Thapovanam at Govindapuram has two uniqueness – first thapovanam for Periyava and the place where HH Mettur Swamigal spent last several years and now we have His adhishtanam for Him as well. If anyone is traveling near Kumbakonam etc, please stop at Govindapuram and visit all these holy places. Also please read the article from Shri Suresh to  participate in nithya puja and bikshavandhanam activities and support this great Periyava kshetram.

English Translation of Saanu Puthiran’s article on Sri Kanchi Mahaswamigal Tapovanam – Govindapuram by Dr. Sujatha Vijayaraghavan, Pondicherry University.

                     Sri Gurubhyo Namah

Sadasiva samarambham Sankaracharya madhyamam |

Asmadacharya paryantam vande guru parmaparam ||

The details presented here will facilitate devotees to participate in the Nitya puja and the Bhikshavandana offered to our Guruparampara, at this Tapovanam at Govindapuram.

I pray that each and every devotee participates in the Nitya puja and the Bhikshavandana offered to the spiritual treasures that form our Guru parampara.

As the Vedas and the Sastras have enunciated it, the Guru is himself the path to the Lord and from thereon to the Supreme Truth. The Lord Iswara is realized very easily through the Guru whom we can see and know as our own. The Guru is none other than Iswara himself. Iswara incarnates as the Guru to lead us onto the right path and thence to the Brahman.

At a time when the frenzied forces of Kali ousted our spiritual unity, the Lord Parameswara himself incarnated in Kalady. He preached the truth of Advaita that propounds the Supreme Truth as enshrined in the Vedas, to rid the world of divisiveness and to nurture love among men, curing them of their delusion and bestowing upon them clarity of mind and thus attain the goal of life here and hereafter.

It is a universally known fact that Sri Adi Sankara established Mathas — which came to be known as Sankara Mathas—in several places, to guide people onto the path of righteousness, and finally establishing the Kamakoti Peeetha at Kanchi, ascended the Sarvagna Peetha to merge with the nameless and formless Infinite. From then on an unbroken and long line of masters – like gems strung together in a necklace – have adorned the Sri Adi Sankara Paramparagatha Sarvagna Mulaamnaya Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetha and leading the world through the righteous path and have also imparted wisdom. This fact is known to the spiritually evolved as well as to the lay folk alike for the past two thousand five hundred years and more.

In this exalted galaxy, Kanchi Sri Mahaswami Sri Sri Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi Swami, who ascended the Peetha in his thirteenth year, brought about a renaissance to the Vedas and Sastras as a meaningful part of our lives and removed the ignorance that clouded us. Though he was the divine in human garb, he lived and moved among us, leaving the imprint of his holy feet in distant corners and unknown hamlets, making all his own by his love and enfolding all in his grace that did not know differences in caste, creed and faith. Among the Masters who have adorned the Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetha, adishtanams have been established only for a few and in these places both Nithya puja and aradhana are being performed even today. Even while he dwelt in his physical form, Sri Mahaswami approved of the idea to establish a place of worship for all the Master together in one place and have Nithya puja, abhisheka and aradhana performed to all.

Sri Mahaswami chose Govindpuram in the sacred Madhyarjuna kshetra, to dwell in his subtle form and shower his grace upon all as well as to establish a dhyana mantapa for him and his Masters, the preceding sixty-seven ofthe Kamakoti Peetha and so conveyed his wish through his ardent devotee                                     Srimati Kamakshiammal of Chitlapalkam, Chennai, Tamilnadu.

The sanctity of Govindpuram is of course unique. It is a sacred place where Srimad Bhagavannama Bodhendral – the fifty-nineth acharya of the Sri Kamakoti Peetha, who propogated Namasankeertana and chanting of “Sri Rama Nama” as the divine path to liberation for one and all in the age of Kali – reached God-head while still in human form (in1692 AD) and had his brindavana established by his grace.

It is indeed most befitting that we are blessed to worship all the Gurus of the Sri Kamakoti Peetha established in this sacred place where the Lord Parameswara as Mahalinga, gave a tangible sign of affirmation to Sri Adi Sankara, that advaita is the Supreme Truth. By the grace of Sri Mahaswami and the Divine Mother Sri Kamakshi, Srimati Kamakshiammal has with the help of devotees built this Tapovanam, so that dharmic acts may continue. Sri H.G. Rangan Goud of Hospet, Karnataka has been the single most munificent benefactor of this divine project. It will not be an exaggeration to say that Sri Rangan Gowd’s exalted service to Sri Mahaswami has not only brought Sri Kanchi Mahaswamigal Tapovanam into existence in a short while, but has made it possible for us and all the generations of the future to worship our Guru paramapara. With gladdened hearts we seek the grace of Sri Kanchi Mahaswami – while gratefully acknowledging his services – upon him and his family which is known for its patronage of several Dharmic deeds  which  Mahaswami himself held important.

Tapovanam is situated in Govindapuram – near Tiruvidaimarudur in Thanjavur district – and is close to the Bodhendral Matha and obliquely opposite to the Rukmini sametha Sri Pandurangan temple. The divine form of Sri Mahaswami which is in a seated posture has been sculpted in green stone by Sri Ganapathi Sthapati. Encircling Sri Mahaswami, are Sri Adi Sankara in sculpted form and all the other Gurus in the form of banalingas. All these banalingas have been brought from the Narmada river. Wondrous indeed, that by the grace and penance of Sri Mahaswami, all these lingas were found on a single day. Here in their subtle presence are all the sixty-eight Masters starting from Sri Adi Sankara onwards, in one and the same place. A small Gosala has also been established. A small mantapa is adorned by the utsava idols of Kanchi Sri Mahaswami, Sri Vyasa Ganapati and Sri Kamakshi. A shrine is also established to house Dakshina Kali, as is a pond. It is known to all that Sri Mettur Swami, who received sanyasa directly from Sri Mahaswami and who was personally overseeing the performance of the Nithya puja and abhisheka entered his brindavana here.

Every year during all the four navaratris – Sarada Navaratri, Vasantha Navaratri, Ashada Navaratri and Shyamala Navaratri – Navaavarna puja is performed at Tapovanam. This apart every year Sri Mahaswami’s jayanti is celebrated in the month of Vaikasi (mid-May to mid-June) on the day of the anusha star, and samvatsara abhisheka in the month of Aani (mid-June to mid-July), on the day of the anusha star. Vyasa puja is celebrated grandly every year on Gurupoornima day.

Darsan timings: Morning: 7 am to 12 in the afternoon & Evening: 4pm to 8pm

The Kanchi Sri Mahaswami Bhikshavandana Trust has been established so that all devotees may participate in the Nitya puja and the Bhikshavandana offered to our Guru parampara graciously present in Tapovanam-Govindapuram.   By the grace of Sri Mahaswami a plan has been drawn up to involve families in the worship of the Guru parampara. Each family may pay Rs. 1200/- (i.e. Rs.100/- per month) for Nitya puja and the Bhikshavandana offered to our Guruparampara, either in the form of cheque posted to the Trust, or in person or deposited in favour of the Trust in a bank. May all devotees participate in this adoration and spread the message to others also.

To participate in Homa and Nityapuja:  Cheques can be drawn in favour of:

KANCHI SRI MAHASWAMY BIKSHAVANDANA TRUST

On-line Transfer:
KANCHI SRI MAHASWAMY BIKSHAVANDANA TRUST
CITI UNION BANK S.B. A/C NO. 021001000620590 | IFSC Code: CIUB0000021 |Bank Branch: 103, North Street, Thiruvidaimaruthur 612104.

Contacts:     Mr. Parthasarathy – 9841265785 & Mr. Santhanam – 9445157748

Devotees wishing to participate in Nitya puja and the Bhikshavandana may offer Rs.1200/- as cheque, or deposit the same in bank or make an online transfer via NEFT and inform srimahaswamy@gmail.com so that prasada can be sent to the donor.

The following details will help in offering the puja:

Gotra, Nakshatra/star, Rasi, Sarma/Name, Tamil Month of Birth (as per Hindu calendar), Cheque number or NEFT reference number, address, Telephone/cell number, and email address.

Devotees are requested to share these details about Tapovanam-Govindapuram with their families & friends so that all are blessed with a chance to participate in the Nitya puja and the Bhikshavandana. Let us offer a small portion of our earnings towards the Nitya puja and the Bhikshavandana toour Guruparampara. Let us visit this sacred place of pilgrimage at least once in our life and receive the blessings of our gracious Guruparampara.

May Periyava look upon us graciously.

With Namaskarams,

Saanu Puthiran.

hdfcsuresh@hotmail.com

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