JAGADGURU KANCHI SRI CHANDRASEKARENDRA SARASWATHI . - Sankara Nethralaya

JAGADGURU KANCHI SRI CHANDRASEKARENDRA SARASWATHI NETHRA NILAYAMTHE FIRST ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS - 24.5.2000The first anniversary of Jagadguru Kanchi Sri Chandrasekarendra Saraswathi Nethra Nilayam wasobserved on 24.5.2000To commemorate the 107th Birth Anniversary of the Kanchi Mahaswamy, several projects wereundertaken with the help and financial support of friends and wellwishers of the foundation. Free sarisand dhotis were distributed to 107 self-development books were distributed to deserving schoolchildren. Free food was provided for 107 poor people. At Jaslok Community Ophthalmic Centre 107free cataract surgeries with intraocular lens implantation were performed on deserving poor patients.His Holiness Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal graced the premises of Sankara Nethralaya and thenew addition which had completed its first year of service. The guests of honour who spoke on theoccasion were Sri V Shankar of Mumbai, Justice M M Ismail from Chennai and Sri Jagdish Chanraifrom London. Others who spoke included Sri T N Seshan. Dr Prema Padmanabhan, Asst. MedicalDirector welcomed the gathering in chaste Sanskrit while Dr S S Badrinath, Chairman introduced theguests of honour. His Holiness Sri Jayendra Saraswathi blessed the gathering and delivered theanugraha bashanam. A multimedia presentation titled "Jaya Jaya Sankara, Hara Hara Sankara"created by the Multimedia section of the Sankara Nethralaya traced the continuing association of HisHoliness and the Kanchi Kamokoti Peetam with Sankara Nethralaya since its inceptio in 1978.

JAGADGURU KANCHI SRICHANDRASEKARENDRASARASWATHI NETHRA NILAUAMThe First Year - InRetrospectOne year has gone by since we invoked the divine grace that our humanendeavors be blessed to accomplish a divine will. Our efforts have beensincere.195 members of the Nethralaya family work within the walls of the NethraNilayam. This complex has two buildings. The Jaslok community OphthalmicCentre has 68 beds and 5 efficiently functioning operation tables. This centreoffers its services not only to deserving patients with limited financialresources, but also to patients in villages in Kanchipuram and Thiruvallurdistricts by the Rural Outreach Programme. Several non governmentalorganisations such as the Tulsi Trust, Singhvi Charitable Trust, Sathya SaiGroup and Lions Club screen patients at peripheral centres. Those requiringtreatment are bought to Sankara Nethralaya, where Dr R Ashok, Dr RashminGandhi, Dr Smita praveen, Dr Anita Chopra and Dr L Arun give them theopththalmic care that they require.The H T Parekh Block had 65 beds and 5 operation theatres where a widevariety of surgeries are performed.In the past one year, the Jagadguru Kanchi Sri ChandrasekarandraSaraswathi Nethra Nilayam has seen 90,956 patients in the Outpatientdepartments of which 60.62% were seen free. The Nethra Nilayam performed15,612 surgeries of which 56.34% were performed free for deserving poorpatients.

Here at Sankara Nethralaya we have instinctively adopted Rudyard Kipling'sfamous injunction "If you can walk with crowds and keep your virtues, and talkwith kings nor lose the common touch". It is no exaggeration that people fromall walks of life have entered these gates. If they leave these portals with asense of satisfaction that they have received the best of care, we would haveachieved the purpose for which we as an institution were created.The Bhavad Gita gives us a divine assurance "whatsoever be the form ofworship, if it is done with shradda, I shall make it unwavering". In Nethralaya,we have been taught but one form of worship. Therefore on the occasion of107th Birth Anniversary of the Kanchi Mahaswamy, our tribute took the formof performing 107 cataract surgeries with intraocular lens implantationcompletely free of cost to deserving patients. Dr Ashok and his team ofsurgeons, Mr Natana Arasu and his enthusiastic band of operation theatrestaff, and Mr Sivakumar and his task force including nurses and SWANvolunteers working together for three days was a shining example of whatshradda means. We offer this effort and its fruits at the holy feet of the greatsage of Kanchi. May his karunalaya ever sustain out Nethralaya.Dr Prema Padmanabhan.Asst.Medical Director

Mr V Shankar is well known as a Charatered Accountant and CompanySecretary. He was Introduced a little more than a year ago to Dr. Badrinathby Dr Natarajan at Mumbai.Mr Shankar is a philanthropist and is the Honorary secretary of South IndiaEducational Society which has been performing yeomen service in the field ofeducation for several decades. He His also the Chairman of The KanchiKamakoti Childs Trust Hospital which was founded by His Holiness recently.He has taken up as his life mission the propagation of the teachings of KanchiMahaswamy. Mr. Shankar is closely associated with the Sankar Mutt atKanchi. He has also helped Nethralaya, and the new complex which bearsthe name of the Mahaswamy, is his child.The follwoing is an adaptation of the eloquent speech made by Mr. V.Shankaron the occasion of the first anniversary celebrations of Sri ChandrasekarendraSaraswathi Nethra nilayam, which was blessed by the presence of HisHoliness Shri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal of the Kanchi KamakotiPeetam.I Have great pleasure in associating myself with this function. Any function oractivity that in the remotest way invokes the name of kanchi mahaswamybrings in a great sense of devotion, exhilaration and joy.We should be to grateful to the gods for it was in our thimes that theMahaswamy traversed this earth. We were witness to one of the greatestsaints of our times, a true karmayogi, a gnanayogi, a jeevanamuktha. TheKanchi Mahaswamy during the 100 years of his life, travelled the length andbreadth of this country spreading compassion and goodwill. The Lord himselfhas been described as being endowed with all auspicious qualities. TheMahaswamy was endowed with all the auspicious qualities that the Lordhimself had. This was why he was referred to as " Nadamadum DEivam" theGod amongst men. This master of masters was like a shining light thatrekindled the spirit of the nation and brought a renaissance in education,religion and culture. Such was the power of his influence that when he left hismortal self on 8th Jan 1994, not only the Hindus but also Muslims andChristians in large numbers offered prayers and paid their last respects to theMahaswamy. Such was the greatness of the mahaswamy that if anyone elsecould be compared to him, it was the great Adi Sankara himself, 2500 yearsago.Our saints and great men lived for others and this was true of theMahaswamy himself. In one of the rare personal commentaries that theMahaswamy gave, he spoke about what life has taught him and he said thatthere exist people who lived for others.

" Sankara Nethralaya deserves your support phusical, moral and financial."In Viveka Choodamani, the Great master speaks of the rarity of humanbirth. He says that to be born as a human being is difficult. To be born aBrahman, is even more so. to perform one's religious duty is not easy. Afterthis to have the mind to discriminate between ignorance and reality is difficultindeed. And after have in attained this attribute, to experience truth is moredifficult. And having experience truth is more difficult. And havingexperienced truth, to experience bliss, and to remain in that state for long, thegreat seer Adi Sankara says, only one in a hundred crore lives does such asoul appear. And the kanchi Mahaswamy was one such soul who fitted AdiSankara's description completely.The Kanchi Mahaswamy attained this state of consciousness very early inlife. In the Upanishads it is said, " He who sees himself in others and seesothers in himself knows no hate". This attribute came very early to theMahaswamy.Sankara Nethralaya has done itself proud by associating its institution'sname and its activities with the Great Master. If 2500 years after the era ofAdi Sankara in Kaladi, not far form Chennai, an institution of eye care couldbe named after him, it took less than 2500 days after Mahaswami left hismortal self that yet another institution sponsored by Sankara Nethralaya bearsthe name of the Mahaswamy.

We have not seen Adi Sankara but have experienced him through his workand deeds. However we have seen in flesh and blood the Mahaswamy ofKanchi. That is why this function is of great significance to those of us to haveseen and experienced him.SankaraNethralaya Cannot only live with the name of Mahaswamy. Agreat sense of

responsibility in cast upon the hospital now to carry forward its service to suchlevels that the Mahaswamy itself achieved all through his life.Rabindranath Tagore said "akla chalo" - walk alone. For the past 22 years,Dr. Badrinath and his associates walked alone carrying the burden of SankaraNethralaya and taking it such high levels that it is now the foremost eyehospital in the country. But by naming this complex after the Mahaswamy itwill no longer be "akla chalo". I think that vast multitude of devotees of theKanchi Kamakoti Peetam and those who prayed to the Mahaswamy also havea responsiblity of seeing this institution reach its natural height and take itsrightful place in the committee of such institutions in the world.Sankara Nethralaya was not born on a platter. It was created with theblessing of Pujyasri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal. The number of publicinitiatives made by His Holiness cannot be counted. Sankara Nethralaya mayhave been born with the blessings of His Holliness. But the past 22 yearshave not been easy. The saga of success that we see today is not one thathas come automatically to it. Sankara Nethralaya through its selfless anddevoted work has earned its rightful place today. But when the new complexnamed Mahaswamy was acquired, it was obtained at a very substantial cost.Most of this cost is in the form of interest bearing debt. Most of us are awareof cascading effect of interest on the depleting the revenues of non-profitmaking institutions. Sankara Nethralaya is no exception.It is therefore the responsibility of the devotees of the Kanchi KamakotiPeetam to ensure that the new hospital is soon rid of the liability.that bears along with it interest to be paid to others. And then the hospital cangrow to the same extent and same speed has Sankara Nethralaya itself hasdone.Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam and Public health are synonymous. The veryword "kamakoti" means end of desire. The moment desires are vanquished,a very healthy mind emerges. And from a healthy mind comes a state ofbliss. And this is what people pray for all their lives.Sankara Nehtralaya deserves your support - Physical, Moral and financial.The great master Adi Sankara had this question to ask - What is precious?That which is given at the right time. You may support Sankara Nethralayawhen it suits you, when you feel comfortable to do it. But what SankaraNethralaya requires is help now. The physical, Moral, financial support thatthe Great master spoke of is required now by Sankara Nethralaya.It has been beautifully described in the scriptures, "The rivers do not drinkthe water that flows through them. The trees do not eat their own fruits. Theclouds do not take the rain that the bear. The wealth of the noble is for thebenefit of all". I am sure that the spirit of caring and sharing will take SankaraNethralaya to great heights. I would like to leave you with this thought:

What I have, I had.What I gave, I had.What I spent, I had.What I left, I lost by not giving.Let us not lose by only keeping it ourselves.Thank you very much.