Sai Ram
All!
This month,
we travel to exotic Puri in India for the Rath Yatra Festival where the Lord is
having His summer vacation in grand style along with his elder brother and
sister. However, the Goddess of Wealth isn’t happy as she is left behind… Read
on to discover to how the drama unfolds…
Also, what
is the role of the guru and the significance behind Guru Purnima, celebrated
every year in July.
Enjoy!
Sharan
In
this edition… Rath Yatra … Celebrating the Guru … Baba’s
Own Words … Story of the Month
To contribute,
please write to shazer40@hotmail.com _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Rath
Yatra
At the
temple town of Puri in Orissa, the image of the god Krishna (known as Jagannath
in the State) is taken out with great ceremony in June-July each year. Images
of the god and his brother Balbhadra and sister Subhadra are placed in giant large yellow chariots or raths which are
then drawn by pilgrims. The chariots are 45 feet high and have 6 wheels. The
procession or Rath Yatra draws huge crowds from all over the country. An
atmosphere of almost hysterical devotion prevails on this day and in earlier
years, devotees were known to have thrown themselves under the wheels of the
rath in the hope of obtaining instant salvation.
At the height of Indian
summer, the Lord of Puri goes to his garden palace for the annual summer vacation. He travels in some
style from his temple in Puri, to his garden temple, located outside the town.
Thousands of Hindus flock to see, and to pull the grand chariots from one
temple to the other. The English word "Juggernaut" comes from the
giant chariots of Lord Jagannath of Puri. The British were so stunned by the
size of the chariots, they coined a word for it!
In
Puri, Lord Jagannath is worshipped with his elder brother Bala-Rama and his
sister Subhadra. Each sibling has his / her own chariot and goes to the summer
residence with great pomp. Each of the chariots is covered in distinctly
coloured cloth. Various symbols and signs help pilgrims distinguish between the
three gods. As a mark of respect, and humbleness, the king of Puri sweeps the
chariots of the gods of Puri. The festival begins with a huge fanfare of conches, trumpets, drums and cymbals.
Accompanied by music and dancers, the divine travellers begin their journey to
the garden temple.
In order to accommodate the three chariots, the street leading from the main temple to the garden temple is very wide. Temples, ashrams, hotels, inns, shops and mansions of the old aristocracy line the route.
All buildings are colourfully decorated with flags, buntings and awnings of bright colours. Ladies in colourful saris crowd the balconies, doors and windows decked with flowers. Men and women rush to pull the chariots along this main street of Puri.
This is an
exciting time in Puri. The Lord who is rarely glimpsed outside his inner
sanctum, is now easily accessible to everyone in the streets of Puri !
Away
from the hustle and bustle of the city, away from the innumerable temple
servants, away from their spouses, the siblings enjoy their garden retreat.
The temple routine in the garden temple is very much relaxed
compared to the main temple. Various festivities and fun are
planned for their short stay in this leafy abode. (Depending on the lunar
cycle, this festival can last anywhere from 1 - 2 weeks)
As the Lord has only taken
his brother and his sister on this holiday, the
wives are left at home! Alone and brooding, Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess
of wealth), seeks help from Goddess Vimala to get their husband back.
Travelling by night, in a closed palanquin, she arrives at the garden temple of
the Lord. She enchants the Lord and entreats him to return.
A
few days later, Lord returns to his city temple. Though delighted, goddess
Lakshmi orders the temple doors to be shut in His face - in the vain hope of
teaching Him a lesson! In the conversation that follows, female attendants
(dev-dasi) of the Goddess blame the Lord of being inconsiderate, "Jack the
Lad", taking His wife for granted and being far too easily led by the
in-laws (sounds familiar?). The Lord's servants explain that He really
had no choice, He went against His will, He still loves Her deeply and respects
Her enormously!! Eventually, the Lord offers the female gate-keepers bribes and
enters the inner sanctum to pacify the Goddess Lakshmi. Such are the dramas of a married man's life!
The next day, Lord and the Goddess once again appear in the public, reconciled
and as loving as ever. Lord's summer vacation is over, and life in the great
temple returns to its age old routine.
Celebrating
the Guru
Hindus attach
paramount importance to spiritual gurus. Gurus are often equated with God and
always regarded as a link between the individual and the Immortal. Just as the
moon shines by reflecting the light of the sun, and glorifies it, all disciples
can dazzle like the moon by gaining from their Gurus.
What
is Guru Purnima?
The full moon day in the Hindu month of Ashad (July-August) is observed as the
auspicious day of Guru Purnima, a day sacred to the memory of the great sage
Vyasa. All Hindus are indebted to this ancient saint who edited the four Vedas,
wrote the 18 Puranas, the Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavata. Vyasa even
taught Dattatreya, who is regarded as the Guru of Gurus.
Significance
of Guru Purnima
On this day, all spiritual aspirants and devotees worship Vyasa in honor of his
divine personage and all disciples perform a 'puja' of their respective
spiritual preceptor or 'Gurudevs'.
This
day is of deep significance to the farmers, for it heralds the setting in of
the much-needed rains, as the advent of cool showers usher in fresh life in the
fields. It is a good time to begin your spiritual lessons. Traditionally,
spiritual seekers commence to intensify their spiritual 'sadhana' from this
day.
The
period 'Chaturmas' ("four months") begins from this day. In the past,
wandering spiritual masters and their disciples used to settle down at a place
to study and discourse on the Brahma Sutras composed by Vyasa, and engage
themselves in Vedantic discussions.
The
Role of the Guru
Swami Sivananda asks: "Do you realize now the sacred significance and the
supreme importance of the Guru's role in the evolution of man? It was not
without reason that the India of the past carefully tended and kept alive the
lamp of Guru-Tattva. It is therefore not without reason that India, year after
year, age after age, commemorates anew this ancient concept of the Guru, adores
it and pays homage to it again and again, and thereby re-affirms its belief and
allegiance to it. For, the true Indian knows that the Guru is the only
guarantee for the individual to transcend the bondage of sorrow and death, and
experience the Consciousness of the Reality."
How to Observe the Day
At the Sivananda Ashram,
Rishikesh, the Guru Purnima is celebrated every year on a grand scale.
1.
All aspirants awake at Brahmamuhurta, at 4 o'clock. They meditate on the Guru
and chant his prayers.
2. Later in the day, the sacred worship of the Guru's Feet is performed.
Of this worship it is said in the Guru Gita:
Dhyaana
moolam guror murtih;
Pooja moolam guror padam;
Mantra moolam guror vakyam;
Moksha moolam guror kripa
"The Guru's form
should be meditated upon; the feet of the Guru should be worshipped; his words
are to be treated as a sacred Mantra; his Grace ensures final liberation".
3. Sadhus and Sannyasins are then worshipped and fed at noon.
4. There is continuous Satsang during which discourses are held on the
glory of devotion to the Guru in particular, and on spiritual topics in
general.
5. Deserving aspirants are initiated into the Holy Order of Sannyas, as
this is a highly auspicious occasion.
6. Devout disciples fast and spend the whole day in prayer. They also
take fresh resolves for spiritual progress.
The
Guru's Advice
Swami Sivananda recommends: "Wake up at Brahmamuhurta (at 4 a.m.) on this
most holy day. Meditate on the lotus feet of your Guru. Mentally pray to him
for his Grace, through which alone you can attain Self-realisation. Do vigorous
Japa and meditate in the early morning hours. “
"After
bath, worship the lotus feet of your Guru, or his image or picture with
flowers, fruits, incense and camphor. Fast or take only milk and fruits the
whole day. In the afternoon, sit with other devotees of your Guru and discuss
with them the glories and teachings of your Guru.”
"Alternatively,
you may observe the vow of silence and study the books or writings of your
Guru, or mentally reflect upon his teachings. Take fresh resolves on this holy
day, to tread the spiritual path in accordance with the precepts of your Guru. “
"At
night, assemble again with other devotees, and sing the Names of the Lord and
the glories of your Guru. The best form of worship of the Guru is to follow his
teachings, to shine as the very embodiment of his teachings, and to propagate
his glory and his message."
Baba’s
Own Words
Do
not be misled by what you see around you, or be influenced by what you see. You
live in a world which is a playground of illusion, full of false paths, false
values and false ideals. But you are not part of that world.
Nations
are many, but Earth is one;
Beings are many, but Breath is one;
Stars are many, but Sky is one;
Oceans are many, but Water is one;
Religions are many, but God is one;
Jewels are many, but Gold is one;
Appearances are many, but Reality is One.
Story of the Month
Divine Doctor
http://www.saisamachar.com/saipranaam/apr-2002/apr-divine_doc.asp
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editor sharan soni team
divya soni, parag agarwal