Maha Yajnam for Universal Peace

Published on Sat, Nov 15, 2008 at 15.00 Hrs.IST

Setting of the Venue
The three-day Maha Yajna for Universal Peace started on the morning of 15th November 2008. The Yajna is being held in the sprawling Hill View Stadium. People thronged the stadium right from 4 ’o clock in the morning. Elaborate arrangements have been made for devotees’ convenience. The entire stadium has been carpeted and the stage where the 12 Homa Kundas are constructed is in an elevated place for better viewing of the proceedings of the Yajna. A beautiful idol of Lord Venkateswara occupied the centre stage.   

Beautiful photographs of Bhagawan adorned all sides of the galleries with the caption, “Glory to our Lord Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba”. Giant LED screens provided the entire panorama of the proceedings in the stage and the stadium. Flags of different countries punctuated both sides of the galleries. Sound acoustics was so well arranged that the Veda Parayanas could be heard clearly even at the end of the stadium.

Proceedings of the Yajna
At 7.30 a.m. 150 students in their shining ochre dhotis and angavastrams occupied their positions in the Yajna Vedika. It is worth mentioning here that the dhotis were personally given by Bhagawan to these students. 150 priests are conducting this Yajna for universal peace. Out of them 62 are from Shringeri and the rest are from Andhra Pradesh. The officiating Chief Priest of the Yajna is Lakshminarayana Somayaji. The Yajna began at 7.45 with a prayer to Lord Dakshinamurthy and chanting of invocatory Mantras to Lord Ganesh. At the outset, the Chief Priest outlined the various aspects of the Yajna. To mention a few: Ganapati Homa, Lakshminarayana Puja and Suryanamaskar (salutations to sun god) was performed by 4 priests. The Chief Priest then instructed 6 priests to officiate in each of the Yajna Kundas.

Bhagawan arrived at the Hill View Stadium at 8.40. As He was nearing the Vedika, he was given a grand welcome from the Hanuman hilltop with a display of pyrotechnics. At the Yajna Vedika, He was traditionally welcomed with Poornakumbham. Then the students and priests began the Yajna with the chanting of Ganeshatharvasheersham. This was followed by Purusha Suktam, Sri Rudra Prasna. As the chanting was in progress, the sacred fire for the Yajna was produced in the traditional way by the process of churning one piece of wood over the other. The Veda chanting continued with Narayana Suktam, Sivopasana Mantra, Sri Suktam, Vishnu Suktam, Bhu Suktam, Medha Suktam, Neela Suktam, Suryopanishad, etc. Auspicious items were offered in the Yajna with the chanting of Vedic Mantras. Bhagawan went around the Yajna Vedika seeing the proceedings and granting the bliss of His Darshan to devotees in the stadium. At 10.25 a.m. Arati was offered to Bhagawan and He retired for the morning session.