A Wedding Procession!
One hot summer's day in 1975. The devotees of Umreth had arranged a procession for Swamishri through the village streets. I was hovering here and there around Swamishri's decorated car, making sure all went smoothly.
Suddenly, Swamishri called me and told me to get into his car. He had me sit near the driver. A few moments later, Swamishri uttered, 'Consider this your wedding procession. There is no need for another one. Now the time has come for you to wed the Lord!'
Swamishri reinforced my wish to become a sadhu in a very touching way. After this incident my desire gathered even greater momentum.
Sadhu Atmaswarupdas
One hot summer's day in 1975. The devotees of Umreth had arranged a procession for Swamishri through the village streets. I was hovering here and there around Swamishri's decorated car, making sure all went smoothly.
Suddenly, Swamishri called me and told me to get into his car. He had me sit near the driver. A few moments later, Swamishri uttered, 'Consider this your wedding procession. There is no need for another one. Now the time has come for you to wed the Lord!'
Swamishri reinforced my wish to become a sadhu in a very touching way. After this incident my desire gathered even greater momentum.
Sadhu Atmaswarupdas
Swamishri blessed the Tanzanian city of Mwanza in 1980. One night, a kirtan aradhana had been organized. Some yuvaks were up on stage tuning the instruments ready for the program. One of the yuvaks, Hasmukhbhai, brought his dilruba to Swamishri.
Swamishri took the string instrument in his hands and looked at it inquisitively. Then, somewhat playfully, Swamishri asked, 'Which raag shall we play now?'
'Malkauns.'
'Bhupati.'
'Kalavati.'
'Megh Malar'... the suggestions came one after the other.
Swamishri laughed and suggested, 'Let's play Raag Sukhiyo (Happy)!'
So saying, Swamishri gave a few strokes of the bow on the dilruba and returned it to Hasmukhbhai.
Of all the various raags in Indian music, Swamishri seems to have the monopoly on this Sukhiyo Rag. Forever immersed in the song of God, Swamishri's words seemed to chime with the conviction that he wants to instill this melody of happiness in our hearts too.
Sadhu Atmaswarupdas
Swamishri took the string instrument in his hands and looked at it inquisitively. Then, somewhat playfully, Swamishri asked, 'Which raag shall we play now?'
'Malkauns.'
'Bhupati.'
'Kalavati.'
'Megh Malar'... the suggestions came one after the other.
Swamishri laughed and suggested, 'Let's play Raag Sukhiyo (Happy)!'
So saying, Swamishri gave a few strokes of the bow on the dilruba and returned it to Hasmukhbhai.
Of all the various raags in Indian music, Swamishri seems to have the monopoly on this Sukhiyo Rag. Forever immersed in the song of God, Swamishri's words seemed to chime with the conviction that he wants to instill this melody of happiness in our hearts too.
Sadhu Atmaswarupdas
Revealing Message
1980. Friends' Hall, London. In a speech I was giving just before Swamishri's blessings, I mentioned, 'It is Gunatitanand Swami's wish to see the chant of 'Swaminarayan' resounding from every leaf in this world. But when can that be possible? Only when 'Swaminarayan' resounds from our every pore; then consider that as good as the whole world chanting 'Swaminarayan'!'
Swamishri nodded his head in agreement. Picking up on this statement in his blessings, he quietly revealed, 'We are fortunate enough to have a Guru whose every pore resounds with the devotion of Maharaj. So by his grace, we too will be able to have our every pore, and every corner of the world resound with the worship of 'Swaminarayan'.'
Sadhu Atmaswarupdas
1980. Friends' Hall, London. In a speech I was giving just before Swamishri's blessings, I mentioned, 'It is Gunatitanand Swami's wish to see the chant of 'Swaminarayan' resounding from every leaf in this world. But when can that be possible? Only when 'Swaminarayan' resounds from our every pore; then consider that as good as the whole world chanting 'Swaminarayan'!'
Swamishri nodded his head in agreement. Picking up on this statement in his blessings, he quietly revealed, 'We are fortunate enough to have a Guru whose every pore resounds with the devotion of Maharaj. So by his grace, we too will be able to have our every pore, and every corner of the world resound with the worship of 'Swaminarayan'.'
Sadhu Atmaswarupdas
Persistence to Decipher
While still in London in 1980, a letter from India arrived. Shvetvaikunth Swami was handling Swamishri's mail correspondence on that tour. He couldn't quite make out what the letter was about so he passed it on to me. I tried my best, but the handwriting was so untidy that I couldn't make head or tail of it. We decided we ought to show Swamishri, but doubted very much if anything would come of it.
That evening, Swamishri presided over the assembly in Friends' Hall. We took the letter there. We explained our failure in deciphering the contents. But Swamishri just put on his spectacles and said not a word further. For 20-25 minutes he struggled. Again and again he patiently read the letter, trying somehow to recognize even the odd word or phrase. In the end, he succeeded in at least extracting the essence of the letter. Immediately he took out his pen and pad, and wrote a reply.
Swamishri genuinely cares. He really wants to help. Only then would he have spent so much time and effort behind an ordinary letter from an ordinary devotee. The patience, the enthusiasm, the spirit with which he nourishes us and takes time out for us shows how deep his affection runs.
Sadhu Atmaswarupdas
While still in London in 1980, a letter from India arrived. Shvetvaikunth Swami was handling Swamishri's mail correspondence on that tour. He couldn't quite make out what the letter was about so he passed it on to me. I tried my best, but the handwriting was so untidy that I couldn't make head or tail of it. We decided we ought to show Swamishri, but doubted very much if anything would come of it.
That evening, Swamishri presided over the assembly in Friends' Hall. We took the letter there. We explained our failure in deciphering the contents. But Swamishri just put on his spectacles and said not a word further. For 20-25 minutes he struggled. Again and again he patiently read the letter, trying somehow to recognize even the odd word or phrase. In the end, he succeeded in at least extracting the essence of the letter. Immediately he took out his pen and pad, and wrote a reply.
Swamishri genuinely cares. He really wants to help. Only then would he have spent so much time and effort behind an ordinary letter from an ordinary devotee. The patience, the enthusiasm, the spirit with which he nourishes us and takes time out for us shows how deep his affection runs.
Sadhu Atmaswarupdas
God is Not Pleased by Bhakti Done With Jealousy
“If a devotee of God engages in delivering spiritual discourses, singing devotional songs, listening to talks of God, and the rest of the nine types of bhakti with jealousy towards other devotees, then God is not very pleased by that bhakti. But if, having discarded jealousy, one offers bhakti only for one’s own liberation and not to display to other people, then God is pleased by that bhakti. Therefore, one who wants to please God should not offer bhakti to please other people or out of jealousy for someone, but should do so only for one’s own liberation.”
[Gadhadã III-6]
“If a devotee of God engages in delivering spiritual discourses, singing devotional songs, listening to talks of God, and the rest of the nine types of bhakti with jealousy towards other devotees, then God is not very pleased by that bhakti. But if, having discarded jealousy, one offers bhakti only for one’s own liberation and not to display to other people, then God is pleased by that bhakti. Therefore, one who wants to please God should not offer bhakti to please other people or out of jealousy for someone, but should do so only for one’s own liberation.”
[Gadhadã III-6]
Bless Me to Bless You!
1980. Swamishri's 60th birthday was celebrated in Vadodara.
After performing his puja on the morning of his birthday at Ashokbhai Patel's 'Aims House', we all
lined up to receive blessings from Swamishri. I was the last in the line.
When my turn came, I said, 'Bapa, bless me that I can follow your every wish.'
Swamishri folded his hands and said to us sadhus, 'Bless me that I can follow your wishes.'
'But Bapa,' I jumped in, 'it can't work that way round. You have to bless us to please you.'
Swamishri chuckled and concluded, 'Let's keep it mutual. You please me and I'll please you.'
Sadhu Atmaswarupdas
1980. Swamishri's 60th birthday was celebrated in Vadodara.
After performing his puja on the morning of his birthday at Ashokbhai Patel's 'Aims House', we all
lined up to receive blessings from Swamishri. I was the last in the line.
When my turn came, I said, 'Bapa, bless me that I can follow your every wish.'
Swamishri folded his hands and said to us sadhus, 'Bless me that I can follow your wishes.'
'But Bapa,' I jumped in, 'it can't work that way round. You have to bless us to please you.'
Swamishri chuckled and concluded, 'Let's keep it mutual. You please me and I'll please you.'
Sadhu Atmaswarupdas
What is The Reason Behind Godly And Demonic Jivas?
Thereupon Shobhãrãm Shãstri asked a question: “Mahãrãj, there are two types of jivas: godly and demonic. Have they always been so since eternity, or have they become so due to association?”
Shriji Mahãrãj replied, “In the beginning, during the period of dissolution, both types of jivas, godly and demonic, are absorbed within mãyã. Then, when the cosmos is created, both types of jivas emerge, each with its own nature. There are also those ordinary jivas who become godly or demonic due to association with godly or demonic jivas. Also, there are some godly and demonic jivas who gradually develop such a nature due to the karmas they perform. But mainly, the cause of such godly and demonic natures is the grace or the wrath of the Satpurush…”
[Vartãl-15]
Thereupon Shobhãrãm Shãstri asked a question: “Mahãrãj, there are two types of jivas: godly and demonic. Have they always been so since eternity, or have they become so due to association?”
Shriji Mahãrãj replied, “In the beginning, during the period of dissolution, both types of jivas, godly and demonic, are absorbed within mãyã. Then, when the cosmos is created, both types of jivas emerge, each with its own nature. There are also those ordinary jivas who become godly or demonic due to association with godly or demonic jivas. Also, there are some godly and demonic jivas who gradually develop such a nature due to the karmas they perform. But mainly, the cause of such godly and demonic natures is the grace or the wrath of the Satpurush…”
[Vartãl-15]
- Reminder for the upcoming special sabha with Pujya Dr Swami this coming Monday, May 27th in Robby @ 10AM
- Dress code: Jabho Lengho
- Breakfast will be served from 9 AM – 9:45 AM
- Coordinate with your karyakars to arrange rides
- Dress code: Jabho Lengho
- Breakfast will be served from 9 AM – 9:45 AM
- Coordinate with your karyakars to arrange rides