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16
May 2006 (V.S. 2062, Vaishakh vad 3) Tuesday, Gondal, Bhavnagar
At 7.00 pm a
welcome assembly and volunteers’ assembly was held.
Swamishri was honoured by the Mayor of Bhavnagar Shri Mehulbhai
Vadodaria, Deputy Mayor Shri Jashvantsinh and Standing Committee
Chairman Shri Tulsibhai. In conclusion Swamishri blessed the
assembly, “I congratulate all the devotees for serving
in the mandir project by disregarding all physical difficulties
and discomforts. The summer heat is scorching but still you
have served to please Shriji Maharaj, Gunatitanand Swami.
The sadhus too have served immensely in the mandir project.
You have engaged yourself in this project and attained a Ph.d.
You have attained the Ph.d. because you have offered your
services with the sole motive of pleasing God. You did not
desire for material happiness, wealth or status but to please
Maharaj, Yogiji Maharaj”
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- 17 May
2006 (V.S. 2062, Vaishakh vad 4) Wednesday, Bhavnagar; Prasad
Pravesh
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The BAPS
Swaminarayan Mandir has been built of pink stone from
Rajasthan in the Nagradi style. It is 80 ft high, 169
ft long and 128 ft wide. The mandir has five shikhars,
one main dome, five small and six large domes; 136 ornate
arches (torans), 136 carved pillars, 20 gavakshs, 21 jharukhas,
61 murtis on the mandir pillars, 40 murtis in the mandovar,
24 murtis inside the ghummats.
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From 8.00
am the prasad pravesh rituals, prior to the pratishtha
day, were held in the presence of senior sadhus. Swamishri
came and performed the pujan of kalashes and dhaja-dand
and the concluding rituals of prasad pravesh.
At 7.00 pm Swamishri saw a drama presentation of how Satsang
has developed in Bhavnagar. The drama included the stories
of Brahmanand Swami’s transformation, Sagram Vaghri
of Limli, Atmaram Darji, Bhakta Kuberbhai who begged for
alms with Shastriji Maharaj, and incidents on how Yogiji
Maharaj and Pramukh Swami Maharaj had developed the Satsang.
The drama concluded at 8.20 pm.
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19
May 2006 (V.S. 2062, Vaishakh vad 7) Friday, Bhavnagar; Murti-pratishtha
Festival
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The mandir
building project commenced with the foundation-stone laying
ceremony performed by Swamishri on 15 January 2002. The
mandir was completed through tremendous voluntary efforts
by the devotees of Bhavnagar and thousands more had performed
austerities and devotional worship and rituals for its
successful completion.
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Swamishri
performed the murti-pratishtha rituals of Shri Akshar
Purushottam Maharaj and the senior sadhus performed the
rituals of the remaining murtis. After the rituals were
over Swamishri also performed the first pujan of all the
murtis. Thereafter annakut was displayed before the deities
and Swamishri and senior sadhus performed the pratishtha
arti. The pratishtha rituals concluded at 9.30 am.
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At 10.30
am Swamishri was welcomed to the pratishtha assembly amidst
thundering applause. Several dignitaries were honoured
on stage, namely, Minister for Urban Development, Roads
and Buildings Shri I.K. Jadeja, Minister for Energy Shri
Saurabhbhai Patel, Mayor of Bhavnagar Shri Mehulbhai Vadodaria,
MLAs Shri Sunilbhai Oza, Mahendrabhai Trivedi, leading
Congress member Shri Shaktisinh Gohil and many others.
After the addresses by senior sadhus and dignitaries Swamishri
inaugurated three pictorial publications by Swaminarayan
Aksharpith: Ramayan and Mahabharat (Hindi) and Brahmaswarup
Shastriji Maharaj (English).
Swamishri was then honoured with garlands by the senior
sadhus. The youths of Bhavnagar performed a traditional
dance celebrating the mandir inauguration. Finally, Swamishri
blessed the assembly, “Our culture since time immemorial
has been sustained by the Vedas and mandirs. Through mandirs
one is inspired with character and values. Through one’s
association with mandirs and a bonafide Sadhu one’s
senses revert within. Bhagwan Swaminarayan came on earth
to inspire character, values and to grant moksha to people.
He has given a beautiful code of ethics in the Shikshapatri.
It prescribes injunctions for the happiness of mankind.
He has given two great things in it ‘Dharmo gneyah
sadE3chE3rah’ (righteous living). If one lives righteously
then there will be no hatred for others. You follow the
faith you believe in by obeying the moral codes written
in your scriptures, but do not villify other faiths. And
the second thing is to live an addiction-free life.”
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More than 31,000
devotees attended the pratishtha festival and partook of the
mahaprasad.
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24
May 2006 (V.S. 2062, Vaishakh vad 12) Wednesday, Bhavnagar;
114 Birthday Celebration of Yogiji Maharaj
In the evening the assembly celebrating Yogiji Maharaj’s
114th birthday was addressed by different sadhus lauding the
virtues of Yogiji Maharaj on the theme “Vani amrutthi
bhari madhu sami...” Thereafter Viveksagar Swami addressed
the assembly. After a traditional dance by BAPS children and
youths Swamishri blessed the devotees, “Yogiji Maharaj
had countless virtues. Whatever has been written in the shastras
about saintliness, one finds them in the life of Yogiji Maharaj.
There was no maya or mundaneness in him. He saw only God in
all. We talk about the Gunatit state, but we could see it
entirely in Yogiji Maharaj. He never thought or desired for
glory, greatness, fame or to look nice before others. He was
always humble and beheld all devotees and small children with
glory...”
Ten thousands devotees availed of the celebration.
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25
May 2006 (V.S. 2062, Vaishakh vad 13) Thursday, Bhavnagar,
Surat, Navsari
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At 11.40
am Swamishri departed by plane from Bhavnagar and landed
at Surat airport at 12.00 noon. Thereafter Swamishri proceeded
by road towards Navsari, reaching the BAPS mandir at 1.10
pm.
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In the
evening assembly, after Viveksagar Swami’s discourse
on the Vachanamrut, Swamishri was welcomed with garlands
offered by sadhus and devotees. Thereafter a welcome dance
was performed by BAPS children and youths. Then the youths
performed a drama based on the theme of atma-gnan from
the Upanishads – Sanatkumar and Naradji. Finally,
Swamishri blessed the assembly.
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26
May 2006 (V.S. 2062, Vaishakh vad 14) Friday, Navsari
After his morning puja Swamishri performed the murti-pratishtha
rituals of the murtis of Akshar Purushottam Maharaj, Radha-Krishna
Dev, Hanumanji and Ganapatji and Guru parampara for a BAPS
hari mandir in Borifaliya-Onjal.
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27
May 2006 (V.S. 2062, Vaishakh vad 30) Saturday, Navsari
The city corporation or council members honoured Swamishri
in the evening satsang assembly at the mandir. Prior to this
Viveksagar Swami discoursed on the Vachanamrut and BAPS tribal
children performed a tribal dance. Thereafter, Shri Kanjibhai
MP had a painting on Mahatma Gandhi receiving the blessings
of Shastriji Maharaj during his Dandi March unveiled at the
hands of Swamishri. Gandhiji had met Shastriji Maharaj in
the village of Navagam on 13 March 1930. The painting depicting
the historic incident would be displayed in the exhibition
on Gandhiji at Dandi.
Shri Nitinbhai Kansara, Executive Chairman of Navsari Municipality,
read the citation before presenting it to Swamishri. Then
the office bearers of various leading organizations of Navsari
also presented separate citations to honour Swamishri: Vijalpur
Corporation, Navsari District Office, Chamber of Commerce,
representative of Kabilpor village office, Rotary Club, Manav
Kalyan Trust, Saiyaji Vaibhav Library, Health Centre and Yogasan
Organization, Agrawal Community, BJP Youth Wing, President
of Navsari District, BJP President of Ahwa-Dang district,
Kutch Kadva Patidar Samaj, Prajapati Samaj and Giants Club.
Finally, Swamishri blessed the assembly expressing that the
honour and accolades offered were all due to the efforts and
grace of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji
Maharaj.
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30
May 2006 (V.S. 2062, Jeth sud 3) Tuesday, Navsari, Kosamba
(Tithal)
After performing his morning puja in Navsari Swamishri performed
the pratishtha rituals of the murtis of the BAPS hari mandirs
in Bhinar and Mahudi.
At 10.20 am Swamishri departed from Navsari and arrived at
Valsad at 11.00 am. After the welcome rituals Swamishri inaugurated
the newly built residence for sadhus.
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