A Tulsi Plant
Yesterday, Swamishri had been welcomed and honoured with a tulsi plant pot during an inaugural function of an MRI machine at the Civil Hospital. This morning Swamishri asked a sadhu where he had placed the tulsi plant pot.
'In your room,' the sadhu replied.
'See to it that it is planted in an appropriate place in the mandir grounds and regularly watered. They have presented it with great love and affection. And besides, by leaving the plant in the room it will dry up and die by itself.'
Swamishri's hallmark of care and affection is reflected by his appreciation and recognition of the officials' sentiments and his concern for the survival of plants.
1-3-2000, Amdavad
Yesterday, Swamishri had been welcomed and honoured with a tulsi plant pot during an inaugural function of an MRI machine at the Civil Hospital. This morning Swamishri asked a sadhu where he had placed the tulsi plant pot.
'In your room,' the sadhu replied.
'See to it that it is planted in an appropriate place in the mandir grounds and regularly watered. They have presented it with great love and affection. And besides, by leaving the plant in the room it will dry up and die by itself.'
Swamishri's hallmark of care and affection is reflected by his appreciation and recognition of the officials' sentiments and his concern for the survival of plants.
1-3-2000, Amdavad
Sunday Sabha
Despite physical weakness due to an illness, Swamishri expressed a wish to go to the Sunday assembly this evening. When Swamishri entered in the assembly hall, he was welcomed by thunderous clapping from the devotees. After Thakorji's darshan, Swamishri sat on a sofa and listened to the spiritual discourse for half an hour. When the discourse concluded at 7.30 p.m., Swamishri returned to his residence and said with deep satisfaction, 'I have obeyed Yogiji Maharaj's instruction (of attending the Sunday assembly). I had the opportunity of having the darshan of the devotees and in pleasing them.'
Even in such a debilitated state, Swamishri personally ensured that he obeyed the wish of Yogiji Maharaj by attending the Sunday discourse.
12-3-2000, Gandhinagar
Despite physical weakness due to an illness, Swamishri expressed a wish to go to the Sunday assembly this evening. When Swamishri entered in the assembly hall, he was welcomed by thunderous clapping from the devotees. After Thakorji's darshan, Swamishri sat on a sofa and listened to the spiritual discourse for half an hour. When the discourse concluded at 7.30 p.m., Swamishri returned to his residence and said with deep satisfaction, 'I have obeyed Yogiji Maharaj's instruction (of attending the Sunday assembly). I had the opportunity of having the darshan of the devotees and in pleasing them.'
Even in such a debilitated state, Swamishri personally ensured that he obeyed the wish of Yogiji Maharaj by attending the Sunday discourse.
12-3-2000, Gandhinagar
Freedom from Fear
An aspirant troubled by a gnawing fear came up for Swamishri's blessings. He said that a Brahmin had told him that his son has kal-sarp dosh in his horoscope. 'He has predicted that my son will suffer from some physical problem.'
Swamishri replied, 'Don't get entangled in such predictions. Chant the holy name of Swaminarayan. The body is susceptible to disease. Even I have stomachaches and fever. So there is no need to be fearful or superstitious. Engage yourself in bhajan and all will be well.'
Swamishri consolidated the aspirant's faith in God. He often prescribes the mahapuja ritual to dissolve fears because of unfavourable stars.
An aspirant troubled by a gnawing fear came up for Swamishri's blessings. He said that a Brahmin had told him that his son has kal-sarp dosh in his horoscope. 'He has predicted that my son will suffer from some physical problem.'
Swamishri replied, 'Don't get entangled in such predictions. Chant the holy name of Swaminarayan. The body is susceptible to disease. Even I have stomachaches and fever. So there is no need to be fearful or superstitious. Engage yourself in bhajan and all will be well.'
Swamishri consolidated the aspirant's faith in God. He often prescribes the mahapuja ritual to dissolve fears because of unfavourable stars.
I Am Sevak
When the car stopped at the cottage, Swamishri unbuckled his seat belt. The youth driving the car said, 'I would have unbuckled it for you. There was no need to do it yourself.' Swamishri replied, 'Sometimes one has to become a svayamsevak (one's own servant).'
The youth responded, 'There is no need for you to be svayam-sevak. You are the boss!'
Swamishri, placing a finger on his chest, said 'I am not boss. I am sevak (servant).'
Despite being the guru of hundreds of thousands, Swamishri always harbours the feeling of sevakbhav (servitude).
26-6-2000, Nottingham
When the car stopped at the cottage, Swamishri unbuckled his seat belt. The youth driving the car said, 'I would have unbuckled it for you. There was no need to do it yourself.' Swamishri replied, 'Sometimes one has to become a svayamsevak (one's own servant).'
The youth responded, 'There is no need for you to be svayam-sevak. You are the boss!'
Swamishri, placing a finger on his chest, said 'I am not boss. I am sevak (servant).'
Despite being the guru of hundreds of thousands, Swamishri always harbours the feeling of sevakbhav (servitude).
26-6-2000, Nottingham
Nobel Peace Prize
Swamishri arrived in Birmingham at 12.15 p.m. While on the way to the residence someone said, 'It is the wish of Dr. Swami that you be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The award ceremony takes place in Oslo, Norway. This award should be presented to you in the presence of all senior sadhus, saints and thousands of devotees.'
Swamishri responded with joy, 'For us the biggest prize is having met Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj. Everything is included in that. They are the topmost of the top. So whether one gets it or not, there is no regret. That Maharaj and Swami are happy and Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj have blessed us is the greatest of all prizes.'
3-7-2000, Birmingham
Swamishri arrived in Birmingham at 12.15 p.m. While on the way to the residence someone said, 'It is the wish of Dr. Swami that you be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. The award ceremony takes place in Oslo, Norway. This award should be presented to you in the presence of all senior sadhus, saints and thousands of devotees.'
Swamishri responded with joy, 'For us the biggest prize is having met Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj. Everything is included in that. They are the topmost of the top. So whether one gets it or not, there is no regret. That Maharaj and Swami are happy and Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj have blessed us is the greatest of all prizes.'
3-7-2000, Birmingham
'Seva' - The Way to Akshardham
During his visit around the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Swamishri arrived at the medical department. Dr. Harshad Patel requested Swamishri to sit in his chair. Then he gave his stethoscope to Swamishri and told him, 'Bapa, we check patients, but you are the Doctor of doctors. Please check me today.'
When Swamishri placed the stethoscope on his heart, Dr. Harshad asked, 'Will it go to Akshardham?'
Swamishri replied with a doctor's confident style, 'Yes, it is really eligible to go to Akshardham.'
'Then Bapa, what about us?' the other devotees chorused.
Swamishri, raising his hand, replied in a divine mood, 'Everyone will go to Akshardham! There is Akshardham for all those who do seva.'
6-8-2000, Atlanta
During his visit around the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Swamishri arrived at the medical department. Dr. Harshad Patel requested Swamishri to sit in his chair. Then he gave his stethoscope to Swamishri and told him, 'Bapa, we check patients, but you are the Doctor of doctors. Please check me today.'
When Swamishri placed the stethoscope on his heart, Dr. Harshad asked, 'Will it go to Akshardham?'
Swamishri replied with a doctor's confident style, 'Yes, it is really eligible to go to Akshardham.'
'Then Bapa, what about us?' the other devotees chorused.
Swamishri, raising his hand, replied in a divine mood, 'Everyone will go to Akshardham! There is Akshardham for all those who do seva.'
6-8-2000, Atlanta
Spiritual Guidance
Swamishri answered a couple of questions posed to him during the Bal Shibir in Perry, USA.
Q: We make a lot of mistakes yet you never show any displeasure towards us. How can we avoid making mistakes and with what thought do you forgive us?
A: To err is human. Only God and His realised Sadhu never err. But, we project our faults in them. And to dissolve them, they tolerate our errors and faults. God, out of compassion, loves and talks to us. If God and His realised Sadhu start looking at our faults then we would not be able to sit here. To sustain and elevate us they do not look at our faults. This is their compassion, grace, and patience. If one thinks on these lines then one would stop from erring.
Q: What expectations do you have from us?
A: It was Yogiji Maharaj's dream that children become virtuous and through them our society and nation too. For this you have to avoid eating out. Keep away from bad company. To become ideal means to live a pure life, have honesty, morality, the spirit to help others, dharma and bhakti. You should become virtuous so that it pleases God and your parents. Study well and serve God and the country.
12-8-2000, Perry, USA
Swamishri answered a couple of questions posed to him during the Bal Shibir in Perry, USA.
Q: We make a lot of mistakes yet you never show any displeasure towards us. How can we avoid making mistakes and with what thought do you forgive us?
A: To err is human. Only God and His realised Sadhu never err. But, we project our faults in them. And to dissolve them, they tolerate our errors and faults. God, out of compassion, loves and talks to us. If God and His realised Sadhu start looking at our faults then we would not be able to sit here. To sustain and elevate us they do not look at our faults. This is their compassion, grace, and patience. If one thinks on these lines then one would stop from erring.
Q: What expectations do you have from us?
A: It was Yogiji Maharaj's dream that children become virtuous and through them our society and nation too. For this you have to avoid eating out. Keep away from bad company. To become ideal means to live a pure life, have honesty, morality, the spirit to help others, dharma and bhakti. You should become virtuous so that it pleases God and your parents. Study well and serve God and the country.
12-8-2000, Perry, USA
Tolerance
During an afternoon nap, Swamishri's room had turned very cold. When this topic was brought up later in the day, Swamishri replied, 'Yes, my pillow, bed and the quilt had become very cold. I simply lay awake in such a condition for an hour.'
'Then you should have woken me up,' the attendant sadhu said.
'But I thought why should I wake you up and spoil your sleep also! And besides, I felt that since I had tolerated for some time then let me tolerate it a little more.'
Without a word of complaint, Swamishri tolerated the cold condition for over an hour.
13-8-2000, Charlotte
During an afternoon nap, Swamishri's room had turned very cold. When this topic was brought up later in the day, Swamishri replied, 'Yes, my pillow, bed and the quilt had become very cold. I simply lay awake in such a condition for an hour.'
'Then you should have woken me up,' the attendant sadhu said.
'But I thought why should I wake you up and spoil your sleep also! And besides, I felt that since I had tolerated for some time then let me tolerate it a little more.'
Without a word of complaint, Swamishri tolerated the cold condition for over an hour.
13-8-2000, Charlotte