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Report on Prapanna Deeksha program conducted by HH Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Srimanna:ra:yana Ra:ma:nuja Chinna Jeeyar Swa:miji in New Jersey, USA

 

Reported By: Sri Kalya:n Ra:polu Ra:ma:nuja Da:sa, Philadelphia, USA

It is a divine opportunity for any Sri Vaishnava in this world to attend the Prapanna Deeksha program conducted by HH Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Srimanna:ra:yana Ra:ma:nuja Chinna Jeeyar Swa:miji. This deeksha was initiated as a divine service for the centenary celebrations of HH’s acharya HH Sri Sri Sri Tridandi Srimanna:ra:yana Ra:ma:nuja Jeeyar Swa:miji.

July 12, 2008

The deeksha was initiated on the divine birthday of Sri Periya:zhwa:r (July 12, 2008). Swa:miji came to the school where the program was held around 9.45 am. Swa:miji explained the greatness of Periya:zhwa:r and about his divine works in Tamil in praise of Lord Srimanna:ra:yana. Swa:miji explained the history of Periya:zhwa:r and about the significance of the great divine song “Palla:ndu Palla:ndu”. Swa:miji explained the greatness of Tirumantram and how it passed on from a lineage of Sri Vaishnava Acha:ryas. He said, after the great Acha:rya Manavala Mahamuni, it was only HH Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swa:mji who strove to promulgate Sri Vaishnava tradition all over the country. Swamiji explained the various activities done by HH Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swa:miji including krathus, yagnas, and Vedic conferences to name a few. Swamiji shared His thoughts and His Acha:rya-Sishya relation with HH Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swa:miji. He extolled HH Sri Pedda Jeeyar Swa:miji that it is only because of His grace that Swa:miji could come to the present position.

Swa:miji explained the greatness of an Acha:rya in one’s life and the great help He does in lifting up the souls from the cruel bondage of karmas and placing them at the feet of Lord Srimanna:ra:yana to render His service eternally. It is only because of an Acha:rya one can surrender to the feet of the Lord. As a gratitude to one’s Acha:rya, everyone should follow this Prapanna Deeksha. Swamiji explained that an Acha:rya would never expect anything from His disciple but only wishes for the uplift of the soul and surrender to the feet of the Lord. Following His advice and surrendering to the feet of Lord Srimanna:ra:yana is the only service we can do in return to our Acha:rya’s divine help to us. Acha:rya reveals great rahasyas to the disciple by preaching the mantra and mantra:rtham. He expounds the real nature of the soul and the Lord and the relation of the soul with the Lord. He does Pancha samska:rams (five reforms) to the disciple and makes Him appropriate to receive the grace of the Lord. After explaining the greatness of an Acha:rya, Swamiji enlightened the audience with the greatness of Tirumantram. It is the greatest of all the mantras in the world and it can provide all kinds of wealth including the mundane wealth in this world, attaining the heaven, self realization (kaivalyam) and even attaining the permanent happiness in the abode of the Lord (Paramapadam). The motive of the recitation of the mantra is to do eternal service to the Lord Srimanna:ra:yana. It is a divine and once in a lifetime golden opportunity to take the Prapanna Deeksha from HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swa:miji. Realizing the greatness of the Tirumantram, the Acha:rya who preached the mantram and the Lord Srimanna:ra:yana who is shown by the mantram are essential while reciting the mantra. Swamiji then initiated the deeksha as per the procedure given in the Prapanna Deeksha book. Swa:miji explained briefly the meaning of the steps and Vedic hymns during the process. Then mantra japam was done for one hour and ended with a mangalam to the Lord.

Bhagavad Prasa:dam was served as lunch after the morning session. Later, a beautiful musical play was conducted by JET New Jersey members with a title “Sarana:gati--a musical play”. It captivated the attention of the audience by explaining the greatness of Acha:rya. A short concluding speech was given by Swa:miji with a question and answer session in the evening.

July 13, 2008

The day started with a lot of purity and sanctity as it was Eka:dasi. The program started at 10 am after Swa:miji arrived along with His Peruma:l to the auditorium. Swa:miji presented a wonderful PowerPoint show explaining the process of meditation. He showed the process of liberation of the soul from this body. He explained the process of purifying the body with fire, wind and water and also the journey of the soul from the body to the Paramapadam. The audience was awe-struck by the wonderful presentation. Swa:miji explained in a great detail about the process of liberation of the soul and the process of doing eternal service to the Lord in Paramapadam. This was really once in a life time opportunity to experience the process of Archira:di ma:rgam.

Swa:miji explained that this is the whole topic to be thought while meditating. Swa:miji stressed an important aspect that we should never try to control our mind and stop thinking while meditating as suggested by some ill-knowledge people. It literally means killing of the mind. Swa:miji said, we should not stop the thinking process but we have to channelize the thinking. We should think about the various services being done to the Lord by the soul. This gave all of us a very clear idea to how to meditate. After the presentation, mantra japam (recitation) was conducted for one hour and concluded with a mangalam to Peruma:l followed by Theertha Goshti. A special prasa:dam from Badarinath was distributed to all the devotees. After that delicious Bhagavad Prasa:dam was served but as it was Eka:dasi, many devotees didn’t have the prasa:dam. In the afternoon session, Swa:miji gave a presentation on the birth and death cycle of a soul by explaining the various fires the soul undergoes from the time of death to the next birth. It was very informative and it explained how difficult and rare to get a human life. Swa:miji explained that getting human life is a rare opportunity and one should not waste it but utilize to the maximum extent to see that there is no birth again in this vicious bondage of karma. The day ended with a beautiful singing program by Prajna students followed by award presentations to the volunteers and contributors.

Acharya Thiruvadigale Saranam

 Jai Srimanna:ra:yana