A Spiritual Travelogue of Pramukh Swami Maharaj - 16 October to 3 November 2003


	16 October to 2 November 2003


Gondal (16 to 27 October 2003)
Bhadra (27 to 29 October 2003)
Rajkot (29 October to 3 November 2003)

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(Gondal, Rajkot)

29 October 2003, Bhadra (Mp3 1,286 KB)

	17 October 2003 (V.S. 2059, Aso vad 7) Friday, Gondal; Youth Day At 7.00 p.m. after Pujya Viveksagar Swami's parayan, the youths performed a welcome dance and participated in a quiz on Swamishri's redemptory virtues. Finally, Swamishri blessed the assembly.
	19 October 2003 (V.S. 2059, Aso vad 7) Sunday, Gondal; Children's Day Children recited shloks, Swamini Vato and sang bhajans during Swamishri's routine walk and morning puja. At 7.00 p.m. the Children's Day assembly commenced with a traditional dance on the lyric "Swaminarayan Mahamantrano Jagma Jai Jai Kar Chhe..." Thereafter children enacted two skits on Yogiji Maharaj's parables: 'The Businessmen's Son Returns with a Fortune' and 'Titodi and the Ocean god'. Finally, Swamishri blessed the assembly.
	23 October 2003 (V.S. 2059, Aso vad 13) Thursday, Gondal; Dhanteras Swamishri performed the murti-pratishtha rituals of murtis for Lathidad hari mandir. Swamishri blessed the local devotees and showered rice grains on them. In the evening assembly Swamishri blessed the assembly.
	24 October 2003 (V.S. 2059, Aso vad 14) Friday, Gondal; Kali Chaudash Swamishri performed pujan of the murti of Hanumanji. At 7.00 p.m. Pujya Viveksagar Swami narrated the significance of Kali Chaudash. In conclusion, Swamishri blessed the assembly.
	25 October 2003 (V.S. 2059, Aso vad 30) Saturday, Gondal; Diwali From 5.00 p.m. to 8.00 p.m. Swamishri performed the Chopada Pujan rituals and then blessed the assembly. (See News report)
	26 October 2003 (V.S. 2060, Kartak sud 1) Sunday, Gondal; New Year's Day Swamishri performed mangala arti in Akshar Deri. After performing his puja, Swamishri performed arti of the New Year's mahapuja and blessed the assembly for the New Year by explaining Vachanamrut Sarangpur - 7. At 10.45 a.m. Swamishri blessed the morning assembly. Thereafter Swamishri went to Thakorji and devotionally sang the thals during the annakut offering of 550 food items. (See News report)
	30 October 2003, (V.S. 2060, Kartak sud 6) Thursday, Rajkot Swamishri performed murti-pratishtha of the canvas murtis of Guru Parampara in the mandir sanctum. After his morning puja Swamishri performed the murti-pratishtha of murtis for hari mandirs in Acharda and Pandri villages (Surendranagar district and Limbdi sub-district respectively). 31 October 2003, (V.S. 2060, Kartak sud 7) Friday, Rajkot At 9.30 a.m. Swamishri performed the foundation-stone laying ceremony of an assembly hall in the mandir ground.
	1 November 2003 (V.S. 2060, Kartak sud 8) Saturday, Rajkot Shri Harikrishna Maharaj was honored by devotees.
	2 November 2003, (V.S. 2060, Kartak sud 9) Sunday, Rajkot After puja, Swamishri performed the murti-pratishtha rituals for murtis of BAPS hari mandirs in the newly built town of Yagnapurushnagar (formerly Gariya, Rajkot District), and Gunatitnagar (formerly Modpar, Rajkot District), after the earthquake had destroyed them. Swamishri also blessed the devotees. In the evening Swamishri blessed the Parent's Day assembly.
	3 November 2003 (V.S. 2060, Kartak sud 10) Monday, Rajkot Swamishri performed the pratishtha rituals of murtis of Shri Hanumanji and Shri Ganapatiji to be installed in the hari mandir in Rangpar and Bhoyka.


	On the Base Instincts 19 October 2003, (V.S. 2059, Aso vad 9) Sunday, Gondal A senior male volunteer conveyed a few questions from members of the Balika Mandal. Swamishri answered their questions to the volunteer. Q: We cannot give up ego. Besides this, we perform seva with the inner faults of anger, jealousy, desire and greed. Then does our seva reach Shriji Maharaj and you? Swamishri: Definitely they reach Maharaj. Despite the inner faults, seva done with faith (nishtha) reaches God. Q: What should we do to eradicate our base instincts (doshas). Swamishri: Do seva with faith and perseverance. Gradually the base instincts will be destroyed. Q: What thought should we always have to eradicate base instincts? Swamishri: That I am doing seva to please God and His Sadhu. By doing seva one's base instincts are dissolved. We don't even realise this but they get less and less. The rope that pulls a bucket of water from a well, through time, cuts the stone it rubs. It even creates a furrow in a piece of iron. So one should endeavor with the resolve to please God and His Sadhu. When the goal in seva is to please Him then God and His Sadhu will look after everything else. We should leave it to them. They have dissolved the base instincts of so many; and this is their glory and greatness." Q: May our faith remain steadfast and without faults, and let not our minds waver. Swamishri: Keep doing seva and do not allow it to fade. Then Maharaj, Swami and Yogiji Maharaj will take care of you.

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.

19 October 2003, Gondal

Thirty-three satsangi children performed 35,971 prostrations in Akshar Deri for Swamishri's good health and for the successful completion of Akshardham in New Delhi.

1 November 2003, Rajkot

Swamishri blessed 11 yuvaks for having pilgrimaged by foot from Dhandhuka to Gondal.