Knoxville, TN, September 6th & September 7th 2009

His Holiness Bhagwan Sri Viswayogi Viswamjee Maharaj arrived in the early hours of Saturday to Knoxville.  During the day there were pada poojas and at the end of the day, a main event where the devotees performed pooja by chanting “Rudram”. 

He addressed the audience and emphasized the need for all of us to unite and work hard to achieve peace.  He told parents that we should raise children in such a way that they can endure pain and work hard and not easily get disturbed and dejected and disheartened at any transient hurdles.  The parents should inculcate the values like steadfastness, virtue of hard work to the children.  He stressed that the key to success is hard-work and not to be jealous of others which will lead us to a downward spiral.  Any one can achieve the success if one takes the task at hand as a challenge.  He gave the example of Bill Gates and Bhagavan Satya Sai baba who struggled and worked hard to be in the positions that they are in now.  The children should be taught the dignity of labor, He emphasized. 

He declared that He is a Yogi and worships universe as His Guru, thus Viswaguru.  Sri Satya Sai and Viswayogi are fond of the “Sanatana Dharma” which embraces/loves all and stressed the need to look for Good values wherever they are. 

The Sunday started with Bhajans and then Viswadatta vratam with chanting of “Rudram, Purusha Suktam, Sri Suktam and Lalita Sahasranamam and ended with Mantra pushpam (Narayana Suktam)”.   During His discourse Swamiji  narrated the story of Jillelamudi Amma’s teaching about Advaita.  Amma asked a lady who was a regular visitor to Amma, as to why she did not come to Amma for such a long time. The lady said that she was attending lectures on Advaita, and hence did not find the time to come to Amma. On being asked by Amma, as to  what she learned about Advaita at the erudite scholars lectures that she was attending,   The lady said, “Frankly speaking, not a word”.  Then Amma said, “love/treat your daughter and daughter-in-law the same way” is in reality Advaita. 

He said nothing escapes from His universal eye.  As it is the beginning of the Mahalaya fortnight, He emphasized that we should be indebted to our parents.  He stressed that the married people have two sets of parents, one who gave the birth and the other who are your wife’s parents.  He stressed that, the married to respect both of them equally and honor them during this fortnight either by presenting the clothes to the surviving or “Shradhah” if they are deceased. 

He bestowed His grace on all and asked to be better human beings and fill our hearts with love and mind with peace to attain greater success in life