Sri VenkatEsa MahimA : Tentative agenda for the two day Conference at Pittsburgh Sri VenakatEswarA Temple , May 23-24 , Memorial day weekend .

From the Bhakti List Archives

• March 5, 1998


Dear BhakthAs of Lord SrinivAsA :

Here is an evolving agenda for your Information.
I will have some comments next to each of the items to
help get inputs from you to fine tune the agenda  :

Saturday : May 23 : AM Sessions starting from 9.30 AM
*******************************************************

1. Recitations from four Vedams : Purusha Sooktham
   and other short passages from Rg , Yajur , Saama and 
   Atharva Vedams . Purusha Sooktham is a Vedic 
   manthram found in every one of the four VedAs .  
   Permission has been requested from Delhi Vedic Trust
   Executive ( Sri KrishNan ) for playing these passages 
   recorded by    great scholars .It is our tradition 
   to start all auspicious functions with the sound of 
   ancient Vedams ( 30 Minutes). The Delhi Vedic Trust 
   has accomplished "the impossible " , (i-e., ) 
   record the four VedAs in their entirety by
   authentic Vedic Scholars . Only the recording 
   of the KrishNa Yajur Vedam needs completion .
   Sukla Yajur Vedam has been recorded already . 
   
2. Divya Prabhandham Recitations covering four Tamil
   Vedams : NammAzhwAr's Four Prabhandhams ( ThiruvAsiriyam, 
   Thiruviruttham , Thiruvaimozhi and Periya ThiruvanthAthi ) .
   Thiruviruttham is considered the essence of Rg Vedam .
   ThiruvAsiriyam , Periya ThiruvanthAthi and ThiruvAimozhi
   are traditionally accepted as the essence of Yajur , 
   AtharvaNa and Saama Vedams( Veda Saarams) respectively 
   ( 30 Minutes ) . Ghoshti of Scholars will participate
   led by Sri SaranAtha Bhattar of the Sri VenkatEswarA
   temple of Pittsburgh .

3. Sri VenkatEsa Gadhyam Recitation . This Gadhyam is 
   unique and sonorous . Sri MuraLi Rangaswamy of Boston 
   will recite this rare gadhyam (20 Minutes ).
   Ghanam rendering will follow : Sri MuraLi 
   Rangaswamy and Professor M.G. Prasad of New Jersey .

Break : 30 minutes 

4. Sri VenkatEsa Anubhavam : An Overview of 
   the tributes paid by AzhwArs , AchAryAs and 
   NadhOpAsakAs -- Sri V.Sadagopan of NY (45 Minutes ) . 
      

5. Sri VedAntha Desikan's DayA Sathakam :
   The rich and  moving tribute paid by a great
   Sri VaishNavite AchAryA to the KalyANa guNam
   of Daya of the Lord of Saptha Giris -- Professor
   T.Venkatacharya , Retired Professor Of Sanskrit ,
   Univeristy of Toronto and Scholar honord by 
   T.T. DevasthAnams for his contributions to
   Sanskrit Studies ( one hour ) .

LUNCH BREAK 

AFTERNOON SESSIONS
******************

6. AzhwAr's Lives : Speaker to be  confirmed .
   Ten of the Twelve AzhwArs with the exception of 
   Thondaradipodi and Madhura Kavi have blessed us 
   with their 202 MangalAsAsana Paasurams in Tamil on 
   The Lord of ThiruvEnkatam :(45 Minutes ).

   The 202 Paasurams by the ten AzhwArs breakdown
   this way : Thirumangai (61) ; NammAzhwAr (52) ;
   Pey AzhwAr (19); ANDAL (16) ;Thirumazhisai (15); 
   Kulasekharar( 11); Poygai (10) ;BhUtham (9) ;
   PeriyAzhwAr ( 7); BhAN aNaathan (2) .
   Time allotment : Fourty Five Minutes .

7 . NammAzhwAr's Anubhavam of Sri VenkatEsA :
    Sri KaNNan Swamy of Virginia ( 45 minutes ) .
    SaraNAgathi of NammAzhwAr at the sacred feet
    of Lord SrinivAsA and his NaayikA Bhavam .   

8. TalLapAkkam ANNamAryA's devotion to Lord
   VenkatEsA : Lecture-Demo with singing of 
   selected Songs of this prolific composer ,
   who was initiated into Sri VaishNavA tradition
   by The First Jeeyar Of AhObila Mutt , 
   Sri Adhi VaNN SatakOpa Jeeyar , who received his 
   ochre robes from Lord NarasimhA Himself 
   directly . To be Confirmed : Dr. Mythili KrishNan
   of Buffalo, NY ( 45 Minutes ) . 

9. Mudal AzhwAr's tributes to Sri VenkatEsA :
   38 Paasurams : Speaker to be confirmed ( 30 minutes). 

10 . Rendering of the Krithis on Sri VenaktEsA
     by Saint ThyagarajA , Mutthuswami Dikshithar
     ( 30 Minutes )

Adjourn : 5.30 PM .

Sunday : May 24 , 1998 
***********************

9.30 AM : Recitation of Pancha Sookthams 

10.00 AM : Thirumangai AzhwAr's tributes 
           and SaraNAgathi at ThiruvenkatamudayAn's
           lotus feet . Speaker to be confirmed .
           45 minutes .

10.45 AM : PeriyAzhwAr , ANDAL's enjoyment of 
           the Lord as Child and Husband respectively :
           Speaker to be confirmed . 45 minutes.

11.30 AM : Thirumazhisai , ThiruppANAzhwAr's
           tributes to Sri VenkatAchalapathy : 
           Speaker to be Confirmed .

Luncheon Break
**************

1.30 PM Kulasekara AzhwAr's tribute to 
        Lord SrinivAsA : Speaker to be confirmed. 

2.00 PM Uthsavams and AarAdhanam at Thirumalai:
        Speaker to be confirmed : 45 minutes 

2.45 PM Break 

3.00 PM Purandara Daasa"s Musical tribute to
        Lord VenkatEsA : Professor M.G. Prasad 
        of New Jersey 

3.45 PM : SaraNAgathi and Bhakthi in Sri VaishNavite
          Darsanam .

4.30 PM : DakshiNa Thiruppathis : ThiruviNNagaram ,
          ANNan Koil , where Lord SrinivAsA is 
          celebrated by AzhwArs .  

5.00 PM Concluding Remarks and Honoring of
        Participants by Temple Authorities .

5.30 PM Adjourn 


Dear Friends , This is a  walk-thru the tentative 
program .Items , time allocation might change some what 
as we hammer out the details and get commitments 
from the speakers on their allocated topics and 
participation .

Please feel free to pass on your comments 
on Omissions and Commissions , balance among
chosen topics et al .

May Lord SrinivAsA bless this effort ,

Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri Sadagopan