SLOKA FOR THE MONTH JULY 2010

“ Manishada Prathishtam thvam agamaha shaashwatheehe samaha
Yathkrounchamithunaadekam Avadheehe Kamamohitham
Sage Narada visited Valmiki’s ashram. Valmiki was too happy to receive him. He prayed that he may recite the katha of Sri Rama. Narada beautifully delivered a short and sweet Ramayana. Valmiki was highly engrossed in it. He walked along the banks of the Tamasa river. It was a pleasnt eveninfg. The surroundings were picturesque. The natural beauty captivated his heart. He was appreciating nature’s beauty. There was a beautiful tree. On the branch of that tree was a krouncha bird couple. The male and female birds were playing joyfully with each other. At that moment a hunter struck the male bird and it fell dead on the spot. The female bird shocked by the sudden death of its mate cried miserably. This incident marred Valmiki’s heart. He was immersed in heavy sorrow. That shoka ( sorrow) came out as a sloka. This was the first sloka that Valmiki composed. He at once cursed the hunter. As you hunted the male bird when it was engaged in merriful play you shall not live long. This was his first sloka. On the surface, it looks as if his very first sloka is in the form of a curse. But this sloka has another meaning behind it. It is a mangalashasanam of Lord Rama. Maa also means Lakshmi. Manishada means Srinivasa. Krouncha means rakshasa. “ Hey Srinivasa. As you destroyed the male rakshasa ( Ravana) who was lustful you shall live long.”

EVENTS OF THE MONTH APRIL 2010

SINGAPORE PROGRAM

Those who long for satsangham only know its value. Sometimes if satsangh is easily available its worth becomes unknown. Those living in foreign countries long for such satsangh as it is rare. Hence they get involved with great sincerity. This year Sri Hari Anna’s Bhaktha Vijaya pravachanam was held at Singapore Sivan temple, Geylang from April 5th to 11th. The first day was Aadi Shankara. Hari Anna said “ The society is dissected through caste, creed,, country, language, religion etc. How do we unite all people around the world? Howmuchever the difference may be the aatmaswaroopam is the same, be it an ant or Brahma. For the gnani who sees only the aathmaswaroopam everything is the same. Unity can be established only through Vedantha. The Second day was “ Purandaradas pravachanam. Here he said “ the Lord never forsakes his devotee. The Kite howmuchever high it flies has its string base in the hands of the person who flies it. Whenever there seems to be a whirlwind the person brings it back to his hands. Similarly when a devotee is to get caught in the whirlwind of maya the Lord pulls the strings back. Thus Purandaradas was engaged in earning money for a period of time but Panduranga brought him back to his feet. In Jayadevar charitram he said “ That house is Vaikunta where the Gruhastha and Gruhini together are engaged in devotion. The fruit of Gruhasthaasramam is BhagavathBhakthi. Jayadevar and Padmavathy completely lost themselves in the devotion of radhakrishna. On April 10th , the day of ekadesi the Divyanamam was conducted with grand festivity. That very day the pravachanam was “ Rukmangada charitram”. On April 11th “ Padmavathy kalyanam” sangeetha upanyasam was rendered by Smt.Vishakha Hari.

EVENTS OF THE MONTH MAY 2010

RADHA KALYANA UTHSAVAM- BRUNDAVANAM

The radha kalyana uthsavam at Brundavanam went on very well at a grand scale. Sri Hari anna conducted it with great enthusiasm by Sri Anna's grace. Many devotees and vrajavasis were immersed in great joy.

EVENTS OF THE MONTH JULY 2010

I- HARI ANNA'S PROGRAMS

1) SRIMAD BHAGAVATHA SAPTHAHAM- KUMBAKONAM

DATE: 12TH jULY TO 18TH

TOWN: KUMBAKONAM

TOPIC: SRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM

VENUE: SANKARA MUTT

TIME: 7.30 TO 9.30 P.M

2) SRIMAD BHAGAVATHA SAPTHAHAM- GURUVAYUR

DATE: 25TH JULY TO AUG 1ST

TOWN: GURUVAYUR

TOPIC; SRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM

VENUE; RUKMINI REGENCY, EAST NADA

TIME: 6.30 A.M TO 6.30 P.M

II- VISHAKHA HARI'S PROGRAM

I PROGRAM AT KUMBAKONAM

DATE: 11TH jULY
TOWN; KUMBAKONAM

TOPIC: PURANDARADAS CHARITRAM

VENUE: SANKARA MUTT

TIME: 7.00 TO 9.00 P.M

II PROGRAM AT GURUVAYUR

DATE: 26TH jULY

TOWN: GURUVAYUR

TOPIC: BHAGAVATHAM

VENUE: RUKMINI REGENCY, EAST NADA

TIME; 10.30 A.M TO 12.00

QUIZ ON SRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM- JULY 2010

RULES AND REGULATIONS :1. The answers should be mailed within 25th of the month to annahariji@gmail.com 2. Points will be alloted for the First, second and Third prizes.First - 10 Second - 8 Third - 6 3. The points will be cumulated every month if you get first, second or third. 4. The participants with the maximum points will be awarded first, second and third prizes at the end of the year. 5. The prizes will be distributed by Hariji at a grand function held at the end of the year.
QUESTIONS
1)Sri Sukar appreciated Parikshit’s questions. How did he express the same?
2) Sri Sukar says “ Even yogis are engaged in devotional service”. Which is the pramana sloka?
3) “ The gnanis are also engaged in devotional service” Sri Sukar says. Write down the sloka.
4) Nidanam pashyannapi na pashyathi. They see death yet are ignorant. Explain this sentence.
5) How can one attain Narayana smaranam during one’s last breath?

ANSWERS FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE 2010
1) Parikshit sat on the southern banks of the river Ganges.
2) Staying engrossed in the atmaswaroopam.
3) Shaymala varnam _ Dark in colour
4) Just as the moon shines amidst the planets and stars so did Sukar shine amidst the maharishis.
5) Just as the asuras are destroyed by the sanithya of Mahavishnu so does the sins get destroyed by the sanctity of Sri Suka.

WINNERS FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE 2010

1) Radhika Venkatraman----I--- 12+10 points

2) Girija Seetharaman-------I----20+10 points

3) Srinivasan Sujatha-------I-----16+10 points

4) K.P Lakshmi-------------I------14+10 points

5) Radhakrishnan Ramamurthy--I--10 points

6) Gopika Sampath---------------II-- 16+ 8 points

7) karthik Venkatraman----------III--12+6 points

8) Sudarshana Narayanaswamy---III-- 12+6 points

9) padma narayanan-------------III--- 6+6 points

KSHETRA FOR THE MONTH OF JULY 2010

MADURAI- NOOPURA GANGA

PART III

There lived a king by name Malayadwaja who ruled the pandya kingdom.. He conqured the surrounding areas and hoisted his flag over the Malaya parvatham. Under his rule the people were very righteous, dharmic and prosperous. Every day Malayadwja used to visit the sacred river Ganges and have his bath there. He had a plane crafted specially for this purpose. The Ganges has the sambandha of the mumoorthys 1) It is Brahma’s kamandalu jala 2) Vishnu’s pada theertha 3) Siva’s abhisheka teertha ( as he has the Ganges on his head). Hence attracted by the sanctity of this river Malayadwaja made it a point to regularly have Ganga snan. Once his aircraft was under repair. He could not visit the Ganges. He was in utter despair. A young hunter spotted this king and enquired him the reason for his despair. Ralising the cause of his sorrow the hunter told him “ Do not worry Oh King. There is yet another river here, up in the hills of azhakarmalai. I will show it to you. You can have your bath there. Following the sound of the hunter’s anklets ( noopura) the king reached up the hills of sholaimalai. Suddenly the hunter vanished and there appeared before him the Lord ( Periyaswamy as called by the kallars) in His exquisite form. Water flowed from the Lord’s noopura. The king extolled the Lord and the waters. The Lord blessed the king. He said “ Oh King This water from my noopura shall be known as Noopuraganga. You can have your everyday bath in these waters.” The king thus built a beautiful temple for azhagar there and worshipped him all his life.