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- 3 February
2005 (V.S. 2061; Posh vad 9) Thursday, Surat, Udhna, Bhimpor
- Swamishri visited
the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Udhna, which was constructed
and donated by Manojbhai J. Patel and Damodarbhai Patel,
and performed arti of Thakorji. Thereafter Swamishri blessed
the assembly of devotees.
- Swamishri visited the BAPS
Swaminarayan Mandir in Bhimpor built by Shri C.K. Pithavala.
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- 6
February 2005 (V.S. 2061; Posh vad 12) Sunday, Atladra
Swamishri inaugurated
the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Vidyamandir (primary school), built
and donated by Shri P.D. Patel, amidst Vedic chantings and then
sanctified all the classrooms by showering flower petals. Then
Swamishri and the guests visited a small ‘Science Park’
for the students that will allow them to learn practically and
experience the fundamentals of science like gravity, harmony,
etc. Thereafter Swamishri performed the foundation-stone laying
ceremony for the secondary and higher secondary wings of the
school.
During the assembly various dignitaries, namely, State Minister
for Taxes Shri Kaushikbhai Patel, donor Shri P.D. Patel, Manubhai
and Rohitbhai Patel, Mayor of greater Vadodara Shri Narayanbhai
Patel and others were present. In his blessings Swamishri said,
“Because of illiteracy there are many issues in our country.
To resolve them education is very necessary. The government,
industrialists and religious organisations are making efforts
to establish schools and colleges. Education provides inspiring
thoughts for the benefit of family, society, country and religion.
Education and satsang values have transformed tribal people…”
In the evening satsang assembly BAPS children performed a drama
entitled ‘Anmol Bhet (Priceless Gift)’ which portrayed
how Swamishri has solved the prevailing lapses in education
through BAPS schools providing value-based education.
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- 10 February
2005 (V.S. 2061; Maha sud 2) Thursday, Atladra
After his morning puja,
Swamishri performed the pratishtha rituals of the murtis of
Shri Akshar Purushottam Maharaj for the BAPS hari mandir in
Hiravadi, Amdavad.
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- 11 February
2005 (V.S. 2061; Maha sud 3) Friday, Atladra, Bodeli, Atladra
At 9.50 am Swamishri
arrived from Atladra at Bodeli to perform the foundation-stone
laying ceremony for the shikharbaddh BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir.
The Vedic rituals of the ceremony had already commenced. Five
thousand tribal devotees and wellwishers were participating
in the mahapuja rituals. The railway minister Shri Narayansinh
Rathwa and ex-forest minister Shri Mohansinh Rathwa, district
president Shri Ranjitsinh Rathwa and other officials were also
present at the stone-laying ceremony.
Swamishri performed the rituals on the main foundation stone
by pouring panchamrut and doing pujan. Senior sadhus, Pujya
Dr Swami, Pujya Tyagvallabh Swami and Pujya Viveksagar Swami,
performed the rituals on other foundation stones. After Swamishri
had poured cement into the foundation he attended the satsang
assembly. Pujya Viveksagar Swami, Pujya Dr Swami and Pujya Divyaswarup
Swami addressed the assembly of 5,000 tribal devotees.
Narayansinh Rathwa praised the services of BAPS, saying, “You
are all fortunate because your need for many years has been
fulfilled today. I have seen that before satsang there was nothing
here. People were in the vice-grip of superstitions and bad
practices. Then with the increasing grace of Swaminarayan people
changed and became pious. Formerly, it was not possible to travel
by night, but now after satsang there is no fear.”
Finally, Swamishri addressed the assembly, “Due to satsang
people have been transformed. After understanding that addictions
impoverish oneself it does not take long in giving them up.
Bhagwan Swaminarayan gave two principles – one of moral
living and the other of an addiction-free life. Moral living
means not to mete out misery and pain on others. One should
live properly and let others do so too… Our body requires
food for sustenance. But when you realise your atma you will
find that its means of sustenance lies in devotion, satsang,
spiritual knowledge and morality. By engaging in bhajan and
kirtan of God the atma becomes stronger... One should not eat
meat for food. Never live by killing. Let us live and also let
live.”
At 11.15 am Swamishri departed from the assembly and thereafter
the devotees placed one brick each in the foundation pit. Twenty
thousand devotees were served lunch.
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- 13 February
2005 (V.S. 2061; Maha sud 5) Sunday, Atladra; Vasant Panchmi
Fifteen thousand devotees
had gathered for the birth anniversary celebration of Shastriji
Maharaj. The senior sadhus, Pujya Viveksagar Swami, Pujya Ishwarcharan
Swami, Pujya Kothari Swami, Pujya Dr Swami and Pujya Mahant,
addressed the assembly.
Swamishri honoured Pujya Bhadresh Swami for attaining a Ph.D.
in Sanskrit with his thesis about the ever-presence of God as
preached in the Bhagvad Gita. Then Swamishri inaugurated several
new BAPS publications in Gujarati and Hindi: Life and Work of
Bhagwan Swaminarayan (Gujarati) by Sadhu Adarshjivandas; Eight
Saint-Poets of Bhagwan Swaminarayan (Hindi) by Sadhu Adarshjivandas;
Life and Work of Brahmaswarup Shastriji Maharaj (Hindi) by Sadhu
Vivekpriyadas; Reflections on Swaminarayan Sampraday (Hindi)
compiled by Sadhu Nishkamsevdas and an audio bhajan cassette
‘Nam Tera Sukhakari’. Finally in his blessings Swamishri
said, “From his childhood Shastriji Maharaj built mandirs
to establish the principle of Akshar and Purushottam, which
was his mission on earth. The Kothari of Vartal, Gordhandas
Kothari, saw the unique qualities in Shastriji Maharaj and desired
that he stay with him so that he could teach him administration
and later hand over his duties to him, but Shastriji Maharaj
refused. Viharilalji Maharaj (Acharya) also felt that if Shastriji
Maharaj stayed with him then he would be of great service. But
Shastriji Maharaj had no inclination for that either. Then on
meeting Bhagatji Maharaj he came to understand the philosophy
of Akshar Purushottam.”
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- 18 February
2005 (V.S. 2061; Maha sud 10) Friday, Atladra
Swamishri performed the
pratishtha rituals of pujan and arti of murtis for BAPS Swaminarayan
Mandirs for Samoj village (dist. Bharuch), Kathvada village
(dist. Daskroi) and Chavlaj village (dist. Daskroi).
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- 20 February
2005 (V.S. 2061; Maha sud 12) Sunday, Atladra; Vasant Panchmi
From 3 January to 31
January the sadhus of Atladra Mandir sanctified the homes of
4,612 devotees with the murtis of Shri Harikrishna Maharaj.
The devotees worshipped the murti, offered food or an annakut
and honoured Shri Harikrishna Maharaj.
At 6.00 pm, the special evening assembly was packed with 23,000
devotees, all eager to honour Shri Harikrishna Maharaj in the
presence of Swamishri. The seven little murtis of Shri Harikrishna
Maharaj were adorned in palanquins. Then as they proceeded towards
the main stage, youths danced with joy and devotion. The devotees
became engaged in darshan of the grand, divine pageant. When
the murtis were placed on the stage, Vedic peace mantras were
chanted. Swamishri performed pujan of all the Thakorjis. Then
in his blessings, Swamishri said, “You have all offered
your services with joy and faith, so God will be happy upon
you… When one realises the glory of God in one’s
heart then one attains the opportunity to serve. To sacrifice
and give everything is indeed a great thing. The fruit of this
human birth is not to attain the objects of this world, but
to have His darshan and serve Him…”
Swamishri remained seated as 11,000 devotees filed pass to honour
Shri Harikrishna Maharaj.
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