From 14th to 16th May a special Sri Vidya Anushthana dedicated to our beloved Swami Satyananda was conducted at Rikhiapeeth. The Sri Yantra was installed at Rikhiapeeth by Swami Satyananda prior to his samadhi on 25th October 2009, with proper rituals and ceremonies, and at that time he had declared that daily pooja of Sri Yantra at Rikhiapeeth is an essential feature of this seat dedicated to higher learning. The entire anushthana was conducted in the newly renovated samadhi area, which was truly divine.
During this anushthana the yoginis of Lalita Mahila Samajam Ashram, Tamil Nadu, worshipped the sacred Sri Yantra. Hundreds of guests from all over India and the world gathered to participate in this auspicious anushthana in the spiritual vibrations of Rikhiapeeth.
Each morning abhisheka of the Sri Yantra was conducted by the yoginis as the kanyas chanted the entire Saundarya Lahari. In the evening sessions, as the heat of the day relented, the havan was conducted and the sacred mantras filled the air.
On the evening of 14th April, Swami Satyasangananda guided all present through a powerful meditation after the evening havan was complete. As silence descended over the crowd of more than 1,000 people, a divine peace was felt by all and the presence of Sri Swamiji was as strong as ever. As people opened their eyes they were spellbound by the beauty of the Samadhi Sthal, which had been lit by hundreds of lights which created the impression that one had left the earthly plane and entered the sublime divya loka.
During the anushthana the kanyas invoked the blessings of Devi with beautiful traditional dances in the Bharata Natyam and Odissi style. The kanyas are the very embodiment of the Cosmic Mother and the deity of the Sri Yantra. So as they danced, the presence of the Divine Mother was felt by one and all.
On Akshaya Tritiya we all witnessed Swami Satyananda's central teaching of giving as prasad was offered to the village elders of Rikhia panchayat, whom Swami Satyananda fondly called his co-travelers, and to the sevaks and Santhali rezas and labourers. The kanyas and batuks were also invited for a special bhoj.
On the most auspicious day of Akshaya Tritiya, a cow, on behalf of Swami Satyananda, was presented to Rajendra Ramani from Nawadhi, by Rajesh Sharma from Indore. The offering of this cow was most auspicious as the cow is known as Kamadhenu, the bounteous one. This offering was a tribute to the sankalpa of Swami Satyananda, which has manifested here in Rikhiapeeth, to shower peace, plenty and prosperity on one and all. The yoginis, Swami Satyasangananda and Swami Niranjanananda performed pooja on the cow and her calf before presenting the cow to a very happy Rajendra Ramani, who received the infinite blessings of Devi and guru in the form of this cow that will bring new found prosperity into his humble home.
Akshaya means indestructible, thus any acts you perform on this day will remain with you forever. Due to the indestructible force of this day, the words we speak, the thoughts we think and the acts we perform remain with us life after life. This anushthana conducted during Akshaya Tritiya, at the tapobhoomi of a Sadguru, ensured that the blessings of the Cosmic Mother and Sadguru that were invoked will remain with us all for many lives to come.