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Arsha November 08 Wrapper Final 13 June, 2013 - Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Anaikatti. From Pujya Swamiji’s kutir to the lecture something extraordinarily special about the hall the path is strung with dozens of Brahma Sutras that makes it more tender coconut leaves, each traditionally cut important than the Upanishads? Or is it that and folded. The temple entrance is an arch it is the final major text of the course? It of palm leaves, malas and more tender is neither. Even if it is said that the coconut leaves. Rangolis decorate the paths studying Brahma Sutras assists in the and walkways and even the golf cart used assimilation of the knowledge that has been to transport Pujya Swamiji around the unfolded in the Upanishads studied up till ashram is dressed up in banana leaves and this point, it does not capture why such malas. celebration marks the beginning of the study here in Anaikatti. Tarhi, what then? A bower of malas is hung in sweeping loops across the path leading to the lecture hall, To study even one Upanishad, Pujya at the entrance of which banana palms Swamiji says, takes a lot of purva punya. All stand like sentinels, their fruit and flowers the requirements such as human birth, weighing down the branches in a natural having a desire to know, finding a qualified namaskar. Inside the lecture hall the scent teacher, indicate that the one studying has of jasmine purifies the air from the malas great wealth in terms of punya. What to strung like the spokes of a bicycle wheel - say then of the opportunity to study as the hub, of course, being where Pujya many Upanishads as the residential students Swamiji is seated to take class. The scent have during the last three years or so, and soothes the the mind and helps prepare one that too, sitting at the feet of Pujya Swamiji? for the momentous step that is to be taken One can only imagine the abundance of by the current batch of residential three-year punya it must take to be blessed in this way. students. Today the study of the Brahma However, having the grace to bring one to Sutras will begin - the concluding text of the teacher and the study is not the end. the three-year residential course at the If one is to be blessed by the knowledge ashram. itself, then shraddha is also required. What is shraddha? Not faith, much less belief, Why such an elaborate celebration before shraddha is the understanding that shastra is starting Brahma Sutras? So many a pramana, a means for knowledge, indeed, Upanishads have already been studied, none the only pramana for what one is seeking - of which began with such celebration. freedom from a life of becoming. What makes this special? Is there 10 Arsha Vidya Newsletter - June 2013 How does one gain shraddha? Unlike the around the ashram road, each carrying his internal pramanas, eyes, ears, etc., shastra or her Brahma Sutra book on the head, pramana being external is not going to have chanting Medha Suktam, anuvakas from the same spontaneous support that our Taittiriya Upanishad and Sri Rudram. The eyes, for instance, enjoy. Instead, the priest, Sitaram, led the procession, followed attitude towards shastra as a pramana will by the Swamis and Swaminis and students. evolve. One’s recognizing shastra’s status as Once the perambulation was complete, the a pramana will increase concomitantly with students lined the pathway to the lecture understanding and clarity gained from hall, placing handfuls of flowers at the feet listening and inquiring into shastra as taught of Pujya Swamiji as he entered the hall. by the teacher. The more that After Pujya Swamiji had taken his seat, pada understanding and clarity grow, the more puja was performed by Swami shastra gains validity for the one studying. Shankarananda before the class began. This change in attitude towards shastra pramana reflects an increase in shraddha. Brahma Sutras consists of four chapters Doubts with regards to shastra’s status of with each chapter having four sections. being a pramana decrease and one stands Analysis of the vision of Vedanta is covered behind shastra pramana as one stands behind in the first four sutras, and it is these sutras other pramanas, such as eyes etc. that will be studied over the upcoming months. The vision of Vedanta, Veda In this way, every Upanishad that is studied, shastra, and karma are thoroughly analyzed or more accurately, every Vedanta class, through mimamsa, inquiry. How it is all that is attended, has the potential to connected to moksha, how the bondage that increase shraddha in the pramana. The more one takes to be real is purely adhyasa, shraddha there is, the more reverence there superimposition, how this can be resolved is for the pramana. Thus, the celebration by knowledge, how that knowledge is marking the beginning of the study of gained and what is that knowledge, are all Brahma Sutras is an expression of addressed. As Pujya Swamiji pointed out, reverence. Thus it was that the resident all that has been studied by the students acarya, Swami Sakshatkrtanandaji provided thus far will be analyzed and assimilated. the support necessary to arrange for the In the process of assimilation one learns special events of the day and the how to deal with topics, and how to discuss decorating, which continued late into the the topics that are covered so that no stone night prior. is left unturned. By 7:30 in the morning, a special altar had So it was that the study of Brahma Sutras been set up for the students’ Brahma Sutra was begun at Anaikatti on 13 June, 2013. books in front of Lord Daksinamurthy. After a short puja the students walked Julie Carpenter Arsha Vidya Newsletter - June 2013 11 .
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