SRIMAD ASHTA:KSHARI MAHA KRATHUVU - Badarinath (July 1 - 10, 2009)

As part of Jeeyar Sathabdi centenary celebrations and conclusion ceremony of year long “Prapanna Deeksha” - SRIMAD ASHTA:KSHARI MAHAKRATHUVU is being conducted at Badrinath for 10 days starting from 1st July 2009 in the presence and guidance of His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Chinna Srimannarayana Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamiji

Photos Here

July 2, 2009 - Happenings:

Everywhere in Badarinath, we can see only the devotees who came to take part in this Ashtakshari
Maha Krathu and most of them are from Andhra Pradesh (Telugu). The whole queue length at the Badari temple, at Ushnakundam and in all places of Badarinath, in every shop, in every lodge and in bus stand, on vehicles, on foot we can see only these devotees prominently. About 5000+ devotees came to take part in this Yajnam and take the blessings of HH Sri Chinnajeeyar Swamiji.

In the morning after Vedic chants and Sevakalam, HH graced the greatness of Periyalwar as today is
the Thirunakshathram day. All the devotees who are performing Prapanna Deeksha starting from last year's
Periyalwar Thirunakshathram have to conclude the Deeksha. After Thirttha Goshtti, Perumal adorned the open hall
where all the devotees are waiting for Thirumanjana Seva (Holy bath) to Periyalwar, the father of Goda who sung
Pallandu Pallandu.

The climate was very cold and Sun is peeping once now and then.
Thousands of devotees thronged to take thirtham and take the grace of Acharyas. HH Sri
Chinnajeeyar Swamiji and HH Sri Ahobila Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamiji arrived to the Hall where Thirumanjanam is
arranged. Devotees were blessed with the grand celebration amidst Vedic chantings and Prabandha chantings.

As there are so many devotees the arranged hall was not sufficient. One side cloth doors were
removed and devotees were arranged to sit. Many devotees were arranged to sit around and Mike arrangements
were suitably made on the fly. Mr vinod blessed by HH arranged sound well with the necessary changes.

Immediately, the Agni Matthanam ( Fire Churning) programme was conducted by the Vedic Scholars. Even though the climate was very cold, the fire from the wood was invoked in just few minutes. Fire God was graceful enough, as if waiting for their invitation, came immediately. HH Said it is just the Blissful grace of Acharyas who blessed us with an opportunity to be here in this holy place Badarinath on Himalayas at the foot of Lord Narayana and Nara, on the banks of river Alakananda in presence of so many Sadhus, Mahathmas and great devotees on this Dasami day of Ashadda Month to commence this Maha Krathu.

The holy fire thus produced was taken to the Yagasala which is adjacent to this Hall.
Then, HH Sri Swamiji explained the significance of manthra, meditation, why we are doing, how Sasthras recommended Japam and how narayana manthram has to be meditated upon etc. Following that all the 3000+ devotees who were interested to take part in Japam were excited to receive the Divine Ordnance of HH Sri
Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji. There was a wonderful silence around and the roaring sounds of Alakananda reverberated
like the sound of OM kara. HH started to make everyone go through the initial steps in order to perform Japam.
After performing Achamanam to cleanse one's mind, Bhutha Suddhi to cleanse one's body and mind, AngaNyasa
to invoke the Divine Power of Lord in different parts of body, KaraNyasa to invoke various spiritual energies
through the fingers, Bala Manthra to enrich the Manthra Japam, Sathvika Thyagam to dedicate the performance
and all its fruits at the holy feet of Lord were all performed.

Once a person becomes fit to do the Japam, the actual Japam has to be performed. HH said though we are doing it not with any desires but for the sake of the good to all people and other living beings as blessed by the mission of our great Acharyas who were all the followers of sage Great Veda Vyasa, everything has to be done to the every possible extent with utmost purity and sanctity.

HH initiated with O:M in the way it has to be chanted and asked everyone to do the Japam in sync with the breathing process. Chanting Manthra while inhaling, chanting Manthra while holding, chanting manthra while
releasing air etc. were all explained along with the secrets behind, and also how the whole process has to be
practiced. While HH Sri Swamiji is saying how to do, HH Sri Ahobila Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamiji showed how to
practically do and devotees joined in doing the steps.

The divine soothing voice of HH touched every bit of every nerve in every devotee. Sins get cleansed with the waves of Divine thought filled with the grace of our Acharyas. The live energy invoked in every devotee a great experience of "tuning" with the Lord Sriman Narayana. Devotees meditated, did Japam along with HH while
HH is taking their minds to the unknown heights of Spiritual Ecstasy.

All the devotees were thrilled to experience this wonderful divinity. The grace of Acharya has no bounds. HH said that it is the grace of our Pedda Jeeyar Swamiji who gave us all this wonderful opportunity to have this experience in this Unique Place, a Holy place where Lord was born as Nara and Narayana and gave the Narayana Ashtakshari to the entire world, while He is still doing Japam, being in the form of these mountains. HH also said, by giving any great things of this world like money, land, gold etc., we cannot repay the illimitable grace, a great favour, Acharya have showered on us.

After the Japam is completed, there was an unknown shine on every devotees face that is glowing from within their heart. The rejuvenation of Divine energy is felt by every person who was present there. There was a wonderful transformation in their attitude as it got cleansed and added Divine fragrance. Some of the devotees said that we look entirely different for ourselves. We now realised how our great Rishis and sages have preserved the Vedic glory that's such a wonderful treasure of human life all for practice. Some of them said People are unnecessarily wasting a major portion of their life in fighting for other things rather than acquiring such a wonderful knowledge and wisdom for daily practice which makes themselves elevated enlightened and also make others around too to be so. HH said that our unpolluted Vedic Traditions still exist in many families and it is the reasoning and the understanding and adopting them without second thought, that makes the people who aspire for to achieve the best of this birth as human being.

HH Sri Swamiji then proceeded to the yagasala where first day homam upto Purnahuthi were
conducted and HH blessed the devotees with Yajna Prasadam.