By the immense grace and compassion of Sri Swamiji, GOD Satsang Bay Area beautifully welcomed 2023 with Sri Poornimaji’s discourse series on Bhakta Charitram from Jan 19th to Jan 22nd 2023.
Day 1: Sri Poornimaji delivered a wonderful lecture on Sant Tulasidas at the residence of Sri Ramkumar and Smt Uma Ramkumar in Mountain House, CA on Thursday, January 19th 2023. The satsang began with the rendition of Sri Madhurageethams on Nama Mahima Sri Poornimaji interspersed greatness of Rama Nama during her entire exposition of Tulasidas charithram. Sant Tulasidas Goswamiji showed the power of Rama Nama which is verily the essence of all scriptures and how it takes one to the holy feet of the Lord. Ramcharitramanas is a repository of the greatness of Rama Nama and that is the way that will certainly reveal Bhagavan to everyone. In Thiruvannamalai, there was a great Mahatma Sri Yogi Ramsuratkumar. He was initiated in Rama Nama by his Guru Sri Papa Ramadas. The moment he got the initiation of Rama Nama, he chanted it continuously for seven days and nights and was blessed with the darshan of Lord Rama at the end of the chanting. When his devotees asked him as to how he was able to chant Rama Nama continuously for seven days, his reply was that he only tried to chant. The effort alone is enough and Bhagavan is certain to give darshan. When one has a yearning to see Bhagavan, he will certainly give darshan. One nama (eka Nama) can burn all the sins akin to how a single lamp can light an entire room. Sri Guru Maharaj sings, ‘namam solla solla pavam vilagidum namum solla solla punniyam serndhidum’ where he says the moment we chant one nama, all the sins accrued in the past are wiped out. One should continue to chant to not accrue sins in the future akin to how a lamp should be continue to lit in the room for the darkness to not set in again. Tulasidas showed the power of Rama Nama and elucidated its greatness in his works. His charitram is filled with divine incidents with Lord Rama and Lord Hanuman.
Day 2: Day 2 satang was held at the residence of Sri GB Srinivasamurthy and Smt Ramya Srinivasan in San Jose on Friday, January 20th 2023. The satsang began with the rendition of Sri Madhurageethams by Gopakuteeram children. Sri Poornimaji delivered a lecture on Sri Thyagarajar’s charitram beautifully interspersed with his kirtans during the entire exposition. She beautifully showed the path of Namasankirtan as sung by Sri Thyargaraja in his kirtans. She showed the greatness of Bhagavata Dharma and how it is a simple path and that it can be followed by anyone with ease. She exhorted everyone to chant Rama Nama and that it is verily the path for this world and the other world too, by quoting this verse from Sri Madhurageetham, ‘mannulaga asaigalum vinnulaga asaigalum gana pozhidhil nalgidum’. One can lead a spiritual life and will have the same experiences experienced by great Mahatmas verily by chanting Bhagavan Nama.
Day 3: Day 3 satsang was held at the residence of Sri Prabhu Krishnamurthy and Smt Bhavadharini in Fremont on Saturday, January 21st, 2023. Sri Poornimaji delivered a lecture recounting beautiful instances from Sri Vallabhacharya’s charitram. The satsang commenced with rendition of slokas and Sri Madhurageethams by Gopakuteeram children. Sri Poornimaji expounded on the birth of Srimad Bhagavatam, the lovely connection between the path of Bhagavatam dharma (path of gratitude) and Pushti marga (the path of grace) propounded by Sri Vallabhacharya. The devotees were truly blessed to listen to various touching incidents from the life of Sri Vallbhacharya and Sri Surdas.
Day 4: The finale satsang on the Bhakta Charitram series was held at Pancha Mukha Hanuman temple in Dublin on Sunday, January, 22nd 2023. Children from the Harikatha Gopakuteeram club presented a lively harikatha on Sant Tulasidas Goswami and Bhakta Meera. This was then followed by Sri Poornimaji’s discourse on Hanumadh Prabhavam from Hanuman Chalisa. She beautifully recounted many incidents how Lord Hanuman gave life to everybody and hence he came to be known as ‘mukhyaprana’ and yet so humble. Sri Valmiki in Srimad Ramayana describes the feeling of Lord Hanuman when he was crossing the ocean in search of Sita Mita. He had the feeling that he was Rama Baanam. An arrow of Lord Rama cannot leave the quiver of Rama on his own. The lord has to pick the arrow (hastha gatham) and wield it. Lord has to release it with the right force. Rama Baana has two qualities. It will unfailingly hit the target and it will come back to the quiver of Lord Rama. Hanuman also akin to the arrow, is determined to meet Sita Mata and come back to Lord Rama. Every arrow of Rama is inscribed with Rama Nama. Hanuman had the bhava of Rama Baana because he had Rama Nama with him. He accomplished everything in the power of Rama Nama. When we listen to a Bhagavath Katha we talk about the glory of the Lord. When we listen to a Bhagavatha katha (the story of Sadhus), we are blessed to see their sadhana and qualities (gunas). They spend their entire life in the thought of Bhagavan and the Lord always protects them. They are filled with all the Athma Gunas and is always a personification of humility. All the Mahatmas charitrams were different, but they all had a common thread which was the path of Namasankirtan. Mahatmas descend to show the path of Namasankirtan as they are a personification of compassion. Close to 450 devotees attended the discourse series and listened to the lectures with awe and reverence.