Brahmopadesham by Bhagawan…
Thursday, September 27th, 2012
After yesterday’s grand Maha Sahasra Kalashabhishekam performed in the Divine omnipresence, this morning Prasanthi witnessed another grand ritual, Samoohika Upanayana Brahmopadesha Mahotsavam, initiating spiritual aspirants into Gayatri Mantra along with investiture of the sacred thread or the “Yagnopavit”. The function was attended by over six hundred aspirants, Vatus, accompanied by parents.
Upanayana is also called the ‘sacred thread ceremony’, as the child is bestowed with the Yajnopavita. The Yajnopavita, or ‘sacred thread’, is made up of three strands of thread, which signifies the three responsibilities that the child takes upon itself: responsibility towards the parents, responsibility towards the knowledge or the Master, and responsibility towards the society.
Upanayana is a sacred ceremony which is traditionally seen as getting a new birth in the spiritual world towards the higher knowledge of the Self. It is an initiation process to learning the sacred chants and mantras according to the Vedic tradition. During the ceremony the young boy is taught the secret of life through Brahmopadesha (revealing the nature of Brahman, the Ultimate Reality) or the Gayatri mantra. After this ‘new birth’, one is traditionally called a dvija, or ‘twice-born’. One was then eligible to start his Vedic studies under the guidance of an Acharya (teacher), which would ready him to become a responsible member of society, fit to serve society, and equipped with the knowledge to lead a happy, healthy and successful spiritual oriented life.
This morning’s proceedings began at 0800 hrs. with Veda chanting by the Youth from Bangalore, lasted for fifteen minutes. The Samoohika Upanayana Brahmopadesha programme commenced at 0815 hrs. and lasted for a long three and a-half-hour ending at 11:45 with Mangala Arathi.
The ‘Vatus’ along with their parents were seated in different clusters, spreading over in the spacious Sai Kulwant Hall. Ritualistic proceedings included various steps involved in the Upanayam ceremony, Ganapati Puja, Punyahavachana, Navagraha Puja, Yajnopaveetham, Brahmopadesham, Ajyabhaganta Homa, Bhiksha Karana and Kumara Bhojana. Even as the group of priests, went on guiding the ‘Vatus’ with instructions guiding them into various steps, in English, Telugu and Kannada, ‘Vatus’ along with parents completed the task, lasted for three and a-half-hour. After Poornahuthi offering at the Yajna Kunda, Yajnopaveetam was done before Brahmopadesha, initiation into Gayathri Mantra, was administered by Bhagawan, with Gayathri Mantra in His recorded voice, resounding all over.
A couple of bhajans and Mangala Arathi followed before all the Vatus along with their parents circumambulated the Sanctum Sanctorum in the Mandir. Subsequently, all the Vatus went ahead in procession circumambulating the Peepul tree opposite the Ganesh Mandir.
A sumptuous feast was arranged in the South Indian canteen, open for all devotees.
Marking the grant festivity, a Carnatic Music programme was offered by RK Prasanna Kumar and Party, in the evening in Sai Kulwant Hall. The accomplished artiste regaled the audience for an hour with some of the finest Carnatic compositions, singing paeans to the Divine; his numbers included Brochevarevarura, a special composition by Mysore Maharaja on Mother Gayathri etc.
At the end of the programme, the artiste and accompanists were felicitated by Ashram officials. Bhajans continued and Prasadam was distributed before Mangala Arathi offering at 1830 hrs.
II Samasta Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II
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