Report of 14th

Report of Feb. 14th - Maha Shivaratri

At 7 A.M. Parama Pujya Sri Swamiji entered the fire pit (Homakunda) and performed worship to the god of fire while standing with fire burning all around him. Swamiji brought one crystal Shiva Linga and two Saligramas out of the fire pit. Seated near the Sachchidanandeswara Linga, Swamiji performed worship to the new Crystal Linga and the new Salagramas. He gave the following message.

"In a way, this is the last Shivaratri of this century and millennium. Today Lord Shiva has blessed us with these –the Crystal Shiva and Vishnu Saligrama and Aditya Saligrama through the god of fire. The Vishnu Salagrama makes sound when placed in a copper plate. The Saligrama is in the shape of a Jambulin (Kapittha) fruit.

(The new year’s day as per the Hindu almanac is 18-3-1999.) The forecast of the happenings of the next year, named Pramoda guides us to pray to God to relieve us of the problems we may have to face. Let us pray to bear the Pramada (danger) in any aspect of life in the future.
Ice melts abnormally next year and as a result there will be imbalance in the atmosphere causing too much heat and too much cold.

In the Aditya Saligrama there are two lines resembling cat’s eyes. They indicate the Sun and the Moon. The lines are moving about within the Saligrama. Hence to whichever direction these lines turn there will be problems and dangers in those places.
Nowadays, we know that the scientists are investigating whether there is water or creatures on other planets. How are we affected by these findings? Our planet of earth is protected by the water and life of the other planets do not matter immediately.
Next year there will be horrible events, fire accidents, other accidents, civil wars in various countries and quarrels at home. However the Lord Vishnu will protect us if we worship him, the protector of our nature and environs.

There is a possibility of problems caused by two or three planets. As a result, the medicinal herbs and the crops will be destroyed considerably. Some of the farm produce may be poisonous. A strange disease will affect the world. Only Sun’s rays will cure the disease. Due to the hole in the upper spheres, skin diseases will be on the rise. For these too, sunlight only is the medicine. There will be unrest among the people and instability in the various governments. There will be scarcity of rainfall. There will be less availability of ground water, oil and metals. Up to the year 2005 many problems arise due to the imbalance in the nature and restlessness of the human mind and intellect. These calamities are indications of the total annihilation. You need not be frightened by these events. Recite Vishnu Sahasranama and Adityahridaya (a hymn on the Sun). Meditate and worship Shiva. By doing so, sins release, problems decrease and peace of mind sets in. Always maintain peace of mind by sincerely serving God and the needy. Total self-surrender to God only can relieve you of all the problems.

By reciting the hymns noted above, and by doing japa and worship and listening to the divine tales of mythology, general welfare set in. Thus one can make progress to salvation."
Swamiji chanted "OM Namah Shivaya". (This utterance is considered as Sabha Upadesa, i.e., initiation of the mantra collectively to an audience).

Later the following were released by Pujya Swamiji:-

1. Audio CD, Audio cassette and Video cassette of "LIVE IN ZURICH" - the meditation and healing concert of Pujya Swamiji in Tonhalle, Zurich on 10th October 1998.
2. AMBA - Audio cassette containing the new Devi Bhajans sung by Pujya Swamiji during Navaratri celebrations in October 1998
3. Telugu book "Bhaja Govindam" - Translated by Gauri Sastry.

Later, Sarvadoshanivarana Shiva Puja was conducted in the Nada Mantapa to the 11 Shivalingas. Guru Puja was done to Pujya Swamiji by the Ashrama priests and the devotees offered Bilva leaves at the feet of Swamiji. Maha Rudra yaga was conducted in the Nada Mantapam.

Pujya Swamiji's message after the Bilva Archana (Puja with Bilva Leaves) in Nada Mantapa
Chant the mantra initiated to you by the Sadguru who passes on spiritual energy to you, provided you do japa for the entire night of Shivaratri. Sing Bhajans. Read Datta Darsana and Guru Charitra (Life History of Swamiji). Take only a little food during the day time. Sleep for an hour or two during the afternoon. You should not sleep after sunset today until tomorrow sunrise.

24 types of Shiva’s energy pass on to you as spiritual rays. Hence you must do Upavasa i.e. to sit with the Lord. Chant Om Namah Shivaya, Hare Rama, Sri Guru Datta, Jaya Guru Datta etc. silently. Do not utter even a single word other than God’s name. There are three states of the mind - Jagrat, Sushupti and Swapna i.e. wakefulness, deep sleep and dream. You must be fully conscious today and tonight.

Sadguru is writing the mantra on your tongue by these words. You also write the mantra on your tongue with a Bilva leaf or with your finger. I specially bless you to become better devotees to be healthy, to attain knowledge and to be able to follow Swamiji in this birth and next life also.

See Lord Shiva in all beings. Serve the needy with devotion, wholeheartedly. Only to those who totally surrender to Shiva, do these blessings will be fruitful. Don’t misuse this human body. It is full of energy. Every part of the human body is precious. All the celestials, all the oceans, all the rivers and all the spiritual energy exist in the body. The entire philosophy is in the body. Each part of the body is spiritual. If you misuse the body, you will be disappointed. Let not desire and anger misdirect you to waste the life time. This a pious field of spiritual activity. Don’t be pessimistic. All the nerves are to be energised. The spiritual practices enable us to relieve us of all our sins committed by insult to the parents, guru and God.
All are one. All are the children of God.

"Om Namah Shivaya" . Forget all your past Karmas. Free your mind. Try for emancipation Practice yoga sincerely. Give up the feelings of hatred and fear. Pray to be able to listen to the voice of Sadguru. If your mind is pure it will happen. Sadguru brightens the light of knowledge within you. By meditation and japa the senses, the mind and the intellect will be purified. This is the only panacea to get over the fickleness of the mind. Welcome misery and difficulties. Serve your soul with discipline. We are not inert. You have intellect and senses. The entire world, created by God is totally truthful. A true seeker of knowledge does not find fault with others. The divine light is within you. Brother! Why do you fear? Seek pardon from the Lord Shiva To find fault with others is a human trait. It is God who is graceful and forgives. Hence leave away your doubts. It is in your hands to be liberated by your own effort".

In the afternoon various bhajan groups sang bhajans of Lord Shiva.

At 6.PM, Gangotsava, the procession carrying pots of water from various sacred rivers , was taken around the Ashrama. This procession reached the Sachchidanandeswara Shiva Lingam, situated on the Katte (used by Ashrama inmates referring to the Puja platform in the prayer hall). Parama Pujya Sri Swamiji welcomed the procession and Abhishekam to the Sachchidanandeswara Shiva Lingam by Pujya Swamiji commenced at 6.45 P.M. Veda scholars loudly chanted the Rudra Prashna and Chamaka Prashna from Yajurveda. These hymns are related to Lord Shiva. Thousands of devotees witnessed this rare and once a year event of Pujya Swamiji doing abhishekam to the sacred Shiva Lingam. It felt as if Shiva Loka had descended in to the prayer hall in the Ashrama. Pujya Swamiji performed various abhishekams with varieties of sacred materials.

Later devotees were allowed to perform abhishekam to the Shiva Lingam personally. Pujya Swamiji sat close by watching them do it. This too was a great event for many a devotees. Meanwhile eminent musicians - Kadri Gopalnath (playing saxophone) and Sudha Raghunathan (Carnatic classical Vocal) rendered music and won the appreciation of devotees when they rendered bhajans of Pujya Swamiji.

Later Mallikarjuna Somayaji, an eminent Veda scholar, presented to Pujya Swamiji the map of the Homa Kumda construction for a Garuda Chaina Yaga, mentioned in the Vedas.

At 2 A.M., Pujya Swamiji started Divya Nama Sankeertan (Bhajans) and sang many new Bhajans on Lord Shiva. Sri Swamiji said that performing JAGARAN (being awake the whole night of Shivaratri) earns good merit and exhorted devotees to have the Darshan of the Mriga Shira star in the skies later.

Meanwhile various decoration were done to the Sachchidanandeswara Shiva Lingam.

At 6.A.M., Pujya Swamiji offered Maha Mangalarati (final Arati) to the Shiva Lingam and Veda scholars chanted Veda hymns from the four Vedas.

Thus concluded the Last Shivaratri of this century and the millennium......