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11
July 2006 (V.S. 2062, Ashadh
sud 15) Tuesday, Bochasan; Guru Purnima
The festival of Guru Purnima
is celebrated every year in the presence of Pramukh Swami
Maharaj in Bochasan. Today the assembly was addressed by senior
sadhus who extolled the glory of Shriji Maharaj and the Guru
Parampara. The programme was interlaced with kirtans and a
traditional dance. Swamishri arrived at 10.30 am. Tyagvallabh
Swami, Dr Swami and Mahant Swami spoke about the importance
of guru and the glory of Swamishri. Thereafter Shri Bhupendrasinh
Chudasama, Minister for Agriculture, spoke gloriously about
Swamishri’s social services and creation of Akshardham
in Gandhinagar and New Delhi. Then a leading member of the
Congress Party, Shri Shaktisinh Gohil, addressed the assembly.The
senior sadhus garlanded Swamishri on behalf of everyone. Then
45,000 devotees in the assembly offered flower petals in obeisance
to Swamishri. A traditional dance to honour Swamishri, “Guru
roon ada kem kariye”, was performed by children and
youths of Adas Satsang Mandal.Finally, Swamishri blessed the
mammoth gathering, “Firstly, I offer my respects to
all of you who have come from distant places in India and
abroad to celebrate Guru Purnima for Thakorji’s darshan
and to receive the blessings of sadhus. The glory of Guru
Purnima goes back to hundreds of thousands of years. Through
such festivals our culture and values are consolidated in
our souls. One is inspired during festivals. One comes to
take the blessings of God and His Sadhu.”“Our
spiritual values give happiness in this life and the life
hereafter. Our spiritual values include morality, bhakti,
truth, compassion, ahimsa and brahmacharya. Guru Punam is
celebrated to consolidate these values. God is the guru of
all and through the spiritual gurus who have realized God
one receives commands and inspiration. The supreme benefit
in this world is to be liberated from the cycles of birth
and death, moksha of atma, and attain the eternal bliss of
God – one attains this through the guru.”“The
government has an ongoing campaign to plant trees for the
benefit of our environment. People know that trees give oxygen.
Despite knowing this they cut down trees. To survive we need
trees. God gives us oxygen free of cost. Plant a few trees
every year and then nurture the sapling. This is a great service
to society. May God gives us strength to attain our life’s
goal of moksha and in performing our worldly duties.”Swamishri
announced that all devotees pledge to plant a sapling.On the
occasion of the Guru Punam festival hundreds of devotees donated
blood at the BAPS blood donation camp organized by the Sanshta’s
health services and many more also availed of a diagnostic
camp.
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