gavaamayana-sattra in Gangakhed

[Jan E.M. Houben]

(Forwarded message)

GAVAAMAYANA SATTRA
(A Year-Long Sacrificial Session)


Sacrifice is the essence of Vedic religion. A performer  of purely
vedic sacrifice is required to establish three fires and perform daily
Agnihotra, fortnightly Darsapurnamasa and other occasinal sacrifices.
In the Soma sacrifices juice of the Soma plant is extracted and offered.

  In the sacrifice oblatains are made with sacred purpose to two
visible symbols of god namely the Fire and the Sun and this relation is
established between the Universol energy and human beings. Sacrifices
are performed in the time connecting the two natural periods. Human
life is also a connecting period where one should try to acquire divine
values  through the performance of sacrifices. It is said that gods
achievemed godhood through the sacrificial performances established in
worship, organisation and donation. Therefore the institution of
sacrifice should be protected and augmented with our available sources
and energy.

Soma sacrifices can be performed either in one day, two days or even
more. The sacrifices spreading over twelve or more days are called
Sattra (Sacrificial Session). Gavamayana is a sacrificial session which
requires one year-long period of Soma offerings. In the Sattra the
priests are considered to be sacrificers of equal status leaving aside
the relation of patron and protagee. Thus Sattra is a saacred
performance symbolizing equality and cooperation.

After a long gap of centuries or rather a millennium, Gavaamayana
Sattra is to be performed from 28th March 1999 to 16th April 2000 in
Gangakhed (District Parbhani, Maharashtra) under leadership of Shri
Selukar Maharaj who has completed a series of Somayagas from time to
time and place to place in the last 30 years in South and North India.

The sacrificial session which he proposes to perform will be a very
rare and unique historic incidence in the field of religious activities. It
will attract the attention of all the academicians  as well as the
followers of the Vedic religion from all over the world. All the people
who have firm faith in the Vedic religion are therefore requested to
donate generously to this noble cause.

  Kindly extend your cooperation to the following address:

  Organizing Committee of
  Gavamayana Sattra
  Gangakhed , Dist. Parbhani, Maharashtra
  India, Pin Code:  431 514
  Phone :  02453 - 22623

(enquiries for further information are to be directed only to the above-
mentioned address+tel.no., not to the 'forwarder' of the message)