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Paramaacharya walked city streets

Jagadguru Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamy visited the city close to four decades ago. T. V. A. S. SARMA gives a close account of the spiritual sojourn.

SWATHED IN DIVINITY Kanchi Paramaacharya introducing Atharva Venins Sownaka Sakha to Rajaguru, Thailand.

His Holiness Jagadguru Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swamy, acclaimed as a living God, visited Vijayawada for the fourth All-India Vedic Convention during Krishna Pushkarams in 1968 (from October 11 to14). The four days are fondly remembered by the devout of the city.

The swamy stayed at Sri Venkateswara Swamy Temple, Labbipeta. The inaugural function of the convention was preceded by a procession, in which the Paramaacharya and several Vedic scholars from across the country participated. Adding a divine touch to the procession, a traditionally decorated elephant was taken along amidst the melodious nadaswaram.

Inaugurating the Vedic convention, the Paramaacharya said: "Veda is the breath of the supreme God. The Veda and God are eternal. The three eyes of Lord Siva are the Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas and the crescent moon on His crown is the nectar or Soma Rasa, The Divine Grace. The limbs of Lord Siva are the six auxiliary sciences, (Angas) supplementing the Vedas." The Jagadguru went on to say: "The breath of all those Vedic scholars who recite the various hymns, merges in the breath of God. Therefore, Vedic scholars are the prominent forms of Lord Siva."

Adherence to rules

The highlight of the convention was the presence of the most distinguished Rajaguru of Thailand, who came here specially to be part of the event. The regimen at the convention was scrupulously observed on all the four days. Surya namaskarams and homam were performed in the morning session followed by puja of Veda Vyasa. Deliberations by scholars on modes of recitation of Vedic hymns in different parts of the country was the schedule followed every afternoon on all four days. Vedic hymns were chanted in the evening sessions. The scholars chanted hymns from Rig Veda on the first day, Yajur Veda on the second day, Sama Veda on the third day and Atharvana Veda on the last day.

Star attraction

Balakirshna Yedurkar of Kurundavao in Maharashtra was the star attraction at the sammelan. Audience heard him in rapt attention when he chanted a hymn from Rig Veda followed by a Sloka from Srimad Bhagavad Gita, followed by another from Sri Vishnu Saharanama Stotram. He chanted the entire texts of Rig Veda, Geeta and Sri Vishnu Saharanama Stotram, from beginning to the end and in the reverse order effortlessly. After participating in the convention, the Raja Guru of Thailand went to Tirupati for the darshan of Lord Venkateswara.

In order to perpetuate the teachings of Sanatana Dharma, when he proposed the establishment of Hindu Dharma Parishad, then Vijayawada MLA T.V.S. Chelapaty Rao had it unanimously adopted by the Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams (TTD), for he was a member of the TTD board then. Dr. Chelapaty Rao accompanied the Raja Guru.

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