Sri Mahabharata Jnana Yagnam- Purnahuti 2017

Arsha Vidya Vahini wishes you all a very happy and auspicious Sri Hevalambi nama Ugadi.

With the divine grace of Eshwara, Vyasa Bhagavan and kind blessings of Parama Pujya Acharya Sri Prem Siddharth Ji Maharaj, the 54 blissful days of Mahabharata Jnana Yagnam 2017 organized by Arsha Vidya Vahni was completed on this Sunday, 26th March.

The Mahabharata Jnana Yagnam that began this year on 1st February 2017 was packed with tons and tons of valuable gems and pearls that helped the devotees in multifold ways in achieving success in their journey of life. Many sacred secrets that were incorporated by Sri Vyasa Bhagavan in this great Indian scripture Jaya (Sri Mahabharata) were disclosed connecting to our present life. Blessed are the devotees who had this golden opportunity listening to those rich 54 days covering up to Teertha Yatra parva of Vana parva. The seemingly simple conversations that we came across in this great scripture reveal a great shastrardha and the greatest

upadesa of Maharshis and Mahatmas. We are extremely fortunate that our Acharya Swamiji has revealed their inner meanings and teaching intricately. These revelations are rarely discussed or discoursed in Mahabharata Upadeshas elsewhere.

Pujya Swamiji very aptly painted the characters of Pandavas, Sri Vidura, Dhritarastra and the dusta chatustaya. It clearly reflected throughout that these characters are very much within and around us today cautioning us every moment. The narrow minded, highly self oriented, crooked thought process of Kauravas warns us to avoid such kind of behavior as that keeps one completely away from Paramatma totally obstructing ones spiritual growth. The very confident, generous, obedient and magnanimous thought process of Pandavas shows us and encourages us to follow the best path moving towards Eshwara tatva there by realizing HIS ever flowing divine blessings. As disclosed by Sri Pujya Acharya this is very clearly evident with Pandavas though they are in forests they are always surrounded by Mahatmas receiving their upadesha and blessings.

Mentioning on the happiness of Pandavas, Pujya Swami Ji mentioned that if we can look at the world keeping God in mind, the world will always be a blessing making one happy. The same was told by Sri Markandeya Maharshi citing the reason for his everlasting smile on his face. Maharshi mentions that he compares the Pandavas and their vana vasa to Sri Ramachandra’s vana vasa in his mind..

As instructed by Sri Vyasa Bhagavan, Sri Dharma Raja teaches “Prati smruti mahavidya” to Sri Arjuna. On receiving this maha vidya, Sri Arjuna does great tapasya addressing Sri Parameshwara as described in Kiratarjuneeyam, where in Sri Arjuna gets the greatest Pasupatastra from Sri Parameshwara. After receiving the greatest astra and blessings of Sri Parameshwara, Sri Arjuna visits swarga loka as invited by Indra deva.

The episode of Nalopakhyanam which is normally looked upon as a moral story took almost a week to unfold its deepest secrets. Each character glorifies the human values and samaskaras that one should inculcate within them. To our utter astonishment, Pujya Acharya reveals how the entire Mahabharata is hidden secretly within the Nalopakhyana and vice versa.

Teertha Yathra Parvam is the often overlooked part of Sri Mahabharata, which not only serves as the guidance for teertha yarta but also serves to give us the information of the geographical boundaries of this Bharata Khanda in those times as well as the flora, fauna and weather of these places. It gives accurate description of the sacred rivers of those times as well as the presence of Mahatmas and Ashramas in various teerthas. Pujya Swami Ji very clearly mentioned the rules

that one should follow in teertha kshetras so that it can help to uplift oneself apart from attaining punya. He mentioned in great detail the various conversations and importance of the numerous teerthas that were visited by Pandavas. It is a sacred experience that devotees felt as if we all are doing teerthatana under the able guidance of our Guru. The sravana of this parva multiplies ones’ devotion towards the sacred places and darshana in the way specified.

In Yavakrita Upakhyanam, He asserts how Jnana can be obtained only through adyayana under a Guru who follows Guru parampara. There is no other way one can attain knowledge. Other means like tapasya and anustana will definitely add to attain purification of mind / chittasudhi which in turn helps prepare oneself to do adhyayana. The same was told by Sri Indra Deva to Yavakreta son of Maharshi Sri Bharadwaja when Yavakreta attempted to do tapasya to obtain veda Jnana without taking the refuge of guru. This episode reveals many facts reflecting our own present day personalities looking for quicker ways for obtaining knowledge without having guru and proper self effort.

Disclosing the symbolism of Pandavas, Sri Swami Ji mentioned that the five Pandavas are a representation of well constituted and healthy society. If we look at the order – Dharmaraja, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva - Dharma Raja represents a well balanced representation of the wisdom of Dharma; Bhima represent the total power/strength/shakti in keeping with Dharma and Yukti; Arjuna represents a perfect blend of Dharma and power/strength that constitutes very apt strength for strategy; Nakula and Sahadeva represent the great combination of perfect execution of the strategy and plan that has come from Yudhistira and Arjuna. This aspect can be seen throughout in every step that Pandavas took that is mentioned in the great scripture of Sri Mahabharata. It shows the way the administration of every society should operate in tandem with each other. In its absence, the fall of society is very evident in front of our own eyes.

During the period of this 54 day Jnana Yagna we were fortunate enough to get to know about great raja vamsas, Maharajas, Maharshis and their devotion and undivided dedication towards their swadharma and their uninterrupted attempt in protecting and propagating dharma in this Bharata Khanda. The upadesa of Mahatmas in the episodes of Dadheechi, Sagara, Rishya Sringa (Rishya Sringopakhyanam), Chavana Maharshi, the history of Mandhata, Usheenara Vrittanta and Astavakra Vrittanta (to name a few) involving greatest dharma sukshmas are ever lasting uplifting the mankind at all times and ages.

Astavakra Upakhyana is one of which that contains greatest Vedanta bodha in the form of simple riddles. The conversation appears to be a simple question and answer covering wide areas of subjects but the Vedanta involved in the conversation is of great depth which remains hidden in the absence of Guru. It not only showcases the splendorous intelligence of the scholars of our Dharma in the most diverse subjects but also the great depth and understanding of education that the simplest of sevakas possessed. It is an indication that Jnana was given the highest respect and importance to irrespective of age, caste and position in the society.

Towards the last part of the Jnana Yagna, we are highly fortunate to do the sravanam of Sri Hanumad-Bheema samvada as a part of Sri Bhama’s venture in obtaining Sougandhika Pushpa as requested by Sri Draupadi mata. The highlights of this upakhyana are guidelines of perfect relationship of a Devotee and Ishwara, A guru and a Sishya and role of Parampara in Hindu Dharma. A beautiful comparison of The Kala Swaroopas and perfect Kala Gananana (calculations) starting from the Age of Bramha to the Yuga Swaroopas and Yuga Dharmas were taught by Pujya Swamiji. This is a never seen aspect that astonishes everyone about the vision of Time by our Rishis and teachings of how one can cross over the innate Yuga Dharma and uplift oneself. The vivid portrayal of Sri Hanuman, His character and His immeasurable Bhakti at Lord’s feet inspires and fills a devotee’s heart with Dhairya to no end.

Thus in this part of Jnana Yagna Sri Pujya Swamiji has taken us through 158 chapters of Vana parva covering Aranyaka Parva, Kirmeera Vadha Parva, Arjunaabhigamana Parva, Kairaata Parva, Indraloka Gamana Parva, Nalopakhyana Parva and concluded this season with Theertha Yatra Parva by mentioning that Pandavas have reached Arstrisena Mahamuni ashrama and taken the blessing of the great sage.

The statement “Yannehasti na Tadkvachit - What is not here is nowhere else” becomes more and more irrefutable as we journey further deeper into this glorious text. Every aspect of the scripture showed the highest values of our Indian Culture and Sri Pujya Swami Ji reminded that it is our kartavya / primary responsibility to protect and reflect our culture in every act of ours starting from the way we dress to the way we behave with everyone around us including with the nature with reverence.

Through Pujya Acharya’s teachings, we come to realize more and more that Sri Mahabharata is neither a collection of stories nor simply a History of Bharata, It is the evidence of the most unique Heritage and is the very Identity of each one of us. It is left to us to proudly reclaim it as our very own with its deepest study and understanding.

This being one part, another blessed opportunity we got was celebrating auspicious occasions like Vasantha Panchami, Ratha Saptami, Maha Shiva Ratri and Ekadasi Ramana Samkeerthana in the graceful presence of our Sri Pujya Swami Ji.

Purnahuti:

Thus the 54 day Mahabharata Jnana Yagna that began on Vasanta Panchami, Wednesday, 1st February 2017, concluded with Sri Krishna Astottara Namavali, Vyasa Keerthana and Sri Mahabharata aarati followed by Guru vandanam on Sunday, 26th March 2017.

On this occasion Sri Mataji felicitated and blessed the Smt and Sri Aruna Jayprakash ji, the owners of the Sujata High School, the organizers and people who have offered their loving seva towards Mahabharata Jnana Yagnam. A few of the Students like Sri Ramachandra Raju ji, ex-IPS, Sri Capt Y Raja Rao ji, Sri Rajesh, Sri John Iprahim, Sri TVS Sharma ji and a few other students have come forward to express their gratitude for this opportunity of Sravanam and sea of change that Sri Mahabhararata Adhyayana has brought into their lives. It was their firm opinion that being present, all of us were witnessing history in the making as Nowhere else has Mahabharata Grantha been taught so extensively. It took 99 divine discourses to reach this part of Vana Parva. They all asserted that Sri Mahabharata Adhyayanam in the presence of Guru can usher Jnana in a divine way that cannot be compared to anything else. Smt & Sri Bhupal Reddy were felicitated for their continuous support, dedication and reverence in propagation of Shastra as guided by Sri Pujya Swami Ji.

The Jnana Yagnam concluded with Padanamaskara and offering Guru Dakshina to our Pujya Swamiji.

An extensive Mahaprasadam was offered to the devotees on the occasion of purnahuti and lovingly served by Smt and Sri Aruna Jayprakash ji.

We eagerly await the continuation of this Mahabharata Jnana Yagnam from the remaining part of Vana Parvam in the next year which will take us all forward in the journey of gathering pearls of knowledge in the

presence of Pujya Swamiji. May Ishwara bless us all with this rarest of rare opportunity.

The complete discourses on Mahabharata Jnana Yagna (Vana Parva 2017) is now available for purchase under Mahabharata section on our website – http://www.shastra4u.com/Stores

Harih Om!

- Sri KV Sriram, Vyakhya Student, AVV