18 days of Bhagavad Gita
Immediately after the Los Angeles Ashram started, we requested THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM to start satsangs in the area. THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM agreed to deliver 18 days of Bhagavad Gita discourse, one day for each chapter. We could not wait for the discourses to start since we knew that His commentary would be alive, vibrant and would shed light and bring Gita to life in the modern context. Gita discourses were to be held in the auditorium hall of Malibu Temple which was about an hour away from Duarte. The discourses started in late September and this was a fantastic treat for all who attended these discourses.
THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM on starting day of the 18 days of Bhagavad Gita discourses
THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM's discourse each day was approximately three hours in duration. The discourses would start at 6:00 pm and end by about 10:00 pm. He would speak for 1 ½ hours and then give a 15 minute break. Our Los Angeles devotees got together and made sure food and refreshments were served to all participants freely every day. THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM always insists on anna dhaan (giving food freely) at all our ashrams. He tells us that feeding food through our anna mandirs (food temples) is a great spiritual practice. At all our ashrams all over the world, the kitchen is open to anyone and everyone who visits THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM ashrams.
THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM spoke very beautifully on all chapters of Bhagavad Gita. In each chapter, he provided a new and unique perspectives. The discourses were refreshing, fun, in a language everyone could understand and more importantly take something away that could be directly implemented in our lives. Every evening we would leave Duarte Ashram around 3:30 pm due to uncertainty in Los Angeles traffic and reach the temple by 5:30 pm. It was only in the car that THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM would ask, "What is the title of today's discourse?" And then he would say "Alright" and close his eyes. It is quite fascinating to see this. The master never prepares for any discourse. Once when I asked THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM how all this wisdom is delivered so eloquently, he just smiled and said, "I simply download it and the wisdom is delivered". He then went on to say that every thought in the universe is recorded. These records, called akashik records are available for enlightened masters to simply download. He also went on to say that every enlightened master simply adds his experience to the truth and sheds a new light and perspective in the present context.
This great system allows continuous updating so that the truth can be explained effectively to the people. This is why Swmaiji's discourses are so interesting. For example when THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM spoke of why samskaras (engraved memories) cause us to be stressful and slow in making decisions, he gave us an example that everyone, especially the younger generation could understand at once. He told us that samskaras are like high resolution photographs. It takes long time to open these files. However when we cleanse our mind of samskaras through meditation, it is like a Microsoft word file which can be opened instantly! Now this kind of an example can resonate with everyone, especially those being exposed to spirituality for the first time. This is the genius of my Master. THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM goes on to say, it is like a new version/release of the software – every enlightened master sheds more light on the truth with additional dimensions so that it to be easily understood by the current population. He told us the truth is one and the same – each enlightened master expresses the truth and updates the truth based on His experience and what the society at large at the time He is living in the body can digest, understand and internalize.
THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM's topics in Bhagavad Gita were quite fascinating, contemporary and what he calls in software lingo "user friendly"! The following were the titles for each of the eighteen discourses:
Every topic he spoke on is a masterpiece. The clarity he shed on topics such as the basis of the Hindu caste system, the basis of karma yoga where he talked about the beauty of purposelessness, about death and life. All of these discourses have now been converted into DVDs and books on each chapter are now being released.
Bhagavad Gita discourse series launched our mission in Los Angeles area. A large group of core devotees and volunteers came together during this discourse series. Within a few days of commencing Bhagavad Gita discourses we filled up the satsang hall. Thousands of people were benefited through this refreshing new commentary of this age old scripture.
We now started having a steady stream of devotees coming to the ashram. Every evening THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM spent time with the devotees. We never know when the master's pearls of wisdom would come and all of a sudden he picks up a topic or an issue and sheds light on it in a whole new dimension. After the Bhagavad Gita, THE SUPREME PONTIFF OF HINDUISM BHAGAWAN SRI NITHYANANDA PARAMASHIVAM spent a few more weeks in LA Ashram and left for Bharat.
Chapter 6: Mission Continues in Bharat - 2005