Shivaratri courses draw a global audience

For many years Dayananda Ashram and Pujya Swamji have had a standing date to observe Shivaratri. The annual observance usually marks the start of a three months residential course. And as Shivaratri is a specific occasion for renunciation and empowering mantras, Pujya Swamiji generally performs Sannyasi diksha for certain individuals.

Breaking from tradition this year though, Pujya Swamiji's schedule meant he did not arrive until a few days after Shivaratri which this year fell on 6 th March Instead he opted for three short term camps held over several weeks and initiated nine sadhakas and students into the ancient order of Sannyasa in three groups.

The upshot of the three short courses was a large number of people were able to attend Pujya Swamiji's classes which were lively, sharp, and affording clear insights into selected verses of the Bhagavad Gita.

In the first camp, held over seven days from 9 to 16 March Pujya Swamiji taught from verse twenty-one from the second chapter, taking three classes per day to expound its message.

For the second and third courses, Pujya Swamiji analysed a random selection of Gita verses which together presented a picture of everything from dharma to quarks.

An eclectic mix of people gathered at Dayananda Ashram ashram for the courses. There were South Americans, North Americans, Canadians, Europeans South East Asians, Middle Easterns, and Antipodeans plus Indians from all over the country.

An average of 250 people attended each course.

Brahmachari Cetana, a student of the last Anaikatti course arrived from Japan along with 18 of his students and friends. Cetana teaches Vedanta from his base in the city of Kyoto . Because most of his students live in different cities he largely conducts his classes over the internet using the Skype telephone link-up technique. Cetana also held daily classes during the camps to explain in Japanese the points of Pujya Swamiji's teaching. This arrangement worked well as in addition to Cetana's own students there were a number of other Japanese attending the Rishikesh courses this year who were able to gain further insights from Cetana's extra class.

Brahmacharini Vinaya Chaitanya, a student of the last Rishikesh course was another overseas visitor for the camps. She brought a number of her students from Malaysia . Many of them were keen grammarians who attended the grammar classes arranged by Rishikesh acharya Swami Aparokshanandaji as part of the curriculam. In addition there were twice daily chanting classes and daily classes on yoga.

A number of guests arrived from time to time. Sri Krishnamurthy Sashtri, principal of Madras College of Sanskrit attended the first course along with 16 of his own students. He also delivered a lecture in Sanskrit to the course.

Janta Party president, Sri Subramaniam Swamy paid a brief visit during the course. Although he arrived largely to invite Pujya Swamiji to launch his latest book, he found time to update the course students on the latest events surrounding the moves to preserve the Ram Setu under threat by the Setusamudra dredging project in the Polk Strait .

Dayananda Ashram this year also played host to popular film star Victor Baneergee and his wife Maya who came for the last camp. The actor and his wife are nowadays largely residents of Uttarakhand having what he calls a 'modest' hideaway near Mussorie.