Events

DUSSERA - 22ND OCTOBER 2015

Dussera was celebrated at the Centre on 22nd October,2015. Old students as well as the new students gathered at the Centre to pay their respects to their Guru. It was overwhelming when the Centre reverberated with the chanting of Lalitasahasranamam and Mahishasuramardini Stotram.  Prasadam was distributed to all.

PANCHAKANYA on 2nd October 2015

VVF ORGANISES “PANCHAKANYA” – A UNIQUE AMALGAMATION OF DANCE AND DISCOURSE

Viva Vedanta Foundation in collaboration with Takshashila Dance Academy are pleased to announce their joint project of PANCHAKANYA, an amalgamation of Bharatnatyam dance and discourse on the lives and stories of the five great women comprising of Ahalya, Draupadi, Sita, Tara and Mandodari.  The Panchakanya production is a joint effort between two teachers, one of Philosophy and the other of dance. Through the stories of five exemplary women from Indian literature, the production will narrate, interpret and showcase the depths of thought and ideas explored in the poetry. Acharya Vasudha, a teacher of Advaita Vedanta and the founder of the Viva Vedanta Foundation will interpret the Panchakanya and their individual stories. Acharya Vasudha has been studying and imparting the knowledge of Advaita Vedanta, Upanishads and Bhagawad Gita for years now. She has a keen understanding of the texts and the layers and facets of wisdom therein.  It has always been her endeavour to reach out to people irrespective of their caste, creed and ethnicity to impart the valuable knowledge in the scriptures through the process of listening, learning and living.  This is the first time that Acharya and one of her Vedanta students Smt.Gayatri Subramanian, an accomplished dancer and a well known dance teacher of Bharatanatyam in Navi Mumbai, who established Takshashila Dance Academy, have come together to give expression to some of the strong characters in our mythology. 

As Acharya always says, listening is just one way of imbibing knowledge.  Visual and audio means of expression through dance, poetry and discourse help in reaching the knowledge to a larger number of people. In her lucid style Acharya will interpret the characters of the five great women and their relevance in today’s world. The students of Smt Gayatri Subramanian on the other hand, will narrate the stories of the Panchakanya through the medium of Bharatanatyam. Some as elaborate episodes from different epics and some as upakathas or short stories; the dancers will bring alive each character through the most popular version of their stories. Thus the students of Gayatri Subramanian will complement Acharya and help in imparting this rich knowledge from our ancient scriptures reach a wider audience. As they explore the lives of Panchakanya, Acharya Vasudhaa Chaitanya and the students of Smt Gayatri Subramanian will portray before us a perspective of women,  both ancient as well as contemporary. Panchakanya today is a kernel of an idea in the process of flourishing into a mighty oak; where diverse audiences can appreciate the beauty and depths of the poetry and philosophy. 

This first of its kind programme is being staged for the first time at Jagruteshwara temple, Sector 7, Vashi at 6 pm today.  People of Navi Mumbai can walk in and have a peep into this unique effort as the entry is free for all.  It will be entertaining, enlightening and appealing to people in all walks of life in general and to enthusiasts of art and culture, in particular.  Panchakanya production wants to surge forward with unstinted support from patrons, audiences, fellow practitioners and the artists themselves.

Acharya with the participants of Anandlahari on 26-27 September 2015

ANANDLAHARI

Anandalahari - A dynamic and comprehensive guided meditation workship was conducted by Acharyaji at the Centre, on 25th and 26th  of August.  Acharya explained the seven chakras or energy centres in our body and how they are associated with our physical, emotional and intellectual well being and guided the participants to dynamic activities to cleanse and balance the energies.  The participants expressed great sense of relief and felt energised after the session.

GURU PURNIMA CELEBRATIONS

As part of the Guru Purnima Celebrations on July 31st, Sudarshana Homam and
Guru puja was organised at 6:30 p.m at the Centre in Parsik Hill.

Lord Sri Sudarshana is the chief deity of the powerful Sudarshana Homa. The
word "Sudarshana" means right vision - "Su" is right or correct, "darshana"
means vision. The two most important attributes of Sri Sudarshana are "Pida
Pradanam" (relief from pain and misery) and "Paapa Nashanam" (destroy
sins). Both Pida or sorrow and paapa or sins accrue out of Avidya i.eignorance of the truth of our Being. For destruction of both therefore, the
right vision needs to be invoked and inculcated. It is towards achieving
this aim that activities of the Foundation are based.

It is believed that whatever the performer seeks at the time of
Sudarshana Homa - whether it be health, material benefit, spiritual
enhancement, he gets it. It is considered ideal to perform this
Sudarshana Homa on any Ekadashi or
Pournami Tithis.







Registrations for "Vanamaali—Adopt a Tree project" was done. A large number of people have shown keen interest in not just adopting the tree, but to nurture and help it blossom in their vicinity.

GURU PURNIMA

Sudarshana homa and Guru puja

At VVF Centre, Parsik Hill


On 31st July 2015


Time : 6.30 pm



Guru Purnima or Vyas Purnima is the birthday of Bhagwan Veda Vyāsa, the great Guru and seer, who is an ocean of knowledge and is considered the origin and the source all our scriptures. He compiled the four Vedas. He authored the eighteen Puranas. He is the author of the great epic Mahabharata, which contains the Bhagavad Gita, the crown jewel of Hindu scriptures and the most chanted Vishnu Sahasranama. Vyas Jayanti is hence an auspicious occasion to reflect upon and acknowledge all the blessings and knowledge received from the Gurus. 

This Guru Purnima, let us recognise the existence of the Guru Principle and the role it has played in our lives by performing a Sudarshana Homam and Guru Puja.


All are cordially invited with family and friends to participate in the Puja and partake of the prasadam.

YOUTH MEET

An interactive session with Acharyaji was held for the children of 11 to 17 years of age on 27th June 2015 at the Centre.  Acharya guided the little ones through a short meditation and motivated and assured them of achieving their goals in lives. The little angels came up with their doubts on God and religion and Acharya answered them all to their satisfaction.