॥ श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः । श्री मात्रे नमः ॥
In the span of a few blessed days, Bhaskara Prakasha Ashram witnessed a veritable river of grace flowing from the plains of Kalaburagi to the ancient hills of Srisailam. What began as an inner stirring—a gentle summons from the Divine Mother—manifested into two monumental events: the Ayuta Caṇḍī Mahāyajña in Kalaburagi and the Śata Caṇḍī Yajña in Srisailam.
Though conducted in two distinct kṣetras (sacred grounds), the inner current that flowed through both was one and the same: Devi’s anugraha (grace) manifesting through Guru Kṛpā.
Please click the links below to view the photo galleries of these events:
Srisailam Śata Caṇḍī Mahayajña
Below is a chronicle of this divine journey, stitched together from the hearts of the devotees who witnessed it.
Kalaburagi: A Kṣetra Awakened by Sacred Fire
by Smt. Vani Ayyadevara
Like a gentle summons from the Divine Mother Herself, our journey toward Kalaburagi began with an inner stirring—an invitation not written in words, but whispered through the heart. Upon arriving, we beheld a scene reminiscent of ancient yajña bhūmis described in the scriptures: eleven homakuṇḍas standing in powerful silence, awaiting the touch of Agni, the messenger to the heavens. The very earth seemed sanctified, vibrating with mantras yet to be chanted and blessings yet to descend.
The Sacred Commencement
The Ayuta Caṇḍī Mahāyajña auspiciously began by seeking the Anujñā of Candrālā Parameśvarī at Sannati, the revered Kuladevī of Śrī Bhāskararāya. This was followed by Jalayātra Pūjā performed at the banks of the sacred Bhīmā River, leading into Jalayātrā (procession of sacred water) for Kalasa sthāpana for Ayuta Caṇḍī Mahāyajña. The sanctity of the event was further established through Go Pūjā and Pūrvāṅga Bali Pūjā-s, setting a powerful foundation for the rituals to follow.
Our first darśana was that of our revered Guru Maṇḍala—their presence radiated the quiet majesty of ṛṣis from bygone eras. Their smiles carried compassion; their words carried guidance; their very gaze carried anugraha. After months apart, meeting them felt like returning to the shade of a Kalpavṛkṣa—comforting, nourishing, and transformative.
Kannada edition of Sadyojāta Vidhāna Śiva Pūjā
The Kannada edition of Sadyojāta Vidhāna Śiva Pūjā was released during the sacred observance of the Ayuta Caṇḍī at Kalaburagi, adding a significant new dimension to a work already made available in Devanāgarī, Telugu, and Tamil. Offered to the assembled Āchāryas and bhaktas, it was received not merely as a text, but as a prasāda—imbued with the blessings of the Guru and the spiritual potency of the yajña. In an age that calls for both fidelity to tradition and clarity of practice, this book serves as a steady guide of Śiva upāsanā for householders and sādhakas alike. You can watch release snippet here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yb-EndEmntE
The Flow of Devotion
That blessed evening, by their infinite grace, we were given the divine privilege to chant the Śrī Devī Māhātmyam. As the sacred syllables flowed, they seemed to merge with an unseen cosmic rhythm. Swami from the Ramakrishna Ashrama listened with serene stillness, lending further sanctity to the moment. Beside us sat a lady beautifully adorned as Ambāḷ Herself—her presence felt symbolic, as though the very Mahāśakti had chosen to sit, listen, and bless. In that moment, the boundaries between human and divine blurred; only devotion remained.
The Celestial Spectacle
At dawn, the sacred double homas commenced. The air grew thick with the fragrance of samidh, ghee, and mantras. The climax of the rituals—the simultaneous Pūrṇāhuti in all eleven homakuṇḍas—unfolded like a celestial spectacle. Eleven flames leapt upward in unison, as if answering a divine call. The sight was akin to watching Agni Deva himself rise in multiplied splendour, carrying the collective devotion of hundreds straight to the lotus feet of the Divine Mother.
The people of Kalaburagi embraced us with a sweetness that can only come from hearts shaped by devotion. Their humility was their ornament; their sevā, their sādhana. Every meal served felt like prasādam—offered with bhakti, accepted with gratitude. Our Gurus tended to every detail with the affection of divine parents, their care overflowing with karuṇā.
As the grand Pūrṇāhuti marked the finale after a six day Ayuta Caṇḍī Mahāyajña, a sacred stillness descended—like the calm after a divine visitation. We left with hearts heavy with gratitude. The journey enriched us not only with memories, but with a deeper connection to the Divine and to our Guru Mandala.
We return bowed in humility, uplifted in spirit, and blessed beyond measure.
Srisailam: Devi’s Divine Play
By Smt. Leena Adrushtha
śrī śailēśu bhajintunō yabhavuṅgāñchī nādhu sēvintunō kāśīvallabhun golvambōduno mahā kāḻēśun pūjintunō nāśīlaṃ baṇuvaina mēru vanuchun rakṣimpavē nī kṛpā śrī śṛṅgāravilāsahāsamulachē śrī kāḻahastīśvarā! ॥ 72 ॥
In the Kālahastīśvara Śatakam, the ardent devotee Dhūrjaṭi entreats Parameśvara, saying: "No matter how small my service to You and how petty my persona, treat it as equivalent to the gigantic Meru mountain in greatness, protect me and bless me with Your Śrī!"
This sentiment echoed profoundly in Srisailam. The Śata Caṇḍī saṅkalpa started as a mere thought, but the Devi's Icchā Śakti was at work. It grew into a beautiful reality, showcasing Her divine play (krīḍā) of sṛṣṭi, sthiti, laya, tirodhāna, and anugraha all in this single event! She infused the thought, She carried out the activity, provided and protected at every step and then concluded it all. Finally, She, herself blessed us all through our ever gracious Gurus and the Gurumaṇḍala.
The Holiness of the Kṣetra
The Srisailam Kṣetra holds immense importance as both a Jyotirliṅga Kṣetra and a Śakti Pīṭha. Lord Mallikārjuna resides here with His Śakti, Bhramarāmbā Devī. It is said that He descends here every evening during Pradoṣa to care for His subjects. Many ṛṣis and munis have made this "Kailāsa on Earth" their seat of sādhana, adding to its transformative power.
The Miracle of Provision
It was here that the Devi willed for a Śiva Pūjā and Śata Caṇḍī Yajña to be performed. In this forest kṣetra, where resources are scarce, She acted as the Kriyā Śakti. Each time the team felt anxious about the venue, samidh, annaprasādam, accommodation, or the tāmbulam required for the ṛtviks and suvasinīs, support manifested in multiple forms within hours, as though guided by unseen divine hands. The phrase "Cintita kāryāṇi ayatnena sidhyanti" echoed in our minds. The task of conducting a Śata Caṇḍī homa in a city hundreds of kilometres away is Herculean. The Devi however as the Kriyā Śakti ensured that the team managed to get things done in a timely manner. To the very last minute of the event, there was an unseen, divine force that prevented any harm and protected the devotees and the Yajñam.
The Rituals
The event began with the Gurus visiting the beautiful Poornananda Ashram and delivering a discourse on the Devī Atharvaśīrṣa—the Brahma Vidyā—at the Kanchi Matham in the māḍa vīthi (temple street).
Day 2: Began with Go Pūjā and Guru Pāda Pūjā at the Veda Pāṭhaśālā, where over a hundred disciples chanted the Devī Māhātmyam in unison.
Day 3: Dawned bright for the homa. Under the guidance of our Gurus, the japam, homam, and tarpaṇam were conducted flawlessly. Gītam (music) and Nṛtyam (dance) were offered as upacāras, alongside Bālā, Vaṭuka, Suvāsinī, and Dampatī pūjās.
The acolytes from the Veda Pāṭhaśālā recited the mantras beautifully, and Devi's presence was evident in every step.
The scale and grandeur of the event was that what was meant to be an event with about 70 people attending had over 300 attendees!
The event has concluded successfully, we have all returned to our homes, offices and routines. Just like that the anxiety, excitement and anticipation have all abated. The memories of this event however will linger on for many days to come!
Sarvam Devi Mayam Jagat!
A Divine Orchestration & Journey of Gratitude
Just prior to the trip to Kalaburagi, a rare text—the Candralāmbā Māhātmya with a commentary by Śrī Bhāskararāya—was discovered in a devotee's home, revealing the divine thread connecting our destinations. It explicitly identified Candralāmbā Parameśwari at Sannati in North Karnataka as none other than Bhramarāmbikā in Srisailam. This revelation served as divine confirmation: these sacred events are not merely planned by human minds but orchestrated by the Devī Herself, guiding us from Her presence in Sannati to Her abode in Śrīśailam and weaving two distinct kṣetra-s into a single, seamless tapestry of grace. This mystical union of Her forms finds its eternal echo in the Devī Māhātmyam, linking the banks of the Bhīmā to the abode of Bhrāmarī:
bhīmā devīti vikhyātaṃ tanme nāma bhaviṣyati |
yadāruṇākhyastrailokye mahābādhāṃ kariṣyati ||
tadāhaṃ bhrāmaraṃ rūpaṃ kṛtvā'saṅkhyeyaṣaṭpadam |
trailokyasya hitārthāya vadhiṣyāmi mahāsuram ||
- Devi Mahatmyam 11th Chapter
Whether in the eleven soaring flames of Kalaburagi or the miraculous logistical flow in Srisailam, one truth remained constant: the guiding hand of the Guru Maṇḍala.
As the year 2025 draws to a close, we stand not with a sense of completion, but with humble gratitude and renewed surrender. What unfolded through the year—across different cities, across kṣetra-s, across efforts seen and unseen—has gently reminded us that when work is offered in faith, guidance precedes effort, and grace follows intention.
The journeys undertaken, the rites performed, the challenges encountered, and the timely support that manifested at every step were not isolated events. They were expressions of a deeper truth: the Guru Maṇḍala remains ever-awake, ever-compassionate, and ever-guiding, quietly arranging what the mind could not foresee and sustaining what the hands alone could not accomplish.
May we carry this remembrance into the coming year—not as memory alone, but as śraddhā, shaping every resolve and every action. With hearts anchored in gratitude and minds aligned with dharma, we step forward into 2026, trusting that the same unseen hand will continue to lead, protect, and inspire.
या देवी सर्वभूतेषु शक्तिरूपेण संस्थिता ।
नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमस्तस्यै नमो नमः ॥
— Devī Māhātmyam (5th Chapter)
“Salutations again and again to that Devī who abides in all beings as Power itself.”
अखण्डमण्डलाकारं व्याप्तं येन चराचरम् ।
तत्पदं दर्शितं येन तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः ॥
“Salutations to that Śrī Guru who revealed the Supreme Reality that pervades the entire universe, moving and unmoving.”