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HDH Pramukh Swami Maharaj's Vicharan

16 to 30 August, 2002
Amdavad - Gandhinagar - Atladra
   
  • Amdavad (6 pages)
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    Swamishri's Itinerary
    		  
         Highlights:
    August 2002  

    16 to 27:
    28:
     
    29:
    30:

    Amdavad
    Amdavad, Gandhinagar, Amdavad
    Amdavad
    Amdavad, Atladra
    • 17 August 2002 (V.S. 2058, Shravan vad 10) Saturday, Amdavad; Kishore Day
      • As part of Kishore Day celebration, 376 kishores and 750 kishoris pilgrimaged on foot from various suburbs to the mandir for Swamishri's morning puja.
      • The evening Kishore Day program included an impressive drama that showed how two modern teenagers who believed that the materialistic joys are the true objective of life and faith in God, mandirs and observing niyams are shackles that bind the individual were transformed through the presentation of two satsangi kishores. Prior to Swamishri's blessings, a torch-dance was performed by kishores.
      • For the last three years members of the Amdavad Kishore Mandal have been performing a fast a day for Swamishri's good health.
      • Finally, Swamishri blessed the assembly, saying, "I was very pleased to see the Kishore Mandal's program. The program was such that it would have pleased Yogiji Maharaj immensely. Yogiji Maharaj used to like such talks and insisted upon what you showed, namely, the consolidation of moral commands in one's life, the strength of Satsang and the spirit to please God and His holy Sadhu."
         
    • 18 August 2002 (V.S. 2058, Shravan sud 11) Sunday, Amdavad; Children's Day
       The stage decoration for the Children's Day program was set in a traditional Vedic atmosphere. Children chanted Vedic mantras and recited stories in the form of a discourse. The discourse was interlaced with drama presentations of stories of a Guru and his disciple students, Nachiketa and Yamraja and the child who conquered his mind and offered a melon to Shriji Maharaj.
      Children chanted the Purush Sukta shlokas with appropriate mudras.
      Finally, Swamishri discoursed on the need for parents to inspire their children into Satsang and studies.
    • 19 August 2002 (V.S. 2058, Shravan sud 12) Monday, Amdavad
      In the evening, Union Minister for Tourism, Shri Jagmohanji, came for Swamishri's darshan after his visit to Akshardham Monument. Shri Jagmohanji praised Akshardham and the activities of BAPS.
       
    • 22 August 2002 (V.S. 2058, Shravan sud 15) Thursday, Amdavad; Rakshabandhan Festival
      • The festival assembly commenced after Swamishri's morning puja with the speeches of Pujya Dr.Swami and Pujya Viveksagar Swami. A traditional dance by balaks added to the festive flair of the celebration. Finally, Swamishri blessed the assembly of 13,000 devotees, saying, "God protects us from the harassment of someone, from a disease and from political, social, legal, business or family problems. But the important thing is that He protects us from the cycle of life and death and the inner enemies. This is what we should ask of Him..."
        Thereafter, the devotees had Swamishri's darshan and the senior sadhus gave them sanctified rakhadis. Lunch (prasad) was served to all devotees.
         
    • 24 August 2002 (V.S. 2058, Shravan vad 2) Saturday, Amdavad; Volunteers' Day
      In the evening assembly, volunteers presented a few skits showing the generation gap between a father and son, the complaints of a non-satsangi for a satsangi, the friction between devotees and volunteers and an argument between two volunteers - one saying that Satsang should be strengthened in oneself while the other argued that it should be spread amongst others. After each skit Swamishri was asked for his guidance.
    • 28 August 2002 (V.S. 2058, Shravan vad 5) Wednesday, Amdavad, Gandhinagar, Amdavad
      • At 10.00 a.m. while Swamishri was on his way to Gandhinagar he stopped by a canal that carried the waters of the river Narmada. In the presence of Shri Harikrishna Maharaj, Swamishri told sadhus to chant Vedic mantras while he worshipped the Narmada waters by showering sanctified flowers. When Pujya Ishwarcharan Swami split a coconut and sprinkled its water into the Narmada canal Swamishri responded, "Jai Maharaj. May the waters flow forever and may it reach Saurashtra and Kutch ..."
      • At 7.00 p.m. by the river bank beneath Ellis Bridge, the Chief Minister of Gujarat had invited Swamishri to worship the Narmada waters that had started flowing in the river Sabarmati. The pujan rituals were carried out in a boat amidst Vedic chantings, worship of Shri Harikrishna Maharaj and arti by Swamishri and the Chief Minister. (See special News report)
         
    • 29 August 2002 (V.S. 2058, Shravan vad 6) Thursday, Amdavad
      • After Swamishri's morning puja, the Pramukh Swami Health Services donated medical machinery and instruments like infant ventilators, haemodialysis machines, etc. to hospitals in Amdavad. (See special News report)
      • In the evening assembly an impressive drama 'Where is Pramukh Swami?' was enacted by youth members.


     

      Living With Swamishri :

    Knowledge of Atma and Paramatma

    • 26 August 2002 (V.S. 2058, Shravan vad 3) Monday, Amdavad

      Swamishri was asked to write a message for a space mission called SIRTF MISSION (Space Infrared Telescope Facility), that will travel around the Sun to study it and other stars. All those associated with the making and planning of the mission have been asked to write their own signature or poetry or make a sketch.

      Shri Jitu Mehta, a devotee, who contributed as a flight software development manager, believed that he was able to accomplish the work through Swamishri's blessings. So he asked Swamishri to write a message. In response, Swamishri wrote in Gujarati, "Atma Paramatmanu yatharth gnan thaay tyare aa lokni bhautik icchaao vasanaao tali jaay ne Bhagwan nu Akshardhamna sukhne pami sukhiyo thaay."

      Swamishri's message is, "When man absolutely realizes the knowledge of atma and Paramatma, then his material desires of this world are dissolved and he becomes happy by attaining the bliss of God's Akshardham (abode)."

      The essence of all of Swamishri's discourses or messages, no matter what the occasion or function be, pivots around realizing the knowledge of atma and Paramatma for eternal happiness.

    No to Eating Out

    • 26 August 2002 (V.S. 2058, Shravan vad 3) Monday, Amdavad

      Swamishri came to know of a volunteer's habit and love for eating out. On seeing him, Swamishri reproached, "Do you ever think of eating poison?"
       
      Chandrakant, the volunteer, humorously said, "By eating out I feel healthy, whereas by eating at home I get sick."

      Swamishri responded seriously, "You are mad. Yesterday (in the drama) the boy was brave and resolute in not eating out, whereas you allow for such lapses!"

      A sadhu added, "He believes that there's nothing wrong in eating out. Does it stop one from being a satsangi?"

      Swamishri replied authoritatively, "Yes, it stops one from being a satsangi!"

      Then Swamishri pulling a volunteer's scarf standing near him asked, "You go about wearing this scarf but what are you doing?"

      The volunteer said, "I don't eat out!"

      Swamishri said, "I'm referring in general. A volunteer should not have lapses. One must be staunch in one's moral conduct."

      Then Swamishri told a senior volunteer, "Enquire of him now and then and write a report to me. If you come to know that he eats out then fine him accordingly."

      Swamishri's emphasis for all devotees not to eat out is apparent by his strong dislike for it. He often stresses that eating out is not healthy for the body, mind and soul. This kusang contaminates one's mind and personal spirituality.
      Spiritual Endeavors :

    To please Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Guru Pramukh Swami Maharaj children, youths and senior devotees perform austerities, pilgrimages or other devotional means. The spiritual endeavors performed by the devotees during Swamishri's visit to the local centers are congratulatory and worthy of recognition. It also reflects Swamishri's divinity for inspiring such spiritual efforts in children, teenagers and devotees.

    17 Aug 2002, Amdavad

    • Swamishri showered flowers on 70 devotees who had pilgrimaged on foot from Ghodasar to the Swaminarayan Mandir in Shahibaug (11 km).
    • 376 kishores and 350 kishoris had pilgrimaged on foot from various suburbs of Amdavad to the mandir on Kishore Day.
    • 2 kishores performed 2,500 prostrations from their home to the mandir on Kishore Day.
    • For the last 3 years, each member of the Amdavad Kishore Mandal has been fasting a day for Swamishri's good health.

    18 August 2002, Amdavad

    • On the occasion of Children's Day program, a satsangi child, Akshar, performed 2,500 prostrations from Gomtipur to the mandir. Swamishri blessed the boy.

    21 August 2002, Amdavad

    • Swamishri blessed 200 devotees who had performed austerities like chandrayan, dharna-parna, khatras, etc. during the holy month of Shravan.

    22 August 2002, Amdavad

    • About 300 devotees from Gandhinagar had pilgrimaged on foot to Amdavad (26 km) out of which 7 kishores had performed 1965 prostrations.
    • Twenty-two disabled boys and girls had pilgrimaged on foot from Uvaarsad (29 km).
    • Eighteen kishores had performed prostrations from Sabarmati to the mandir in Shahibaug (7.5 km), beginning at 12.30 a.m. and reaching the mandir at 7.00 a.m.

    25 August 2002, Amdavad

    • Two-and-a-half-year-old Kush Patel pilgrimaged by foot from Nava Vadaj to the mandir (6 km).

    © 2002, Bochasanwasi Shree Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, Swaminarayan Aksharpith