Special Poojas at Saibaba Sansthan on June 9
Venkat Raman
One of the most revered Hindu spiritual leaders with global following is scheduled to visit Auckland next month and conduct a day-long prayer for betterment of humanity and fostering peace and harmony in the world.
Shri Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji, Pontiff of the Shri Puthige Mutt, Udupi, will lead ‘Saamoohika Sansthana Pooja,’ a collective offering to the Deities of Rukmini Sathyabhama Sametha Shri Vithala at the Shri Shirdi Saibaba Sansthan Temple, 12 Princes Street, Onehunga. He will bring the Deities, which were worshipped in the 13th Century AD by Madhwacharya, also known as Purana Prajna and Ananda Teertha, a Hindu Philosopher and Chief Proponent of the Dvaita School of Vedanta.
Programme details
Source Link Agencies LTD & RAMS Foundation are jointly organising the visit of Shri Sugunendra Swamiji and the Special Pooja.
The Programme will commence at 10 am with ‘Sansthana Pooja’ (Seva Option $100), followed by ‘Paada Pooja’ at 2 pm ($50) and ‘Amruthopadesha’ and ‘Thottilu Pooja’ at 7 pm ($75), culminating at dinner. ‘Annadanam’ or Food Service will be held throughout the day.
RAMS Foundation Trustee and Indian Newslink Hindu Religion Columnist Ragavan Rengachariar said that all donations would be eligible for tax refund in New Zealand.
“Donations can be paid into the Foundation’s Bank Account (Number 12-3233-0457195-00) mentioning the name of the Pooja for reference,” he said.
Shri Sugunendra Swamiji will be in New Zealand from June 8 to June 17, 2018.
Further information can be obtained from Umesh on (09) 6308533 or 021-746506; Email: umjanvad@yahoo.com; Balachandra Bhat on 021-1493602; Email: chandra_nz@xtra.co.nz
About Shri Madhwacharya
Shri Madhwacharya is regarded as an Incarnation of Vayu, the Wind-God.
He was born in 1238 AD of Madhya Geha, a Tulu Brahmin and Vedavathi at Paajaka near Udipi in South Kanara district of Karnataka.
He was named Vasudeva.
Shri Madhwacharya distinguished himself in physical exercises and field games. He could wrestle, run, jump and swim and hence earned the nickname of ‘Bhima.’
He studied Vedas and the Vedanta and became a Sanyasi in his eleventh year on Vijaya Dashami Day and therefore, Madhwas also mark Vijaya Dashami as ‘Madhwa Jayanthi.’
He was later renowned as Purana Prajna.
Upon becoming the Head of the Mutt, Shri Madhwacharya was named, ‘Ananda Tirtha,’ and undertook an extensive tour of India to preach his gospel of Bhakti.
Great Works
He wrote 37 Gradhas, including ‘Geetha Bhasyam,’ ‘Suthra Bhasyam,’ ‘Anuubhasyam’ and ‘Anuvyakyam.’
Shri Madhwacharya’s teachings are built on the premise that there is a fundamental difference between ‘Atman’ (individual soul, self) and the ‘Brahman’ (ultimate reality, Lord Vishnu).
He said that these are unchanging realities, with the individual soul dependent on ‘Brahman,’ but never identical.
About Sugunendra Swamiji
Shri Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji is the 29th Pontiff of Shri Puthige Mutt (located in Udupi), one of the eight Mutts established by Shri Madhwacharya.
He has established nine independent Mutts and Temples in India, five in USA, two in Canada, and one each in Australia and London.
His philosophy of reaching out to God is through service to humanity, love towards all living beings and shunning hatred.
Sugunendra Swamiji has lectured this philosophy at Arizona State University, Hindu University in Orlando, Florida, Arsha Vidya Gurukulam, Stroudsburg, Stanford University, California, Hindu University, Nairobi and other Universities.
He was elected to the post of President of the World Conference of Religions on Peace for three, five-year terms.
The State of Arizona proclaimed October 8, 2005, the day of his visit to Phoenix as ‘Shri Shri Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji Day.’ During the same year, New Jersey released a postal stamp in his honour.
He founded the ‘Vishwa Madhwa Sangha’ in New York to study, research and propagate the philosophy of Shri Madhwacharya with the underlying principles of ‘Vishwa Brathrutva’ or Universal Brotherhood.
Speaking at the UN General Assembly in April 2015, he appealed to the Heads of State, administrators and industrialists to address social evils such as greed, feuds, hatred, violence, poverty and warned that such synergy alone can deal with and eradicate the problems tearing the humankind.
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Photo Caption:
Shri Sugunendra Theertha Swamiji
(Picture Supplied)
