Report of Feb. 12th and 13th, 1999

Friday - 12th February

Nagara Sankeertana was done by devotees before sunrise in the Ashrama. In the morning Sri Chakra Puja and Ganapati Homa were performed in the Universal Prayer Hall.
In the evening, in the Nada Mantapam a dance troupe of Eluru (Andhra Pradesh, India) performed Dance drama on the theme of Mahishasura Mardini - the story of the Divine Mother, who killed the cruel demon ‘Mahisha’. The Dance drama was conducted by Sri. Korada Narasimha Rao, a famous artist of Kuchipudi drama. Sri Swamiji blessed the dancers and advised them to play "Datta Darshanam at Mysore Ashrama.

Saturday - 13th February

In the morning, Sri Chakra Puja and Homa were performed in the prayer Hall. At 10 A.M., a Piano Concert by the famous Danish composer, Mr.Christofer Yene was arranged. He played for nearly two hours. He played piano concerts from several famous composers like Tschaichovski, Beethoven, Debussy and others. Sri Swamiji was very happy and later went on the stage and blessed the artist. Later in the speech Pujya Swamiji praised Mr.Yene for his soft and emotional play. Sri Swamiji remembered the visit to his house in Denmark last year.

In the evening at 5 P.M., the celestial marriage of Lord Shiva and Parvati were done. The programme is called "Girija Kalyanam".

Later a function was arranged in commemoration of the two famous musicologists, Sri. Venkata Makhi and Saint Tyagaraja. Three speakers revealed the yeomen service rendered by these two sages in the field of divine music and spiritual service. They are the beacon lights for the listeners, patrons and artists of classical Karnataka music.

Sri Venkata Makhi indicates one who performed several Makhas (yagas). Earlier to him, there were only 12 mela karta ragas (scales). Being a highly evolved soul, the saint has codified 72 melakarta ragas (scales) and he has thus established the science of classical Carnatic music on a firm scientific foundation. Thus the said type of music could be developed by the latter singers and musicologists on the basis of the guidance given by Venkatamakhi. It is said that he used to play Veena with 1000 strings and used to conduct Homa during the music recital. Thus he proved the inalienable link between the Nada (sound) of devotional music and the Nada of Veda. Also Venkatamakhi codified the several rituals of repentance and purification for several types of sins and wrong doing. Sri Swamiji revealed that he is arranging various homas and rituals in accordance with this age-old traditional stipulations. Incidentally Swamiji revealed an incident of his early youth.

About 25 years ago Swamiji visited the then pontiff of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham, the Paramacharya Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swamigal. The aged saint asked Swamiji whether he saw the idol of his forefather. Swamiji wondered at the question. The Kanchi Swamigal said "You know the past of all your visitors. Don’t you know what I mean?" Paramacharya revealed that the idol was of Sri Govinda Deekshit, father of Sri Venkatamakhi could be seen in a nearby temple in Pattiswaram (Tamilnadu). Venkatamakhi belonged to the sect of Hoyasala Karnakata Brahmanas. Sri Swamiji’s mother Jayalakshmi Mata belongs to this lineage. (Incidentally it may be recalled that the Paramacharya of Kanchi is also of this lineage). The great grand father of Sri Swamiji was a great saint. His Samadhi (tomb) is still in tact in the village SOGALA of Bangalore District. Even today, the visitors to the Samadhi take a few specks of the soil from the Samadhi to ensure peace and harmony at home. Even now many have been relieved of their suffering by worship at the Samadhi. When Sri Swamiji visited the place last year, he decided to perform the commemoration ceremony of Sri Venkatamakhi of this spiritual lineage in the Nada Mantapa.

The world famous saint singer Tyagaraja spread the message of devotion through his innumerable songs, composed extempore on several deities. Out of all the songs of saint Tyagaraja, five songs are widely known as Ghana Raga Pancha Ratnas, i.e. the gems of five great ragas.
More than 60 musicians of Mysore city rendered these songs for one hour, ably accompanied by accompanists on flute, violin, Ghatam, tabla, tambura and mouth organ.
Sri Swamiji blessed the artists and gave them prasadam.