Janmashtami Ustav Atladara

HDH Pramukh swami maharaj celebrated Janmashtami utsav at Atladara. Find photos of the divine utsav.

Rakshabandhan Celebration at VVNagar 2008

HDH Pramukh swami celebrated Rakshabandahn at VVNagar. Find photos and video of the event here.

એક નારી સદા બ્રહ્મચારી

મુલાકાતો દરમ્યાન એક યુવકે સ્વામીશ્રીને પૂછ્યું : 'ગૃહસ્થાશ્રમમાં બ્રહ્મચર્ય કઈ રીતે રહે ?'
સ્વામીશ્રીએ કહ્યું : 'ગૃહસ્થને તો 'એક નારી સદા બ્રહ્મચારી.' એક પત્નીવ્રત. એણે બીજે વૃત્તિ ન રાખવી. પત્ની સાથે વ્યવહાર, પણ બીજી કોઈ પણ સ્ત્રી હોય તો એને મા ને બહેન સમજવી. અને અમારે સંતોએ અષ્ટ પ્રકારે બ્રહ્મચર્ય રાખવાનું હોય.'
યુવકે પૂછ્યું : 'મૅરેજ ન કરીએ અને બ્રહ્મચર્ય રાખવું હોય તો આ સાધુનાં કપડાં પહેરવાં જરૂરી છે ?'
સ્વામીશ્રી કહે : 'ના, એવું કંઈ નથી. ઘણા આ રીતે રહ્યા છે. પણ આ કપડાંમાં એટલું જ ધ્યાન રાખવાનું કે ક્યાંક લપસી ન જવાય.'

(તા. ૩-૬-૨૦૦૪, એડિસન)

Rakshabandhan 2008

Rakshabandhan

HDH Pramukh Swami Maharaj's sevak Sadhu Narayancharan swami ask this ashirvad 2 years back on the holy day of Rakshabandan.

Bapa in Vallabh Vidya Nagar Chatralaya

After a long time HDH Param Pujya Pramukh swami maharaj is visiting Vallabh Vidya Nagar Chatralaya. It is well known truth that bapa loves chatralaya's yuvaks so much. Find some of the photographs of this divine visit.

Happy Birth Day to SHRI KRISHNAJI ADA

Shri Karsanjibhai Indraji Vyas, who was popularly known as Krishnaji Ada, was born on auspicious day of Shravan sud 5, Samvat 1890. He was great devotee of AksharPurshotam. Lets celebrate Kirshnaji's birthday by remebering some of his prasangs.

Nischay of Gunatitanand Swami as Akshar brahm:

Once, the Krishnaji Ada accompanied some satsangis to Junagadh for the darshan of Aksharbrahman Gunatitanand Swami. At that time, in accordance with Swami’s wish, Bhagatji Maharaj was delivering religious discourses there. In the course of one discourse, referring to Swami, Bhagatji Maharaj said, “The one who is seated is Akshar and the one that sleeps is also Akshar. Only if you accept Swami as Akshar, will you be able to go to Akshardham.” When Karsanjibhai heard these talks regarding the glory of Swami, he thought, “This Swami seems to be great. He is compared with Dattatray, Jadbharat and Rishabhdev. But what is his real form?” Bhagatji Maharaj instantly read his mind and pointing towards Swami he said, “This Swami who seated here is Mul Akshar, the dwelling place of the Maharaj. Let us go to him/ask him. He will confirm what I am telling you.” Swami endorsed Bhagatji Maharaj’s words, “It is as Pragji says.” This statement cleared all the doubts from the minds of the devotees and they were all convinced about Swami’s divinity.

He always preached, “Swami is Akshar and Maharaj is Purushottam.” He was very meek and humble. He would not hurt even an ant. His favourite couplet was:

“Nãne se ho nãne rahie, jaisi nãni dub,
Ghãs fis sab ud gayã, dub khub ki dub.”

Paksh of Shastriji Maharaj:

It was during this period that Shastriji Maharaj was studying the philosophy of the Gita from Jivanram Shastri in Rajkot. Many youths and devotees who had faith in Gunatitanand Swami were attracted towards Shastriji Maharaj, impressed by his piety and spiritual knowledge. However, some jealous sadhus and devotees could not stand the increasing popularity of Shastriji Maharaj. So, they decided to humiliate and insult him. They collected signatures on a statement which read, “Shastriji Maharaj should not be allowed to stay at Rajkot mandir.” They managed to get signatures from certain leading sadhus and devotees, too. The devotees, including Krishnaji Ada, who believed in the divinity of Gunatitanand Swami, resolved to back Shastriji Maharaj wholeheartedly. Himrajbhai, who was one of the leading devotees of Gunatitanand Swami, had signed the resolution calling for Shastriji Maharaj’s expulsion from the mandir. Himrajbhai was an influential man in the Rajkot mandir. When Krishnaji Ada learnt that he had signed the resolution, he severed all his relations with his gurubhai and dear friend, Himrajbhai, forever. He refused to see him again throughout his life. Although he was meek, Krishnaji Ada was very courageous in supporting the devotees of God.

BAPS Santha's base:

Due to continuous harassment from the sadhus and as advised by Krishnaji Ada, Shastriji Maharaj separated from Vartal mandir. In 1907 CE (Samvat 1963) Shastriji Maharaj built the first mandir in Bochasan and consecrated the metallic murtis of Akshar-Purushottam there. Now Ada started telling his followers to go to Bochasan. He used to say, “The Akshar-Purushottam philosophy which had so far remained restricted to a corner has now spread throughout the Charotar region. Therefore, those who want to talk about or listen to it openly should go to Bochasan.”

ZyanYagna Milan:

Ada inspired Vignandasji, Yogiji Maharaj and five other sadhus to come to Rajkot from Junagadh. They met Ada there. Shastriji Maharaj, too, was called from Sarangpur. This was the first historic meeting between Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj and it was Ada who had arranged this meeting. These two sadhus had manifest on earth to propagate the philosophy of Akshar-Purushottam. Ada was attacked from all sides for encouraging these sadhus, but he ignored everything. The Satsang shall forever remain grateful to Ada for introducing the illustrious pair of Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj.

Return to Akshardharm:

At 2.00 am on 10 October 1913 (Aso sud 11, Samvat 1969), Shastriji Maharaj and other sadhus were called from the mandir. Krishnaji Ada said, “Swami, Jai Swaminarayan. Now I am returning to Dham.”
Shastriji Maharaj selected a spot on the bank of the river Aji for the cremation. The cremation ground was purified by sprinkling holy water sanctified by Shriji Maharaj and then Krishnaji Ada was cremated.
Now a small memorial shrine stands there in honour of Krishnaji Ada. The place has become a place of pilgrimage for all satsangis.

Eclipse Rituals

Be it a solar or lunar eclipse, the rules to follow before, during and after the eclipse are as follows:

Before the eclipse:

• One should not eat 12 hours before the solar eclipse begins. One can drink water.
• One should not eat 9 hours before the lunar eclipse begins. One can drink water.
• In addition, one should not offer meals to God during this pre-eclipse period. However, one is allowed to perform arti, pray and sing devotional songs during this period.
• There may be times when the solar eclipse occurs before sunrise. Therefore one may see the eclipse only after the sun has risen. In this case, one should not eat after sunset the previous night.

During the eclipse:

• While the eclipse is taking place one should sit in one place, chant the name of God and sing devotional songs.
• One should observe a waterless fast while the actual eclipse is in progress.

After the eclipse:

• One should take a bath with one’s clothes on immediately after the eclipse.
• It is best to take a bath in cold water after the eclipse is over.
• The Satsangijivan, written by Shatãnand Muni, states that after one purifies oneself, one should offer donations according to one’s income. If donations are offered with love and devotion, one will receive appropriate returns as stated in the scriptures. It is in the joy of the Sun and/or Moon-god being released from the clutches of Rãhu that the devotees offer donations. Since sadhus have no money, they rejoice by performing puja.

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