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Sri Chakra the Source of the Cosmos

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Sri Chakra the Source of the Cosmos Sri Chakra The Source of the Cosmos The Journal of the Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam, Rush, NY Blossom 21 Petal 3 September 2016 All about the G-Man September Newsletter July 10th, both of which Aiya was Since the last present for. issue... Aiya attended a conference in New Delhi from July 12th - 17th. He returned back for During the June 4th - 5th and Guru Purnima on July 19th and June 11th - 12th weekends, Sri conducted private pujas in the Amma was in New Jersey and Rochester area until the end of Aiya was there with her, attending July. Nandalala events. Aiya also Vibhuti Saivaite Immersion (VSI attended a kumbhabhishkem camp) took place from July 30th in Lancaster, California, which to August 6th. Aiya was on the occurred from June 14th - 19th. On temple property for the majority June 25th, Aiya did a Sai Paduka of the week. Aadi Amavasya and Puja in Toronto and several Aadi Puram fell within the same private pujas in the area. week. In early July, Aiya was preparing Aiya presided over Varalakshmi for the annual Alankara Utsavam, Vratam on August 12th and which had a focus on the Rasi conducted a wedding in Toronto Mandala Puja. on August 19th. Towards the end Kumaran aiya got engaged in the of August and for the beginning temple on July 6th. The wedding of September, he took a trip to took place in San Francisco on Australia and Singapore. Sri Amma in Lancaster, CA. All event articles by Past Events Virroshi Sriganesh Alankara Utsavam, July 1-4 The festival kicked off on Friday morning with a grand Ganapati homam with 1008 moda- kam offerings into the fire, followed by Utsava Ganapati procession in the evening. Saturday began with Chandi Homam, followed by an anna pavadai on the Devi in the afternoon. The day ended with the Chapparam going in procession. Sunday, Dattatreya Guru Puja day, was marked by the Rasi Mandala puja, a special puja to allevi- ate Navagraha and Nakshatra doshams. More than 450 people attended and all got the chance to do abhishekam to the Devi. Finally, the festival came to a close on Monday with the customary The Chapparam went out in procession on Bhairava madai held outside. Saturday night. 2 All about the G-Man Guru Poornima, July 19 The day commenced with Aiya perform- ing a homam in the morning and paying homage to his guru parampara. Afterwards, disciples per- formed Ganapati Tarpanam in Aiya’s presence. Volunteers then engaged in serving the homeless in the mid-morning and later chanted Lalita Sahasranamam together for the afternoon puja. In the evening, as the Guru Paduka stotram was sung by disciples, Aiya and Amma were brought in to receive puja. After the puja, Sun- dara Arasaratnam gave a speech about the Guru- sishya relationship. The night concluded with wonderful bhajans. When Aiya and Amma came in, they did puja to the Guru Lineage shown above. Vibhuti Saivaite Immersion, July 30 - August 6 VSI (camp) was a great success this year with approximately 60 kids. This year, Sri Amri- tananda Natha Saraswathi, affectionately known as Guruji, was the main saint. The children learned many interesting facts about Guruji from Aiya and also learned the life history of Sundara Moorthy Nayanar, the secondary saint. Campers participated and conducted a beautiful chariot festival, which occured on Aadi Puram. Parent volunteers adeptly ran the day-to- day duties at camp and also participated in their The kids learned kolam among many other arts. own program. This one was done by Sashwathi Sriganesh. Aadi Amavasya, August 2 Aadi Puram, August 5 Aiya led the tarpanam this The festival begun with Aiya conducting Chandi year for approximately 200 partici- homam that took place outside at 6 a.m. The Sarabesh- pants to pray for the souls of their wara Lingam and Vana Durga received abhishekam and departed fathers. Following the alankaram. Approximately 300 people were present for tarpanam and offering of pindams this festival. by each participant to their ances- As this puja fell during the week of camp, the tors, abhishekam to the shivalingam campers organized and ran the entire day. They chanted took place. for the puja and sang Pancha Puranam. Alongside the Since Aadi Amavasya fell regular puja for Aadi Puram, the Youth Chariot Festi- within the week of camp, campers val took place. Each camper had a role in the chariot took an active role in participating festival, which ranged from holding the Aalavattams, and running the entire festival. singing Bhajans, chanting, and performing Bharatha Natyam and Uyyali to name a few. 3 Varalakshmi Vratam, August 12 This beautiful Friday evening puja was guided by Aiya. The yagnashala was adorned with married ladies, sumangalis, who performed this puja praying for the longetivity and well-being of their hus- bands. The puja was conducted over two hours, at the conclu- sion of which all the ladies tied the customary sharadu, or sacred string, and receive prasa- dam. Upcoming Events Event Date/time Location Vinayaka Chaturthi Sept 4 Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam, full property Dwajarohanam Sept 24 Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam Navaratri Oct 1 - 9 Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam, full property Vijayadasami, Rathotsavam Oct 10 Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam, full property Tirthabhishekam, Dwajavarohanam Oct 11 Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam Kulirti Oct 12 Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam Kedara Gauri Vratam Oct 10 - 29 Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam Skanda Shashti Vratam Oct 31 - Nov 5 Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam, yagnashala In Three Months Devi willing, the next issue of the Sri Chakra will be up on the temple’s website at the beginning of December 2016. Our special thanks and gratitude to this This magazine cannot keep publishing without issue’s volunteers: Aiya, Vilas Ankolekar, contributions! Articles, poems, stories and photos Sundhara and Ahalya Arasaratnam, Madhuri about any spiritual topic are welcomed. The next deadline for article submission is and Siva Ganesh, Keenan Kanapathipillai, November 9, 2016. Please e-mail us with your The Nandalala Mission, Yegya Raman, contributions or feedback about this issue at Vimalan Sothinathan, and Bhuvana [email protected] or talk to Kamya or Abhi at the temple. Subramanian. Sri Gurubhyo Namaha! The Sri Rajarajeswari Peetam ~ 6980 East River Road ~ Rush, NY 14543 ~ Phone: (585) 533 - 1970 4 Q & Aiya We all love hanging out with Aiya, drinking tea, and sometimes getting some guidance on how to travel down our own paths to the Devi. The following questions were asked to and answered by him about Ganapathi during a workshop abroad. Q: Why do we break coconuts for the coconut! Are you taking it from ing durva began. Durva grass has Ganapathi? him and breaking it and trying to antiviral, antimicrobial and detoxi- transact business there? That kind fying properties. It has medicinal Aiya: The coconut shell represents of worship is called kamyam wor- properties and is also offered in the your ego. Unless you get over the ship—you do something and you homam for Rahu dosham and the idea that you are the doer of things immediately get something back. effect is it is said to remove fear of for yourself, you will never get any- It’s pointless. The best thing to do death. It is also rich in potassium where close to divinity. So the shell is tell Ganapathi in the morning that and phosphorus. is the ahankaram (pride). If you you are his child and you expect break it, you will expose the pristine him to take care of you. That’s all. Q: Why do we do thopukaranam purity inside, which is the God that and kuttikollam before Ganesha? is inside you. The ego must be shat- Q: Why do we offer durva grass to tered, lest it obstruct true worship Ganapathi? Aiya: Let’s start with kuttikol- through its own desires. The coco- lam—this is when you knock the nut energetically absorbs your lower Aiya: Here’s the mythological story sides of your head. But you’re not vibrations; when it is smashed, the behind it. Ganapathi swallowed the supposed to knock the sides; you’re energy holding back your progress demon Analasura, who was creat- supposed to knock closer toward the is forcefully disseminated. ing problems in the world. Because centre on the hairline where there Now, here is a point of interest—when someone breaks a coconut, don’t swoop down and take a piece and put it into your mouth. You’re taking that person’s shortcomings. In India when they break a coconut, I don’t know where they come from, people come in like flies! This is how far our knowledge about what we are doing and why we are doing it has dete- riorated. When someone breaks a coconut, let it be. Another thing—when I was a child, my parents used to tell me to go to the Ganesha temple and the demon had the ability to create are two tiny bumps. Those bumps tell him that if I passed my exams fire, Ganesha had terrible burn- are called masthakam. An elephant I would break 10 coconuts for him. ing sensations in his stomach and has quite prominent ones. When And I would do it like a fool. Then became extremely restless. Sage you tap there, the fore part of the when I was 14 or 15, I started ask- Kashyapa offered durva grass to brain is gently stimulated and those ing my mother, “Whose coconuts Ganapathi to quell his unease, and chemicals I always talk about—se- am I breaking for who?” He created that’s where this practice of offer- ratonin, melatonin, oxytocin, etc.— 5 All about the G-Man are released and slowly go through Say you’ve come to the Vinayakar the channels to the rest of the brain.
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