The Mahaayagnya
Sumedha & Aditi
Chh. Sambhaji Nagar (Aurangabad)
Sreemad Bhaagwat Saptaah Mahayagnya – as we reflect on it today, our heart feels overwhelmed with gratitude towards Sree Ishwar, Sree Guru Parampara, and towards SISS Who, with Their grace granted us the eligibility to be upayajmans for this milestone experience in our lives. To us, it was a complete practical assimilation and implementation of all that we have been learning at the Holy Feet of Guru Maa for the last 19 years.
Our memory takes us to Sree Kartik Purnima in SISS, when, after a Spiritual Retreat, we had gone with Manish ji to Rishikesh for Ganga Snaan under the brilliance of the Sree Kartik Purnima moon. Sreemad Bhaagwat Saptaah, under Her Holiness Maa Purnananda ji, felt just like bathing in pure waters of Mata Ganga under the Purna, soothing & radiating moon.
It was not just an event, but a complete process of antahkaran shuddhi with continuous hand holding by Maa ji and Manish ji. Guru Maa directed us, compassionately taught us the important Shloks of Sreemad Bhagawad Geeta - Chapter 17 in the preceding months, to give us the correct perspective for preparation of the Holy saptaah. Our Study Circle class, every Saturday became more elevating by practice of Sree Narayan Sooktam; a suggested learning by Maa ji. Under the guidance of Manish ji, we received a non-worldly, Spiritual perspective of planning, looking at the minutest of details like the invite, identifying the site of the katha – layout, enlivening it with life size images of the 10 sacred Incarnations of Lord Vishnu ji, along with an immensely captivating backdrop of Raja Parikshit and Sree Shukdev ji along with all the Chiranjeevis and saints gathered together to listen to the Immortal teaching of Sreemad Bhaagwatam.
With our thoughts and actions oriented thus, and hearts full of devotion, the CSN (Aurangabad) Study Circle welcomed Guru Maa prayerfully at the residence of Mukhya yajmaan for Sreemad Bhaagwat Saptaah Mahaayagnya, Sri. Kunal Thirani & Smt. Madhavi Thirani, by offering Sree Guru Paad Puja at the Lotus Feet of our revered Guru Maa. Maa blessed us all by tying us the sacred thread to protect our Spiritual endeavors through the Bhaagwat Saptaah and guard ourselves from our lower tendencies.
Each day started with offering of breakfast bhiksha to pujya Guru Maa by the upayajman of the day, followed by Shodashaupachaar Puja of Sree Maha Vishnu ji and offering of Sree Vishnu Sahastranaam by Mukhya yajman and the upayajman of the day.
The very first day, Sreemad Bhaagwat katha commenced with Sreemad Bhaagwat yatra, where each of us had to carry the Mahapuran on our heads and with each step chant “Hari Sharanam, Hari Sharanam…”. With each step we prayed to absolve our sins with His name and walk on this Path shown by our revered Gurus. The chant played in our minds through the saptaah, and even now!
It was a shower of blessings on us, and we could feel it. The subtle and physical elements had, as though all merged. The serene divine environment humbled us. Our receptors were further tuned by the motivating words of Sri Manish Sharma - Chaitanya ji, in the beginning of the saptah, reminding us once again of the purpose, the significance and the outcome of listening and assimilating the sacred text.
Every day, the pravachan started with the divine reverberation of Shankhnaad by Manish ji, prayer to the Holy Sreemad Bhaagwatam, and the parikrama of the Sacred Vyaaspeeth by Mukhya yajman and Upa yajmans.
Each day unfolded with new learnings, deeper meanings. As we revere and reminisce the precious Sreemad Bhaagwat Saptaah, our gratitude knew no bounds for the words and learnings of Bhagwaan Sree Ved Vyaas ji reaching us through the Sree mukh of Guru Maa!
Honestly, we doubt if any of us had realized this crest of jewels that was being unfolded to us by Guru Maa, until we learnt Sreemad Bhaagwat Mahaatmyam on day one! The three-hour pravachan slipped through, with enlightening words of Maa, and devotion infused singing and chanting by audience with Maa from the Swaraamritam book newly released for the purpose. The melodious reverberations still play within us each day, as we bring it alive with the help of the USB of the same, made by SISS for our daily sadhana.
Each time Lord incarnated as an Avatar - it was felt in real and all chanted and sang with Maa “Narayan Narayan…” with shower of rose petals and the bells of Aarti.
A beautiful offering to Sree Ishwar in the form of Kathak and Bharatnaatyam dance performances were made by our dear children of SISS on Sree Dashaavtar Stotram. Each action of the graceful rendering synchronized with Guru Maa’s chanting spoke to the devotees of the attributes of the Divine Incarnations.
Chappan bhog was offered to Sree Hari, and Guru Maa explained us the deep significance of offering naivedya and receiving prasad. Annakoot was humbly offered to Sree Ishwar. Devotees enthusiastically brought one item each prepared in their homes to offer at the Holy altar. With the correct understanding we all took home the prasad of the Lord!
All devotees joyously celebrated the birth of our beloved Lord Sree Krishna, and danced in devotion to Guru Maa’s melodious “Anand bhayo re…”. Festivities and Divinity prevailed! This was a magical feeling of bliss, with deep rooted significance!
Each day the Sreemad Bhaagwat pravachan concluded with the sacred Mangal Aarti by Shri Manish Sharma ji, the Mukhya yajmaan and the Upayajmaans of the day, leaving us in complete surrender bhaav to Sree Ishwar and grateful to the Revered Sree Guru Parampara. After the aarti, all devotees queued up to seek blessings and prasad from Guru Maa. Pujya Maa ji blessed the families with Sanskaar books, an invaluable set of books to help inculcate the right values in our children.
Guru Maa with Her Divine words, explaining Sreemad Bhaagwat with the deep and profound principles of Vedant, thus lit the lamp of Gnyaan in our hearts, illuminating our antahakaran with the purified ghee of sacred stories, bhajans, stotras, chants, unfolding greater secrets from the depths unfathomable. Each day reinforced and etched the spiritual learning deep in our hearts. The seventh day concluded with Manish ji’s words of wisdom for the learning filled week that had gone by, and the importance of ‘Karmyog’.
Devotees were blessed with Japa Yantra containing the Kalyug Mahamantra on the concluding day. The seven days had truly been the kindling lamp!
The eighth day was Sree Gayatri Homam, chanting the Maha Mantra with oblations, with thoughts of “idam na mama” in the Holy fire. This was a true sacred culmination of Bhaagwat Saptaah. We are still amazed at the wonderment of how this was organized, the thought process and its execution! It was overnight that the same pandal now had four havan kunds with exact symmetry.
Each havan kund had 3 steps – Black, red, white denoting the three gunas of Tamas, Rajas and Sattva respectively. We contemplate upon, pray to the ‘Gunaateet’ and offer oblations surrendering our ego, and all our actions unto Him. Maa explained to us the meaning of Sree Gayatri Maha Mantra and the rules that one needs to follow to chant it. We were truly blessed to be offering Sree Gayatri Maha Mantra under the benign guidance of Guru Maa and Manish ji was pivotal in the entire process.
In batches of 12 chants of the Maha Mantra, each person present received the Holy grace to offer oblations and experience the auspiciousness. Maha Prasad that followed satiated the Vaishvanar in us.
Later in the day, before sunset, all Study Circle devotees, led by Guru Maa and Manish ji, went to immerse the flowers that had been a part of the Sreemad Bhaagwat Mahaayagnya in the holy confluence of Maa Godavari and Maa Pravara rivers, the sangam! With sacred chants of Sree Ganga Stotra, Sree Guru Paduka Stotra, we prayed under the evening sun as directed by Guru Maa and took the holy teerth, and performed the pushp visarjan.
We all went through this divine journey together, led by Guru Maa and Manish ji. It was like the Holy land of SISS has come to Chh. Sambhaji Nagar with all its auspiciousness and our satsangi devotees from Delhi-NCR, Assam, Dubai, Vellore, Mumbai, Pune, Kolkata. We were in our roles and duties just like we are at the ashram, and it felt like one smooth flow of purified butter.
Only true blessings and grace of Sree Guru Parampara can make this happen – the magic of which, we can still feel! We were humbled by the responsibilities entrusted in us towards this Divine Mahaayagnya.
Words cannot express our feeling of gratitude towards Param Pujya Guru Maa, Manish ji and SISS and towards what we have received from this Divine Saptaah, this Mahayagnya! Each yajman received the most precious memento from SISS, so lovingly & beautifully designed by Manish ji himself from the bark of Sal tree from the holy grounds of SISS, where the arch is a constant reminder to us of our Goal!
Under the shelter of Sree Guru Parampara, we stay ever grateful and deeply overwhelmed.
We seek forgiveness for any errors in understanding and presenting the precious teachings imparted to us through the Divine Saptaah, and pray for the grace of the Revered Gurus for correcting us, showing us the right path always.
Koti Koti Pranaam to Guru Maa,
Heartfelt gratitude to Manish ji and SISS,
Hari Aum!