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May 2007 (VS 2063, Vaishakh sud 15) Wednesday, Bochasan, Amdavad,
Gandhinagar.
Swamishri departed from Bochasan or at 5.10 pm and arrived
in Ahmedabad at 6.45 pm. After a home visit, Swamishri arrived
at Amdavad mandir for darshan. Swamishri blessed the large
gathering of devotees before departing to Gandhinagar.
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7 May 2007 (V.S. 2063, Vaishakh vad 5) Monday, Ahmedabad, Nairobi
At 10.30 am Swamishri’s
chartered plane departed from Sardar Patel International Airport,
Ahmedabad, towards Nairobi the capital of Kenya. Swamishri
was accompanied by Ishwarcharan Swami, Viveksagar Swami, Anandswarup
Swami, Yogicharan Swami, Dharmacharan Swami, Krishnavallabh
Swami, Narayancharan Swami, Yogismaran Swami and Shri Subhashbhai
Patel. After a journey of 3,119 miles the plane landed at
Jomo Kenyatta International airport at 2.40 pm (Kenya Standard
Time or 5.10 pm IST). Swamishri was welcomed by the Deputy
High Commissioner of India Shri Shukla, Bhaktavatsal Swami,
Mahendrabhai Barrister (Chairman of East Africa Satsang),
Harshadbhai Rana, Arvindbhai Saheb (President of Nairobi Mandal),
Kiranbhai Patel and others. Swamishri arrived at the BAPS
mandir at 3.25 pm. Children and devotees welcomed Swamishri
with ‘jais’. After Thakorji’s darshan Swamishri
addressed the gathering, “Because of your love and sentiments
we have come and are having Thakorji’s darshan, darshan
of sadhus residing here and your darshan. The festivals in
Nairobi, Kampala, Dar-es-salaam and Mombasa will be celebrated
well. So many have done austerities, which reflect your profound
feelings and bhakti. In India, too, devotees perform fasts
and pilgrimages, and sing dhun with the same deep feelings
that (Swami’s) health remains well. May Maharaj grant
all those who have fasted with inner strength and more bhakti.”
At 4.15 pm Swamishri retired to rest. At 7.00 pm Swamishri
woke up and engaged himself in reading and writing letters.
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May 2007 (V.S. 2063, Vaishakh vad 6) Tuesday, Nairobi
In the evening welcome assembly Viveksagar Swami delivered
his exposition on the BAPS centenary history. Thereafter Ishwarcharan
Swami addressed the assembly. A welcome dance was performed
by children and teenagers. Then Swamishri was welcomed and
honoured with garlands by Bhaktavatsal Swami and sadhus, and
senior devotees. Finally Swamishri blessed the assembly, “Bhagwan
Swaminarayan came on earth and blessed all with true knowledge
– the knowledge of Akshar and Purushottam, atma and
Paramatma, and Swami and Narayan. The Gunatit Sadhu is God-realized
and he reveals and spreads God’s true glory. The Bhagvat,
Ramayan, Mahabharat, Gita, Vedas, Upanishads, Vachanamrut
and Shikshapatri contain the life stories, glory and teachings
of God and his devotees. When one understands this knowledge
one’s life is liberated. So while celebrating the centenary
celebrations may we never forget the supreme knowledge of
Maharaj and Swami, and to preserve the culture of Hindu dharma.
One runs one’s business with a feeling of ownership,
similarly, doing bhajan, listening to spiritual discourses,
visiting the mandir, observing moral canons and having an
addiction-free life with a sense of ownership pleases the
Satpurush.”
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9 May 2007 (V.S. 2063, Vaishakh vad 7) Wednesday, Nairobi
During Swamishri’s ten-day
stay in Nairobi his breakfast, lunch and dinner times were
scheduled for satsang reports and presentations by children,
teenagers and devotees from various towns and cities of Kenya,
South Africa and Botswana. Children and teenagers recited
Vachanamruts, Swamini Vato, kirtans and narrated incidents.
The devotees were from Nairobi, Nakuru, Eldoret, Kisumu, Kericho,
Kakamega, Thika, Durban and Lenasia (S.Africa) In the morning
katha Atmatrupt Swami narrated and elaborated upon Swamishri’s
incidents from the ‘Brahmopanishad’. The evening
assembly agenda included a speech by Viveksagar Swami on the
BAPS centenary saga, dramas and folk dances by children and
teenagers from different centres and speeches by senior sadhus.
Then Swamishri concluded the assembly with his blessings.
Today, in the evening assembly Anandswarup Swami addressed
the congregation. Swamishri arrived at 6.50 pm and children
of Eldoret and Nakuru Mandals performed traditional dances.
Thereafter the youths of Nairobi Mandal presented a drama
entitled 'Mokshanu Dwar' drama. Finally Swamishri blessed
the assembly, elaborating upon the meaning of moksha.
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May 2007 (V.S. 2063, Vaishakh vad 11) Sunday, Nairobi; Shastriji
Maharaj Day
Under the auspices of the BAPS Centenary Celebration Year
a grand procession (Bhakti Feri) was organized. More than
4,500 devotees from India, USA, England, South Africa, East
Africa, Botswana, Zambia and other places had assembled to
participate. At 10.15 am Swamishri flagged off the Bhakti
Feri. Senior sadhus along with the murti of Harikrishna Maharaj
showered petals upon the mandir and procession from a helicopter.
The colourful devotional pageant included sadhus chanting
dhun in front, followed by a marching band of BAPS youths
playing the Swaminarayan dhun and local tunes like ‘Jambo,
Jambo bana…‘, children waving BAPS flags, the
BAPS Centenary float with the utsav murti of Bhagwan Swaminarayan,
devotees carrying flags of different countries, and finally
women dressed in traditional dress carrying auspicious kalashes
on their heads. The 2.5 km long Bhakti Feri, awash with colours,
devotional singing and dancing, proclaimed the message and
spirit of the BAPS Centenary Year Celebrations. At 6.50 pm
Swamishri arrived in the assembly hall. Extracts from the
mega-drama, ‘Yagnapurush Sukhakari’, were enacted,
namely, Shastriji Maharaj’s departure from Vartal, the
difficulties faced by his sadhus (‘Gaamo gaame ghume…’)
and lively traditional dances on the lyric ‘Haiyamaa
anand ati ubhraay…’ The entire hall was packed
with devotees and well wishers. Swamishri blessed and honoured
MP and former Environment Minister of India Shri Suresh Prabhu
with a garland. Finally, in his blessings, Swamishri said,
“It was Shastriji Maharaj’s principle to sing
the glory of Maharaj, teach the philosophy of Akshar and Purushottam,
and please Maharaj. He himself was unique and divine, and
by God’s grace he had a following of faithful devotees.”
Then Swamishri explained the philosophy of Akshar and Purushottam
as propagated by Bhagwan Swaminarayan with scriptural references
and historical examples.
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14 May 2007 (V.S. 2063, Vaishakh vad 12) Monday, Nairobi; Yogiji Maharaj Day
After Swamishri had completed his morning puja he gave the bhagwati diksha on African soil for the first time in the history of East Africa Satsang Mandal to two parshads, originally born and brought up in Nairobi. They were named Sadhu Gnanyogidas and Sadhu Siddhayogidas. An annakut of 738 food items was offered to Thakorji in the mandir shrine. Swamishri performed arti and blessed the devotees for their devotional efforts. In the evening assembly a drama on Yogiji Maharaj’s divine personality, entitled ‘Yogi Charitam’, was performed by BAPS children, teenagers and youths. In conclusion Swamishri blessed the assembly, “Yogiji Maharaj’s every action was pure and divine. He was child-like. Whosoever has had his darshan can never forget him. In his discourses there was humour and joy. He used to give a memorable pat on the shoulders of all. “His purity and saintliness touched all – whether the person was a devotee or not. A person of any religion experienced divinity in him. There was no ostentation in his life. He never believed and felt that he was great, that he was a great person or that he knew a lot”
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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.
3
May 2007, Gandhinagar
- Seven female and six male devotees pilgrimaged
by foot from Ahmedabad.
4
May 2007, Gandhinagar
- Seven female devotees pilgrimaged by
foot while chanting dhun from Vavol and 7 females devotees pilgrimaged
from Sectors four and five.
5
May 2007, Gandhinagar
- Six devotees from Vavol, Rameshbhai
and his wife came chanting the Janmangal Namavali 40 times from Sector
2, Nandubhai Patel and family from Sector 27, 8 devotees from Raipur
(Dehgam region), 8 male and female devotees from Sector 1, 6 male
and 5 female devotees from Randheja, 8 female and 3 male devotees
from Kolavada, 50 female and 5 male devotees from Sectors 1 and 7
and Vavol and 16 female and 4 male devotees pilgrimaged by foot from
Bapunagar (suburb of Amdavad)
6
May 2007, Gandhinagar
- Fifty male and female devotees from
Sector 26, 3 male devotees from Dhanap, and 4 devotees pilgrimaged
by foot from Vavol.
13
May 2007, Nairobi
- Several bank managers from various
branches of the Bank of Baroda came for Swamishri’s darshan
and blessings. They had all seen Swaminarayan Akshardham in New
Delhi and were very impressed. Mr Kabra, a manager of a branch from
Kisumu, asked, “What type of power do you possess that at
the utterance of a single word so many get ready to do what you
wish?”
Swamishri replied humbly, “God is the doer of all works. It
is due to his and our guru’s grace that things are done. Without
God’s inspiration nothing can be accomplished. God is the
essence.”
Mr Kabra asked, “Now which other unique work do you intend
to do in your life?”
Swamishri said, “I am doing what God inspires me. He is the
doer. Whatever that is being done is all planned by God.”
Thereafter Swami explained how Akshardham was built through the
wish of Yogiji Maharaj.
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