Tirumala reverberates with slokas from Sundarakanda
Vedic scholars rendering slokas of Sundarakanda at Tirumala on Tuesday
Tirupati: It was a rare occasion to see 250 Vedic scholars rendering 211 slokas (first chapter of Sundarakanda) seeking the blessings of Lord Hanuman and Lord Venkateswara to protect the world from the deadly coronavirus.
The special programme was held at Nada Neerajanam mandapam facing Bedi Hanuman. Pundits from Dhramagiri Veda Patasala, S V Vedic University faculty, Veda parayanadars of SV Institute of Higher Vedic Studies and Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidya Peetham, (Central Sanskrit University) participated in the mass recitation. They were joined by temple priests, officials of the TTD, including additional EO A V Dharma Reddy and employees.
The chorus chanting of slokas reverberated the skylines of the holy hills adding to the spiritual ambience.
It may be mentioned here that Dharma Reddy had taken a spiritual crusade against Covid-19 pandemic. The TTD had organised a 62-day Dhanvanthri Maha Mmantra parayanam and on the advice of Veda pundits the TTD has taken up Sundarakanda Pathanam from June 11.
Reddy said Prathama Sarga of Sundarakanda from Ramayana narrates the valor of Lord Hanuman who reached Lanka passing all hurdles of demon armies, in search of Seetha Matha. It is believed that just as the landing of Hanuman in Lanka led to the end of Ravana, the rendering of Sundrakanda Parayanam would lead to freedom from Covid-19.
The mass chanting coincided with the 12th anniversary of TTD's Sri Venkateswara Bhakti Channel (SVBC) which daily telecasts live the recitation to boost up the spiritual quotient to act as a morale booster to the people to brave the difficulties they are facing for four months due to the pandemic.
TTD JEO P Basant Kumar, Tirumala temple Dy EO Harindranath, SV Vedic Varsity Vice Chancellor Sudarshana Sharma, RSVP Vice-Chancellor Muralidhara Sharma, Dharmagiri Veda Vignana Peetham Principal KSS Avadhani, OSD of SVVHSI Vibhishana Sharma, TTD Astana Musician Dr Garimella Balakrishna Prasad, HoDs of various departments in the TTD participated.