CHATURMASYA VRITA SAMAPTI AT KARLA MATH

- Reported by Archana Savnal

(Photo Credits - Kishan Kallianpur, Gurudutt Kadle)

    The rain came down in torrents during Chaturmaasya encouraging the seeking soul to go into the depths of itself. Days slipped into nights and nights flowed into days with the reverberating rhythm of mantras ceasing for never a moment.

    And then dawned Bhaadrapada Poornima. The day when all Anushthans are placed at the feet of the Guru in an attitude of complete surrender. Knowing that the anushthans were accepted by the Guru, joy exploded within and Chaturmaasya reached its culmination in Seemolanghana.
    Almost a hundred volunteers from all over India were geared towards making the celebrations a success. The day started early paying heed to the fact that there would be an eclipse later.
    Param Poojya Swamiji entered the holy precincts of the Math at 8:30 am and performed the Jalabhisheka and poojas at the feet of Mother Durga Parameshwari and at the Samadhi accompanied by the chanting of the Rudras.
    After this, the bhaktas gathered at the entrance of the Math where buses were arranged to take them to the Seemolanghana site. Several volunteers were stationed at the MTDC grounds to steer the bhaktas to the site. Shamianas had been erected to shade the senior citizens as they sat on chairs facing the river. The bridge across the river graciously accepted the presence of several hundred bhaktas. The skies promised that the clouds would keep themselves under control and the Sun peeked several times from behind those clouds wanting to witness for Himself the poojas on the banks of the river Indrayani.

A special mantap was erected at the banks for Param Poojya Swamiji to perform the poojas. Swamiji did the Guru Poojan chanting the shlokas followed by the Ganga Poojan. After the poojas were complete, He sang the Dakshinamoorthi stotra and the bhajan Guru mahima. The bhaktas participated at every step.

A decorated motor boat then took Swamiji and a few devotees across and down the river with the strains of ‘Haiya re haiya’ sung by Smt Radhika Ubhaykar and her group.
    Snacks and tea were served to the congregation. 20 minutes later Swamiji returned with a bunch of wild white flowers in His hands. While Swamiji was in the boat they had come across four Dabchicks, wild ducks, which normally would have dived into the water when disturbed but which, on that day, rose into the air, performed a pradakshina around the boat and then took off and flew eastwards. Nature too recognized the Guru and paid her obeisance to the Master.
The bhaktas now moved towards the highway. The Shobha Yatra was to begin there nearly a kilometre from the Math and culminate at the feet of the Mother.
The Rath was beautifully decorated and a fit chariot to seat Poojya Swamiji. Bhaktas sang and a few danced to lively bhajans. Leading the Shobha Yatra were several energetic youths, a group invited specially for the event, who danced to the accompaniment of the beats of large drums and dhols.
Poojya Swamiji too sang three bhajans. ‘Aaj Sakhi’, ‘ Mahadev Sharanam’ and ‘Krishnam Vande Jagat-gurum.’ Throughout the yatra not a single outside vehicle disturbed the proceedings and the highway seemed to be completely ours.
    After reaching the Math, Poojya Swamiji’s Paad Prakshalan was performed by the President of Karla Chaturmaas Committee, Shri Durgesh Chandavarkar and his wife Nandini.
    Poojya Swamiji then paid his respects to the Mother Durga Parameshwari and at the Samadhi.
    The afternoon sessions began with Paad Poojas, teerth vitarana and phallahar, the bhaktas were asked to assemble at the Math at 6:00pm for the evening programme.
    At 6:30 pm, the sessions began with the Math prayers. The President of the Standing Committee of Shri Chitrapur Math, Shri Vinod Yennemadi and his wife Geeta performed Paad Pooja and Kanakabhisheka. This was followed by Paad Poojas by the President of Shri Trust Shri Chandrashekhar Kulkarni and his wife Bhavani and Shri Durgesh Chandavarkar and his wife Nandini. Chandrashekar maam expressed his happiness at Swamiji’s presence in Karla during Chaturmaas.
Durgesh maam offered kshmayachana at the Lotus feet of Poojya Swamiji and also his gratitude to all the volunteers who had put in so much effort.
Vinod maam addressed the gathering as the President of the Standing Committee of Shri Chitrapur Math for the very first time.

    The most longed for moment had finally arrived. Poojya Swamiji’s pravachan. This will definitely be printed in the Sunbeam in the next issue but a synopsis is in order.
    Poojya Swamiji spoke of how we should move from being Chitrapur Saraswats to Bhaktas to Sadhakas and finally Shishyas. As Chitrapur Saraswats we already have the guidance of the Guru Parampara and as a result are already blessed. Moving to the bhakta level would include venerating the Lord and Guru and performing seva. The sadhaka would add sadhana in the form of personal anushthans; the shishya would be one who would have learned to give up all ‘agraha’ and surrender completely to the will of the Divine Guru, no questions asked and no expectations.
    Poojya Swamiji also said how Poojya Parijnanashrama Swamiji’s ‘Nutan’ Sankalpas were now being executed and coming to fruition.
The stage had been set. Seemolanghana ushered in a feeling of security that the Guru was watching over with a ‘vatsalya’ that was incomparable.
    Phalamantrakshat done, the bhaktas dispersed. Several bhaktas planned to do their japa in the Math during the eclipse. Some left for Mumbai but were back home in time to perform the japa .To end the day with anushthans which promised to continue was a blessing from the Guru which could only be cherished, treasured and protected.

Om Namah Parvati pataye Har Har Mahadev

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