KCR's five-day worship

For universal peace and prosperity, chief minister K Chandrashekhar Rao performed the five-day Sahasra Maha Chandi Yajna on a grand scale from January 21-25 at his Errvalli Agriculture farm. Even those chief ministers who claim to be hardcore and staunch activists of Hinduism could not perform such a Yajnam, which KCR did. Nor even the respective PMs of the country have been able to accomplish this. The ultimate objective of this Sahasra Maha Chandi Yajna is essentially for the all-around well-being of the farmers, workers, labourers, employees, businessmen and to that matter one and all.

Wherever the Mother Goddess Chandika Parameswari is worshipped, the entire area turns fertile and blossoms. Neither drought nor sorrow comes anywhere near it. "Kalow Chandi Vinayakow" – worshipping Chandi and Ganesh together in the ongoing Kali Yuga produces excellent results. Mother Goddess Chandi is the personification of all Gods and Goddesses and mother of mothers. The Chandi Jagajjanani has been acclaimed in Vedas and related literature as Brahmi responsible for the creation, as Vaishnavi responsible for bequeathing people with happiness and prosperity and as Shankari responsible for ensuring health and wealth to everyone. The Sahasra Chandi Yajna performed by CM KCR was a genuine effort to placate the Goddess, aiming at achieving the best of everything, which includes peace and tranquillity, health and wealth, etc., for every town, city, district, state, and the entire country.

Recitation of the Saptha Shati – 700 Shlokas – as recorded in Markandeya Purana ensures happiness to its readers and listeners. The belief is that the Sahasra Maha Chandi Yajna in which the Saptha Shati is recited thousand times over a period of four days in accordance with the devout guidelines enunciated by Sringeri Jagadgurus Sri Sri Sri Bharathi Tirtha Maha Swamy and Sri Sri Sri Vidhushekhara Bharathi Maha Swamy produces great results for the mankind. Several prominent people from different walks of life attended the five-day Yajnam.

There are different kinds of Chandi Yajna, namely the Nava (Nine times) Chandi Yajna, Shata (Hundred times) Chandi Yajna, Sahasra (Thousand Times) Chandi Yajna, Ayutha (Ten Thousand times) Chandi Yajna and Laksha (One Lakh times) Chandi Yajna. All these are performed wherein the Maha Kali, Maha Saraswathi and Maha Lakshmi are invoked. The Sahasra Chandi Yajna is performed continuously for five days. There were 100 Ritwiks – priests. On the first day, they together recite the Saptha Shati, 100 times each. Then, the second day it would be 200 times, the third day 300 times and on the fourth day it would be 400 times, and all put together, it will be 1000 times. On all these days, in addition to this recitation, there would be the Navavarana prayer, the Chatashashti Yogini Gods prayer, the Kalpokta prayer, the Kumkum Archana, etc. The Avadharas too happen. On the fifth and final day, duly generating fire, the Ajya Homam will be presented to Chandi along with other deities. Then the Maha Porrnahuthi will be finally performed. Every day all the four Vedas – the Rigveda, the Yajurveda, the Samaveda and the Atharvaveda – as well as the Shukla Yajurveda will be recited.

The Sahasra Maha Chandi Yajna performed by KCR began on the morning of January 21 amidst Vedic chanting. Accompanied by his family members and under the guidance of Vishakha pontiff, Swaroopanandendra Swami and blessings from Sringeri Pontiff Bharathi Thirtha Swami, KCR and his wife offered prayers at different Mantapas. These include Ganesh Pooja, Punya Havachanam, Ritwik Varnam, Chaturveda Parayana, Yajna Sala Pradakshina, Go Puja, Guru Puja, Navagraha Puja followed by Rajasyamala Yajna. This continued on all the five days.

On the concluding fifth day, the Taddasaamsha Homa Tarpana to the recitations and prayers done during the first four days was offered. The Shodopachara Seva, Chatashashti Yogini Bali and Mangala Nirajana Seva were done. By generating fire and transferring it into all the ten firepots, the Agnihoma was conducted. And in the process, the Maha Porrnahuthi was performed followed by Maha Mangala Harathi.

From time immemorial, and from the days of creation of the universe, human beings, in accordance with the prevailing situations and the places where they lived, have been following certain traditions, customs, beliefs, etc. For some, Sri Ram is God and for others, it may be Sri Krishna or Lord Shiva. With the passage of time and with the evolution of several religions and structures, human beings were also subjected to severe metamorphosis. While some strictly and methodically observe orthodox customs and traditions, others turned from atheist to theist or vice-versa.

Everybody is entitled to adhere to his or her own beliefs. It is, however, not desirable to discard others' beliefs and say that their belief itself is great. Performing rituals like Yagnas or Yajnas is a belief to some. They may believe that it is for universal well-being. In India, as well as all over the world, there are a number of religions, beliefs and even blind beliefs that are in vogue. In a communist country like China also, there is equal importance to Mao and Buddha. The largest Hindu Temple known as Angkor Wat is in Cambodia. In Bangkok, the names of most of the roads are named after Lord Rama.

Performing Yagnas or Yajnas has been a part of our custom and tradition. Even in most parts of the world, they are performed. The Vedas have extensively quoted them. In fact, it is the Yajnas which always safeguard human beings. It is again the same Yajnas that are responsible for the origin of human lifestyle. It is also said that the creation of human beings is in consonance with Yajna. The Yajna is literally the quintessence of God. As was done in ancient times and later, even now those who feel that something good must be done have been performing Yajnas. Among them are Rudra Yajnas, Surya Yajnas, Ganesh Yajnas, Chandi Yajnas, Shanti Yajnas, etc.

Scientific research has proved the impact of Vedic chanting and Yajna and its implications on several aspects. Chandi Yajna is held for universal harmony, peace and spiritual enlightenment. This will bring peace, tranquillity and ecological balance besides all-round development in the state. This holy ritual is attributed to the definite impact on the thinking processes of the individuals, who participate in the Yajnam and those who reside in that state bestowing positive thoughts, bringing about harmony amongst people, while contributing to their overall prosperity and well-being.

Writing about ancient rituals, Sanskrit Scholar Prof Johan Frederik Staal of University of California who specialised in Vedic rituals and Mantras mentioned that, "temples, cathedrals, and skyscrapers were built and fell into decay, languages and religions have come and gone, and innumerable wars were fought, the Vedas and their ritual continued to be transmitted by word of mouth, from teacher to pupil, and from father to son. What a triumph of human spirit over the limitations of matter and the physical body!"

(The author is Chief Public Relations Officer to Telangana CM. The views expressed are strictly personal)