Mookapanchashati - Arya Satakam Chanting
Mooka Panchashatii is a significant devotional work in Sanskrit containing 500 verses dedicated to Goddess Kamakshi, who is the presiding deity of Kanchipuram. The text is attributed to Sri Muka Sankarendra Saraswati, the 20th Acharya of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam who was gifted with power of speech by the grace of Devi. The work is divided into five sections (satakams), with each section focusing on a different aspect of the Goddess, such as her temple, lotus feet, glance, and smile.
Our group’s Mookapanchashati learning journey started in May 2024. What initially seemed like a big task was simplified through the guru's daily audio and video materials and weekly Zoom practice sessions. We learned verse after verse and by July 2024, most of us were ready to chant all the 100 verses in Arya Satakam. On July 28th, we gathered to chant the verses in front of Ambal. It was a blissful experience for all the devotees. The chanting was followed by an aarti and light prasadham.