A Great Occasion Indeed!

By H H Maa Purnananda

“Durlabham Trayamevaitat Devaanugraha Hetukam; Manushyatvam Mumukshutvam Mahaapurush Sanshrayah.” (Vivekchoodaamani - verse 3)

Even being grateful to the Guru does not seem to be sufficient; so being thankful to the Guru anyway would be insufficient!

It is a great occasion to celebrate 25th December 2020. Everyone knows about Christmas of course, the day on which Jesus Christ was born, but this time, Sree Geeta Jayanti is falling on the same day! Moreover, this day is Mokshda Ekaadashi as per the Hindu almanac and hence it marks the Jayanti of Sree Tapovan Maharaj as well! What a powerful star constellation indeed!

The teachings of the great Messiah Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is largely followed by the believers of Christian Faith. As we all know, Christmas is celebrated worldwide to mark the Holy day of the birth of Jesus, the great Preacher and the Saviour of the sufferers. It is an auspicious day to remind oneself of self-improvement and selfless service of the needy. Only a few would be motivated to do so, even though having faith and highest regards for Jesus Christ.

So is it enough to appreciate and revere the Guru and God? Is it enough to celebrate such auspicious occasions? In fact, most of the people might not even know or acknowledge the almanac that reminds the humanity of the day so auspicious that provides the conducive nature for learning, practicing, aspiring and attaining Moksh (liberation)!

For all those who study and try to implement the instructions given by none other than Sree Krishna, the Lord Incarnate, it is as important a day as Sree Krishna Janmaashtami, if not more, because, this is the day on which Sree Krishna advised His beloved disciple Arjun about the essential purpose of the ultimate battle that one has fight out victoriously in life, to re-establish Dharm!

For all those associated with SISS, it is one of the most important days of the year, as it is the Jayanti of our Param Gurudev Swami Tapovanam, the Shiksha-Guru of Gurudev Swami Chinmayanandaji. I firmly believe with complete faith and deep reverence, that whosoever sincerely takes refuge under the shelter of such a glorious Guru Parampara and puts wholehearted effort in learning, understanding and implementing the instructions imparted by Them, would surely be progressing on the brilliant and Sacred Path of Self-realisation.

In the given couplet from Vivekchoodaamani the Prakran Granth which is one of the most important works of Adi Guru Sree Shankaracharya, we get to understand that it is only and only by the grace of the Divinity that the rarest of the rare might be bestowed upon a deserving disciple, firstly, humanity (Manushyatvam), secondly, burning desire for liberation (Mumukshutvam) and lastly, association with a great Man of Wisdom (Mahaapurush Sanshrayah). A human being must cultivate human qualities, as it is not enough to have the body of a human. Humane qualities are to be cultivated and nurtured by the humans, otherwise, his animalistic nature would override his humanity. By being inhuman, he would lose the golden opportunity of evolution and liberation from transmigration. So Manushyatvam is the fundamental requirement for the aspirers of liberation and for proceeding on the Sacred Path of self-evolution and ultimately Self-realization, it is necessary to have Mahaapurush Sanshrayah.

All the above three are truly rare to happen in one’s life. Therefore, while ushering the year 2021, it is essential to celebrate such auspicious days throughout the year, with sincerity and proper understanding, very systematically and meticulously, rather than just letting it pass as any other day.

Invoke the Macrocosmic grace of the Almighty on the commencement of the year 2021. Sree Vishnu Sahastranaam Homam at SISS on 1st January ’21, 11.30 am.