09/05/2019
Jagad Guru Adi Shankaracharya was born on Shukla Panchami Tithi (5th waxing lunar day) in the month of Vasishakha, so every year we celebrate this day as Adi Shankaracharya Jayanti.
Shankaracharya travelled across the Indian subcontinent to propagate his philosophy through discourses and debates with other thinkers. He was instrumental in reviving the spirit of Hinduism.
Today is a great day to Honor the Guru Tattva. He is hailed as Jagad Guru - Guru of the universe!
He has written so many hymns but one of my favourites is the Para Puja
Para Puja
The traditional worship of any deity consists of the following steps.
1. Dhyana - Meditation
2. Avahana - Invocation or Welcome
3. Asana - Seat
4. Padya - Washing HIS feet
5. Arghya - Washing HIS hands
6. Achamaniya - Offering water to drink
7. Snana - Bath
8. Vastra - Offering Clothes
9. Upavita - Offering the sacred thread
10. Patra-Pushpa - Leaves and Flowers
11. Gadha - Sandal Paste
12. Abharana - Ornaments
13. Naivedya - Food
14. Thamboola - Betel leaf and nuts
15. Deep - Light
16. Dhoopa - Incense
17. Niranjna - Lighting Camphor
18. Udvasana - Farewell
In this stotram Adi Shankaracharya exclaims how he can offer any of these to the ONE who is the source of everything in the universe thus explaining and highlighting the beautiful qualities of God.
Example this stanza
“Nirmalasya kutha snanam, vasthram viswodharasya cha,
Agothraya thwavarnasya kuthasthasyopaveethakam”
translates as
“How can I offer him a bath,
When he is the cleanest of the clean,
How can I offer him a dress,
When he has the universe in his belly.
How can I offer him sacred thread,
When he is without colour, creed and caste?” And the stotram ends with these lines “Evameva para pooja sarvavasthu sarvada,
Ekabudhya thu devese vidheya brahma vithamai”
Which means “Those great masters of the knowledge of Brahma,
Should with single mindedness worship the lord of the Gods,
Using this external worship, always and in all times.” A Beautiful rendition of this stotram by Srimati Bhanumati Narasimhan lovingly addressed as Bhanuma is available on the Sattva App. Play this chant and close your eyes, and experience the absolute bliss!
