What is Sahasranama Archanai:
Swami has declared Nov 19th as Mahilas day. Therefore, Mahila day pooja is done every month 19th by performing Raw Rice Archana for each of the 1008 namavali’s of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The event will start by chanting 3 Omkarams, followed by 3 Sai Gayathri and then Sathya sai Sahasranama Chanting with Archana by placing Swami’s photo and then Bhajans and concluded with Mangala Harathi.
History of Sahasranama Archanai:
Below is Swami´s explanation concern to 1008 Names of God.
The hridaya chakra has eight petals. God is the Lord of the eight-petaled hridaya chakra. These eight petals are regarded as eight consorts of the Lord. In this context, the Lord is adored in the form of the Sun. The world cannot survive without the Sun. The solar system is derived from the Sun. Hence, the Sun is worshipped as Divine…
The ancient sages adored the eight petaled divine centre in the heart and thereby reached the sahasraara chakra and enjoyed supreme bliss.
The sahasraara chakra has a thousand petals. Each petal carries sixteen phases (kalas). Thus the sahasraara chakra is said to represent 16,000 cowherd maidens (gopikas), while the eight petals of the hridaya chakra are adored as the eight consorts of Krishna….
The ancient sages reached the thousand petaled Sahasrara through the adoration of the Lord in the eight-petaled lotus of the heart. They used all their God-given intelligence for this spiritual goal. …The sages considered cultivation of virtues, good qualities, and righteous conduct as true education.
What do the eight petals of the heart represent? They are: love (prema), truth (sathyam), forbearance (sahanam), sacrifice (thyaga), compassion (daya), beauty (sundaram), bliss (aanandha) and peace (saanthi). To realize the bliss of the Divine, all the other qualities have to be fostered. God is the embodiment of all these eight attributes. Sacrifice is the most important of them.
Sahasranama Archanai in Karanai Samithi:
In Karanai Samithi, Sahasranama Archanai will happen in 2 locations namely Bollineni Apartments and Sabari Serenity apartments. Mahilas bring raw rice for the pooja. After Archana, rice is later used for preparing food for Narayana Seva and respective mahilas take back little rice as sacred prasadam.
Benefits:
Mantras, names of gods are carrying the energy by Vedic knowledge and also by modern science. That is why Swami so often repeats the significance of bhajans, chanting the names of gods. Among the various spiritual activity chanting the Divine Name is the basis of all others.
Swami says, It may not be possible for you to undertake rigorous spiritual practises like meditation, penance, Yoga, etc. It is enough if you chant the Divine Name. Do not undertake practises which you do not understand. Take to the simplest path, i.e., Namasmarana. In Krita Yuga, meditation was prescribed as the means to liberation. In Treta Yuga it was Yajna. In Dwapara Yuga, people performed Archana (worship), and in this Kali Age, Namasmarana is the prescribed path to liberation.”In this Kali Age, chanting of the Lord’s Name alone can grant you liberation. There is no greater path than this.”So,sing His glory and cross this ocean of worldly life. Namasmarana is the basis of all spiritual practises.