On this day in 2012, Pramukh Swami Maharaj announced to the Sadguru Santo that Mahant Swāmi Maharaj is the next Guru of our Sanstha.
Falling from Satsang
'… Similarly, one who harbours an aversion towards the Sant should be known as having tuberculosis; he will certainly fall from Satsang sometime in the future…'
[Loyã-1]
'… Similarly, one who harbours an aversion towards the Sant should be known as having tuberculosis; he will certainly fall from Satsang sometime in the future…'
[Loyã-1]
Effort Earns Grace
After the evening sabha on the way to the lodgings, the youth driving Swamishri's car remarked to him, 'Bapa! Your ability to make decisions is really powerful. I always get confused about what to do. How did you get this ability?'
Swamishri: There is a great school for that. One has to attend it.
Youth asked: How?
Swamishri: Actually it is God's grace and the Guru's blessings. This occurs only by Their grace.
Youth: We love you, but how can we develop incessant 'divyabhav'?
Swamishri: By obeying the commands, by offering devotion and Satsang one receives God's grace.
Youth: Is that attainable by personal endeavor or His grace?
Swamishri: Only by making efforts (personally) can one become staunch. One must sincerely observe the rules of Dharma while doing one's job or social work. One should not eat garlic, onions, eggs and meat. One should take fruit juice (instead of liquor). If there is nothing edible for us, we should do without. Redemption lies in two factors: Obeying the commands and imbibing upasana. We should consolidate this belief in our soul
After the evening sabha on the way to the lodgings, the youth driving Swamishri's car remarked to him, 'Bapa! Your ability to make decisions is really powerful. I always get confused about what to do. How did you get this ability?'
Swamishri: There is a great school for that. One has to attend it.
Youth asked: How?
Swamishri: Actually it is God's grace and the Guru's blessings. This occurs only by Their grace.
Youth: We love you, but how can we develop incessant 'divyabhav'?
Swamishri: By obeying the commands, by offering devotion and Satsang one receives God's grace.
Youth: Is that attainable by personal endeavor or His grace?
Swamishri: Only by making efforts (personally) can one become staunch. One must sincerely observe the rules of Dharma while doing one's job or social work. One should not eat garlic, onions, eggs and meat. One should take fruit juice (instead of liquor). If there is nothing edible for us, we should do without. Redemption lies in two factors: Obeying the commands and imbibing upasana. We should consolidate this belief in our soul
Use Religion to Benefit
A satsangi youth asked Swamishri a few questions:
Q: Why do religions quarrel?
A: Religions never advocate quarrels. It is man's nature to quarrel because of his greed, ego and pride. No one is 'Brahmarup' (perfect) or 'Ekantik'. People are on that path, but because they have not realized the goal conflicts arise due to misunderstandings. But religion is not the cause of conflict. Look at the founders of the various religions. Study their messages. They have humbly served society. But man has not grasped this and quarrels. There is no religion which supports evil actions.
Q: If man's swabhavs (base instincts) are to blame, isn't it a religion's duty to improve this behavior?'
A: It is. But swabhavs do not change overnight. One who is an aspirant, contemplative, may be graced and his swabhavs removed quickly. For example, Valiyo, the looter, was transformed into Valmiki, the composer of the Ramayan. Joban Pagi of Vartal was transformed overnight by Bhagwan Swaminarayan. But generally, one has to live according to God's tenets for one's nature to change. One has to obey His commands as well as those of His true Sadhu. It takes time. Essentially, the fault lies not in religion but in mankind not observing religion.
A satsangi youth asked Swamishri a few questions:
Q: Why do religions quarrel?
A: Religions never advocate quarrels. It is man's nature to quarrel because of his greed, ego and pride. No one is 'Brahmarup' (perfect) or 'Ekantik'. People are on that path, but because they have not realized the goal conflicts arise due to misunderstandings. But religion is not the cause of conflict. Look at the founders of the various religions. Study their messages. They have humbly served society. But man has not grasped this and quarrels. There is no religion which supports evil actions.
Q: If man's swabhavs (base instincts) are to blame, isn't it a religion's duty to improve this behavior?'
A: It is. But swabhavs do not change overnight. One who is an aspirant, contemplative, may be graced and his swabhavs removed quickly. For example, Valiyo, the looter, was transformed into Valmiki, the composer of the Ramayan. Joban Pagi of Vartal was transformed overnight by Bhagwan Swaminarayan. But generally, one has to live according to God's tenets for one's nature to change. One has to obey His commands as well as those of His true Sadhu. It takes time. Essentially, the fault lies not in religion but in mankind not observing religion.
How Did Swamishri Know?
I had my first darshan of Swamishri during the Yogi Jayanti of 1977. I was studying in standard 8 at the time. I was with Becharbhai J. Patel, a devotee from Amreli. At the end of the assembly, we all queued up for Swamishri's blessings. As devotees passed by, Swamishri would ask them to pledge mahapujas. He would ask each devotee to pledge 500, 1000 or 2000 mahapujas. Then Becharbhai approached Swamishri. He asked, 'How many mahapujas should I offer?'
Instantly Swamishri replied, 'Offer ten.' I was amazed because Becharbhai had a low income. But how did Swamishri know that? This thought drew me closer to Swamishri.
- Sadhu Brahmajivandas
I had my first darshan of Swamishri during the Yogi Jayanti of 1977. I was studying in standard 8 at the time. I was with Becharbhai J. Patel, a devotee from Amreli. At the end of the assembly, we all queued up for Swamishri's blessings. As devotees passed by, Swamishri would ask them to pledge mahapujas. He would ask each devotee to pledge 500, 1000 or 2000 mahapujas. Then Becharbhai approached Swamishri. He asked, 'How many mahapujas should I offer?'
Instantly Swamishri replied, 'Offer ten.' I was amazed because Becharbhai had a low income. But how did Swamishri know that? This thought drew me closer to Swamishri.
- Sadhu Brahmajivandas
Searching for a Guru
In 1978, before I became a sadhu, my family was searching for a guru. However, I didn't have much faith in the Swaminarayan Sampraday. My family tried to get me to accept Swamishri as my guru. Even the efforts of other relatives and friends failed. Then during the chaturmas, Swamishri came to our home. Like everyone else, I bowed down to him. As I did so, he put his hand around my neck and asked, 'Don't you have a kanthi?!
'No,' I said.
'Would you like to wear one?' Swamishri asked.
'Yes,' I replied spontaneously. So Swamishri initiated me into satsang.
From that moment my inner feelings changed totally. This first meeting and darshan changed all my pre-conceptions. From then on I became more involved in satsang.
- Sadhu Amrutdarshandas
In 1978, before I became a sadhu, my family was searching for a guru. However, I didn't have much faith in the Swaminarayan Sampraday. My family tried to get me to accept Swamishri as my guru. Even the efforts of other relatives and friends failed. Then during the chaturmas, Swamishri came to our home. Like everyone else, I bowed down to him. As I did so, he put his hand around my neck and asked, 'Don't you have a kanthi?!
'No,' I said.
'Would you like to wear one?' Swamishri asked.
'Yes,' I replied spontaneously. So Swamishri initiated me into satsang.
From that moment my inner feelings changed totally. This first meeting and darshan changed all my pre-conceptions. From then on I became more involved in satsang.
- Sadhu Amrutdarshandas
Tell him 75 years!
July 1995. London. The new shikharbaddh mandir was under construction. Swamishri was on an inspection tour of the work in progress. Swamishri arrived in the haveli foyer. There, workmen were perched on scaffolding and plastering the walls. Suddenly, about 20 feet away one of the workmen, Melvyn - an African-American - jumped down from the scaffolding. He had a large muscular body - toned by plenty of exercise. He came and stood beside me.
'All you sadhus are too thin,' he said.
I was worried he might cause a disturbance, so I kept talking with him.
'We're not weak. We're strong.' Then I explained that our inner spiritual endeavors are hard. He was interested, so I explained to him about a sadhu's five cardinal vows. He was amazed.
We followed Swamishri up the stairs to the first floor, as we talked.
'For how many years has your guru not touched women?'
'About 55 years,' I replied, since Swamishri had been initiated in 1939.
Melvyn expressed a wish to meet Swamishri. Seeing him bare-chested and in shorts, I said it was not proper to meet Swamishri like this. So he immediately borrowed a T-shirt from one of his workmates. We reached the spot where Swamishri was standing and he bowed down to Swamishri. Then, suddenly he asked,
'Since how many years are you observing this rule of not seeing women?'
'About 55,' I interrupted.
'No, No,' Swamishri said, 'Tell him 75 years!'
Melvyn's eyes almost popped out when I told him. I also learnt that Swamishri, not only from birth, but since eternity, has been pure. Even before initiation, Swamishri was aloof from worldly attachments.
- Sadhu Brahmaviharidas
July 1995. London. The new shikharbaddh mandir was under construction. Swamishri was on an inspection tour of the work in progress. Swamishri arrived in the haveli foyer. There, workmen were perched on scaffolding and plastering the walls. Suddenly, about 20 feet away one of the workmen, Melvyn - an African-American - jumped down from the scaffolding. He had a large muscular body - toned by plenty of exercise. He came and stood beside me.
'All you sadhus are too thin,' he said.
I was worried he might cause a disturbance, so I kept talking with him.
'We're not weak. We're strong.' Then I explained that our inner spiritual endeavors are hard. He was interested, so I explained to him about a sadhu's five cardinal vows. He was amazed.
We followed Swamishri up the stairs to the first floor, as we talked.
'For how many years has your guru not touched women?'
'About 55 years,' I replied, since Swamishri had been initiated in 1939.
Melvyn expressed a wish to meet Swamishri. Seeing him bare-chested and in shorts, I said it was not proper to meet Swamishri like this. So he immediately borrowed a T-shirt from one of his workmates. We reached the spot where Swamishri was standing and he bowed down to Swamishri. Then, suddenly he asked,
'Since how many years are you observing this rule of not seeing women?'
'About 55,' I interrupted.
'No, No,' Swamishri said, 'Tell him 75 years!'
Melvyn's eyes almost popped out when I told him. I also learnt that Swamishri, not only from birth, but since eternity, has been pure. Even before initiation, Swamishri was aloof from worldly attachments.
- Sadhu Brahmaviharidas
Swamishri's Motto
1985. Amdavad. This year's Jal Jhilani festival was to be held at the Sarita Udyan in Gandhinagar. Everyone had left for the venue. Swamishri was due to leave shortly. Shukdev Bhagat (now, Shukmuni Swami) and I were cleaning Swamishri's room. It was about 9.00 a.m. Dharmacharan Swami was organizing Swamishri's letters. Just then, Swamishri walked in and sat on a chair. There were a few minutes to go before he was due to leave. He was totally relaxed.
I asked, 'Bapa, what are you thinking?'
'To worship God and make others worship Him too!' replied Swamishri confidently.
Again I asked, 'Bapa! Since your birth on this earth, which thought has repeatedly come to you? No doubt you get many thoughts about sadhus, devotees, mandirs. they're all God-related. But which thought has cropped up repeatedly?'
Swamishri looked at us and paused. Then, as we eagerly anticipated his reply, he said, 'I'll tell you which thought I've never had!'
'Oh yes, please do.'
Straightaway Swamishri said, 'I never ever thought of doing anything unkind to anyone.'
This is Swamishri's life motto.
- Sadhu Brahmaviharidas
1985. Amdavad. This year's Jal Jhilani festival was to be held at the Sarita Udyan in Gandhinagar. Everyone had left for the venue. Swamishri was due to leave shortly. Shukdev Bhagat (now, Shukmuni Swami) and I were cleaning Swamishri's room. It was about 9.00 a.m. Dharmacharan Swami was organizing Swamishri's letters. Just then, Swamishri walked in and sat on a chair. There were a few minutes to go before he was due to leave. He was totally relaxed.
I asked, 'Bapa, what are you thinking?'
'To worship God and make others worship Him too!' replied Swamishri confidently.
Again I asked, 'Bapa! Since your birth on this earth, which thought has repeatedly come to you? No doubt you get many thoughts about sadhus, devotees, mandirs. they're all God-related. But which thought has cropped up repeatedly?'
Swamishri looked at us and paused. Then, as we eagerly anticipated his reply, he said, 'I'll tell you which thought I've never had!'
'Oh yes, please do.'
Straightaway Swamishri said, 'I never ever thought of doing anything unkind to anyone.'
This is Swamishri's life motto.
- Sadhu Brahmaviharidas