What beautiful moments of celebrations on Day 7 of Shri Ram Krishna Bhagavat Pravāh where everyone joined in to celebrate the wedding of Shri Rukminiji with Lord Krishna. Watch the highlights to join in the joyous moments.
Why do we circumbulate the Vyas Pīth? Day 7 Surat Bhagavat Katha by Pujya Bhaishri
At the same time on this occasion, the wedding of 74 couples was completed by the host family in the presence of Pujya Bhaishri.
Below are some words of wisdom out of the many presented by Pujya Bhaishri on this day of the Katha. As Pujya Bhaishri said in the Katha, that the smallest of topics in Bhagavat provides us with great messages for life.
Why do we circumbulate the Vyas Pīth?
Pujya Bhaishri said that he once got asked by a little boy overseas on why do we circumbulate round the Pothiji? I replied to him, “My son, whatever we do is focused around this scripture. We may give examples, sing, talk on various topics but at the centre of it all is Bhagavat. Every Katha is our circumbulation of Bhagavat. For me, this circumbulation means whatever sins that may have been made by mind, speech or actions, may they be destroyed. Before sitting on the vyas pīth one has to make oneself capable. Before we sit on it, we bow to it and think, am I capable of sitting on this seat? How many sins do we commit knowingly and unknowingly? Thus, we circumbulate around the vyas pīth. We are also telling God by doing this, “My dear Lord, we are roaming around you wherever we are!” Whether you circumbulate around the Pothiji or in a temple, the symbolism is that whatever sins I may have performed, may they be destroyed.
Yāni kāni ca pāpāni janmantara kṛtṛni ca tāni sarvāni naṣyantu pradakṣina pade pade.
After circumbulation of the vyas pīth, we bow to the vyas pīth, Vyasji, Shukdevji and our inspirers who have inspired us in this scripture to gain their blessings in order to gain the capability to sit on this seat. Thereafter, we sit on the vyas pīth. This is followed by the mangalācaran before we speak.
Are we really in bondage?
Your world is made of your thoughts. Your identity will be made from your thoughts. Therefore, thoughts are extremely important. Having the right thoughts is in your hands. Why do you consider yourself so dependent? You are part of God. You are free by nature. No one can bind you. Unfortunately, we consider ourselves bound. Only our thoughts can help us to be free from the bondage of thoughts of feeling constrained. There is no other way out.
If you have attained bondage through your thoughts, then you can also be freed by your thoughts. In Shri Ram Charit Manas, Goswami Tulsidasji says,
“Iśvara anśa jiva avināśi, cetan amal sahaj sukhrāsi”.
Think of how wise these words are. The soul has the same qualities as the Supreme Almighty. Hence, immortal, conscious, without faults, simply blissful by nature, these qualities have been shown of God. One who is immortal has considered himself to die one day and is therefore scared of death. How much is one scared of ghosts even without seeing or experiencing them! Kind Parikshit asked Shukdevji, what one must do at the time of death? Shukdevji replied that one must first stop fearing death. The soul is conscious, but it is attached so much to the inanimate material world that it has developed cruelty and harshness. It is the form of knowledge but perceives oneself to lack knowledge.
