• 2 April 1999 : Friday , Bochasan, Bharuch
  Lord Harikrishna Maharaj was weighed and honored with tulsi leaves. More than 8,000 devotees and well-wishers attended this festival. In his blessings Swamishri said, "... Whatever little we do for God is never an empty act. He returns your service and devotion in one way or another. Sometimes He may take time in responding, but even in that lies our good..."
• 5 April 1999 : Monday , Navsari
  During the evening assembly Swamishri blessed the devotees, "To progress or inspire progress in society, the country or in anyone, then one first requires faith in God. If there is faith then perseverance follows. And that is why one should have faith in dharma, God and the holy scriptures..."
• 11 April 1999 : Sunday , Surat
  In the Sunday assembly the Surat Satsang Mandal had organised a wonderful drama describing the divinity and glory of the Swaminarayan Mahamantra. In conclusion Swamishri addressed the 12,000 devotees and dignitaries, "If one chants the Swaminarayan mantra with faith, then one attains success in one’s work... The glory of this mantra is such that even if an ant or any living thing hears this mantra will be blessed with a better after-life..."

1 April 1999 : Thursday (Chaitra vad 1) , Bochasan

• Swamishri inaugurated an audio cassette on the Swaminarayan mantra.

2 April 1999 : Friday (Chaitra vad 2) , Bochasan, Bharuch

• Swamishri left Bochasan at 9.57 a.m., and due to a flat tyre, arrived late in Bharuch at 12.35
  p.m. After a cursory look at the construction work of the new mandir Swamishri went to his residence.
• In the evening, 104 devotees from Karjan and other towns had walked (padyatra) 40 kms for Swamishri’s darshan. Swamishri blessed them by showering rose petals.
• In the evening, Swamishri performed the sthambharopan (placing of a pillar) ceremony of the mandir in Bharuch.
• Tulsi - Tula Utsav : Lord Harikrishna Maharaj was weighed and honored with tulsi leaves. After the preliminary speeches Swamishri worshipped Harikrishna Maharaj amidst the chanting of Vedic mantras by the sadhus. Then the 5,500 well-wishers placed their tulsi leaves on the weighing pan and offered their devotion.
• In his blessings, Swamishri said, "The region of Bharuch is holy because it is on the banks of the River Narmada. And on such a holy land, a beautiful mandir -a moral and cultural center - is taking shape...
  "Whatever little we do for God is never an empty act. He returns your service and devotion in one way or another. Sometimes He may take time in responding, but even in that lies our good. God comes to redeem and do good for all. It is because of our nature we feel that, ‘Why does God do this to me?’ But even in that He desires for your good...
• " The Tulsi-Tula festival was attended by 8,000 devotees and well-wishers.

3 April 1999 : Saturday (Chaitra vad 2) , Bharuch

• At 6.50 p.m. Swamishri arrived in the evening assembly. A drama on the disadvantages of television, ‘Sugar Coated Poison’, was performed by the youths of the Bharuch Satsang community.
  
  Swamishri emphasized in his blessings, "We know the harmful effects and damage that
  television causes, yet we cannot give it up. And so our lives become unstable due to addictions and other evils. One can only be saved from it if one exercises discrimination, otherwise it is impossible! Everyone, the young and old are casually exposed to this poison. However,
  we fail to realise that this poison penetrates us and eventually destroys us. And so our life becomes useless.
  
  "We fail to do what is important in life. Through Satsang one is blessed with discrimination.
  Until one attains the qualities of dharma, namely, truth, non-violence, celibacy, devotion... one
  cannot be called a human being. Man is bound by family disciplines, social disciplines, national laws, moral laws and God’s laws. If he abides by these laws then he is a human being."

4 April 1999 : Sunday (Chaitra vad 3) , Bharuch, Navsari

• After his morning puja, Swamishri worshipped the canvas murtis to be established at
  a moral center in Jolva.
• At 11.00 a.m., Swamishri blessed the assembly, "We have listened to the glory of the Swaminarayan mantra from the former speakers... Out of all strengths, the power of God is supreme. Some exercise the power to rule, some have money power and some have the power of scriptural knowledge; everyone talks of their powers but above all is God’s power. Everything is under His powers. Where did people get their powers and strengths? From God! So God is all-powerful. It is because of Him the world runs... If God has so much power then His name too has power. It is all a matter of having faith. We have faith in our businesses and thus invest millions of rupees because we know that we will get a thousand-fold back. Likewise, one requires faith in God."
• At 6.55 p.m. Swamishri left Bharuch and reached Navsari at 7.37 p.m. In addressing the assembly of devotees Swamishri said, "After the establishment of this mandir in Navsari there has been a tremendous progress in the local Satsang... On Sundays people spend their day partying or travelling around but Yogiji Maharaj has said that our Sundays should be spent in such a way that we experience peace of mind..."

5 April 1999 : Monday (Chaitra vad 4) , Navsari

• In the evening assembly Swamishri eloquently elaborated on the subject of Faith in God. "God is present in the mandir. If one has faith then only can one come here. If one does not believe that there is God then the question of coming to the mandir does not arise and neither the need for reading the scriptures!
  
  To advance in Satsang, Gunatitanand Swami has said that one requires faith (shraddha), deep spiritual desire (khap) and spiritual association (samagam).
  
  To progress or inspire progress in society, the country or in anyone, one first requires faith (shraddha) in God. If there is faith then perseverance follows. And that is why one should have faith in dharma, God and holy scriptures.
  
  "Secondly one must have khap or else if something disturbing happens then one will give up Satsang. If one is not honored or looked after then one will be critical and bitter towards the organisers. However if one has shraddha and khap then one will always feel that God is true and this mandir is genuine...
  
  "And thirdly one must spiritually associate with a holy sadhu - one who will consolidate dharma, jnan, vairagya and bhakti in one’s life."

7 April 1999 : Wednesday (Chaitra vad 6) , Navsari

• This morning, the murti of Harikrishna Maharaj was honored by the devotees of Navsari.

8 April 1999 : Thursday (Chaitra vad 7) , Navsari, Sarai, Sachin, Surat

• Swamishri performed the ground-breaking ceremony for a new assembly hall at the mandir complex in Navsari.
• During the morning assembly, Swamishri explained, "... You have all experienced the worldly pleasures and luxuries of life. To add further, this soul has also become Indra and enjoyed the mundane pleasures. In spite of all this still there is no satisfaction. The more you indulge the more your desires grow. If you put ghee in fire then the fire will not die out but increase all the more. Likewise, by indulging in worldly pleasures, there is no reason to believe one will become satisfied. One can only become desireless through the refuge and association of the Satpurush (holy guru)..."
• Swamishri departed from Navsari at 6.00 p.m. and arrived at Sarai at 6.35 p.m. and finally reached Surat at 8.40 p.m.

10 April 1999 : Saturday (Chaitra vad 9) , Surat

• This morning a press editor of a newspaper asked Swamishri a few questions:
  Q: "The spiritual path is the right path and man should follow it. However those who walk the path of immorality and perform impious acts achieve mundane progress and are happier, whereas those who are religious are unhappy and miserable. Why is this?
  
  A: Outwardly it seems that one who has wealth is happy, but one cannot always believe this to be true. On the surface it appears thus but inside he is unhappy. He is always running, avoiding and anxious. The fruit of immorality (adharma) is misery and pain. Sooner or later he will have to suffer for it. One who does good will achieve good fruits. He feels happy within and God looks after him and makes him happier. Duryodhan was immoral and he seemed happy outwardly, whereas the Pandavas were exiled and roaming the forests. But the peace the Pandavas had he did not have!
  
  Q: Why do you, a great saint, accept illness?
  A: The human body is a home to illnesses.
  Q: Though this is true, you should not accept it.
  A: (With reference to accepting illness Swamishri added:) So that others may derive
  strength and inspiration - and not to become afraid of diseases or illnesses.
  One should engage in bhajan...

11 April 1999 : Sunday (Chaitra vad 10) , Surat

• This morning, during Swamishri’s meeting hours, a teenager (kishore) asked a couple of questions.
  Kishore: "I always desire to impress people and I know it is wrong."
  Swamishri: "One should not have such desires. If you perform good acts and have
  character in life then automatically people will be impressed by you. If you are good then
  people will not say otherwise."
  Kishore: "Sometimes I do bad things."
  Swamishri: "When you desire to impress anyone you will feel like doing bad things.
  So one must have character and live by God’s laws. If you have good character then
  people will appreciate you and you will not think of doing bad things."
  The kishore appreciated Swamishri’s counsel.
• In the evening, before his schedule to the assembly, a lot of dignitaries had visited Swamishri. Swamishri was already late for the assembly. The organisers wished Swamishri to come
  straight to the assembly, but on passing the mandir steps, Swamishri wished to go for
  Thakorji’s darshan. Swamishri expressed his wish to a sadhu. "I’d like to go for darshan.
  It’ll take only two minutes!"
  Swamishri went to the assembly after having the darshan of Thakorji.
  
• Under the auspices of the Swaminarayan Mahamantra Bicentenary Celebration the
  Surat Satsang Mandal had organised a unique 1½ hr drama on the glory and power of the Swaminaryan Mahamantra for the evening assembly. Every inch of the mandir complex was packed with 12,000 devotees.
• Under the auspices of the Swaminarayan Mahamantra Bicentenary Celebration the Surat Satsang Mandal had organised a unique 1½ hr drama on the glory and power of the Swaminaryan Mahamantra for the evening assembly. Every inch of the mandir complex was packed with 12,000 devotees.
  
  "The glory of this mantra is such that even if an ant or any living thing hears this mantra, it will be blessed with a better after-life. So, by saying this mantra in one’s house, while walking the streets, or travelling by car, plane - and whoever hears this, understands and appreciates it, will be blessed with redemption..."

12 April 1999 : Monday (Chaitra vad 11) , Surat (Swaminarayan Mahamantra Day)

• Today, a continuous chanting of the Swaminarayan Mahamantra was organised in the mandir from 6.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. From the city’s 48 areas, devotees from 39 areas chanted the Swaminarayan mantra while they walked together to the mandir.
• After puja, while Swamishri was returning to his residence by car, Swamishri saw the devotees chanting the dhun. Swamishri had his car stopped and he stepped out and started clapping and chanting the dhun. The devotees were overwhelmed with joy. Swamishri asked for the microphone and began chanting the dhun for the next five minutes.

13 April 1999 : Tuesday (Chaitra vad 12) , Surat (Kishore Day)

• This morning, a sadhu introduced a youth to Swamishri and revealed, "This person is
  addicted to liquor. And when he is intoxicated he beats his wife."
  
  Swamishri advised, "How can you do this young man. Have you married her to beat her up! You come home drunk and create trouble. One day your wife will beat you up. From now onwards stop beating her and give up drinking altogether..."
  
  Swamishri then told him to take a pledge and give up drinking once and for all.
• A teenager (kishore) asked Swamishri, "Swami Bapa, on the occasion of the kishore
  day today what does Ghanshyam Maharaj have to say to the kishores?"
  
  Swamishri gave him a written reply, "One should go to the kishore mandal regularly, study properly, strengthen one’s niyam-dharma and obey one’s parents."
• Swamishri arrived in the evening assembly at 6.45 p.m. The Kishore Day programs commenced with a welcome dance by the kishores. This was followed by a speech on Swamishri as the sculptor of character in teenagers. Then a drama called ‘Kidhaa Kaman Keva...’ depicted the contemporary atmosphere and problems facing the kishores.
• In this reference Swamishri blessed the assembly, saying, "Today, the unwholesome
  atmosphere in our society is full of obstacles. When we come to the mandir our mind is
  attracted by other things. Since the whole world is in our mind we get swept over
  whenever we see it...
  Teenagers get crazy after actors. In fact, we should be crazy after God and Satsang
  because they are genuine and show us the right path...
  "We don’t know who we really are and that is why we are aimlessly wandering
  here and there. Where to sit and with whom! We are not even aware of what not to eat and drink! We forget our family nobility and pride. Before, people were noble and honorable.
  A noble person will never go to a disco. One should never associate with a drunkard or a gambler.
  One should abstain from wrong acts and never commit adultery. This is the way of a noble person. Today we find this nobility has gone. We find that wealth has increased and comforts have also increased, so the inner nobility has died away. Today, noble families have vanished. The Satsang is our noble family. In following dharma lies our nobility..."

14 April 1999 : Wednesday (Chaitra vad 13) , Surat (Children’s Day)

• At 12.20 p.m. Swamishri addressed the students who are staying at our hostel in the mandir: "Whatever moral disciplines you have accepted today are for your good. The more you follow them, the better you will become. You may find it difficult to follow them initially but they will be beneficial to you later on.
  "You should study well because your parents have sent you here. Eating outside, T.V.,
  garba... all these simply destroy one’s life. No one can achieve progress without following
  moral disciplines. Today, students in college get involved in relationships and drugs.
  However at present you should be focussed on your studies and morals. You should not
  see bad pictures or magazines...
  "You should put in more efforts in your studies. You should never copy. If you work hard then God will help you..."
• Swamishri arrived for the Children’s Day evening at 6.45 p.m. After a dance performed by children, the Surat Bal Mandal performed a program ‘Our Ghar Sabha’ and a drama ‘Bhaktiki Shakti’ - the power of devotion. Finally, Swamishri blessed the assembly, saying, "Through Ghar Sabha the family members are inspired with virtues and character. They also excel academically. The parents and children become amicable and affectionate towards each other. This is the benefit of ghar sabha..."

15 April 1999 : Thursday (Chaitra vad 15) , Surat (Youth Day)

• The youths, through a program of mono-acting, presented the sacrifice and service of
  Dubli Bhatt and Samat Patel. They also displayed the unflinching faith and morality of devotees living today. In his blessings, Swamishri appreciated the youths for their efforts and emphasized on profoundly consolidating Satsang in one’s life.

• "Some have the power to rule, some have money power and some have the power of scriptural knowledge; everyone talks of their powers but above them all is God’s power!"
• "...by indulging in worldly pleasures there is no reason to believe one will become satisfied. One can only become desireless through the refuge and association of the Satpurush (holy guru)."
• "No one can achieve progress without following moral disciplines."
• "Today, we find that wealth has increased and comforts have also increased, so the inner nobility has gone away."