GURU PURNIMA – KUTCH SAMARPAN ASHRAM – 2ND TO 4TH JULY 2012

_/\_ || JAI BABA SWAMI || _/\_ I left home at 2pm after taking my mother’s customary blessings for Bandra Terminus. I reached Bandra Terminus at 2.30pm. The train was at the station and one could see a lot of familiar faces boarding the train, which was probably full of sadhaks. I entered the compartment and when I went to my seat I saw that Harish Rao had already arrived. The train left at 3.05pm instead of 2.50pm. Just before it left I got a thought that should I get down and push the train, as that thought crossed my mind, I got a call from Ramnath Kamath and the first thing he said was, “train ko dhakka marne aaun kya?” (should I come to push the train). It reached Borivali at 3.30pm wherein Ramnath Kamath, Pravin Purav and Deepak Tandon joined us. We were discussing the state of the country, politics etc and then the discussion veered to spiritual experiences. A lady from Dadar center – Deepa Sawant – was sitting in the aisle seat and who joined in the discussions. As the experiences were being shared the energy level palpably increased and I looked across at Deepak Tandon as I had got a whiff of sandalwood fragrance, he asked are you getting the fragrance and I said yes, as I said that Deepa and Harish also concurred by that time the cubicle was awash with sandalwood fragrance and Ramnath said that he was getting just a whiff. We continued general talks and after having a dinner made of multiple snacks, we went to sleep at around 9.30pm. I woke up at 6am and freshened up. The others followed suit. We reached Bhuj at 8am and booked bus tickets, Pravin had already got his through the Juhu center. His bus had already left and we were asked to take bus no.10, which we found out was fully packed. The sun was out and it was extremely hot even in that early morning sun! We went and sat down on the staircase of a shop which had not yet opened. We were waiting for about half an hour and collectively decided to return the tickets and take a cab. As I walked along with Deepak to return the tickets, Subhash Shelar from Ambuja called out my name and asked me to get onto the bus – I told him we were five, he said they would adjust. I got into the bus, Pravin got a seat at the back, and I was standing as the bus started moving. There was activity on the row next to where I was standing, and the gentleman made place for me to sit – saying that I had given him and other sadhaks a lift from Dandi to Eru Road once. I have done this on quite a few occasions and I did not remember, but as the saying goes – one good turn deserves another! We reached the Ashram at around 9.10am and got ourselves registered at the registration counter, went to the residential tent and found my bed. I changed and went to freshen up and have a bath. After the bath I was relaxing alone on my bed when a group of Bhandup sadhaks came. I had dry snacks with me like banana chips etc which I opened up and had the lot completed and polished with the young group from Bhandup. Lots of jokes and leg pulling was taking place in a feeling of great camaraderie. After waiting for Harish for quite some time, I decided to go out alone as it was quite hot and musty in the residential tent. When I got out and was strolling about and soaking in the atmosphere I saw the poster showing directions to the Guru Shaktidham. I decided to visit the Shaktidham. As I entered the dham, my eyes fell on the Murti, I felt a surge of love well up inside me with my eyes becoming watery, the Murti was so beautiful with energy flowing from it. I could feel my hands go cold followed by my whole body as I paid obeisance and moved on. As I got out I met Dr. Ishnath Singh who gave me a bear-hug, and went for lunch with him at around noon. After lunch we sat down in the cool breeze, out in the open. Dr. Ishnath Singh told me to change my bed as there was enough space with 5 sadhaks from Vasai center not making it to the festival. I changed from H5-36 to I6-63 with Harish coming in at 64. We slept for some time and then went to freshen up – as we were walking towards the washing area I mentioned to Dr. Singh there is going to be a special message which one should be alert enough to catch in Pujya Gurudev’s opening discourse. He agreed and while we were saying this we got the fragrance of roses with my crown chakra going cold. We then entered the sabha mandap with the stage background having a village setting showing huts on either side of Pujya Gurudev’s throne, with blue sky in the backdrop and took our seats on the mattress. We bowed down and prayed to the Guru Energies present in the sabha mandap. The function started at 4pm with chanting of the Guru Ahavan along with Shri Rambhai followed by the Guru mantra and then meditation for 15 minutes. With the chanting of the Guru mantra cold vibrations from the feet upwards commenced. After the meditation Dr Paras Bhat and Ms Hema Virkar took their positions as masters of the ceremony. In their inimitable style they announced the arrival of Pujya Guruma and Pujya Gurudev to the accompaniment of sound of conches being blown. As Pujya Gurudev took His seat, it was announced that Samarpan Meditation respects all religions and the Samarpan family has members from all religions. Saints from different religions were called for the lighting of the lamp ceremony starting with Pujya Chanduma, followed by Pujya Jayshree Devi, Father Johnson, Sri Gyani Manjitsinghji and last but not least Maulana Yasin Mastakalandar. After the lamp was lit, they were all honored with respect by shawls being presented by the Managing Trustee Smt. Sharmila Patilji. After this it was announced that the Presidents message to YPBSST and SSAT will be officially opened. This was done by Shri Anuragji who read out the Presidents message which felicitated and gave the President Smt Pratibha Patil’s greetings and good wishes for Samarpan Meditation and its work. After this, Makar Sankranti 2012 Guruma’s discourse CD, Mahashivaratri 2012 Pujya Gurudevs discourse CD, Pujya Gurudevs Ajmer discourse booklet in Bengali, Adhyatmic Satya in Marathi and Himalaya ka Samarpan Yog 3 in Bengali were launched. Pujya Guruma felicitated Dr. Basu and his wife for the dedication shown in translation of the third volume into Bengali. At 5.15pm Pujya Gurudev commenced his festival opening discourse. He said that this was a special Gurupurnima which was being held in the proximity of the Gurushaktidham, this is the only GP which was being held for the second time at the same location. This was in answer to the prayer which was offered at the Goa GP saying that the future GP’s should be held on our own land. The benefit of having the GP at the same location could be experienced by all present in the form of increased vibrations and the heights one reaches during meditation. He said that day by day promotion of Samarpan Meditation(SM) is increasing and it has slowly reached 20 states, and hence it has become necessary to bring it all under one roof for which the National Organiser office has been established so that this work can be carried out smoothly. While promoting SM it is necessary for one to know why and for whom we are doing this work. We are doing this because we feel good, happy and blissful – when we do this for our own happiness/joy/bliss we do it without any expectations. SM is a lesson in meditation - till such time as you don’t understand your religion, your language you will not be able to experience its benefits. After learning SM you will be able to experience your religion. The divine experience we have received should be shared with others, it should be received by others – religion, language, color, caste and country does not matter – as divine experience is the same everywhere – there is no difference there. An illiterate person cannot read, till you receive the divine experience you cannot find benefit in reading religious books. In the Himalayas, the Kaivalya Kumbhak Yogis selected Pujya Gurudev to impart the knowledge of SM to society through Pujya Gurudev’s medium. While promoting SM you should talk about the method, vibrations, what changes SM has brought in you, then you can talk about the Trust, in how many countries it is practiced and lastly about Swamiji. Because without the divine experience nobody will understand Swamiji, hence it is necessary to first experience what is flowing from inside. Vithoba devotees go chanting “Panduranga Panduranga” – Vithal idol is black in color, but with the devotional chants it becomes white because they only look at the positive energy. When you do that only the positive energy will flow from you. You can do this from this GP – make a commitment. This year the Guru Energies have designated as Teachers Year – teachers are an important part of society distributing knowledge to lakhs of people. Programs for teachers have been held and they have taken the divine experience. Pujya Gurudev also celebrated teachers’ year by selecting spiritual teachers. He got in touch with different saints, munis, sadhvis and when the talk went to experience they all said that I have been doing so and so because my Guru told me to, I am running a hospital, school, college, etc but we have not received divine experience. Pujya Gurudev mentioned that a saint was involved in an accident and died of his injuries and that it was necessary for the aura of such saints to develop so that they could have a protective shield, hence shibirs for saints were now being held. He mentioned that in one shibir he met a saint who had reached up to the Agya chakra but could not go beyond. Swamiji took him up to the crown chakra and opened it, which gave him a beautiful experience. A sadhvi said that her Guru had given her a “gaddi” and she was sitting on it for the last 40 years, but she had not received the divine experience, which I cannot share with my disciples, please give me the divine experience. Two shibirs for saints have been held which have given me great happiness and bliss, both in Gujarat. In the first shibir a saint who had been meditating for 40 years asked me how I should progress, what is the most important question of my life. While sitting with him I realised that the saint was trying to obtain spiritual progress without a Guru, so he was reaching a high stage, which felt good, then came down, and he reached a peak and fell down time and again. It is like a game of snakes and ladders, each person is half white and half black, and once you go into collectivity then only is it possible to progress. The second shibir was held in June in Palitana for Jain munis. In this shibir the distance between me and the munis was just four feet – for energy to flow there has to be a distance between giver and receiver. The solution I found was that I went into meditation and took my higher bodies up to three stories high and then gave my discourse. I told them to repeat “I am a pure and pious soul” three times and then sit for meditation. Everybody received divine experiences as there was now distance for which energy to flow. If you do not get sleep at night, you can try this with the holy book “Adhyatmic Satya” – keep it a distance of ten feet from your head and go to sleep, you will be able to feel the energy which will put you to sleep. When you tell yourself that you are a pure and pious soul repeatedly, then slowly very slowly the dust which has settled on your soul starts getting cleansed and you really start perceiving yourself as a pure and pious soul. Because you think of yourself as a body you have problems which are related to the body, and when you tell yourself that you are a soul there will be a change in you. When this was done in collectivity it gave positive results. When you are saying that you are a pure and pious soul, do not get into a feeling of guilt, become like a child, think of yourself are a child for ten minutes. To experience God you need to become like a child, innocent – the way God made you! You do not have to become a sanyasi for spiritual progress. I was selected because I could go to society and could meet people. Keep Adhyatmic Satya ten feet from your head, the vibrations from the book will help you to sleep – try it. Secondly give ten minutes to yourself everyday thinking of yourself as a pure and pious soul. Once your soul is awakened, all physical failings will go away. Call yourself a pure and pious soul. Once you do that your soul will become purified and then it will become so strong that it will become your Guru. It will direct you – tell you what is right and wrong. While vibrating water I realised that the nabhi chakra of most participants is blocked – they are dissatisfied for some reason or the other. The Adhinath murti in Palitana – I told them that you do not have to ask for anything, you have to experience satisfaction, vibrations in the nabhi chakra. To do this become capable to receive first, as otherwise it has no meaning as you do not get the experience. There is no satisfaction in life. Pray that you get satisfaction as a soul and not as a body, as physical desires never end. With that the discourse ended with blessings to all. We then broke up for dinner around 7pm and reconvened at 8.30pm for the post dinner session. Pujya Guruma came to the sound of conches and then Shri Ambareeshji gave his speech on the scope of the National Organiser office. After that the cultural program took place with dances by various centers. A couple of dances depicting Lord Ganesha had tremendous energy and great vibrations.The first days’ session ended at around 10.30pm instead of the scheduled 9.30pm. Next day was the most important day in any sadhaks life hence I wanted a good nights’ rest. Because of the heat during the day and tin roofs to protect against rain along with hundreds of beds lying close to each other, the atmosphere in the residential tent was very hot and musty. By the time I changed and lay down it was 10.45pm, I prayed to Swamiji saying that He only could help me sleep in this heat. I closed my eyes and was out in a jiffy – my eyes opened at 2.50am. I got up and went for the morning ritual. The wash area was superbly organized and there was no rush, as I completed my morning rituals in about 40 minutes. I came back to my bed and sat down for an hours’ meditation. At 6am we went for breakfast before assembling in the sabha mandap at 7.15am. At 7.30am we have a meditation session conducted by Shri Rambhai. During meditation and deep breathing I could actually feel my nabhi going cold and energy flowing from my right hemisphere down the right side of my body. It was a feeling of pure bliss. Pujya Guruma and Pujya Gurudev entered the sabha mandap to the blowing of conches around 8.30am. Pujya Gurudev mentioned that the “mangal murti” in the Guru Shaktidham was an awakened one and you could get awakening by sitting in front of the murti. If you go there with physical problems you will get benefits at the physical level. But while entering the Guru Shaktidham if you balance yourself and go as a soul, you can experience the vibrations at soul level and feel the joy and bliss. You cannot experience this unless you are fit and prepared to receive. Energy centers are there all over the world, you have to become fit to receive. Each murti has been established to purify and give bliss and consciousness to sadhaks, but you will not receive unless you become fit for it. You have to go as a pure soul, if you are not fit to receive then today is the opportunity for you to wake up and realise that you are a pure soul. Because of your desire in your previous birth you have now received the experience in this birth. Progress is not possible unless you embrace the feeling of consciousness. I keep remembering you – recently an incident took place at Palitana. Munis, sadhus and sadhvis were sitting just four feet from me waiting to receive the vibrations. But I was not prepared to give but I require distance to give and because of lack of distance I could not give. For energy to flow there has to be a distance between giver and receiver. I receive energy for which I require space, because of the proximity, the solution I found was that I went into meditation and took my higher bodies up to three stories high and then gave my discourse. I told them to repeat “I am a pure and pious soul” three times and then sit for meditation. Everybody received divine experiences as there was now distance for which energy to flow. You all want to come close to me, there is danger when you come close to me, you can receive much better from a distance. If you have to receive you will have to go three stories down, your chitta has to go three stories down and surrender. Do not come close - because of your past karmas you have obtained proximity, you will have to absorb this and realise who you are and then only will you be able to receive, this is my experience. Gurucharan is very close to me, because I have not seen anything beyond Gurucharan. I have received everything and have no desires left. When you participate in the Guru Diksha function, you should participate as a soul – forget your body, you need to experience this – you need to feel in, this ordinary body – what is that energy which reaches lakhs of people. Eleven Gurus are always with me. I wish that you should go beyond this body and experience the energy of these eleven Gurus. I am non-existence, I am zero, this was experienced by the Jain munis. To experience this you will have to reach that state, all you have to do is to have a pure wish and feel that you are a pure and pious soul. The soul has no colour, state, desire, problem – it is a free state as a soul. It is my pure wish that you reach that state in this GP. GP is not the puja offered to a body, it is a puja offered to those eleven Gurus who are always with me in invisible form. Now machines have been developed which can see these energies. These energies start flowing into us and these energies one recognise. You examine for yourself how much you have surrendered to your Guru, then the Gurus condition will start flowing in you too with complete surrender. Have you surrendered completely, are you completely satisfied. The Guru is fully satisfied you too should be fully satisfied. I hear the Brahmanaad constantly, you should ask yourself, why can I not hear, am I not fully surrendered? Merging completely with the Gurus soul is Samarpan (surrender). There was a short break from 9am to 9.30am for freshening up before the start of the Guru Diskha function. At 9.30am Pujya Gurudev entered the sabha mandap to the blowing of conches. At 9.45am Rambhai evoked the Guru Avahan mantra and the commenced the Guru Diskha program. As the various mantras and invocations were made, the energy in the sabha mandap started increasing phenomenally. In fact it rained for a while, cooling the entire sabha mandap. The Gurucharan cleaning process was then started by two selected couples – the Chavan and Pagare couples to the accompaniment of the recital of the “Ganpati Atharvashirsha” in collectivity. The recital took place eleven times, during which time Pujya Gurudev’s feet were washed with honey, milk, ghee, curd and water (panch amrut). During the recital of the Ganesh mantra, my entire body was soaked in energy with the right hemisphere of my brain having gone completely cold, thus making my eyes shut and I was unable to open them because of the high energy levels. The process got completed by 12.25pm after which Arati was performed with lamps provide to sadhaks on a paper plate. There were more than 7000 sadhaks with more than 1000 new sadhaks taking diksha – so it was a beautiful, consciousness filled atmosphere as Arati was performed for our beloved Gurudev and the Guru shaktis present. After the Arati, the “namskar vidhi” started to the accompaniment of bhajans sung by Sumangala and Krishna Kahamankarji along with Anil Pagareji. Lot by lot the sadhaks got up quietly and paid obeisance to the “padukas” kept for the purpose. When my turn came I asked for having my chitta perpetually at Gurucharan, a “param shunya stithi” and dissolution of all negative thoughts. By 1.20pm we had finished and left for lunch. After the lunch Prasad, we went and sat down in the corridor outside the residential tent to take in the cool natural breeze which was blowing. At around 2.30pm I remembered that we had to book our return bus tickets so I headed to the transport desk. While going there I saw a whole group of sadhaks watching the live video feed from the sabha mandap and the volunteers at the donation counter also watching very keenly. Out of curiosity I too stood there to see what was happening. The live feed was showing Pujya Gurudev giving vibrations and clearing negative energies which seemed to have taken hold of a lady sadhika. I waited for about 30 seconds and left, as I felt it was too personal a thing which was happening between a Guru and His disciple. The sadhaks were watching something which by its very nature was negative and I would like to suggest that in the future, in the unlikely event, if something like this is repeated, the live TV feed should be cut of, and the sadhaks should not have their chitta placed on such very personal activity – to me it looked degrading, I am sorry to say. On the way back I met Naimisha Lalaji who gave me 6 complimentary copies of Madhuchaitanya to be distributed to the male Editorial Board members. I was wondering how I would meet these people individually in this large congregation, when I saw Trupti Kankani and handed over Pawanji Kankani’s copy to her, as I went ahead I spotted Chirantanji and I handed over his and Dr Paras Bhats copies. I knew where Dr IShnath was sitting and I went and handed over his copy to him – the only person left was Shrikant Parabji, and I as I walked a couple of steps in search of him and as I looked up there he was! I handed him his copy and my job of distribution was done in five minutes flat – this is how the energies work – you don’t have to do anything – they just happen! We lay down for some time and after the tea break we reconvened in the sabha mandap at 5pm. Pujya Guruma entered to the sound of conches at around 5.15pm and commenced her discourse. In her inimitable motherly loving style she told us that we should not let our chitta be divided. We should focus on only one thing if we want to progress. She mentioned that internal progress is possible only if we do not engage in useless talk. Guruma informed us that she would be taking a shibir for young mothers so that they could be taught things which are necessary to lead a happy, balanced married life after becoming mothers. She also informed us that she has nothing against English as a language, but children now-a-days communicate more in English rather than their mother tongue or the language of the state in which they reside. It is important to know your mother tongue, your national language and the language of the state in which you reside – after that your English written and spoken skills can be developed. After Pujya Guruma’s discourse we went for dinner at around 7pm and reconvened at 8.30pm for the cultural program. One thing I observed was that Dr Bhat / Hemaji, had to keep calling the sadhaks to come and sit in the sabha mandap within the given time lines. It is unfortunate that as sadhaks this has not been imbibed as a basic requirement – as time management for events of this magnitude are extremely important – and it is a matter of self-discipline that the sadhaks should take their seats without being asked to do so. At 9pm the cultural program started with the sadhaks from Ajmer performing a dance followed by Surat sadhaks performing a dance in praise of Durga mata. Sadhikas from Ajmer performed a dance in praise of Allah which was accompanied to great music – this dance had great energy with cold vibrations going up from my feet and exiting from the scalp. There was a sufi dance by sadhaks from Ahmedabad zone 3 which was beautiful followed by a beautiful skit showing “sabka malik ek” (God is one) – this was a superb rendition which very easily depicted the spiritual message that God may have different names and different religions but in reality it is one and SM only talks of one God. The last dance was by Ajmer sadhaks welcoming us to the Jaipur mahadhyan. The days’ program concluded with shanty path. I went back to the residential tent and was asleep by 9.45pm. My eyes opened at 1.50am (4th July) completely refreshed and I got up and went for a bath – as today was mahadhyan with Pujya Gurudev as we were told to assemble by 5.30am. By 2.30am I was ready and came and sat down on my bed. Dr. Ishnath in the meanwhile had returned from his bath and we both decided to go out into the corridor in the cool breeze for meditation and pranayam. We sat out till 4.30am, then went back and lay down on our beds. We went to the sabha mandap at 5.15am and sat down quietly. I closed my eyes and was in a short while in a good meditative state. At 5.30am Pujya Gurudev arrived to the blowing of conches, after which the Guru Ahavan mantra was chanted to the lead given by Shri Rambhai. Pujya Gurudev then gave a short discourse and started the Mahadhyan with the chanting of the Guru mantra. The energy and vibrations were very high – for 20 minutes or so I was out for the count with very cool circular vibrations taking place at the nabhi chakra and simultaneously the crown chakra feeling cool vibrations. My agya chakra continues to palpitate almost 24/7 thus keeping my chitta more or less always on the third eye or sahastrara. After 20 minutes or so I came out of meditation to the sound of continuous belches, snores and coughing from sadhaks in my immediate vicinity. After that I just shut my eyes and decided to soak in the energized atmosphere. At around 6.45am Swamiji said we should offer a prayer for Kutch which we did repeating the prayer voiced by Pujya Gurudev. The maha dhyan concluded with the recital of shanti path and then Pujya Gurudev left the sabha mandap. After a few announcements we were told to reconvene at 10am as speeches were to be given by Maduchaitanya team, Babaswami Multimedia team, Ayurveda chikitshala team and Anuragji and Ambareeshji outlining their areas of work, concept of feedback form and how it helps, and what they expected to do with the help of sadhaks. We then split for lunch and were asked to reconvene by 2pm for the last session. I submitted the feedback form which had been given to us duly filled. In the post lunch session, the Managing Trustee of YPBSST, Ms. Sharmila Patil introduced her team and said that each team member had been allotted an area of work and they individually would explain their scope of work. Each trustee then went about explaining their scope and how they proposed to streamline and manage the affairs of the Trust. I must congratulate Sharmilatai for doing a great job in assigning the work – thus fulfilling the first priority of her duties. As Managing Trustee she has to manage the trustees – which she has done brilliantly by allocating portfolios – all work gets done with the blessings of the Guru Energies and this too has happened so that the foundation stone can be laid down for improving systems and setting in place systems for the tremendous growth the Samarpan movement is going to see in the coming days. At around 3pm we were awaiting the arrival of Pujya Gurudev and Guruma. Suddenly I sensed their arrival as cold energy came and settled on the right side of my body caressing me – I turned to tell Harish that Pujya Gurudev would arrive in the next two minutes but his eyes were shut – so I shut my eyes and just enjoyed the blissful feel of the energy. In the next minute the conch shells sounded and Pujya Guruma’s arrival was announced and a minute later it was followed by the arrival of Pujya Gurudev. The question and answer session was then compered by Ms Ujwala Gadreji. All the questions were repeats of questions asked in earlier functions. During one answer Pujya Gurudev mentioned that when He wants anything accomplished he goes like a terrorist – going forward in 100% attack mode, in which case the person opposite always gives way whether it is a team or an individual. He mentioned He gives 100% to an individual sadhak also and while saying this there were tears in his eyes as I felt he was referring to the incident which occurred with the sadhika on GP day. The function concluded with shanty path and instructions to carry the mattresses and place them one on top of the other so that there is no burden on volunteers who stay back. We did this in the residential quarters too – and then changed, freshened up and went to collect out phones and Prasad. As the wait for our bus was long, we had our dinner at the bhojnalaya. We all got together and were waiting for our bus, which we ultimately got at 8.30pm. We reached the railway station at 10pm – just fifteen minutes before departure. The train left bang on time. As Harish did not have a reservation, he used the beddings he had got to sleep on the ground between the two seats. Pravin got off at Ahmedabad at 5 in the morning. We reached Mumbai at exactly 2.10pm and I was home by 3pm. All in all a wonderfully organized and planned event – once you removed your footwear you did not have to wear them again, as all the halls were internally inter-connected. Superb energy all round – with Swamiji’s quotes being displayed at regular intervals in the covered area. Looking forward to the next event, to bathe in the energy and consciousness - which gives such bliss and peace. Jai Baba Swami.