RAMA NAVAMI CELEBRATIONS AT SRI GNANANANDA NIKETAN

Sri Rama Navami was celebrated at Sri Gnanananda Niketan today with ashtothara archana to Rama.

STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP AWARD FUNCTION AT SRI GNANANANDA NIKETAN

Every year at Sri Gnanananda Niketan, scholarship is provided to the students from Government High school. For the last two years the scholarship is extended to include the students of Sri Vivekananda Vidyalaya High school. 

This year the scholarship award function was held on Sunday, 18th Feb. 2018 and the students were presented with the scholarship award and certificate at Sri Gnanananda Niketan Satsang mandap. 

Sri Swami Nityananda Giri presented the scholarship award and the certificate to the students of 10th 11th and 12th standard. Students who came in the top two ranks are presented with the scholarship award and certificate. This function was attended by the school teachers, sannyasins and sadhakas staying at Sri Gnanananda Niketan.

Swamiji addressed the students and spoke to them about the importance of values, tradition and respecting their parents and teachers. After the function the students visited the Swami Vivekananda Statue and garlanded the same. 

Some pictures from the function is shared below.

SUKLA YAJUR VEDA PARAYANA FROM 6 FEB to 9 FEB 2018

Sukla Yajur Veda Parayana to be performed at Sri Gnananandada Niketan from 6th  Feb to 9 Feb 2018 by four qualified vedic pandits.

The Veda Parayana evinced a lot of bhakthi and interest with many of the devotees participating in the same. 

By the Grace and Blessings of Sadguru Gnanananda, Chatur Veda (including Sukla Yajur Veda) Parayana is now an annual event at Sri Gnanananda Niketan. 

TIRUVACAKAM MUTTRODAL 2017 - A GNANA YAJNA

It was on completion of the construction of Satsang Mandap at Sri Gnanananda Niketan, the first group singing of Tiruvacakam “Tiruvacakam Muttrodal”, a Gnana Yajna was organized on 12th December 2011. It was a great success and made many people in and around Tapovanam, and also devotees from outside get interested in it. It charges the atmosphere with exalted spiritual vibrations by the soul-stirring content of the devotional hymns. It has, therefore, become a regular annual feature which all the devotees of ashram and the public of Tirukovilur eagerly look forward to.

The seventh annual festival of Tiruvacakam Muttrodal was celebrated on Sunday, 10^th December, 2017. The following groups of Sivan-adiyars (devotees of Lord Siva) from Trichy Ayyappa Nagar Sekkizhar Manram, Trichy Thiruvathavurar Tiruvacakam Muttrodal kuzhu, Manapparai Tiruvacakam Anbar Kuzhu, East Tambaram Karpaga Vinayakar Thiruneri Manram, Keezh Visharam Appar Swamigal MadamTevaaram students, Kandachipuram Tamil Veda Vara Vazhipattu Sabhai participated in the Mutrodal.

Besides 188 Sivan-adiyars of the above mentioned groups, about one hundred devotees in and around Tirukovilur participated in the group singing.

Sri Nityananda Giri Swamigal welcomed all the devotees for the seventh annual festival of Tiruvacakam Mutrodal. Tiruvacakam, in the tenth Tirumurai was Sadguru Gnanananda Swamigal’s favorite. When the famous Dr.Guruswami Mudaliar of Madras came to him for his darsan, Swamiji turned the conversation towards the life of the foetus in the womb. The physician was surprised when the Sage began to quote “Pottri Thiru Agaval” of Tiruvacakam. In that passage, descriptions are given vividly about the growth of the foetus month by month amidst various risks till the birth in the tenth month. The sage was very fond of Sivapuranam which used to be chanted every day at the ashram.

Singing of Tiruvacakam with great fervor is indeed a Gnana Yajna. When it is performed with the knowledge of the content, it leads to Sivagnana and God-realization, thereby to the liberation from the cycle of birth and death. Hence, it is very essential that we grow spiritually also with increasing Antarmukhatva (interiority), detachment and Vairagya.

Swami Samananda expressed his great happiness that the festival was being celebrated over six years with increasing vigour and having very good response from the devotees at Tirukovilur and other places.

The Muttrodal was very well coordinated by Sri Ambalavanan of Trichy under the guidance of Sri Swami Samananda Saraswati of Tattvananda Ashram, Madurai.  Swami Nityananda Giri, Swami Sadasiva Giri, Swamini Prabhavananda Saraswati, Swamini Atmatatvananda Saraswati and Swami Amruteswarananda Saraswati. Sri V.Parameswaran, Sri A.S.Krishnamurthy and Sri Venkatesh Narayanan, Trustees of Sri Gnanananda Niketan were present throughout the recital.

As usual, Sandana-kappu Alankara (decoration with sandalwood paste covering) of the Moorties of Somaskanda- Lord Siva, Sri Parvati and Sri Subramanya and also of the four Saivaite saints – Appar, Sambandar, Sundarar and Manikkavacakar was exquisite. The Puja was performed by Sri Venkatraman of Tirunelveli with Sri Venkatasubramaniam assisting him.

Special arrangements for accommodation and food were made in the nearby Kalyana Mandapam as in the past years. More than three hundred devotees were served with food on the occasion.

Sri Ambalavanan recalled that it was in 2011 he came to Muttrodal as invited by Swami Omkarananda Saraswati. He was deeply moved by the interest showed by devotees here. Every year the number of participants is increasing. 

On behalf of Sri Nityananda Giri Swamigal, Swami Samananda thanked all for assisting and participating in the festival. 

Watch videos from Tiruvacakam Muttrodal 2017 below:

 

PUJYA SWAMI OMKARANANDA VISIT TO U.S

Swami Omkarananda is at present the President Trustee of Sri Gnanananda Niketan. Swamiji is visiting USA from 17th September to 13th October 2017.

 

Swami Omkarananda is an outstanding Teacher of Vedanta known for his eloquence in Tamil and Sanskrit. His ability to present the most intricate topics of Vedanta in an easily understandable manner has won him a large following of youth as well as rural and even not so well educated masses.

Swamiji was  inspired by the teachings of Swami Vivekananda. His spiritual thirst led him to Pujyasri Swami Chidbhavananda of Sri Ramakrishna Tapovanam, Tiruparaiturai. Swami Chidbhavananda  was a disciple of Swami Sivananda, a direct disciple of Sri Ramakrishna. Swamiji received sannyasa diksha from Swami Chidbhavananda.

Swami Omkarananda studied Advaita Vedanta under his vidya Guru Pujyasri Swami Paramarthanandaji, the well-known disciple of Pujyasri Swami Dayananda  Saraswati, the great master of our times.

Swamiji founded Sri Swami Chidbhavananda Ashram at Theni run by Vedanta Sastra Prachara Trust. He succeeded Sadguru Santananda Swamigal of Sri Bhuvaneshwari Avadhuta Vidya Peetham, Pudukkottai. 

Sri Swamiji is an authority on Tirukkural, a great admirer of Manickavacagar, Saint Tayumananavar and Mahakavi Sri Subramanya Bharati. A unique feature of Sri Swamiji’s classes is the spontaneous flow of quotations from the Vedas as well as Tamil texts like Tirumandiram and Kaivalya Navaneetam.

VYASA POOJA 2017 - MESSAGE FROM SWAMIJI

Blessed One!

Hari Om!

i³yte naray[Sm&it>,

We are glad to inform you that Vyasa Pooja was celebrated very well in a traditional manner at Sri Gnanananda Niketan on Guru Purnima, Sunday, 9^th July 2017. 

Vyasa Pooja marks the commencement of the two months’ retreat, Chaturmasya for Sannyasins. The elaborate pooja was performed by Swami Nityananda Giri. One Yajur Veda Pundit and two Rig Veda pundits performed preliminary poojas like Sri Ganapathi Pooja, Punyaha Vacana etc. and chanted Vedic hyms wherever required. Special archana was performed to pictures of Sri Veda Vyasa, Sri Sankaracharya, Sri Dakshinamoorthi and Sri Sadguru Gnanananda.

Dr. Srinivasan, an eminent Sanskrit scholar and retired principal of Vivekananda College, Chennai, helped Swamiji in the performance of pooja of the six Guru Panchakams. During the pooja of every Panchaka, after the archana a stotra was chanted and kirthana was sung pertaining to it.

Dravidacharya Panchaka archana was offered with chanting of Guru Stuti with special verses from Guru Gita recited in the Pada puja.

Ashtottara sata nama archanas were offered to Sri Krishna, Sri Vedavyasa, Sri Sankara Bhagavadpadacharya, Sri Daskshinamoorti and Sadguru Swami Gnanananda in their respective panchakas. Nirguna Ashtottara sata nama archana was offered to Suddha Chaitanya.

Swamini Prabhavananda Saraswati, Swamini Atmatatvananda Saraswati and Swami Amriteshwarananda Saraswati were present during the performance of the Pooja and participated in the commencement and in the special mantra pushpa along with Swami Nityananda Giri.

Devotees chanted Stotras and rendered Keertanas in respect of each Guru Panchakam.

Smt. Renganayaki and Smt. Abhiramasundari sang a keertana on Sri Veda Vyasa composed by Sri V.G.Parthasarathy. Smt. Indumati sang the very famous Pada of Sri Purandarasa “Varaguru Upadesa’.

There was a good attendance of the devotees and Vyasa Akshata and fruits were distributed as Prasad.

Following Vyasa Pooja, the parayana of Rig Veda Samhita, was performed by four qualified Vedic pundits guided by Brahmasri Krishna Bhat from the 10^th July 2017 to 13^th July 2017.

We are sending with this letter the Vyasa Pooja Prasad (“Akshata”) with our prayers that Sadgurudev’s special Grace may be showered on you on this especially auspicious occasion and you may be blessed with ever increasing devotion to His lotus feet of Sadgurudev, Sampradaya Nishta, Viveka, Vairagya and Gnana. May all the members of your family, be blessed with Sowbhagya (prosperity) and Sreyas (the highest good) !

With love and Narayanasmriti again,

Swami Nityananda Giri

ANNADANAM TO SCHOOL CHILDREN ON 14TH JULY 2017

The family of Sri Rajamani arranged for Annadanam for the school children around Thapovanam on 14th July in his memory.

Some pictures from the functions is below:

VYASA POOJA CELEBRATIONS 2017 AT SRI GNANANANDA NIKETAN

We are glad to inform you that Vyasa Puja (Guru Purnima) was celebrated on Sunday, 9th July 2017.

Vyasa Puja is the only and special elaborate puja that a Sannyasin is called upon to perform to pay his homage to the tradition. It marks the commencement of his spiritual retreat (“Chaturmasya”). It is a very sacred day for all spiritual aspirants, to pay homage to the Brahma Vidya tradition and lineage. Guru Purnima is celebrated in all ashrams with great fervour.

Vyasa Puja is of particular importance to us at Sri Gnanananda Niketan, as Niketan is dedicated to the study of Adhyatma Vidya, and therefore to the service of Brahma Vidya tradition and Sannyasins.

As you may already know, the traditional Vyasa Puja comprises of the worship of the following:

1. Sri Krishna (Pure Consciousness) Panchakam: Sri Krishna with his four disciples, Pradyumna, Aniruddha, Vasudeva and Sankarshana.
2. Vyasa Panchakam: Vyasa with his four disciples, Vaisampayana, Jaimini, Sumantu and Paila.
3. Sri Shankara Panchakam: Sri Shankaracharya with his four disciples, Padmapada, Sureswara, Hastamalaka and Thotakacharya.
4. Sanakadi Panchakam : Sanaka with his four disciples, Sanandana, Sanatana, Sanatkumara and Sanatsujata.
5. Dravidacharya Panchakam: Dravidacharya with his four disciples, Gowdapadacharya, Govindabhagavadpadacharya, Sankshepakacharya and Vivaranacharya.
6. Guru (Gnanananda Giri) Panchakam: Guru is at the centre along with Paramaguru, Parameshtiguru, Paratparaguru and other Gurus of Brahmavidya sampradaya.

VYASA POOJA 2017 GREETINGS

RELEASE OF BOOK KAIVALYVA NAVANEETAM BY SRI GNANANANDA NIKETAN

The release of the book "KaivalyaNavaneetam" of Sri Tandavaraya Swamigal translated into Sanskrit by Sanku Kavi, was held at Sanskrit College, Mylapore, Chennai on 24th June 2007.

Pujya Swami Omkarananda Swamigal released the book and Dr. K.S.Maheswaran Namboodri, Professor, Advaita Vedanta, Sanskrit College, Chennai received the first copy.

The function was a great success and attended by more than 50 people. Some pictures from the function is attached below: