EL DESPERTAR SAI: Day 3 (morning) proceedings of Athi Rudra Maha Yagna, Navarathri Homa and Durga Pooja

martes, 20 de octubre de 2015

Day 3 (morning) proceedings of Athi Rudra Maha Yagna, Navarathri Homa and Durga Pooja

Thursday, October 15, Evening: Sacred chants filled the air, as the sun rose on the third day of the Athi Rudra Maha Yagna, Navarathri Homa and Durga Puja. The energy was exuberant, the whole place felt sanctified, as the devotees were elevated by the divine vibrations!

Children from impoverished areas of Bangalore, the beneficiaries of a service initiative called 'Breakfast Seva', were the special invitees of this morning. A group of youth inspired by the ideals of Bhagawan of 'Love all, Serve all,have joined hands to prepare and serve healthy breakfast. This started as a humble endeavour and has now grown significantly. Every morning, the dedicated and committed youth travel almost 20 kms to the respective dwellings for this service activity every single day. Close to 100 children attended the Yagna this morning.

Children from the breakfast seva group watching the Navarathri Homa

Bhagawan reached the venue by 10:30am and entered the enclave where the Navarathri Homa was being performed. As the rituals were in progress, one of the priests explained the significance of Medha Dakshinamoorthy Homa. This is to grant us the buddhi that helps us see our own divinity through the grace of the avatar Dakshinamurthy, a guru who speaks in the language of silence. Swami keeps saying that Prema sai would speak through silence, "if you can't understand my words how can you understand my silence?" This Yagna seems to be extremely important to earn the grace, and understand the language of silence.

Medha Dakshinamoorthy Homa

On the other side, Durga Puja was being performed with a lot of fervour and devotion. After Mangala Arathi, He went towards the idols near the stage and spoke to the assistant priest from West Bengal. Bhagawan lovingly asked if he wanted his child to be an engineer or a priest. Of course the priest wanted his child to follow his footsteps, and the Lord immediately declared, "You will have a boy child", to the surprise of all gathered around. The omniscient Lord didn't have to be told that the priest's wife is expecting and due to deliver in a few days!

Bhagawan keenly observed all the beautiful idols with a sense of appreciation, which have been specially made and brought here all the way from Kolkata. It was sometime in mid April when Sri Subojith, an enthusiastic youth, was asked by Bhagawan to organise the 'Durga Pujo' during Navarathri this year in
Muddenahalli. The team back in Kolkata immediately sprung into action and gathered the best possible team from all over West Bengal. Decorators from Midnapur, about 250 mms from Kolkata, lighting from Chandan Nagar, tradition Bengali mithai (sweets), musicians, priests, and the works!

Ido

There are various styles of idol-making, but the Lord specifically wanted them to be made in the traditional style. Sri Mohan Banshi Rudrapal, a very reputed idol maker from Kolkata has created these impressive idols. Since the right clay was not available here in Muddenahalli, the idols had to be made and transported from Kolkata, a good journey of 2000 kms. The idol of Ma Durga worshipped during Navarathri depicts her as Mahishasura Mardini, the destroyer of the demon Mahishasura. Chandi Path was also performed as part of the Durga Pujo rituals.

Ma Durga as Mahishasura Mardhini

Meanwhile in the Yagna Shaala, the regular proceedings of the Athi Rudra Yagna was in progress. The sparkling white 'Hiranyagarbha Lingam' glowed in the ethereal hue and every person basked in the divine vibrations of the sacred chants! Arathi was given a little after noon, before Bhagawan retired for the afternoon.