The Shiva-Shakti Koti Japa Yagya was inaugurated on Vijaya Dasami ("Victory Day") following the Nine Nights of Mother Divine on October 7, 2000 with a special sankalpa (resolution of intent) and traditional vedic ceremony in Fairfield, Iowa, USA. Over 80 people attended the inauguration organized by Veda Vishwa Foundation, the non-profit organization sponsoring this year-long Yagya.

Dr. Bansi Sharma, M.D., President of Veda Vishwa Foundation, former President of the Hindu Temple of Greater Chicago and member of the Governor of Illinois' Asian American Advisory Council, introduced the Shiva-Shakti Koti Japa Yagya to the attendees, who ranged in age form 2 to 70.

"Today is Vijaya Dashami, Victory Day: victory of knowledge over ignorance, victory of bliss over suffering, victory of purity over impurity. We have chosen today to inaugurate a very special and unique global Yagya that will last for one year. This special Yagya is called the Shiva-Shakti Koti Japa Yagya.

"As many of you know, Yagyas to Shiva gain support for spiritual endeavors and alleviate suffering, both individually and for the entire creation. They also help to create peace, bring enlightenment and promote rapid recovery from serious disease. Yagyas to Shakti gain the blessings of Mother Divine to remove ignorance, provide protection from adversity and eliminate suffering on an individual and cosmic level.

"The Shiva-Shakti Koti Japa Yagya is a free, year-long Yagya. It provides a simple structure for invoking an on-going wave of blessings from both Lord Shiva and Mother Divine for all levels of the universe, starting with the participants, and extending to their families, communities, states, countries, to the world and the cosmos."

Following this introduction, Pandit Dhruv Narain Sharma, the founding chairman of Veda Vishwa Foundation, performed a traditional puja to Ganesha, Shiva and Mother Divine.

Pandit Sharma then recited the Mahasankapla for the Shiva-Shakti Koti Japa Yagya to declare the purpose and goal of the Yagya.

"With gratitude to the supreme divine source of all creation, we launch the Shiva-Shakti Koti Japa Yagya to establish total protection of righteousness in mankind and to heal ourselves and our planet by spreading the knowledge of Vedic wisdom throughout the whole world."

After the Mahasankalpa, the entire group recited 108 repetitions of the Mahamantras for both Lord Shiva and Mother Divine and experienced together the waves of silence, peace and inner bliss that these powerful mantras generate.

Following the official inauguration, Bharwar Lal Joshi, General Secretary of Geeta Ashram in Chicago, spoke about how anyone can participate in the Shiva-Shakti Koti Japa Yagya with only a small investment of time.

"All you need to do is to perform japa, recitation of the two mantras. The minimum number of repititions of each mantra is 108, or one mala. You can spend 5-6 minutes a day, or just 5-6 minutes once a week."

"The Shiva-Shakti Koti Japa Yagya is performed by a mandala or group of people from all over the world, each person reciting these two simple mantras. During the coming year the collective recitation will total at least one koti or 10 million repetitions of the Durga mantra and one koti of the Shiva mantra."

"Each individual participant benefits from the power of the collective consciousness of the entire group. Because this is a Japa Mandala Yagya, you will get the benefits of the whole Yagya, even if you can spend only a little time. The more people who participate, the greater the bliss for everyone."

Pandit Sharma reports that many people have already registered to participate in the Shiva-Shakti Koti Japa Yagya. For more information on the Shiva-Shakti Koti Japa Yagya and Veda Vishwa Foundation, please visit the web site at www.vedavishwa.org, call 1-641-472-8085, or write to Veda Vishwa at PO Box 248, Fairfield, IA 52556, USA.