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Maheshwara - October 12, 2006
- Ashram, Bangalore
On 12 Oct, two families offered Maheshwara Pooja to Swamiji and ordained Brahmacharis, Brahmacharinis and Vanaprastha Sannyasis of the ashram in Bangalore. Following Hindu tradition, those who have lost a family member offer this Pooja to those who have consciously taken on a path of higher learning and spirituality in life. These people are believed to be channels of Existence. By offering to them, it is believed that the offering is to Existence itself as a mark of gratitude and respect on behalf of the departed soul.
Bommalaatta Vendar Sri Chemmalai and Sri Ananda Ashray (M. Thyagarajan) are the two devotees who passed away and whose family members offered the Pooja. Of the two, it is significant to note that the latter has attended the Nithyananda Spurana Program (NSP) conducted by Swamiji, an intense program that offers a blissful departure at the time of leaving the body.
Following are pictures from this event:
Start of Pooja – reciting Guru mantra, obeisance to the Guru, followed by recitation of chapter 15 from the Srimad Bhagavad Gita.
Pooja to the Danda – the bamboo stick held by the Brahmacharis and Brahmacharinis, that symbolically represents the Master.
Members from the two families offer arati to Swamiji and the group.
Swamiji prepares food in a big bowl, to give to each one before starting to eat.
Swamiji gives a handful of mixed rice to each one including the family members who are offering the pooja
Before starting to eat, members of the group feed each other.
Swamiji is seen eating after having given food to each and everyone present.
After food, all the ordained Brahmacharis and the family members prostrate before Swamiji and Annadaata (the person who is in charge of serving food to all at the ashram). The Annadaata in turn gives a coin and beetel leaf as per the tradition.
Annadaata finally prostrates at Swamiji’s feet at the end of it.
To conclude the program, all junior Brahmacharis and Vaanaprastha Sannyasis prostrate at the feet of the senior ones, as a mark of respect.
