1. Na Me Bhakta Pranashyati
My Devotee Never Perishes
`
Om Namo Narayanaya July – August 2007 BADARIKASHRAMA DIARY
CHIEF MINISTER OF KARNATAKA,
Sri H D KUMARASWAMY
INAUGURATES SWAMI VIVEKANANDA
STATUE
On May 3rd, 2007, Thursday, at Badarikashrama, a
prominent ashrama in Madihalli, a village in
Karnataka State, amidst euphoric chanting of over
twenty five thousand of people, Swami
Omkarananda placed a garland to welcome the
Honorable Chief Minister of Karnataka, Sri HD
Kumaraswamy, Chief Guest, to the program to
inaugurate the Swami Vivekananda Statue installed
at the Ashrama.
The other guests of honor at the program were
Srimat Swami Jagatmatanandaji Maharaj,
(President, RamakrishnaSarada Ashrama,
Ponampet, Karnataka), Srimat Swami
Atmavidanandaji Maharaj (Secretary, Ramakrishna
Mission, Kadaph, Andhra Pradesh), Srimat Swami
Shantimayanandaji Maharaj (Ramakrishana Math,
Bangalore), Prof. B M Hegde, (world renowned
cardiologist, author and speaker from Mangalore),
and Sri M T Krishnappa (MLA from Turuvekere).
The Chief Minister reverently performed aarti to Sri
Lakshminarayana, Sri Ramakrishna and Sri Sarada
Sayings of Swami Vivekananda Devi, surrounded by Mahatmas, to the chanting of
sacred vedic slokas.
™ Struggle is the sign of life.
™ Strength is life, weakness is death
™ Never mind failure; they are the beauty of life
™ Religion is not in books. It is being and
becoming
™ Religious teaching must always be constructive,
not destructive
™ Out of purity and silence come the word of power
™ To be good and to do good that is the whole of
religion
™ They alone live, who live for others; the rest are
more dead than alive
™ No chance for the welfare of the world, unless
the condition of women is improved
™ Arise! Awake! Stop not, till the goal is reached (Chief Minister Sri. H.D. Kumara Swamy Inaugurating the Statue of
Swami Vivekananda)
2. The distinguished group then proceeded towards the
Vivekananda statue whereupon, the Chief Minister
then unveiled the stature, to mark its inauguration and
dedication. In his speech to the appreciative crowd,
the Chief Minister addressed the needs of the
farmers, and spoke about the greatness of Swami
Vivekananda. His sensitivity for the needs of the
people, and his genuine concern for the people of
Karnataka were much in evidence. Swami
Omkaranandaji spoke on Vivekananda’s love for his
motherland, and his ability to understand what was (Srimat Swami Jagadatmanandaji Maharaj and Swami Omkaranandaji )
needed for the nations development and success. amount of information that you put in your brain that
remain undigested all your life. We must have life-
building, man-making and character-making
assimilation of ideas.”
After the successful conclusion of the inauguration
program at Madihalli, Swamiji returned to San
Leandro, end-May, 2007.
(Swami Omkaranandaji and Chief Minister Sri. H.D. Kumara Swamy)
The Inauguration of the Swami Vivekananda statue is
symbolic of Badarikashrams’s present focus on the
development of quality educational facilities for the (Chief Minister Sri H. D. Kumara Swamy and MLA Sri M.T. Krishnappa)
rural population. The ashrama’s attention has been Events at San Leandro continued in their traditional
given to workshops, seminars and periodic medical spirit of devotion and patronage. The highlight of the
camps. A pre-primary school is planned to be opened events was the 23rd Anniversary Celebrations of
in January, 2008. Future plans include a vedic school Badarikashrama, celebrated on June 9th and 10th. The
and a residential high school. Badarikashrama has two-day celebration was marked with several colorful
made it a mission to manifest Swami Vivekananada’s and enlightening events, with several performances
message: “We must have a hold on the spiritual and by artistes of international repute across the Bay
secular education of the nation. Education is not the Area.
(Swami Vivekanada Inaugural Function at Madihalli Audience)
3. G. Subramaniam. She has won many awards in
music including The Music Academy and the
Indian Fine Arts Society. For the performance at
Badrikashrama, Shanti was accompanied by
Natarajan Sriniasan on the Mridangam, and by
Divya Ramachandran on the Violin. Shanti
performed several compositions, each rendered to
its classical purity, to the delight and appreciation
of the audience. At the end of the performance,
the group received a standing ovation, a fitting
finish to a wonderful day commemorating the
Anniversary Celebrations.
(Suman Shah and Prof. Mohini Mohan Patnaik)
On Saturday, May 9th, Swamiji welcomed the
audience and reminisced about the 23 years that had
passed since Badarikashrama was founded in San
Landro. The program began with an Odissi dance
recital by students of Sima Chakravarty. As always,
the students performed wonderfully well, a testimony
to their devotion to the art form. This was followed
by a Hindustani music concert by Prof. Mohini
Mohan Patnaik, a master of the Flute as well as the
hundred stringed Santoor. He is the chairman of the
Music department at Utkal Vidyalaya,
(Rita Sahai and Students)
Bhubaneshwar, India, and the recipient of many On June 10th, the 23rd Anniversary celebrations
major awards in India and abroad. Prof. Patnaik continued into the second day. Samuhika 108 Sri
performed several flute pieces, each more melodious Satyanarayana Puja and Katha was conducted on
than the previous. He was accompanied by Suman this day, The proceedings for the day began with a
Shah on the Tanpura. The group concluded to a wonderful Kirtan recital by Smt Rita Sahai and
resounding applause, deserving of a performance of students. As always, Rita’s recital was
such a grand stature. superlatively melodious, keeping the audience in
rapture. After the Kirtan, Swamiji officiated the
Samuhika Satyanarayan Puja, followed by Katha.
Several devotees and their families participated in
the Puja and received the Lord’s blessings. After
the Aarti, the devotees partook of the Mahaprasad.
(Natarajan Srinivasan, Shanti Sriram and Divya Ramachandran)
After lunch, the program continued with a
performance by pupils of the Balsamskara Kendra.
The pupils chanted several slokas and verses, in a
group setting as well as individually, earning much
appreciation from the audience/devotees. The final
performance the day was Carnatic Vocal recital by
Shanti Sriram and party. Shanthi Shriram is the
granddaughter of Sangeetha Vidwan Sri. Sathur A. (Artists in concert during the Mirabai Music Festival)
4. BADARIKASHRAMA
Non Profit Org.
15602 Maubert Avenue U.S. Postage Paid
San Leandro, CA 94578 San Leandro, CA
Tel (510) 278 2444 Permit # 61
DATED MATERIAL
CALENDAR BALASAMSKARA KENDRA
July 2007 Classes for children are held every Sunday at
10.30AM. Bay area parents who want to
Sun 1st 11:00 PM Sri Satyanarayana Puja & Kirtan
actively participate in the cultural and spiritual
Wed 4th 10:00 AM Sri Durga Homa education of their children conceived the
Kirtan: Sargam & Suman Shah school. The curriculum includes Hindi classes,
Bhajan: Rita Sahai & Students Sanskrit Mantras, and explanations of puja,
rituals, symbolism of Gods and Goddesses and
Sat 7th 2:00 PM Sri Sundarakanda Ramayana of Sri Indian festivals. Story telling familiarizes our
Goswami Tulasidas children to our ancient culture and epics.
Children find it a lot of fun and look forward to
every session. We encourage all of you to bring
Sun 8th 11:00 AM Kirtan & Satsanga your children from the ages of 5 to 15, to our
Guest: Paramatmanandaji – Founding school. Please call ashrama staff for more
Acharya of Arsha Vidya Mandir, Rajkot information or Anita Bajaj at 510-530-9314. As
always, the school is free and everyone is
Sun 15th 11:00 AM Guest Speaker: Dr. S N Subba Rao, welcome.
Director, National Youth Project in India, --------------------------------------------------------
and recipient of the prestigious “Rajiv INDIA CENTER
Gandhi Sadbhavana Award Our Indian center is located in Madihalli, which
is about 75 miles west of Bangalore. It is
located in rolling hills, surrounded by fruit
Sun 22nd 11:00 AM Talk on Bhagavadgita by groves and many other trees. Over the last 23
Swami Atmayogiananda, Ghazipur years the ashrama has flourished and covers a
lush 60 acres with abundant facilities for the
Sun 29th 2:00PM Sri Gurupurnima Celebrations comfort of our residents and guests. Since
Music: Alka Bhatnagar and Friends January 1997, Swami Mangalananda has been
Sri Satyanarayana Puja & Kirtan working in Madihalli for the growth of the
ashrama. The ashrama serves the surrounding
Aug 2007 community with education, health and
humanitarian needs. We sincerely hope that
Sat 4th 2:00 PM Sri Sundarakanda Ramayana of Sri you will take the opportunity to visit our
Goswami Tulasidas ashrama during your next visit to India.
Sun 5th 11:00 AM Sri Ramanama Meditation & Kirtan
Badarikashrama
Sun 12th 11:00 AM Sri Lalitha Sahasaranamama Puja & Kirtan Madihalli P.O.
Turuvekere Tq., Tumkur Dt.
Sun 19th 11:00 AM Guest Speaker & Kirtan
Karnataka 572 227
Fri 24th 7:00 PM Sri Vara Mahalakshmi Puja & Kirtan
Madihalli Office 08139-287571
Sun 26th 11:00 AM Sri Satyanarayana Puja & Kirtan Mobile 9480206298
Bangalore Office 080-23227292
Sept 2007
Sun 2nd 2:00 PM Sri Krishna Jayanthi Celebrations Email India badarik@sify.com
Balsamskara Pupils performance Email USA badarik@pacbell.net
Music: (Please refer our web site)
www.badarikashrama.org
Mon 3rd 8:00 PM Sri Krishna Janmashtami Puja & Kirtan
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Hearing about Vishnu, singing about Him, remembering Him,
serving Him, worshipping Him, saluting Him, being His servant, Daily Schedule at San Leandro
being His comrade, and surrendering oneself and everything that is Temple is open between the hours of 7-1PM and 4-8PM
in one’s own to Him – these are the nine aspects of Bhakti or God- Puja is conducted thrice daily at 7AM, 12PM and 6.30PM
love. Every Monday 6:30 PM Sri Siva Puja & Aarti
– Srimad Bhagavata (VII. 5.23–24) Every Tuesday 6:30 PM Sri Durga Puja & Aarti
Every Full Moon Day Sri Satyanarayana Puja & Katha