MB#2: 𝙎𝙖𝙝𝙖𝙨𝙧𝙖 𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙧𝙖 𝘿𝙖𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙖: 𝘼 𝙂𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝘾𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙪𝙖𝙡 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙇𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝘼𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩.

[MemoirBlogthon #2] We honored our father's 82nd birthday with the Sahasra Chandra Darshana Vratham, a grand celebration in which over 1000 full moons were viewed. Over 300 people attended this very spiritual event, which featured five hours of Vedic ceremonies and showcased the outstanding filial duty that children owe to their parents, including respect, obedience, and support. The ceremony emphasizes the spiritual significance of recognizing parental longevity and acts as an encouragement to others.

MB#2: A Grand Celebration of Spiritual Achievement.

Honoring a Thousand Full Moons

On Sunday, March 2, 2008, our family came together to perform the Sahasra Chandra Darshana Vratham (SADABHISHEKAM) to honor my father, Shri S. S. Sastry, on his 82nd birthday. This grand all-day event, held at Sri Sarada Kalyana Mandapam, Sankara Matham in Hyderabad, was an opportunity to celebrate the remarkable longevity of both our parents.

The Spiritual Significance of 1000 Moons

Sahasra Chandra Darshana is a unique Hindu ceremony performed when the husband completes 80 years of age, marking the completion of viewing over 1000 full moons (Purnima days) in one's lifetime. This achievement is considered spiritually significant, believed to help the person attain Moksha (liberation) through the blessings of Lord Chandra.

The rituals were extensive, performed for five hours by our family priest, Sri Lanka Sivanandam garu. They included traditional ceremonies such as the Mritunjaya Homa, Bheeshma Ratha Santhi, Rudra Ekadasa Homa, and Udakasanthi. Taking blessings from the couple who perform this Vratham is considered highly worthy.

A Legacy That Inspires

The event, which saw the attendance of over 300 relatives, well-wishers, and friends, was a testament to the goodwill my parents cultivated over a lifetime. The logistical complexity was managed by all my siblings, while I oversaw the distribution of a welcome kit, which included a fifteen-page book published in Telugu and an almanac calendar sponsored by the 'Saakshi' Telugu newspaper.

The event was a testament to the family's strength. Its lasting impact is the continuous remembrance and the fact that other invitees have since adopted and performed similar honors for their parents. The third-party validation was overwhelming. My mother's eldest sister noted, "I have heard but never witnessed" such a function, while my father's brother felt fortunate that our family had organized two such major events simultaneously.

The deeper ethical 'why' is that this celebration remains an enduring example of filial duty and honor, setting an example of celebrating the family's patriarchal longevity and spiritual achievement. Though the event was in 2008, we are often contacted, both locally and abroad, by people seeking advice on how to perform this exact function for their parents—a powerful testament to the legacy our parents' longevity created.

Impressions from relatives and well-wishers (SS Prakasam, Konduri Ramanadham, Maganti Subrahmanyam, Kalluri Bharatamata, and Dr. Bulusu Suryanarayana Murthy) all highlighted the rarity and grandeur of witnessing this particular ceremony.

MB#2: Quiz

MB#2: Question: The Sahasra Chandra Darshana ceremony is a rare celebration, marking the viewing of approximately how many full moons?

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• A. 500 full moons.
• B. 1000 full moons.
• C. 108 full moons.
• D: 50 full moons.

MB#2: Quote

"The highest honor a child can give his father is to walk in his footsteps and surpass them."