Sri Chakra Rajam Maha Yajnam in McDonough, Georgia
For the first time in the USA, a small group of Vedic believers called Vedas US performed Sri Chakra Rajam Maha Yagnya in McDonough, Georgia, in the Atlanta area. Vedas US members do research in vedas, related shastras, and yagnyas and have performed various yagnyas over the last few years. On the auspicious occasion of Chaitra Suddha Purnami on April 04, 2015, this ritual was performed under the leadership of Venkata Ramana and Nalini Chaganti along with six other families. Because of the lunar eclipse on that day, the homam commenced at 1 p.m.
This yagnya (ritual of the sacred fire) is one of the oldest and rarest of all. Since it requires much care, few people perform it, even in India. While it took over three hours to perform, the seven families spent over two weeks in constructing the kundam (altar) to make sure they correctly represented the Sri Yantra (sacred instrument, also Sri Chakra, a diagram formed by nine interlocking triangles that surround and radiate out from the central bindu point). Important features of this yagnya are these: 43 Yagnya Kundas in a triangle form are constructed to form the shape of Sri Chakra; There are 7 layers in which this yagnya is performed; Structure of the universe is hidden in the Sri Chakra; Mantras are chanted describing the creation of the universe; God is praised as Para Sakthi or Adi Sakthi in this yagnya; All 14 worlds from Patalam to Brahma Lokam are described; and Beejaakshara Mantras are chanted throughout to sanctify.
The 3 dimensional Sri Chakra Rajam’s Yagnya Kundam, which represents the method in which God’s creation took place, consists of 9 main chakras, yonis, or enclosures in the form of triangles with five layers that generate 43 more triangles with the arrangement of the nine triangles.
The mantra of Sri Chakra Rajam is called beeja (seed) chakra, using beeja letters Aum, I’M, Hrim (pronounced Hreem), Srim, and Klim. These beeja letters are chanted in 3-1-4 rhythm. After every chant of the beeja mantra, veda mantras from different sukthas were chanted. The women also sang Mangala Harathi praising God. Sri Ravisankar Boggaram visited the site and blessed the couples.
Website Bonus Feature
Video Galleries of the entire process:
By Srilasya Volam and Suresh K. Volam
http://tinyurl.com/srichakra
http://www.tinyurl.com/SriChakraRajam-MahaYagnyam
Photo Gallery:
By Suresh Volam's children Kumari Lasya and Kumar Sangamitra, and Giri Kandala's son Achal.
http://1drv.ms/1F77LLc
More about Sri Chakra Rajam
Sri Chakra Yantra, Thanthra and Mantra have many understandings in our ancient texts. All agree that Sri-Chakra Rajam represents the creation of the universe. In India, Astadasha Peethams worship the Sri Chakra Rajam as a Yantra and many saints worship Sri Chakra Rajam with Thanthra. For the first time in USA, three-dimensional Sri Chakra Rajam Yagnya Kunda is constructed in which oblations were given with Veda Mantras. The 3 dimensional Sri Chakra Rajam’s Yagnya Kundam that represents the method in which God’s creation took place consists of 9 main chakras, yonis or enclosures in the form of triangles that comprise of five layers that generate 43 more triangles with the arrangement of the nine triangles.
Five triangles with their apex pointing east and four triangles with their peaks pointing west are arranged in such a way that has the meaning of the creation. These 9 inter-locking triangles generate a total of 43 triangles (See the picture). The top layer has one triangle, the next layer has 8 triangles, the next layer has 10 triangles, the next layer also has 10 more triangles, and the last layer (bottom most layer) has 14 triangles. Bindu is placed at the center of the top triangle. It is beyond the scope of this article to write about the entire meaning of these triangles and a center point Bindu (dot) that is within the top central single triangle.
YagnyaProcedure
The mantra of Sri Chakra Rajam is significantly called Beeja (Seed) chakra with the worship done mainly with Beeja letters (Aum (OM), I’M (I eem), Hrim (Hreem), Srim (Sreem), Klim (Kleem)). These Beeja letters are chanted carefully lead by Hotha Shri Shastry Munnagala and the Saptha-Hothas (Seven couples who participated). These letters were chanted with (3-1-4) rhythm. And after every chant of the Beeja Mantra, Ved Manthras from different Sukthas were chanted by Brahma Shri Venkata Chaganti. Adhvaryu Shri Suresh K. Volam has got the Gharhapatya Agni from the main Purohit Shri Vishwamitra Chaganti and proceeded to light the Gharhapatya and Avahaniya Agnis. Dakshinnagni was led by Hotha Shri Sai Ram Karumanchi and Sambyagni was led by Hotha Shri Giri Kandala. Agneyagni and Vayavyagni were led by Hothas Shri Neelam Srinivas and Hotha Shri Chandramohan Pamidimarri respectively.
Central Yagnya Kundam at the top of all the layers was dedicatedly taken care by Hotha Shri Sai Ram Karumanchi. Advaryu Shri Suresh K. Volam, and Hotha Shri Shastry were the architects of the 3 dimensional Shri Chakra Rajam Yagnyakundam. Hotha Shri Sai Ram gave the initial and final touches to the 3 dimensional Sri Chakra Rajam Yagnyakundam. Mathematical Simplicity was handled by Hotha Shri Giri Kandala and Hotha Shri Sreenivas Neelam handled the materials. This entire process was approved and designed by Brahma and chief Architect Shri Venkata R Chaganti.
Premises was given by Smt. Nalini Chaganti, and food for Devathas was prepared by Smt. Nalini Chaganti. All ornamental arrangements were designed and executed by Smt. Nalini Chaganti, Smt. Sailaja Munnagala, Smt. Gowri Sundararaman, Smt. Kamala Volam, Smt. Shobha Neelam, Smt. Vandana Kandala, and Smt. Anita Pamidimarri.
Website for Vedas US: http://www.vedas.us
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