Kirtankar Sammelan at Sringeri
Kirtankars performing during the sammelan in the Jagadguru’s divine presence
The 5th annual Kirtankar Sammelan was held in Sringeri from October 14th to October 16th 2011. The first four Kirtankar Sammelans have been held in Maharashtra after the Sammelan was begun by the Peetham in the divine presence of Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji in 2007 at Ahmednagar, Maharashtra (during the Jagadguru’s Vijaya Yatra in 2007).
Kirtankars offering their pranams to the Jagadguru during the sammelan
On the afternoon of 14th October, the Sammelan was inaugurated at the Jagadguru Sri Chandrashekhara Bharati Sabha Bhavanam opposite Goddess Sharada’s temple.
Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamiji was welcomed by the Kirtankars led by Vedabrahmsri Vivek Shastri Godbole, the convenor of the Sammelan. The Sammelan began with Veda Ghosha followed by lighting of the lamp by the Jagadguru. In His Anugraha Bhashanam, the Jagadguru stated that “Kirtanam”, one of the types of Bhakti mentioned in Srimad Bhagavatam extols the importance of the divine Name. The Ajamila upakhyanam in the same text highlights it. If Ajamila could be benefitted even under such circumstances, what would be the benefits that would accrue if we willingly and devotedly chant the Divine Name.
Recounting the following Shloka, the Jagadguru pointed out that one should never differentiate between the various names and forms of the Lord.
वस्तां पिशङ्गं वसनं दिशो वा
गरुत्मता यातु ककुद्मता वा ।
निद्रातु वा नृत्यतु वाऽधिरङ्गं
भेदो न मे स्यात्परमस्य धाम्नः ॥
(Whether the Lord sports the yellow garment (as Vishnu) or is skyclad (as Shiva), whether He has the Garuda as His Vahana or has the Nandi, whether He lies on the serpent Adi Shesha or performs the cosmic dance, there is no difference in the Supreme Lord)
Our ancestors used time well by chanting the names of God. Has not the Lord said in the Gita –
अन्तकाले च मामेव स्मरन्मुक्त्वा कलेवरम् ।
यः प्रयाति स मद्भावं याति नास्त्यत्र संशयः ॥
(whoever departs from his body, remembering Me alone at the time of death, he without doubt attains My nature.)
The Jagadguru said that the Kirtankar Sammelan was being held with the objective of propagation of Dharma. The Jagadguru blessed the initiative and the assembled Kirtankars who offered their Pranams and performed a Mangala Kirtan at the start of the Sammelan. In the evening, a Sanskrit Kirtan took place in Guru Nivas during the Chandramoulishwara Puja.
Administrator and CEO of the Peetham Sri V. R. Gowrishankar
honouring elderly kirtankars in the Jagadguru’s presence
The following day, hundreds of Kirtankars participated in the Sammelan and thrilled the audience. The same evening, a function was organised to honour elderly Kirtankars in the Jagadguru’s divine presence. Administrator & CEO Sri V R Gowrishankar stated that it was the Jagadguru’s Sankalpa that the medium of Kirtans has been adopted by the Peetham to reach the message of Sanatana Dharma to common man. Sri Gowrishankar also mentioned that a Sammelan based on the Varakari Sampradaya had been organised two years back in Sringeri and the auspicious occasion for organizing a Kirtankar Sammelan based on the Naradiya Sampradaya has turned up.
On 16th October, the valedictory of the Sammelan took place. In His Anugraha Bhashanam, the Jagadguru said that every man keeps committing two types of sins – doing what has been prohibited in the Shastras, and not doing what has been ordained. Besides, there are times when sins are committed unwittingly.The Jagadguru illustrated the effect of sinning stating “अनिच्छयापि संस्पृष्टो दहत्येव हि पावकः” (Whether fire is touched knowingly or unknowingly, it burns the hand). It is indeed the Divine Name that can absolve us of the aforementioned two types of sins.
यत्कृत्यं तन्नकृतं यदकृत्यं कृत्यवदाचरितम् ।
उभयोः प्रायश्चित्तं शिव तव नामाक्षरद्वयोच्चरितम् ॥
(That which has been ordained has been neglected. That which has been prohibited has been done by me as if it was ordained. O Lord! It is the chanting of Your name that absolves both these sins)
Sri Adi Shankara Bhagavatpada proclaims the importance of the Lord’s name when He says,
नारायण करुणामय शरणं करवाणि तावकौ चरणौ ।
इति षट्पदी मदीये वदनसरोजे सदा वसतु ॥
(May the sextet of words “O Compassionate Lord! I surrender at Your Lotus Feet” that resemble a bumblebee always reside in my lotus-like mouth)
The Jagadguru commended the efforts of the Kirtankars and said that the Lord Himself has proclaimed, “मद्भक्ताः यत्र गायन्ति तत्र तिष्ठामि नारद” – I reside where devotees sing My glory
The Jagadguru ended the Anugraha Bhashanam blessed the Kirtankars and participants. The event ended with Bhairavi Kirtan and the rendering of “Pasaydan” by Sant Jnaneshwar.