It’s almost 26 years since our Madhurapuri Ashram was established. Although we have always been celebrating the birthday of Bhagavan, this is the 25th year after starting of the grand 10-day celebration of Janmashtami. The number of years is a mere number. However, as everyone is reminiscing, it is a matter of joy to think of the same.
The village where our ashram is located has no previous connection to us. Swami Sivananda Saraswati was born in Pattamadai in Tamil Nadu but moved to Rishikesh. So also, Swami Abhedananda was born somewhere in Kerala but settled in Trivandrum. The list is endless. Although Mahans are born in one place, it is at a different place that they permanently stay and bestow grace on their devotees. And so it is with our Madhurapuri Ashram, where our Sri Swamiji came to reside. This place is known as the Mahanyam village. Originally called Maharanyam, it changed over a period of time and became Mahanyam.
Beneath the land where the ashram stands, Maharishis continue to do penance till date. For the past 25 years, incessant Veda chanting, Nama sankirtanam, Bhagavata parayanam, discourses and prasadam to devotees has been happening flawlessly.
Pure water from the well, milk from the cows, fresh flowers and everything that is needed for the worship of Sri Premika Varadan are all available all the time.
Vasantotsavam in the spring season, Navaratri utsavam, Adhyayana utsavam in the month of Margazhi (Dec-Jan), Gokulashtami utsavam, Hanumath Jayanthi, Kanyakumari Sri Jaya Hanuman Pratishta Dinam (Shivaratri), Vasanta Panchami being the Pratishta Dinam Of Sri Kalyana Srinivasa Perumal, Sri Rama Navami, Mahaperiyava’s Jayanti are among the utsavs celebrated throughout the year at Madhurapuri Ashram.
There must have been only about a hundred bhaktas during the first Utsav. At that time, there were no facilities at the ashram. But now, Premika Varadan has vastly expanded his empire.
There are Namadwaars functioning at Tuticorin, Sivakasi, Periyakulam, Virudunagar, Kariyapatti, Madurai, Tiruttani, Valliyur, Kangeyam, Trichy, Srivilliputhur, Sriperumpudur, Salem, Kovilpatti, Govindapuram, Vathalagundu, Cuddalore, Chidambaram, Kalattipet, Pammal, Kovur, Anna Nagar, Arakkonam, Ambasamudram, Senganur, Tirunelveli, Mannargudi and Saththur. Work is in progress for Namadwaars at Thanjavur, Gudiyatham and Udumalpet. Outside Tamil Nadu, a new Namadwaar has been started at Ernakulam in Kerala. In Karnataka, a Namadwaar is functioning in Bangalore, and recently a Namadwaar has been opened at Chitradurga.
At places like Chaitanya Kuteeram in Govindapuram, and at Nangur, Senganur, Brindavan, Delhi, Gurgaon, Hyderabad, Vedaranyam, and Srirangam our organizations are involved in various activities. Besides this, we are also involved in several temple renovation works.
Outside India, in Malaysia, Singapore, in many cities in the United States of America, and Sydney and Melbourne in Australia we have our own Namadwaars in our own properties. In the U.S.A, a vast area of land has been purchased and efforts are being made to create a SRI KRISHNA THEME PARK.
GOD satsangs take place in many countries around the world.
At this juncture, I am sharing with you what Sri Swamiji wished to convey to all of us.
“Earlier about a hundred bhaktas used to come to Ashram for Ekadasi. Nowadays thousands of bhaktas come to have darshan of Premika Varadan. On some Ekadasis there are even 3000 or 4000 bhaktas. Bhaktas come from other states too. We have not been publicizing and inviting people for Ekadasi. Yet they learn somehow and come. Why? It is because Premika Varadan has bestowed every prayer of the bhaktas who come for Ekadasi. I have a desire/wish from this year on. Gokulashtami Utsav should be celebrated grandly in all Namadwaars and GOD satsangs, just like it is celebrated in our Ashram. Many bhaktas should participate in those places and receive the grace of the lord. This year, members of our Namadwaar families have been making arrangements for the same. All of you should join hands with them to make this festival a grand one and bring more and more new bhaktas under the umbrella of the Lord’s Grace. Talk about Lord Krishna to all. Reach Nama to everyone.
“It would give me more happiness to see all of you celebrate Krishna in Namadwaars around the world, than your participation at the Utsav at Ashram. There should be a Namadwaar in every city, village, small and big towns of Tamil Nadu. There should not be a single place in this world without a Namadwaar. Let us all work hard with devotion towards this.
“Let us celebrate the birth of Krishna in all places. And let us make everyone celebrate. Let us wear new clothes on that day. Let us make sweets at home and offer to the Lord, and rejoice with all our near and dear ones. Let us decorate our homes with colorful lamps. We shall keep placards that say “HAPPY KRISHNA JAYANTHI”, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO KRISHNA” above our homes. In places where there are no Namadwaars, we shall celebrate by having Mahamantra Kirtan and bhajans in public places. Let our hearts overflow with joy on this auspicious occasion of Krishna Janmashtami.”
Sri Muralidhara Swamiji
As ordained by Sri Swamiji, let us celebrate on behalf of Global Organization for Divinity, under the guidance of G.O.D. Head Office.
Dr. A. Bhagyanathan, personal secretary to Sri Swamiji