Pujya Sri Mahaswamy Divya Charitram Part#21

 

Vyasa Puja – Chaturmasya in Vepathur

The full moon day in the lunar month of Ashada alias Adi is celebrated as Vyasa Poornima. North of the Vindyas, this day is celebrated as Guru Purnima and teachers are honored on this day. Veda Vyasar is hailed to have divided the Vedas into four parts.

Sankara, Ramanuja and Madhwa have written commentaries on the Brahma Sutras given by Vyasa. Sannyasins following the Advaita, Visishta Advaita and Dwaitha philosophies perform and pray to Vyasa on the Ashada full moon day.

On the day of Vyasa puja a silver altar is filled with akshadha ( combination of rice and turmeric) and in the middle an idol of Krishna is placed. Around the idol, other deities, rishis and gurus are represented by placing a lemon in the altar and pujas will be done to each of them. This is a very key event for a sannyasin that temples around the
country would send Prasad to Swamigal. Kings and landlords across the nation would send in their offerings on this occasion. Thousands of disciples from all parts of the country would come together to witness the puja.

For the Chaturmasya of 1919, Swamigal stayed in Veppattur village, about five miles to the east of Kumbakonam. During the Chatgurmasya sannyasins must stay at one place so that no harm may be caused to insects and other creatures by treading on them, when they come out in the rainy season. By considering four pakshas – fortnights as four months, sannyasins take a vow to camp at one place for two months starting Vyasa poornima. This vow is called Chaturmasya sankalpa. The residents of Veppattur welcomed Swamigal and provided all the assistance to the mutt, it’s members as well as the numerous devotees who came to visit Swamigal. The navarathri puja of that year was also celebrated there. Swamigal later visited lots of villages, even remote ones in the Tanjore district. He visited Sirukulathur village in march of 1920 and was given a grand reception by local landlord Calcutta N.R.Iyer who invited Swamigal to stay in his house.

He celebrated that year’s Vijaya Yatra from that village in a grand fashion. Later he visited Thiruvarur where his disciples worshiped him eagerly and provided all amenities.  Swamigal had the darshan of Thyagaraja Swamy, the residing deity of Thiruvarur, every day that he stayed in the village.