Chennai:
The Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam has appealed to the devotees to chant Ram mantra and shlokas on August 5, the day on which the foundation stone laying puja is scheduled to take place for constructing a temple for Lord Ram, at the Ram Janmabhoomi site in Ayodhya.
The occasion also coincides with the jayanthi celebrations of the 69th pontiff Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, who also played a key role in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement.
The mutt appealed to the devotees to recite hymns from Chapter 40 of “Kancipura Mahatmiyam,” which consists of shlokas chanted by Maharaja Dasarath in praise of Sri Kamakshi Devi of Kancheepuram.
“The auspicious day happens to be the Avatara Jayanthi day of the 69th Acharya Sri Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal, who had initiated many efforts to find a solution to build Sri Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. This indicates the blessings of Sri Rama on Acharya and his efforts,” the Kanchi mutt said.
The bhoomi pujan, or the ground breaking ceremony for the construction of a Ram temple is slated on August 5, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi expected to attend it.
The centuries-old mutt urged all the devotees to chant the shlokas from chapter 40 of the ‘Kancipura Mahatmiyam.’
“Along with that, the Acharya of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam (Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi Swami) has blessed all the devotees to chant Sri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram mantra at least 108 times to seek the blessings of Sri Rama,” a release said.
This is meant to be a tribute to the 69th acharya who had played a crucial role in resolving the Ayodhya dispute, said V Subramanian, secretary, Jan Kalyan, the spiritual and social service arm of the ancient Kanchi peetam.
Sri Jayendra Saraswati, known to be outspoken, never minced words in expressing his views.
His views on contentious issues like the Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi dispute were unambiguous. In an interview in 2002, he had referred to Babri Masjid as “just a vijayastambham” (a mere victory pillar).
His first effort to broker peace among the contenders for disputed land at Ayodhya was in March, 2002 when the late Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Prime Minister.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board’s delegation met the Sankara Mutt chief many times.
Subramanian told PTI the Narendra Modi-led government should install a statue of Jayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya at the Ram temple in Ayodhya as a fitting tribute to the seer saying he was the first among the Hindu saints to take the initiative to resolve the dispute at Ayodhya.
The former pontiff of the mutt died in 2018.
