava:n Himself came in an avatha:ra to demonstrate to us its meaning and show us its practice. The avatha:ra is “Sri Rama” avatha:ra which is depicted in the divine epic Sri Ramayanam by Valmiki Maharishi. Valmiki Maharishi submits to the readers with the quote “si:taya:h charitham mahath”, revealing the moto of Sri Ramayanam is to show the divinity of Mother Si:tha through the gracious saga of Mother Si:tha. If the epic is saying the saga of Si:tha then it is a divine epic else it is only a history of Rama. How can it be taken so? It is so because the epic reveals from the beginning to the end, how Mother Si:tha has made in various ways the souls approachable to the Lord and receive the protection. Our Purva Acharyas have explained in detail the events of Sri Ramayanam portraying this. Firstly, the form in which she accepts the services from us is shown in the Bala Kanda, Ayodhya Ka:nda, half of Aranya Ka:nda and Uttara Ka:nda(Chapters in Sri Ramayanam). This depicts the “Sri:mathe: na:ra:yanaya namaha” part of the manthra. If we get a doubt that when the Lord who comes like this then knowing His divinity how would one understand the practising ways to approach Him, is explained by Mother Si:tha in Aranya Ka:nda by undergoing the separation from Rama, going to Lanka and while being there moulding everyone accordingly with her grace until returning back. This depicts the “Sri:manna:ra:yana Charanau Saranam Prapadye:” part of the Dwaya Manthra with examples of various surrenders. In the later part of Aranya Ka:nda, Hanuman surrenders, further more in Kishkindha Ka:nda Sugri:va surrenders , when the armies sent to all directions searching Si:tha were back and after the return of Hanuman from Lanka, Vibhi:shana surrenders. The hardships faced by each of them were not easy experiences . All of them had a hard time. If we take our situation, we face difficulties from a couple of rulers hardly for five years or until the Government changes. But, the hardships by the Rishis in Aranya Ka:nda was for some hundreds of years. Sugri:va and Vibhi:shana were also in struggle for hundreds of years. Also the life span of ours is short compared to that of Vibhi:shana or any other of that time. But those times the life span was thousands of years. The struggle faced by Sugri:va or Vibhi:shana or Rishis in the forests was not ordinary. But, Mother Si:tha accompanied Rama to the exile and took the hardships herself to free the struggles of Rishis, Sugri:va and Vibhi:shana. She went to any extent to free them of their struggle and make them happy. So, She took the pain and Rama took the pain as they wanted the happiness of those who took their refuge. If we observe the epic, Mother Si:tha is not required to go through the hardships at all but She did and Rama as well for the sake of Sugri:va and Vibhi:shana who took their shelter. She went and found their hardships and made them understand the ways to practise to approach Rama and receive His protection. For that sake she even let Ravana abduct her. She made the struggling beings take the refuge and receive the protection. She always thinks for the welfare of the refugees. Aranya Ka:nda shows how Mother Si:tha’s compassion in making the struggling souls realise the ways to surrender to the Lord and receive the grace. Also equally how Rama obeys to the request of Mother Si:tha and blesses the surrendered souls. The compassionate Mother Si:tha only could calm Rama when He was furious to the extent of destroying everything when there was no response from the surrounding Mountains upon asking the whereabouts of Mother Si:tha. The two parted Dwaya Manthra essence was explained in the epic Sri Ramayanam. From the half of Aranya Ka:nda to the end, explains one part and coming to the beginning chapters Bala Ka:nda, Ayodhya Ka:nda, Aranya Ka:nda explains the other part of the manthra. To make us realise the ways to surrender to the Lord, the divine Mother takes various forms. The first day She was decorated as Veera Lakshmi, Second day form was Dhana Lakshmi, Third day form was Santha:na Lakshmi and today on the fourth day as Vijaya Lakshmi to bless us victory. She would accept various forms to grace us in the required way. This is Her compassion to grace us. We are enjoying Her forms these Dasara days. The first eight days She would take the eight forms and then She would take the form as required to grace us and we would approach the Lord formed by Her grace. Today the way you all enthusiastically participated and supported the glory of the divine Mother is appreciated and we offer our managalasasanams to you all. Now, the “Havana” program is going to be conducted. Following that we all can go to the Mahamantapam and participate in the Thadiya Aradhana goshti. Again in the evening at around 5:30 or 6:00 pm, after the completion of the decoration of the divine Mother, we will have the evening procession and devotees can participate in the Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam parayanam, Bhajana goshti and U:nzala Seva. Devotees can swing the divine Mother in the seva and receive the grace. Jai sri:manna:ra:yana! ******************************************************************************** Swamiji @ Project Management National Conf. H.H was invited as a Key note speaker to address Project Management Professionals for their PMI 2014 National Conference at Pearl Cycle – Hyderabad ; The topic “Keynote Session: Project Management – Service to Man as Service to God “ . PMI Here is summary and excerpts from the speech. Lot of “Smart Work” and “Hard Work” goes into a project from organizations using many tools and technologies to make a project successful. The Payoff expected in such projects could be fame / name, bonus, salaries, accolades etc. Yet we hear that success rates are low. Whereas the success rate of projects executed from home – be it a child’s wedding, a birthday party or any other function has a higher success rate and results in immense satisfaction, joy , ecstasy . If you analyze the reasons, the prominent reasons are “Heart Work” and “Soul Work” put in by people of various areas to ensure that their daughter / son are happy. We believe Heart and Soul put-in here has made the significant difference, we call such work as Spirituality. H H advised that; putting heart and soul besides skills and brain should be considered to improve success of the project and take our nation to great heights while ensuring the best quality in everything we do. HH Shared experiences of NetraVidyalaya and Tribal Schools projects which are executed with people who came forward by putting their heart and soul besides money, skill and brain to see happy students. Short videos were shared covering umbrella of services done under Jeeyar Educational Trust. There was a huge applaud from the spell bounded professionals. Later on HH talked about why we shouldn’t limit our services to the “Man” alone, specially, the one who pollutes water, air and environment where as all other beings help protect Mother Earth. H.H stressed that it’s not an option but mandatory to “serve all beings”, otherwise it can bring imbalance to the nature and man won’t survive long. Swamiji said, this great learning of “Serve all beings as service to god” is taken from the great Acharya – Sri Ramanuja . who took Harijans along with him to temple in the days when they are banned to even pass through that street. And the great Ramanuja’s willingness to go to “hell” for sharing the sacred mantra with everyone was also shared with audience. Later Swamiji talked about Millennium celebrations of 2017 which starts with a 1000 inch (216 ft) statue at JIVA campus. In a gist, HH said, the “mantra” is to take out “T” from ManagemenT which causes tension / stress / pressure so that you “Manage Men” with Heart!!!! to lead a “T”ension / Stress free project execution – while addressing the MSNBC press. ******************************************************************************************************************