GURU POURNAMI 2007

Devipuram Guru Pournami Celebrations on 29, 30 July 2007

Sri Matre Namah,

Guru Pournami is the single most important event for devotees who received mantra deeksha. On this day Bhagavan Veda Vyasa who wrote 18 puranas, and gave the world Bhagavad gita in his epic Mahabharata, is honored in the living form of the eternal Guru.

1. Dance Ma!. (5 PM, 30th July) This year Devipuram is introducing an all new 64 upachar puja for Lalita Devi called Dance Ma! through the medium of song and dance by female priestesses. In this ritual four married women and one unmarried girl (below 14 yrs) from the audience will be requested to participate. Through song and dance mudras, these ladies will be empowered as Shyama, Varahi, Lalita, Paraa Shakti and Baala. The ladies will receive Kalavahana and Prana-Pratishta by Guruji followed by 64 upachar puja, an important part of in Lalita Navavarana Puja. The female goddesses will receive Purnabhisheka on stage like snana in a yagna and also make up on stage. Hindu scriptures say women should be worshipped to bring down gods from heavens. This ritual unequivocally demonstrates how. We plan on making it a weekly youth program for Saturday evenings starting from Navaratri. Additional details of this event are found at Devipuram website.

Other highlights of the program are

2. Jyoti Srichakra Puja. (9 AM, 29th July) 108 Sri chakras will be consecrated by Guruji keeping them around a 6 ft meru, on which 108 lights will be lit, as guru namavali and khadgamala stotram are recited. Following this, all sponsors will recite the life invocation mantra with Guruji, transferring the powers of Guru and Khadgamala deities into the Sri Chakras. They will then circumambulate the Chakras, showing dasa mudras, to invoke the dasa mahavidyas into the srichakras. This is the best time to buy a Sri Chakra Meru and get it from the hands of Guruji personally. Don't miss this opportunity to sponsor this event and buy a meru. The cost of this specially designed and consecrated meru is Rs 10,000 each.

3. Sata Chandi Homam (4 PM, 29th July) in the ground floor of Meru in Devipuram. Twenty-five fire pits will be erected inside the Sri Chakra Meru. From three additional fire pits, where all samskaras are done, fire will be taken to all the twenty-five fire pits. Four couples will sit around each pit, making the total up to 108. Therefore, Sata Chandi Yagna will be completed in one recitation. Purnahuti will be offered after 108 recitations of Maha mrutyumjaya mantra and Chandi Mantra for the health, wealth and joy of all. In total, each participant will be offering about 900 ghee oblations into the sacred fire.

4. Guru Puja (9 AM, 30th July) Once a year, all disciples assemble to pay homage to their guru, serve him and his programs for universal health, wealth and happiness. This puja will offer all the participants an opportunity to rededicate themselves to the Guru, affirm their faith in the path and get empowered through love and service. Your guru's name amrita+ananda means nonstop/eternal + enjoyment.

5. 4.Annadanam (12-4 PM, 30th July)

6. Pournami Night (7 PM Onwards, 30th July) Guru Pournami is also the time for spiritual intensity. The entire occasion will be further charged by all-night chants of Lalita Sahasranamam, and Guru Namavali.

The details of all these events is summarized below for your easy reference. To facilitate a smooth organization of this event, some further program details and a list of "Do's and Don'ts" have been also listed.

Further Program Details and Dos/Don'ts

• Sponsorship fee can be paid at venue of the particular event or at the registration office.

• Due to limited human resources at Devipuram, we request that you please make your own travel arrangements. Please refrain from contacting the Ashram for your travel reservations, cancellations, tours etc. Please contact travel agents in Vizag or elsewhere directly.

• Please be in your seats at least 15 minutes before the sponsored event begins.

• Guru puja is the most important event of Guru Pournami. At the time of registration, you will get a batch number. When the batch number is called, you will come (with your meru - if you have one) and sit in an orderly fashion.

• You will recite gurunamavali. Then offer flowers at the feet of guru one after another, give your meru and take it back from hands of Guru. This is the time for silent blessings. Please avoid talking, discussing or making effort to interview Guruji.

• There will be a special pournami abhishekam for Sri Sahasrakshi on July 29th 6-8am. During this time, Donors above Rs. 1 lakh, and persons having coupons issued by Guruji's office will be allowed inside Garbhagriha. Give applications on plain paper with name, phone number, number of persons (not more than 5), total of donations given now or earlier to office manager for inner Darshan coupons. Alankaram will follow until 4 pm.

• Dharma darshan of Sri Sahasrakshi from outside of Garbha griha will begin from 4pm.

• Whole Pournami night is for lalita sahasranamam and guru-nama parayanam for devotees.

• You can buy 10", 5", or 3" merus. Keep them with you and take it from hands of Guruji on the 29th during Guru Puja time (10am-1pm on July 29th – please see above table for details)

• Don’t crowd around and touch Guruji's feet till annadanam is finished. Guruji will be involved in preparing and winding up works on 28th and 30th. Therefore, he will be unavailable for personal interviews on these two days.

• Please observe queue discipline. Don't push or get pushed. Please report unruly behavior to security staff on duty.

• Very limited and ordinary accommodation is available to outstation visitors at the ashram during the function. Boarding and lodging (combined) will be charged at Rs. 100 per person per day.

• A one-week workshop on Goddess empowerment rituals is being conducted in Vizag by some American Yoga practitioners from Los Angeles immediately after the celebrations here. Local people interested in Neo-Tantras of East and West may also participate. People attending the workshop can get to know authentic Sri Vidya rituals at Devipuram during the Guru Pournami celebrations.

For further details please explore relevant links in the www.devipuram.com site.

At Your Service,
The Devipuram/Vi1 Group
www.devipuram.com
+91-8924-207652