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Thursday, November 21, 2013

CHAITANYA SAMARPAN DHYAN MAHASHIBIR, PUNADI ASHRAM - 7,8,9 NOVEMBER 2013

The long awaited event was at last round the corner. Because of the Diwali season railway tickets could not be booked. When I had booked the tickets, I had 8 seats available and after the payment went through the tickets were wait-listed. I spoke to the rest and we all decided to cancel the tickets. I heard that Pujya Swamiji had mentioned that “baraati sabh tayaar hue hain par dulhe ki hi ticket nahi hui hai” (the marriage party is ready with confirmed tickets but the bridegroom does not have a booking)! In this scenario I had decided to drive down from Mumbai. I had four sadhaks with me and I had promised Ramaniji that on the return trip he could join us. The Guru shaktis also pitched in and Pawan who was to originally come with us said he could not make it due to office pressure and his brother Krishnamurari would join in his place. I was okay with that – and as it happened he said he would not be returning with us as he wanted to stay back and do Gurukarya. So Ramaniji’s match fixing was done by Pujya Swamiji J

We had decided to leave by 6 in the morning. I left home at 5.45am with my mother’s customary blessings and picked up Deepak Tandon and Krishnamurari from Mulund check post at exactly 6.15am. We reached Vasai – the last pickup spot at about 6.55am. Dr. ishnath Singh and his companion had still not reached – we waited for 5 minutes and around 7am he joined us. We halted at Sugar and Spice 40 km from Navsari and had rolls made of bitter gourd prepared by Dr. Singh’s wife. These are very tasty and filling. We then halted for tea just after Surat at a roadside stall. We had tea and biscuits and as I went to get something from the car I noticed that Deepak’s iPhone was lying on the ground (must have fallen as he got down from the car) – I picked it up and kept it in the storage space on the front door. I went back and had tea and biscuits and waited to see when Deepak realises that his phone is missing. We had our tea and set off – after about 15-20 minutes Deepak says that I think I left my phone at the tea stall. I told him that he had not taken his phone with him and there was nothing which was left behind. Somebody said call the number – and then I took his phone and told him that it had fallen down and I had picked it up when I came to get my wallet!
We made good time and just before the turn towards Rajkot at around 4pm we stopped at a small hotel for lunch. The fare served up was so tasty and spicy (Rajkot food is spicy) and served with so much love and affection – the wheat breads being cooked by the owners wife kept coming fast and hot – the food was unlimited! We ate to our hearts content and polished it off with white jaggery. We then left for Rajkot and reached Rajkot octroi post at 3.30pm. Rishit Vyas had requested a sadhak Krunal to take us to the hotel. He came on a scooter as we finished our tea and guided us to the hotel at around 4pm. We thanked him and checked into the hotel Evershine Grand and relaxed. We chatted, shared experiences and then went for dinner outside. We came back after a short walk and then retired for the night.
7th November 2013
The next morning we checked out at around 6am and were on the road by 6.20am. We were relying on the car’s GPS to take us out of the city and to PUnadi Ashram. As we reached the highway, a jugad (mechanized auto) driver started shouting and waving at us. We ignored him and moved on – he followed us and as we were trying to figure out the turn based on the GPS which had got a bit confused – the jugat driver followed us and frantically asked us to lower the window. He asked us where we were going – we said Bhuj. He said you turn back and go via that road – if we had gone on the route as per the GPS we would have wasted valuable time and fuel for the turn off would have been from quite a distance. It was just Pujya Swamiji sending his emissary to guide us on the right path!!  We stopped at Bhuj at around 10am to pick up some medicines for Dr. Ishnath Singh and reached the Ashram at 10.45am. We registered and met Ramnath Kamath, Khamankarji and a whole lot of other sadhaks. We went to the tent where our beds were located in section B7 and freshened up and relaxed for some time. At 12.30 we went for Prasad bhojan and post that we relaxed till the beginning of the function.

The function began at 3pm with the advent of Pujya Guruma followed by Pujya Gurudev. Dr. Paras Bhatt and Mrs. Hema Virkar were their usual efficient and informative masters of ceremony for the three day event. The backdrop to the stage was a beautiful cerulean blue full moon star lit sky with a flowing river in the foreground on which huts were shown, like in the east India where houses are built on stilts in the river. Lighting of the lamp was done by heads of various religions: Maulana Aleef Nakshbandi of All India Muslim Law Board, Acharya Sanjay Muniji Maharaj, Shri Girija Dutt Giri and Pujya Gyani Sajjan Singh Sodhi who were escorted and later felicitated by Trustees Anil Pagareji. Vibhav Parikhji, Lokesh Joshiji and Shri Kamathji. Pujya Sajjan Singh Sodhi came after the lighting of the lamp and was welcomed and felicitated by Shri Vibhavji at around 3.45pm.

 The President of the function Shri Diwakar Antani gave his welcome address at 3.35pm. He mentioned that this area used to be barren and without rain – it used to rain once in four years earlier. But since 2006 it has rained every year and this year there was so much of rain that all water holding areas have filled up and there was no likelihood of water shortage for the next twelve months.

There were two Sahitya launches at the Lotus Hands of Pujya Guruma – Brow Chakra DVD of the Shirdi Mahashibir and Shirdi Mahashibir MP3.

After that those who had applied for participating in the havan ceremony left for the havan kund. I too had given my name, so I too left and took part in the havan from 4 to 6 pm which was conducted by Shri Rambhai along with his team. During the havan we were blessed with ‘Aum’ appearing in the sky, which was witnessed by Deepak Tandon.

From 6.30 to 7.30pm was the time for bhojan Prasad. From 8pm we gathered in the sabha mandap for the final session of cultural program. Light instrumental music was playing with extremely good energy field being felt. At exactly 8pm the cultural program started. The following dances took place:
1.   Rajkot sadhikas performed a dance – ‘Guru hi Brahma, Guru hi Vishnu, Guru hi Shiv Omkara hai’.
2. Bhavnagar sadhikas conducted a multi-faith group dance – ‘You are my protector’ which was a combination of 5 songs with very good rhythm.
3.  Ahmedabad sadhaks presented a dance showing Shivroopi Guru consuming poison. There was great energy as cold energy flowed down from my crown chakra and kept circulating in my body for the duration of the dance. The mantra on which the dance was choreographed was ‘Ravankrut Shiv Tandav Mantra’. Don’t know whether the energy flowed from the dance or from the mantra…..nevertheless it was a beautiful experience.
4.    Amreli sadhaks performed a garba dance ‘kum kum kera pagla’ – good energy was experienced.
5.    Ajmer sadhaks performed a group dance based on Rambhais bhajan – Babaswami dham ma bole jeena mor.
6.  Bhavnagar sadhaks then performed a bhajan sandhya till 10pm. After that Shanti Paath was said and everyone retired for the night.

The night weather was extremely pleasant as a very cool breeze brought down the temperature to a lovely 15-16 degrees centigrade.

8.11.2013 – Manifestation day of today’s Paramatma!

I woke up at 2.30am and went to freshen up and have a bath. A cold, chill breeze was blowing as everyone slept soundly beneath their quilts. I came back by 3.15am completely fresh after an ice cold water bath and saw that Ramnath had woken up, asked Khamankarji also to wake up followed by Tandonji. As they went to freshen up I sat down in solitude and meditation for maybe 45 minutes or so. When my eyes opened Ramnath had come back – I then lay down and relaxed as the sadhaks one by one started waking up and going for their morning ablutions. We left for the sabha mandap at 5.30am and took our place for the morning meditation. The meditation was conducted by Rambhai from 6 to 7am. It was very peaceful and pleasant as I got lost in meditation with energy flowing through my body.

At exactly 7am Pujya Swamiji entered to the sound of loud clapping and applause and blowing of conch shells. Prior to that Pujya Guruma had made her entry accompanied by the blowing of conch shells and loud clapping. Pujya Swamiji then started His discourse:

Salutations to all pious souls present here – today’s program starts with the story of a small incident in Mahavir Swami’s life. A Jain Muni told me this story – it is a short story but it is important for those who meditate. The way in which a child is born, named, grows up and after growing up the parents are worried that this child gets good values, good education – a Guru should be found and the child handed over – Mahavir Swami’s parents were also similarly worried. He should be educated through some Guru who should be found. They found a capable Guru and his education started, some values were taught. First lesson was to say ‘one’ – he kept saying ‘one’ for the whole day. Next day again he was asked to say ‘one’ and he said it and kept saying it for the whole day. On the third day he was asked to say ‘two’, he said ‘one’ – on the third day also he kept saying ‘one’. Guru was tired and complained to the parents saying that he does not want to progress beyond ‘one’. Mahavir replied that if one knows ‘one’ you don’t need anything else. Efforts are made to know ‘one’ – once you recognise and realise this then there is nothing else to learn. When I set out to find Paramatma, I found that he was very far away in the past – Paramatma is in the present and I set out to find Him. We think that the Guru is different, we think he is of a certain kind and even if he is close by we cannot recognise him. We are looking for a Guru from the past in that form. It is like you are looking for a person who is 20 years old through his photo in which he is a five year old child. Guru is a flowing river, you have to drink from the bank, you cannot drink water which has flown past. Gurus are of three kinds – of the past of whom we have knowledge – we will not find such Gurus in the present. They will be like you in the present. Those in the future will also be different, they will be according to the requirement of those times. How will you recognise them? Make past Gurus your medium and pray for direction to find your current Guru, guide me to the Guru of the present time. In future too the path will be through the Gurus of the past. Do not go with any expectations, this is a big barrier – go only if you feel good. Expectation is a barrier, do not go with any load and try to swim as you will drown. Be free from all this and come.

This is meditation – Samarpan is a methodology of meditation which has been passed down from generations and has reached us. This is not related to religion – do not connect it to religion, rise above religion. Meditation is the sky, it is open – it is not limited. Meditations being practiced in society take you only to the brow (agya) chakra – total meditation is that which happens through the crown chakra, it takes you to the complete form which is the state of liberation, which you have to reach during your lifetime. – this is Samarpan Meditation. In this form collectivity has great importance, regularity and without expectations where meditation is concerned. Ask yourself whether you have come with expectation. If so, then you will get disconnected from meditation once that expectation is fulfilled. I am doing this for the last 50 years now because I felt good. Desires, etc. are physical - meditation is at the soul level. Regularity is very important – many people reached a good state but left because they were not regular. It is like a brass glass – if you keep on polishing it – it shines, but if you don’t clean it for a day it becomes dirty. If you meditate and reach that state, well then don’t be proud, next day again sit for meditation and try to reach that state, keep trying every day. Experience for yourself, regularity is very important, check for yourself whether you are regular. When we do any work, when we spend that energy, it is important to be regular. Many people come close to me because of their past karmas, but once they stopped meditation they automatically stopped coming to see me – I had not called them, I did not ask them to stop. If you are not regular, even though you say it, I am warning you, you will get stuck at the same level, so meditation should be regular. This life is useless if there is no meditation. Why do you come with expectations? All expectations are physical. Keep saying to yourself, ‘I am a pure soul, I am a holy soul’. Keep yourself free from the prevailing bad environment by repeating this. Collective and regular meditation is very important. If there is a negative attack it will break you away from collectivity – like a tiger when it goes hunting a dear, it separates one from the group. Once you break away it is your guilt and ego which comes in the way. Lots of good people who have done good work but have broken away from collectivity, they should come back. Once you stop going to the centre even if you leave home for the centre you do not go because your ego stops you. Just come for meditation. Ego is of work, I stitch clothes one stitch at a time – I do not want anybody to leave – come for your second innings. You are leaving for other reasons, other sadhaks, thus becoming mutual reasons for leaving meditation. Stay connected with meditation, I do not want anybody to go. My circle consists of 8-10 people – someone comes and someone goes. Once you leave me you will never be able to reach the same place as now the train has gathered speed. I am warning you to join again, do not say I did not warn you. This ‘anubhuti’ (experience) is priceless, it has been obtained after many births, if you leave meditation you will fail. Meditation is the chariot with two wheels -  collectivity and regularity. You can progress with this, do not stop meditating at the centre. If you have a good state and go to the centre you may not be able to meditate well at the centre but you can become a medium by sharing the consciousness which flows from you with others – others thus get help and the more you share the more you will get.

When I had gone to Mauritius last month with my family through a tour agency, the tour manager was very good. He took personal care of each and every tourist, he went out of his way to help people, beyond the call of his duty. When he was asked why, he said he felt good. One is your duty, but when you go beyond the call of duty, then it is you soul which is working. If you do work which is beyond the call of duty it is done with the feeling that it is through the soul. If you are getting Rs. 5000 as salary and if you do work worth Rs. 10000 then your boss will recognise it and give you that salary or else you will get a new job. Keep doing more and more, the greater the feelings, greater will be the soul – stronger it will become. Perform Gurukarya with feeling and without any guilt. Pray and surrender and do the work, give your best shot – if science and spirituality go hand in hand then there will be great progress. People say that liberation is for the old – this is not true – if you do this then what you are doing is life management. Samarpan Meditation creates an aura, gives you protection, you will not be allowed to do anything bad. Meditation is good for children, for youth – youth are paid handsomely to do a lot of work and they get lost in that, in achieving targets – then they take to vices and get affected – thus they go from youth straight to old age, they too need to relax and be free of those tensions. You need to be free of physical tensions, from bad thoughts – these are all physical – you need to get free of the physical by thinking you are the soul and not a body. If you feel you are a soul all the physical effects will go. Mental tension affects the body, you cant sit down. Come to Samarpan Meditation which will increasing your feeling of the soul, there is no cost in Samarpan Meditation which gives you such a high, for other vices which give you a high there is a huge cost attached. Samarpan Meditation has been sent to society for this. The youth should be prepared to do so well that the Guru of Gurus can come to earth. That is the mission. If you are old or are growing old, body parts stop functioning. This is nature’s way of telling you to become a soul and get free of physical desires. Samarpan Meditation is total meditation – free of caste, color, creed, country, age, gender – it is useful for all. Samarpan Meditation will be of benefit if you are regular and in good collectivity. Know yourself! We try to find out about others, if you know yourself you will find out about your problems, once you do that your problems start disappearing. Keep making efforts to know yourself, keep increasing the feeling of the soul, you will then be free of ego and physical feelings. When you perform work from the right channel (Surya nadi) it gives rise to ego and makes you move away from Samarpan Meditation. If you know the Guru mantra, first establish that you are a pure and holy soul, then you will know the vibrations, make your souls your Guru, these are my pure wishes. Namaskar!

After Pujya Swamiji’s discourse which got over at 8am, the ‘Gaushala’ was inaugurated at His Lotus Hands at around 8.10am. After that we broke for breakfast which was from 8.30 to 9.30am. The birthday celebration preparations were on simultaneously – we gather post breakfast at the sabha mandap at 9.30am and by 10am everybody had been distributed balloons and a small lamp. A table in the form of a peacock had been prepared on which the cake had been kept, another peacock was made which was given an observer status. We all blew the balloons and kept them ready. To the song sung by Dr. Parasbhai Pujya Swamiji cut the cake and we all waved the balloons and then burst them with loud pops and loud clapping. Pujys Swamiji cut one piece and ate it while Pujya Guruma stood there laughing. All three children were also on stage enjoying the occasion. Pujya Swamiji then opened a large greeting card which had been prepared by sadhaks and He then read it, later it was kept in the corridor for public viewing. After that Pujya Swamiji spent about half an hour vibrating the cakes which we were to get as ‘prasad’.

At 10.20am the Gayatri Mantra was recited followed by Guru Ahavan and the establishment of the Guru Energies. Then happy birthday song was sung with the lighting of the lamp, omkar and then Arati was sung in chorus to the waving of the lamps given to us. After that 3000 sadhaks did the ‘Jay-ghosh’ so that the joy and energy of the moment could be felt far and wide. After this Pujya Guruma left the stage and Dr. Ishnath Singh was called upon along with his party to sing the Babaswami chalisa which was composed by him. Preparations for the ‘Namaskar viddhi’ were made and then Dr. Singh and Sumangala Khamankar along with the musicians sat down to sing the ‘chalisa’ which was to be sung till the end of the ‘namaskar viddhi’. Dr. Singh is an excellent composer and we were of the opinion that the singing should be left to professionals as even thought the content was excellent the delivery left a lot to be delivered. The best part about Dr. Singh is he sings with a lot of feeling which overshadows his vocal skills. We did the namaskar viddhi and then left to visit the exhibition and sahitya stalls.

At around 11.30 we went to watch the exhibition. The exhibition on Sant Dyaneshwar and science and spirituality was awesome. I had tears in my eyes while I went through the Sant’s exhibition. The science and spirituality exhibition put together by Samarpan Medical Board was excellent and extremely informative. I got the feeling that if science and spirituality could get together to educate the masses then the world could be a much better place to live in. A video display on the effects of science on spirituality was also on show where the aura mapping, effect of meditation on water crystals, etc was beautifully depicted. After this we went for lunch around 2.30pm and we were lucky to get it as we were very late. After lunch we relaxed a bit and we were disturbed by the cries of the sadhika who was still suffering in the sabha mandap. Pujya Swamiji in His infinite kindness waited there from noon to 3.15pm in order to clear the sadhika of her troubles. Unfortunately this is the same sadhika who had been affected during GP 2013. Something needs to be done to stop such repeated problems specially where the person involved is the same. We were later told that Pujya Guruma also did not have lunch – and this happening on Swamiji’s birthday, very sad.

We reconvened at the sabha mandap at 4pm. The session began with a talk on Madhuchaitanya given very eloquently by Chaneeji followed by Seema Dasguptaji. Information on sahitya was shared by Jayeshbhai Pandit in his informal and confident style. After this Vaishali Ozaji gave us information about Samarpan Vivaha. After her speech the chant was played in anticipation of Pujya Guruma;s arrival

At 4.30pm Pujya Guruma entered to the sound of conches for giving her discourse. Pujya Guruma settled down and began her discourse.

Best wishes to all of you for the New Year and for Diwali. I will start this program by narrating my own experience. During the Guru Purnima mahashibir when Swamiji made me meditate I saw a vision in meditation – there were two tombstones – but these were different and both were in one line. I was wondering why I saw this – there was some doubt in my mind. I shared this with two other sadhikas wondering why I saw this. Later we went on a tour of Kutch ….from Bachau, Mandvi, Bhuj and then we were to visit Mundra port, but it got cancelled. A sadhak narrated the story of ‘Jesal -  Toral’. A call came from one of the cars behind us (it was a big group which was touring in 3 - 4 cars) to go and visit the Samadhi of Jesal-Toral. When we reached there – it was the same place which had appeared as a vision during meditation. I still do not know why I had been called. I found this story very inspiring. Jesal was a very cruel dacoit who had killed his family. His sister-in-law told him to get the white mare Toral from the next village. These were spiritual and religious people. Prasad was always made and for all persons who came. Jesal who longed to steal the village chiefs white mare named Toral was hiding in the bushes. After the Prasad was distributed they found out that Prasad for one person still remained so they started looking for this person and they found Jesal who was hiding. Apparently the queen’s name too was Toral. When he was brought to the village chief, the chief asked jesal what he wanted. Jesal said he had come to take away Toral. The king being a Daani (donor) gave away his Toral- his horse and his wife. Toral being a devoted wife did not question about why she was being sent away. On the way they got caught in a storm and Jesal was very scared, he asked Toral to save him. Toral told him to surrender his sins then only will I save you. As he surrendered all his sins one by one including the last one of taking Toral – the queen and the mare the sea became calm. He realised all his sins. Jesal became extremely guilty about his act and reformed from dacoity. Toral’s mare also took Samadhi. There was a huge gap between the two samadhis, which is now reducing and is currently less than a foot. Both their tombs are at a monument in Anjar and this is a tourist spot. They believe that these tombs move and when they come too close a calamity hits this region. They feared that it was moving closer then.

Anjar was the most devastated city during the Bhuj earthquake (Jan 2001). But people say the tombs were undisturbed.


            Monument of Jesal Toral

The lesson from this is that when place, male and female become in sync then bad events take place. Ladies should make themselves strong and males should also make themselves strong. We all should become so strong that we do not suffer from any wrong done to us nor do we do any wrong. We should surrender all our karmas – not just bad karmas but also the good karmas – become completely light. We should do Gurkarya for Guru Dakshina – the Gurukarya itself becomes Guru Dakshina – you become the hands and feet of Swamiji. Become the feet of Swamiji, when one is in front it knows that soon it will go behind, hence it is sometimes in front and sometimes behind; so why should one have an ego or feel insulted because someone is in the front or behind. When we are hurt we become the thorns who hurt Swamiji. We should not feel hurt or insulted – you are so fortunate to reach here because of your past births place of worship. You reach that place when you are deep in sleep – in the delta phase of your sleep. Having knowledge is good but having an ego about your knowledge is not good. Your faults from your last birth are also transferred to this birth so examine yourself and view your faults.

While sharing experiences share facts only and do not exaggerate, because if experience is true then cold vibrations come, but if you exaggerate then the throat chakra gets blocked. Do not talk about others’ faults as you absorb them. When you start thinking like this you should start thinking about your faults. I am telling you very seriously – stop looking at others’ faults and look at your own and stop the leakages of energy which are happening. Do not compete while doing Gurukarya. Leave all your faults and do not compete with others. Do not listen to nonsense – ignore such talk. But if wrong information is being spread then inform Anuragji or Ambareeshji. Give only one gift to Swamiji, next will be the 60th birthday – the gift should be the removal of all faults of the last birth and this birth. This will be the biggest gift.

Your experiences are all read at the Madhuchaitanya meetings. I get to listen to so many experiences but none are given to Madhuchaitanya for publication. You should sit for meditation with a gap of 6 to 18 inches so as to channelize the energy efficiently. Everybody gets energy equally. Keep sharing experiences. Empty your inner box so as to make way for Swamiji’s messages just as you empty your mail box when it gets full. Everybody understands bad faults – surrender all your bad faults, surrender all good too to Swamiji, so that the person also benefits. Guruma then narrated a fresh incident while travelling by train from Navsari to Bhuj. We should find all our faults from our last birth and we are all travelling on the highway to liberation. We can enter the door only if we drop the baggage and enter the door completely empty, free and light. We do not know when we will reach that door, hence always travel light and do not carry any baggage.

Pujya Guruma then sang the song “Charon me mai kya chadaoun” at the request of sadhaks. After the song before leaving she said – I keep reminding myself that this is my last birth, I will enjoy life to the fullest but will not be tied down by those pleasures. Pujya Guruma then left. We had bhojan Prasad and reconvened by 8pm.

From 8 to 9.30pm Ambareeshji gave his presentation on the gifts to sadhaks which will be made available to all in 2014. The presentation was excellent, focused which gave an insight into the future plans – which include residence, yoga, teachers, medical camps and the best was a virtual tour which he made us go through with our eyes closed. As Deepak Tandon mentioned this presentation was better than some he has seen at the IIM’s as it was filled with joy.

At 9.30pm the garba program took place after the advent of Pujya Guruma. The Bhavnagar music band got together to sing the garba songs. The dance went on till 10.40pm and for another 10 minutes thereafter with Pujya Guruma’s permission. After shanti path we retired for the night.

A very cool and consistent breeze was blowing bringing the chill factor to about 13-14 degrees centigrade. Tonight I used the quilt which had been provided for a good nights sleep.

9-11-2013

I woke up at around 3am and went for my morning ablutions. I came back refreshed after an ice cold water bath and woke up the others so that they could get fresh. I sat down for meditation for about half an hour and then lay back relaxing, waiting for the others to return. We had a cup of hot tea and then went to the sabha mandap at around 5.40am for the morning meditation session. Had a good meditation session conducted by Rambhai from 6 to 7am with very good energy flowing. After the meditation as there was a long line for breakfast we went to freshen ourselves. The sun was just rising and we had a good session praying to the rising sun for about 15 minutes…..absorbing Vitamin D all the while.

At 8.30am the Q&A session with Pujya Swamiji started which was as usual conducted by Ujwala Gadreji.
1.    You have been saying that you can meditate by listening to the CD, I have been doing so but no spiritual progress has happened only material progress, please guide.
My brother-in-law likes chewing cud. I went to a betel leaf (paan) vendor after 30 years, this shop was displaying a photo of a heart, now cigarette packets come with statutory warning that cigarette smoking causes cancer. Sensitivity is reducing day by day, even our sensitivity is reducing hence our meditation does not take place even with the CD. Hence DVD has been launched for such sadhaks, this is the solution provided by the Guru Energies. I have practiced at home and then only have we launched the DVD. Like old men do not get sleep after waking up, similarly meditation also has the same effect. Hence you now have the DVD, create a feeling (bhav) and then only use the DVD. This DVD is the last medicine, after this there will be no more medicines. Use it only if absolutely necessary. The alternative is live shibir and such shibirs are rare. January 1 we will have live meditation at Dandi – do not miss it.
2.    What is the problem if one does not meditate by first doing Guru Ahavan and chanting Guru Mantra?
There is no problem. We are round and hence all this is necessary. This will not be required if your state is good – these are all baba vehicles for meditation. It is very good if you can meditate without this – no problem.
3.    Swamiji does Paramatma understand our prayers, our shlokas, which language does he understand?
If you accept a stone as God, then it is God else it remains just a stone. If you understand and accept it as God then good for you. It depends on your feelings and beliefs – if you do it with feeling then good otherwise they are all mediums. Best is feeling.
4.    How do we protect the divine energy which we receive through you. Please tell us a simple way to do it.
You need to understand Samarpan Meditation for this you need to understand the meaning of samarpan and meditation. If you surrender material stuff then it is not surrender, you need to become one with the Guru, you need to connect with the Guru with your chitta so that you get the state of the Guru. I will give you two examples. I received the complete knowledge Ganpathi Atharvashirsha from my Guru once I became one with my Gurus – the entire knowledge got transferred. Similarly the knowledge about Jain Munis got transferred automatically. You need to become one with your Guru – that us Samarpan. Make your existence zero so that you become one with your Guru. The meditation which establishes oneness with the Guru is Samarpan Meditation. This is not religion, Guru is the medium, you have to establish oneness with Paramatma, Guru is only the medium. If you become old and cant go anywhere then you can connect with the Guru through your chitta. If you can do that you can establish oneness with the Guru. For this you will have to reach that level. You need to meditate for the oneness to form, you get protection from Guru’s aura. You need to be regular in meditation and you should do it in collectivity, you can then establish oneness which will last till the end. At the end you should not be in guilt at the time of leaving your body. All your good and bad events flash before you die, which  gives you guilt, so your soul should be in the proximity of your Guru to be in oneness with the Guru. So many sadhaks who were close to me have not been anywhere close to me in the last 3-4 years. I have not left them, they have left collectively. Don’t do anything which gives you guilt and which imbalances you. This will happen when you establish oneness with the Guru, such a death is the best.
5.    Laxmi yantra, Shri Yantra – are all these yantras effective?
Yantras have their own science. It will be difficult to make you understand this. Ganesh murti is also a yantra, this is because the murti is such that pulls energy and gives a pleasant feeling. It depends on the material used and who has prepared, when and where it has been prepared, what is its purpose and what is its use. Sadhaks are working on such a project and its results will be presented.
6.    How should the best video shibir happen? How do we know it is the best?
The persons who conducts the shibir  - they should meditate regularly. How many people attend is not important, how many continue is important. Sadhaks should meditate regularly and then only do the shibirs, what is the inter-personal relationship between the conductors of the shibir – that is important – if it is good then the shibir will be good, else bad.
7.    You say that Samarpan Meditation is 800 years old and you have brought it now into society, please forgive me, who is the first Guru?
This is logical that someone will ask who is the first Guru, as this has been passed down from Guru to Guru. Its like Newton who discovered gravity because an apple fell on his head. This comes from nature – the first Guru learnt from Nature. This was a question from the intelligentsia!
8.    The news media gives information about Gurus which is negative. Whether giving such news is right, as society gets a bad image about Gurus. Is this right?
Our body has 7 chakras (energy centres), 3 nadis (channels/meridians), Kundalini energy and soul.  This is all in subtle form – the relationship or connection of problems, crimes is with the physical body. After taking the body, along with the body, certain problems and faults also enter the body, certain faults, problems come from the parents, some are obtained because of company – in which company one stays, the effect of such company too enters our body. Relationship of problems and faults is with the body and the Guru’s mantra is that medium which goes beyond the chakras and takes you to the Sahastrar (crown). So that individual who has reached the Sahastrar can never do such crimes or bad activities. Internalised changes take place in which you cannot even tell a lie let alone commit a crime. Because even if you try to lie, only truth emerges from your mouth, lying becomes impossible. If you think bad thoughts then your crown chakra gets blocked, you get headaches. If you have become very pure, sensitive then your crown chakra gets blocked. All thoughts, illnesses, problems, crimes are connected to the chakras. If you have crossed all the chakras then no crime can take place. Dacoits get together to create negative energy by drinking or through other vices to commit the crimes. Guru does not have any negative energy – Gurus has a positive aura and a range so nothing bad can happen in the range of the aura. That energy is not there for such events to take place. Guru is not a separate person. Guru stays in society – there are good and bad people, so in saints/Gurus also there can be good and bad – this is because the environment in society is bad. If you have to stay in society, we need to learn that we need to keep polishing our vessel by meditation and thus keep it shining. Whether you go into meditation or not is secondary, it is not your field, you need to be regular, pray to Swamiji for good meditation. Be regular in meditation. Chitta is becoming weak. Guru is distributing divine energy – its like a bank account – the deposit should always be more (meditative practice). You should not spend more than what you have in balance in your account, else you account will be overdrawn and you will have problems. Regular meditation is important, alone at home where you deposit and donate at the centre (spend). This question was logical. This question was asked at the Jain shibir. I had told them that all Gurus should make an application to the President and ask for licenses. Make use of the aura machines to scan and check the quality of the Guru and then give a license for 5 years. At the time of renewal if the aura is not good then the Guru should go back to meditate. Renewal should happen only if the aura is good, if this happens then this problem will go away. Meditate regularly, you should be balanced while doing any work, for which meditation is necessary. Because 3-4 Gurus are bad, it is not right to blame all. Some doctors may be bad, but do you stop going to doctors for treatment? Why have you gone to a Guru? Examine this for yourself. If you are going for a purpose then why do you expect a good Guru? If your thoughts are not good how do you expect a good Guru. Go to Shirdi and plead, remonstrate with Baba for directions to a true Guru. You go without any expectations, without any guidance from friends. He will show you the path – the biggest problem is that of expectations – if you come with expectations there will be no progress. I came without expectation – I came because Gurus proximity made me feel good. You are getting it by doing Gurukarya, by proximity you are getting joy and bliss – but if you tie yourself and try to swim you will drown. If you want to obtain the ultimate then you should come free and not by tying yourself with expectations. Come free of desires then only liberation is possible. Whatever is coming in the news about Gurus, consider yourselves to be lucky that you have reached a medium who can also show you the path to liberation and who Himself has reached the peak, and is preparing the path by removing the thorns and the obstacles by coming down and has now opened a small gate. Just enter the gate and follow the path and reach liberation. Repeat that you are a pure and holy soul three times and meditate. This happened to even those who were sadhaks. Whenever you repeat a truth three times an energy is created which affects all people - sadhaks as well as non-sadhaks. A twenty minute meditation was conducted in Pujya Swamijis aura which left me in a pure thoughtless state in the midst of flow of divine energy.

At 11am it was announced that a National Doctors Conference will be held on 22nd December, 2013 along with meditation. Anuragji’s speech which was to begin at 11am got delayed due to the delinquency of sadhaks. In spite of repeated reminders from Day 1 of the function by Parasbhai and Hemaji, the sadhaks have still not imbibed the sense of discipline required to attend a function on time. Repeated reminders left a very bad taste in the mouth – I can only pray to Swamiji to bless these sadhaks so that in future they come on time. The alternative is to put a condition in the application form that all sadhaks who come to the sabha mandap after 3 announcements should have their ID numbers noted by the volunteers. A database should be prepared of such sadhaks and they should be blacklisted and not allowed to attend the next one or two functions as a disciplinary measure. These are just my thoughts. Anuragji then explained in detail the functioning of the Trusts and the direction going forward including use of internet and use of technology to set systems in place.

Trustee Vibhav Parikh explained the administrative aspects of the Trust and also mentioned that YPBSST is for the first time participating in the Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2014 as an NGO to propagate Samarpan Meditation and collect funds for the Rajkot Samarpan Ayurvedic Medical Centre. After that we broke up for lunch at 12 noon and reconvened at 3pm. After lunch we visited the Guru Shaktidham. There was a long line for entry and as our turn came after a 30 minute wait, it was like entering a totally energy filled zone. I sat down to meditate and the energy pulsations which were passing through each digit of my fingers and circulating through the centre of my palm was amazing. I sat for ten minutes in total peace and left filled with peace and bliss.

At 3.10pm the president of the event Shri Diwakar Anataniji gave his thanks giving speech wherein he thanked each and every person who was involved in making this event a success starting with Pujya Swamiji and ending with the sadhaks present. 59 surprise gifts were distributed with Sashwatiji picking the lots and Pujya Guruma giving the gifts. These gifts were given to 59 lucky winners for each year of Pujya Swamiji’s life.

Pujya Guruma followed by Pujya Swamiji entered the sabha mandap at 3.45pm. Pujya Swamiji then commenced his concluding discourse.
Namaskar to all pious souls present here. Today’s program begins with a true story of my life. While doing my meditative practice I had to stop at different places to rest, at one such spot where I stayed I noticed that a temples work had remained incomplete. I asked why had the work stopped. I came to know that there was a blood feud between two tribes and this had been going on for generations. I met the chiefs of both the tribes and made them start meditation. Once the leaders joined meditation then the tribesmen followed suit. When the idol for the temple was consecrated, one tribal chieftain held the idol and the other performed the ‘abhishek’. This happened because their state had become the same as mine and the enmity of the tribes ended. I remember this story whenever sadhaks fight with each other and then stop meditation. These sadhaks who have recently met cannot forget their differences, whereas the tribal leaders stopped a generational feud. Every coin has two sides. Believe that you all are safe in a castle and you all are staying together. The enemy has a big army outside then I will protect all those inside, but if both sadhaks fight then I will not give protection to anyone. One disturbs the other and then both leave meditation. I am saying this in public because it is happening outside. So if anyone has left meditation and because of the hurt caused by you, then the same will happen to you. Both sadhaks have swords which are sharp and both will get cut.  Lots of sadhaks have done great work and the work has increased tremendously but they have left meditation, I feel sad because they have left because of their ego. They will remember this when their time of death comes – that they missed the boat, that I got self-realisation but I did not do this for liberation, but because of ego, small matters, etc I have wasted my life even after getting self-realisation. This feeling of guilt should not come in your mind and I am telling you, do not fight within the family, fight outside. The better your collectivity at the centre, state, country that much greater and stronger will be your chitta. Commit that you will not spoil your chitta because of some sadhak and not stop meditation – knowingly or unknowingly you commit this sin. 1) Do not meditate with expectations, then it becomes pure and you can progress, else it is limited. 2) be regular in your meditation – morning and evening. Even ten minutes a day is fine, but be regular. Mark out a definite time in your life for meditation – you have to do this – you keep aside time for work, family, group, country and you don’t have time for yourself! Keep time for yourself – the more time you keep for yourself that much closer you will go to your soul – the closer you go you will never do any negative work as your soul gives you the right directions always. The soul should become you Guru, then all your decision will be right and you will be successful in your life. Take inspiration from your soul. This is a practice, you will start getting guidance and you will never do any wrong. You will always do good work. 3) Meditate in collectivity, then slowly your progress will keep on happening, this is subtle but sure. For some it is slow and for others it is fast but progress is sure and steady. In collectivity you will not feel any tension because you are in positive collectivity as it gets distributed amongst thousands. I am out of administration – this is will be the first Gahan Dhyan Anushthan from Jan 13 to Feb 27 which will be free meaning I will be free of tensions and will be able to play my flute free of worries! 2014 will also be the Year of Doctors, Gurupurnima 2014 will be held in Rajkot at Wankaner Ashram, Morvi. The freer your chitta, the stronger your chitta - free yourself from problems and pray that you should get problems but also that you should get the strength to overcome the problems, so problems then become small and insignificant. Make you state like Ram the beggar and become a king. For 45 days come without expectations and see the results. This is very important, even those who do not meditate regularly come for these 45 days, hence there is a huge rush in those 45 days. Remember three things – meditate with no expectations, meditate regularly and meditate in collectivity. Make a small group of at least five people and you will get positive results – this result will be beyond your expectations. These 45 days will bring a golden change in your life – Namaskar!

With this the three day function ended, we picked up the mattresses on which we were seated and put them in a pile as instructed. We then went to our sleeping tent and kept the pillow, quilt and mattress in separate piles as instructed. Our bags were already packed, I gave my entry pass to Raisahab – he took everyone’s pass and collected the Prasad. While I got fresh and got a call from Ramaniji saying that he is waiting at the tea stall. My car was actually packed and Ramaniji would have been the sixth person in the car, but as per the designs of Gurushaktis, Pawan who was originally to come dropped out and his brother Krishnamurari joined us. When Ramani called me a couple of days before leaving for Bhuj, I told him we were five, but we will manage. When Krishnamurari got in at Mulund, he told me that he is not coming back with us as he would like to stay back and do Gurukarya – this making place for Ramaniji on the return trip – complete match fixing I must say! I went with Ramaniji in a car to the car parking lot and he took his luggage and transferred it into my car. We then went to the Ashram entrance in the car and picked up Dr Sing, Raisahab, Deepak Tandon, put our bags into the car and left for Bhuj where we were to be joined by Ramaniji’s friend who would take us to Ahmedabad. We stopped at Bhuj for tea at a roadside stall. As the tea was being prepared, the vendor at the juice stall next to the tea stall asked Dr. Singh to move aside a couple of times, but Dr. Singh was engrossed in a conversation and probably did not hear him, so the guy started sweeping after which Dr. Singh got into an argument with him. I told Dr. Singh to remember what he had received in the last three days and from where he was coming, just move away quietly; which he did with a sheepish look on his face. We drove on and had a lot of fun in the car with Ramaniji in full form pulling Dr. Singh’s legs. We stopped at Rajkot for dinner around 10pm just before the diner closed. After dinner as we moved out, reaching Ahmedabad by midnight was not possible so after checking a couple of hotels on the highway, we got a place to rest at Hotel Bhavani about 90km from Ahmedabad at around 1.15am.  We went to sleep at around 1.30am but I could not sleep as Dr. Singh next to me was snoring like a steam engine. Ramaniji and Raisahab got ready by 5.30am. When I went for a bath, the tap had stopped running. It took about 15 minutes for them to get water up and then I had a cold water bath. By 7 everybody was ready and we left for Mumbai at around 7.20am. The trip back was uneventful except for getting stuck at Bharuch near the toll and bridge over the Narmada. I had to get out of the car and direct Deepak to come via the kuccha road. Doing so enabled us to get out of the jam much faster than otherwise would have been possible. We reached Vasai at 2pm, Fountain at 3pm and dropped Ramaniji at the airport by 4pm and home by 4.45pm. My family was surprised to see me early as I had sms’ed them in the morning saying I should be home by 5pm.

All in all it was a wonderfully organised event – many congratulations and blessings to all those who made it a success. The only thing was the food which was very oily and very spicy – as Pujya Guruma had mentioned once that the food at such events should be ‘satvik’, hope the organizers bear this mind in future programs. Jai Baba Swami.


Wednesday, September 4, 2013

PRACTICAL GUIDE ON PAYMENT OF TDS ON PURCHASE OF PROPERTY AND OBTAINING FORM 16B, 26QB


I would like to run the readers through the TDS payment process and the steps to be taken to obtain Form 16B (for the deductor) and Form 26QB for the (deductee).

Firstly one has to go to the following link:

·           Once this link is opened click on Form 26QB (Payment of TDS on sale of property).
·           Select (0021) in case of non corporate payer and 0020 in case of corporate payer.
·           On filling in the various details called for in that form, click on ‘Proceed’ at the bottom of the page, this will then take you to the next page which will give you the option to select your bank.
·           Once you select the bank, then login using the normal online process for your bank.
·           Once the payment is made the bank will let you print challan 280 with a tick on (800) which is payment of TDS on sale of property.
·           Take a printout of the challan and keep the same for your records and for the builder/seller if required.

The above is the first phase of the process. Once the above is completed one has to wait for seven days for the details to be reflected on TRACES web site - https://www.tdscpc.gov.in/. As a first time user you will have to register on this website. Once you register whether as seller or buyer, you will be able to obtain the Form 16B or 26QB which has been approved and is reflected against your PAN in your Form 26AS.
Check Form 26 AS after seven days and you will notice that the payment you had effected against TDS on sale of property is reflected in Part F of the Form 26 AS under ‘Details of Tax Deducted at Source on Sale of Immoveable Property u/s 194(IA) [For Buyer of Property]. This will give you details such as the TDS certificate number (generated by TRACES), name of Deductee, PAN of Deductee, Acknowledgement Number, Total Transaction Amount, Transaction date, TDS Deposited, Date of Deposit, Status of Booking and Date of Booking.

Once the payment is reflected in 26AS as above, you will have to go to the TRACES website link which is given above. Login to the website, and click on ‘Downloads’ tab. In the dropdown menu click on ‘requested downloads’. If no application has been made you will be asked to make a request for download, here fill in the acknowledgment number (nine digit number) which is reflected on Form 26AS Part F as mentioned above. Once this is done, you will be able to view the status of your application which generates an application request number.

Within a couple of hours the application gets processed and you will be able to view your Form 16B by putting in the request number which you have obtained. You can take a printout of the same for your records as well as for handing over to the seller of the property. A similar process has to be followed by the seller to obtain form 26QB.

The entire process is system driven and works very smoothly.



Tuesday, August 20, 2013

THOUGHT POLLUTION

Did you ever walk into a room and immediately pick up a “bad vibe?” Or, quickly go from feeling fine to being really irritated for no apparent reason? If so, you may have crossed paths with a cloud of “thought pollution!”

It’s easy to see the type of pollution that spews from a factory smokestack or to notice a car without a proper exhaust system, but many folks don’t think twice about leaving puddles of negativity in their wake as they indulge their bad moods and angry or disparaging thoughts.

Thinking of thoughts as energy, or a series of electro-magnetic waves, can help us to envision how they affect others. We can summarize the Law of Conservation of Energy as “energy is neither created nor destroyed; only rearranged.” In this, we see the possibility that our thoughts might hang around long after we are done with them!

But, what can we do? Negative and cynical thoughts do manifest – are we supposed to squash them so that they wreak havoc with our own internal organs? Isn’t it better to let them out? Well, of course – but there is a difference between feeling emotions and transforming them through a disciplined yoga or other practice, and just letting them fly around willy-nilly.

As a practitioner of yoga and meditation, you may not feel that you are really contributing to this problem: You are faithfully doing yoga, meditating, cultivating positive experiences and addressing your physical and emotional issues to allow free flow of energy. You try to see the Divine in everyone and leaving your psychic baggage around for some unsuspecting soul to trip over is just not your thing. That’s terrific!! What better time than now, while you are enjoying the benefits of a flowering practice, to really hone in and refine the fluctuations of your mind?!

Let’s take a look at that most insidious thought polluter of all – the sarcastic cynic. You’re familiar with that fellow, right? Whether inspired by political events of recent years or just born with the ability to see humour in any situation, the cynic in us all can be funny and clever, and who doesn’t want to have these characteristics? But underlying it is an admission of dissatisfaction with the state of things, along with a feeling of powerlessness to make positive change. (I would differentiate somewhat between cynical sarcasm and satire, as satire can play an important role in social change by bringing societal ills to public consciousness).
Some psychiatrists have posited that a type of laughter may have originated to relieve the excess energy built up from a fear reaction. You think there is a tiger behind the bush, but it turns out to be a mouse - you laugh, relieved. In the same way, poking fun at government ineptness in handling issues such as homelessness or corporate fraud, may serve as a relief to an underlying fear that we live in a corrupt and uncaring world. The tendency to see everything as absurd displaces meaning and allows less contact with things that scare us. This perpetuates the separation between how we feel the world should be, with how it ends up looking to those of us caught in the cynics mind-view.

But the question remains – what is to be done? First and foremost is to recognize when the sarcastic cynic has taken up residence in your psyche. Luckily, the practice of self-observation you’ve developed as part of Yoga and meditation will help here. Cultivating the Niyama of santosha, or contentment, will aid you to constructively serve others. A discontented person is unable to respond appropriately to a call for action and remains passive.

So, as soon as you feel the next barb ready to roll off your tongue, stop and think of the repercussions. Sure, you may be feeling like one of our television news commentators on NDTV, Aaj Tak, Zee News, etc. but your diatribe against the issue of the day may be causing more harm than can be mitigated by the accompanying laughs. You may find that your negativity somehow justifies inaction against the real problem – for yourself and those who you influence. Stripped of the ability to act, our sense of identity can suffer.
At first, abandoning the utterances of the sarcastic cynic may leave you sputtering mid-sentence as you quickly try to reformulate your thoughts, but soon, you will carve new mental pathways as you search for solutions instead of clever retorts! Your creativity can energetically free you and others to reach for the heady heights and dwell in the realm of possibility.
Environmentalists across the world have been expressing concern over global warming, soil erosion, oil spills, deforestation, holes in the ozone, depleting ground water reserves, endangered species and like. While there have been campaigns to check pollution of air, water and earth, environmentalists have so far completely ignored the pollution of space. Space or ether is contaminated by thoughts.
Just like air, water, earth and fire need space to come into contact and form physical objects, in the same way, the thoughts are the breeding ground for other contaminants to foster and cause pollution. In fact, any phenomenon manifests first in thought and later in deed. The atom bomb was first a thought that later translated into destruction of mankind. In this sense, if we check pollution at the level of thoughts, the need for conservation will never arise.

Our physical body too is the five elements. Thus, the root cause of all bodily ills, too, is just a thought. Every time a thought is born, our eyeballs move. Eye muscles are the most volatile of all muscles in the human body. While the entire body is in a state of rest while sleeping, eye muscles work constantly, that is we are constantly thinking. How then does one master the thought? The Vedic masters had conquered the pollution of thoughts through what Patanjali calls chitta vritti nirodh. Quite simply put, through yoga and Sanatan Kriya. A simple yogic practice called tratak involves focused gazing and is an effective technique to purify and eventually still your thoughts.

For this, sit in vajrasan. Take a lamp lit using desi cow’s ghee (clarified butter) and place it at a distance of 2 feet, exactly at your eye level. Stare at the flame without batting the eyelids for 3-4 minutes. Thereafter, fill your mouth with water and splash cold water in your eyes a couple of times. After sometime the water in the mouth will become warm. Throw away this water.

Mastering thoughts enable you to control thoughts and not let them control you. This facilitates the removal of internal and external pollution. With Samarpan Meditation and with the Guru’s Grace all your thoughts are evaporated and as this happens you find your life being transformed. There is greater tranquility, peace of mind, this results in a positive change in your own aura which then starts attracting people with the same thought frequency as yours. All people or actions which are not for your goodness move away from you automatically as they cannot match your positive thought frequency and your Guru’s energy. All people and acts within your frequency range become close to you resulting in a positive change in your own aura-field. As this field expands and includes more and more people, a multiplier effect will take place, ultimately resulting in “Vasudaiv Kutumbakam”.
Jai Baba Swami

Ref: DNA article and Yoga Living

Sunday, July 28, 2013

GURUPURNIMA 2013, DANDI ASHRAM - JULY 21, 22, 23

I would like to begin by giving a brief background on the preparations for this unique Gurupurnima. In the last one month or so before July 21, I had been to Dandi on three of the Sundays and to be honest with you I used to wonder how such a gigantic task would get accomplished. Mind you, I had full faith in the Guru energies and in Pratapbhai’s organisational capacity and commitment to have the preparations completed in time. Just the Sunday before GP 2013, the heavens had opened up and the rains had really made the ground soggy and only the frame for the massive pandal had been put up. (When Pujya Swamiji had made us pray for rains in Shirdi and all over India, we had no doubts that there would be plentiful rains – but rain to such an extent and spread all over the country has not been witnessed in a very long time!) In fact I had been praying for the rains to stop for some time, and fortunately that day, the sun smiled at us after almost a week of incessant and heavy rains. As the sun came out I saw the volunteers – our dedicated group of sadhaks (not professionals), get up and start putting up plastic sheets like true professionals. Because once the plastic was up at least the people working below would remain dry and the ground too would get some protection. But when we reached for GP 2013, miraculously all tents were up, the stage was set and we were left afire in anticipation of an unforgettable Gurupurnima. Like Pujya Swamiji subsequently mentioned that Pratapbhai’s dedication and commitment to accommodate all those who wished to participate forced the Guru Energies to support him to make the impossible, possible. So when it comes to faith, nothing is impossible and the Guru Energies make things happen which just leaves us sadhaks open-mouthed in amazement on what all is possible with faith, the powers and tenacity of the mind and the will to make the impossible, possible. God and Gurudev bless all those who made this event a reality, plus may the blessings of all those souls who attended also shower on the die-hard believers who made this event a resounding success.

Please view the youtube video link to understand the enormous adversity faced and overcome under Guru's Grace:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-T4CoeAIPg

A brief interlude – my actual going for the festival was under a cloud as my wife, Arati’s tickets were booked by her company for going to the USA on 21, 22 and 23 July – the same dates for the festival – and she had told me not to go. I told her ok, you go and left it at Gurucharan whether I should reach Dandi or not on the given days. Five days before the event, She called me and said that the approvals from the US Government for their work were not obtained as there was some procedural change and her visit was postponed to August 19. I just smiled and said ok, Jai Baba Swami, offering a silent prayer to Pujya Swamiji!!

We left Mumbai at 6.15 am in heavy rain and reached Dandi Ashram at around 10am. After we had crossed Vithal Kamat restaurant and before Charoti we saw a wheel roll off a multi-axle trailer and knock down a pedestrian like a game of nine pins. We looked back and saw that there was no injury, but just goes to show how careless transporters are with respect to the maintenance of their vehicles! Rainfall was intermittently heavy along the way and I was constantly praying for the rain to stop at least as we entered the Dandi Ashram rough road. As we approached Dandi, the Sun had started to peep out, so my prayers along with I am sure thousands of sadhaks prayers were heard by Pujya Swamiji, who held the rain Gods in check, indicating his oneness with nature. Again a silent prayer of thanks was offered for showing such kindness. We reached the Ashram, slowly with the vehicles wheels slipping on the mucky road, we were early and extremely fortunate as we got to park inside the Ashram under a shed made for vehicles. The two sadhikas and Harish were dropped off at the gate and I parked the car and walked back for registration. After registration we had a long walk through muck, sadhaks were filling up the watery spots on the pathway with gravel. As we went inside we saw that shuttering plates were being fixed in the main pandal and work was on in full swing to get the program off to a great start. We then walked to the gents residence area, which was already full with sadhaks having taken their beddings and placed them at places of their choice. The bedding numbers given were not implemented as there was no time for the organisers to do structured numbering as planned because of the rain….so it became a first come first served kind of situation. Harish and I went into the residence hall and saw two beds vacant with no bags on them indicating that they were unoccupied. We put our bags there after asking around if anyone had taken these beds. The pandal was extremely stuffy and as the sun had come out and there were more than a thousand bodies resting in the pandal, the atmosphere had become that of a sauna bath – I was sweating like a pig, in spite of just being seated. Harish and I decided to check the cloak arrangements and as we went out we noticed sadhaks carrying bedding into another tent. We went inside and saw this was cleaner and had more ventilation with the fans hanging lower than in the main residence hall. We went inside and I booked 3 slots (one for Khamankarji) just below a fan on a level and dry area of the ground (plastic and then green matting had been laid) and Harish rushed off to get bedding and pillows. He returned after about half an hour and said that his slippers had disappeared as he had climbed to get our mattresses! In the meantime Ambareeshji and Yogesh Lalwaniji had come to survey the preparations. I went and greeted them and I told Ambareeshji that we were shifting from the main tent as it was like a sauna bath, Ambareeshiji laughingly replied you don’t need sauna bath as you are too fair anyways! I too laughed. After Harish came back, I went to the other hall and got my bag and one bedding roll and placed it for Khamankarji. We then rested and took in the cool breeze which was blowing. It was past 12 noon, we then went and took our lunch packages and ate our lunch.

After lunch, the tent had completely filled up, and Harish and I rested on our beds waiting in anticipation of this momentous event which was taking place in spite of massively adverse conditions! The re-scheduled program which was to begin at 2 pm instead began at 4 pm with a 15 minute meditation conducted by Shri Rambhai. There were 8700 registrations and with an average of 10% delinquency there were still 8000 plus sadhaks with a gents to ladies ratio of approximately 40 : 60. Dr. Paras Bhatt and Mrs. Hema Virkar as usual were the efficient, informative and competent masters of ceremony. They announced that 104 overseas sadhaks from 12 different countries were present for this event, including one sadhaks from Pakistan (this was greeted with a huge round of applause from all present).

Harshaben Shah, the Event President gave a short speech giving information about the event. At 4.25 pm the chant (Shivkrupananda Swami Namo Namaha, Babaswami Namo Namaha) started indicating that Pujya Swamiji and Pujya Guruma would arrive shortly. As the chant started cold divine energy started flowing from my feet upwards encompassing my entire being from outside and from within. After the arrival of Pujya Guruma and Pujya Swamiji, the event was inaugurated with the lighting of the lamp ceremony by religious heads of different faiths. Sant Narendraprasad and Sadhu Priya Saran Das from Swaminarayan sect, Sikh Sant Dhanwant Singhji, Parsi – Shri Cyrusji, the Maulvi and Father representing their respective faiths could not make it but sent their best wishes. The MT of SSSAT, Shri Kumar Makadia felicitated the Saints by offering them a coconut, memento and a shawl each. Harshaben then gave a formal introduction to the program, after which new Samarpan sahitya was launched at the Lotus Hands of Pujya Guruma, namely. HKSY-3 (English), HKSY-4 (Bengali), Shirdi Mahashibir DVD Set. Pujya Guruma’s autobiography in Hindi titled “Ma” was launched at the Lotus Hands of Pujya Swamiji. 

At 4.50pm Pujya Swamiji started His opening discourse. He said that this GP held at Dandi is unique -it has never happened before and will never occur again at Dandi. This is because the location of the main sabha mandap is the site for the Guru Shakti Dham whose plans have been drawn up for construction, the construction of which had been held in abeyance because the GP festival had to be hosted on that spot. The Guru Energies desired this GP because this has been the place for devotional spiritual practice of sadhaks, seven mahadhyans have taken place, and this place is our Mother. Pratapbhai desired that all sadhaks who desired to come should be accommodated. GP is a festival to go from body to soul. Focus on energy and not on possible physical discomfort. Samarpan Meditation was earlier handed down from one to one, but now is being handed down from one to many, because the Himalayan saints selected a medium and through this medium reached the people at large in society. This started in 1999 and progress began slowly and this Trust was formed. I experimented with various forms, first there was a World Leader concept, which as an experiment failed. The Guruma came into Samarpan and created her own space. Anurag was introduced, then we experimented with lifetime sevadharis (volunteers), this also did not succeed. Then I ultimately decided to introduce Anuragji, Ambareeshji and Shaswatiji as Lifetime Trustees and they will take full charge of administration.

We are in the process of preparing policies and systems which will help in the administration of the Trusts for the next 800 years. The policy of having appointments of office bearers for 3 years is also being changed and post holders can get an extension of one year at a time based on good performance. Swamiji announced that He was completely resigning from administrative matters and will henceforth concentrate only on spiritual matters. His doors are open to all sadhaks who approach Him for spiritual guidance, He said that the real game of liberations starts now.

He announced the structure of the Trusts going forward. He said that Pujya Guruma will head both the Trusts, followed by the Lifetime Trustees, then the Management Committee, Managing Trustee and Board of Trustees, Pramukh Acharya / Maha Acharya for zones which will be divided into centers having 50 or more sadhaks and sub-centers having upto 20 sadhaks who will have acharyas / co-ordinators heading them; all this for India. He mentioned that if there are any suggestions then the same should be sent to Mr. Anant Khamankar who will collate all of them for taking suitable action.

Pujya Swamiji then told the story about the Shirdi farmer at whose house He stayed during the Shirdi Mahashibir. He said that the farmer goes on an annual 28 day pilgrimage to Vithal Mauli’s temple at Pandharpur. He gets energy to last the full year post this pilgrimage. He mentioned that all sadhaks should start their 3 day journey from today and reach that state and take advantage of the joy and bliss of the good collectivity. He said that accept one’s self as a soul, then only will you be able to absorb the knowledge. Join tomorrow’s GP function as a soul and not as a body. He mentioned that the Gurupujan will be performed by two couples, Mrs. And Mr. Vibhav Parikh and Mrs. And Mr. Jiten Thakkar. At 5.30pm shanty path was recited after which Pujya Guruma left followed by Pujya Gurudev to loud claps.

At the dinner break I ultimately bumped into Anant Khamankarji for whom I had kept the third bed ready. He seemed to be in a hurry and said hold my meditation mat, I have to meet my wife. I told him jokingly it must be really important as you have not met her for the past one year! He became very coy and shy and replied, “no, I have some urgent work related to bhajans for the next day”. I laughed at his reaction. After he came back we had our dinner and then went to the under construction bhojnalaya site where Anant had kept his bag. There we met Pravin Puravji and Deepak Tandonji who had made a bed of bricks to put pillows on for making their bed. After chatting with them for some time Anant carried his bag down to the tent where we had our beds. At 8pm Shri Bihag Lalaji summarised Pujya Swamiji’s discourse in English for the overseas sadhaks. At 8.15pm Pratapbhai gave his thanks to all the sadhaks of Surat and Navsari who worked day and night to make the impossible, possible. At 8.30pm Pujya Guruma arrived to the sound of blowing of conches for the evenings’ cultural program. The cultural program began with a welcome dance performed by Dandi Ashram sadhaks. This was followed by a dance by Gandhinagar sadhaks titled “Thaye Swamiji jeso” – this was performed with great feeling and love energy. Third dance was by Vadodara sadhaks – Shiva Tandav was performed with tremendous energy which resulted in the cooling of my crown chakra. The Surat sdhaks then performed a dance “Gurumat pita, Gurumat mata” with beautiful, colourful and bright costumes. Mulund center, Mumbai then performed a dance “Kesariya Balima avo padharo maro desh” – this was a Rajasthani dance performed by sadhaks of all age groups. Anleshwar sadhaks then performed a dance on the “Ganesh Stuthi” – a Marathi presentation with young and old sadhaks – there was complete energy flowing during this dance and I was bathed from head to toe in cool, blissful energy. The seventh dance was a classical dance performed by Goa sadhaks based on the Samudra Manthan. The next dance was a Navdurga garba performed by Bhavnagar sadhaks. The ninth dance was performed by Surat sadhaks on Guru Mahotsav. The days finale was a beautiful presentation by Rajasthan sadhaks titled – “Sai pujan karne aye”. After the last dance we recited the shanty path and were told to assemble the next day for meditation by 5.30am.

There was a commotion a little distance away from our bedding as one sadhaks who had put his bed on the thoroughfare was not allowing sadhaks to pass by as they were walking over his bed. He started shouting and telling all sadhaks to go back and walk all the way around. Two sadhaks pushed their way past and went, a couple of others turned back and went back quietly. After they left I went to the sadhak and politely told him focus on the purpose of Gurupurnima and what Swamiji is going to give us tomorrow. You have blocked the path as organisers have created two entrances that means there has to be a pathway from one entrance to the other. Requested him to keep at least one foot gap and cooperate, he muttered something, but agreed in the end. We retired for the night at around 10.30 pm. There was a small frog which kept landing on my leg and stomach – it was very sticky and damp to the touch. Twice, I let it go by, but the third time, I gently picked it up and lobbed it some distance away – after that I fell fast asleep.

Day 2 – 22nd July, 2013
 I felt a tap on my shoulders from a great distance, when I felt it again, I woke up and saw that Harish was waking me up for going for a bath. It was just 1.15am. We had decided to go very early to avoid the rush as the bathing and toilet arrangements were not more than probably 50 each. We went, did our morning ablutions and came back in half an hour, refreshed after the cold water bath. A slight drizzle was on and a very cool breeze was blowing. We came back, woke up Anant and sent him for his morning session and then lay down and went back to sleep.

At 5.15am we went and sat in the meditation hall. After some announcements, the musical meditation chant started playing as we sat in silence preparing our body and spirit for the meditation. It was dawn and one could hear the chirping and tweeting of different kinds of birds singing in joy, it seemed, in anticipation of this momentous day – one could hear the consistent cry of peacocks in the distant backdrop too. From 6.15 to 6.45am Shri Rambhai conducted the meditation session. There were tremendous vibrations as energy was flowing in abundance – the center of my palms were pulsating and fingertips throbbing with energy, there was whirling in my crown chakra as I enjoyed the bliss of the occasion.  After the meditation, announcements were made and then the musical chant started playing as a prelude to the advent of Pujya Guruma and Pujya Swamiji. At 7.10am Pujya Guruma arrived followed by Pujya Swamiji. After Guru Ahavan, Shri Rambhai prayed to Pujya Swamiji to shower us with his nectar.

Pujya Swamiji started His discourse narrating the story of the sage and the scorpion, wherein a scorpion falls into the river which the sage is crossing, and the sage picks it up at which point the scorpion stings the sage and the sage lets go of the scorpion. He repeatedly picks up the scorpion to save it and gets stung repeatedly by the scorpion dropping it in the process every time, but ultimately does save the scorpion. A disciple who watched this process asked the sage why he kept saving the scorpion – the sage replied, “it is the scorpions ‘dharma’ to sting and my dharma as a human being is to save”, so I was just performing my duty. Swamiji said this story reminded him of the Shirdi Mahashibir which was a very big event. He said that strange conditions prevailed at Shirdi – there were a lot of disciples of Shirdi Baba who had committed suicide because they believed that by doing so they would obtain liberation. Those unsatisfied souls were stationed at Shirdi – Sai Baba created the plan for the Shirdi Mahashibir – this was in fact decided 15 years ago, but a very large collectivity of pure souls was required to do this work. This was not possible till such a large collectivity was created, when that was created then only was this shibir possible. All obstacles to this shibir were created by these souls. This work was that of Sai Baba and he made you a medium for the same. Those souls are now liberated. (This was said to thunderous applause from the sadhaks).

The medium was prepared and ripened in the Himalayas and sent to society to give the message -akin to a mango which falls from the tree when ripe, this medium was sent from the Himalayas. The Shirdi mahashibir is a result of 15 years of penance. You have become the mediums for Sai Baba’s work by liberating those souls (again loud claps). This is related to Karma – if you have done bad karmas in the past birth and continue to do so in this birth, then you are going into the dark. If you are doing bad work but your ‘chitta’ is towards good, then you will progress from dark to light sooner or later, this depends on your direction. If you do bad all your life and move towards good later in your life, read good books, get a Guru’s proximity, then your next birth will be good. If in the past birth you have done good, this birth you continue to do good and desire to do good, then this journey is from light to more light. If you have done good in the last birth and are good in this birth, then you will get liberation (moksha). If I am taking you towards liberation, then I believe you will all obtain liberation (loud claps and cheers), liberation is a state of mind….of void.

If a small river wants to become an ocean it can’t, but it can meet the ocean and merge with it and lose its identity. This difficult task can be accomplished by surrender, surrender, surrender! Today is the test for checking the percentage of your surrender. Do not pretend about the level of your surrender as the concept of negative marking applies in the eyes of Paramatma – if you surrender 10% show and accept 10% and not 50%, if you do this it will be a big loss to you. Surrender means to merge with Pujya Swamiji’s consciousness. Test yourself – do I have feelings of greed, jealousy, greed, do I eat non-veg, drink, etc – does the medium do this, does the medium drink, smoke etc. There are many sadhaks who still do this that means that your identity is separate from mine. If you merge with me then there will be 9000 Swami’s, it is my desire that you all leave as Swamiji’s, become one with me.

I am moving away from administration to spirituality. You will have to connect with me, till you do not become one with me the values will not be transferred to you. I have a huge treasure of knowledge to give. I cannot give it nor can you take it, it will happen automatically once you achieve the condition to absorb the same. When I did Jain shibirs, knowledge of the Jains was automatically transferred. Ganpati Atharvashirsha is not taught by any Guru, because if the disciples’ state is not good and it is taught, then the sins of the disciple are transferred to the Guru. I got the knowledge from one of my Gurus. I have stayed with various Gurus – of different languages, size, colour, etc and have always completely merged with them, with complete and total surrender – you too completely merge with the medium, once you do that the mediums knowledge will slowly be transferred to you. If you are doing anything which I am not, then you are not surrendered, then you will never get the knowledge within me – as this knowledge cannot be obtained, it is only transferred. Water may have different colours, but water quenches thirst. Medium can have different colours, but the medium has no colour of His own, but that colour is created by the situation, water has no colour, and quenches only thirst. When thousands of souls are benefitting but you are not recognising the medium from His root; you are being fooled into believing that this medium is an ordinary person, when you think that then your absorption capacity will be zero. The medium to get close to you keeps fooling you by putting up such a illusionary web (brahma jaal), but you should not get fooled.

Swamiji then narrated the story of the hotel in Singapore which He had visited during His visit there. Sadhaks took Pujya Swamiji to a hotel for dinner. When the manager saw Pujya Swamiji along with the sadhaks, he told them why did you not inform me earlier? I would have made elaborate preparations to receive your Guru. The sadhaks told the manager that our Swamiji is not like that, He is simple and not flamboyant and does not mind. The manager told the sadhaks that no Guru is ordinary, I know because I used to have the proximity of a Guru who has passed away – so even though the Guru appears ordinary, he is not. The moment you think that the Guru is ordinary then the game is over. Pujya Swamiji then said never treat a customer rudely, treat each customer believing him to be Swamiji. The whole game is about belief. If you believe and idol to be a stone, then it will be a stone, else it is God; the same holds true of the medium, if you believe the medium to be extraordinary, then you will obtain extraordinary results from time to time. Consider the medium to be an ATM, you can approach the ATM for emergency cash, similarly you can go to the medium for emergency energy – the medium keeps giving you energy in emergencies. Also you can withdraw cash from ATM if you have balance in your account, similarly you can withdraw energy if you have balance of the feeling of surrender in the mediums bank.

Gurupurnima cannot be complete without Gurudakshina. Just as a singer feels his students should spread his knowledge, my Gurudakshina is your desire to obtain the state of moksha! The Gurudakshina you should ask for is the state of moksha in this birth itself, I don’t want another birth. This is the biggest Gurudakshina any disciple can offer. Help in Gurukarya that can also be big Gurudakshina. Any commitment you make for Gurukarya will definitely happen, that is my promise. Participate in Guru puja as a soul – that you are praying to the Guru within you and expressing gratitude to that Guru for guiding you from time to time. Guru pujan is that puja which takes one from body to soul and your soul becomes so strong that its control on the body will begin. Once that happens, you will be free of addiction, pain and all other physical problems. With this, Pujya Swamiji ended his discourse and left followed by Pujya Guruma at around 8.20am. We broke for breakfast and reassembled at 9.30am for the diksha ceremony.

At 10am Pujya Guruma re-entered the hall followed by Pujya Gurudev. Rambhai explained the importance of Gurudiksha. He said that during the diksha is a process under the guidance of a capable and responsible Satguru whereby an atom of His subtle body is transferred into the disciple, the disciple needs to nurture this seed and make it grow into a big tree.

At 10.10 am the diksha program started with Shri Rambhai reciting the purification mantra. After that the Guru mantra was recited by Pujya Swamiji followed by all the initiates. As Pujya Swamiji started energising the atmosphere with His hands while reciting the mantra, the heavens opened up and it rained very heavily. After about 10 minutes as the Guru mantra recital got over, the rains slowed down and ultimately stopped. This clearly showed that Pujya Swamiji has completely merged with nature. The diksha program ended at 10.30am after which chants started playing over the sound system prior to the commencement of the Guru Pujan. The Guru Pujan then started with the recital of the Ganpati Atharvashirsha, followed by recital of ‘Om Shri Shivakrupanand Swami Namo Namaha’ after this both the couples, namely, Mrs. & Mr. Vibhav Parikh and Mrs. & Mr. Jiten Thakkar garlanded Pujya Swamiji (who was in a very high state of meditation) and placed a crown on His head. Pujya Swamiji looked really divine as He sat there in patience – a real epitome of peace! At 11.30 am the Arati took place with each sadhak performing the Arati while standing - with the waving of a lighted lamp which was given to each sadhak. As the Arati concluded tears of joy and bliss started flowing from my eyes in welcome of the new initiates. There was tremendous energy flowing during the Arati with my back and crown completely awash with cold blissful energy – I never cease to be amazed of the Guru Energies as they bathe you and bless you. Thereafter both the couples paid their respects to Pujya Guruma by making offerings to her. The ‘namaskar vidhi’ took place thereafter, with the volunteers letting the sadhaks go in batches.As the namaskar vidhi started, the bhajans also started with Sumangalaji singing the first bhajan, followed by Krishnaji, both singing their bhajans in their mellifluous voices. Then a bhajan "Paar kar de" was sung by a first time singer, Saurabh Thanki - this was sung with great feeling and the same was very appropriate for the occasion. Sanjay Boseji also sang and he really took off and was in great form as all the singers served us an appetising dish of bhajans sung with great feeling and energy.When our turn came we went made our offerings and then came back and prostrated from the back of the hall and performed the ‘namaskar vidhi’ praying to our hearts content, with nobody bothering us. Then we left for lunch.

After lunch, we visited the sahitya stall along with the exhibition stall. Purchased the Shirdi mahashibir CD’s and booked a copy of Pujya Guruma’s autobiography. We then rested and had a short nap before the evening program commenced at 4pm.

At around 4.20pm Pratapbhai spoke about how the Gurupurnima function was organised in spite of huge odds and how the Guru Energies supported them in ensuring that this program becomes an unique and unforgettable one. He mentioned that the Guru Shakti Dham is going to be constructed at the same sire where we were sitting, and he called on the sadhaks present to make a commitment that they will contribute whatever amount that they decide on mentally as donation. He told them to think big because they were contributing for a good cause and the Guru Energies will help by ensuring that they earn more than enough to fulfill their commitment. He said that the Surat sadhaks have committed to contribute at least 60% of the total budget for the Guru Shakti Dham, and the rest of India had to only raise the balance. He told us to collectively express the desire that the Guru Shakti Dham should be a grand one. A short video was shown about the preparations for GP 2013. This video explained more than any words could describe the hard work put in by the organisers and sadhaks to make the arrangements for holding the festival on time. Subsequently Shri Kumar Makadia, the Managing Trustee of SSSAT informed the sadhaks about various developments at Dandi Ashram and other Ashrams at Gandhinagar, Sindhavadar (Rajkot) and Bengal. He mentioned that 300 bighas of land had been acquired at Rajkot, 90% land acquisition had been completed at Gandhinagar and NA work had started. He mentioned that a Samarpan office was to be opened in West Bengal and Pujya Swamiji’s approval was awaited for the same. He mentioned that the Sindhavadar Ashram was the biggest and was being managed by both the Trusts and 90% land had already been acquired and 80% of the land had already obtained NA approval. The Guru Shakti Dham was planned to be constructed using stone and the budget for the same was Rs. 15 crores. At around 5pm Ms. Deepti Shah and Ms. Seema Dasgupta gave information about Madhuchaitanya followed by Ms. Sonali Shah who informed the sadhaks about the Samarpan Vivaha program.

At around 5.15am Pujya Guruma entered and took her seat to address the gathering. As the Guru Mantra was recited there was great energy flowing indicating the presence of all Guru Energies in their subtle form. Pujya Guruma started her discourse with a little known story from the epic Ramayana. When the final battle was to start between Ram and Ravana it was being decided who will fire the first arrow, Ram or Ravana! Ram said he will do so as his wife had been abducted. But at what time should the arrow be fired? Ram said concentrate on Hanuman’s breathing (Hanuman was standing on top of a hill. Then he told his army to synchronise their breathing with that of Hanuman. When the synchronisation took place, while exhaling in collectivity a lot of heat was generated and at that point he shot his arrow. You should synchronise your breathing to take advantage of energy at the time of common inhalation. This energy will protect you and this positive energy generated by you will connect you to other such souls transforming this whole world into one family (Vasudev Kutumbakam). Do not meditate with small goals in mind, these goals are all by-products, meditate regularly to reach the ultimate goal. If you have reached here, it is because of your penance for maybe last 100, 200, 500, 5000 years, that is why in this birth you have reached upto here. You are born with habits, good and bad, of your past birth. Free yourself from the desire from moksha also – as that too is a desire. Gurudev please keep us on the true path – that is all you should ask for. When you sleep at night – that sleep is the best for your clearance. Say the Gurumantra and sleep, then you will sleep in a meditative state. If anyone imbalances you, pray to Swamiji to disengage your chitta (attention) placed on that individual – whether for good or bad. If you want to remember someone – just remember Gurudev, instead of others from whom you will unnecessarily draw their energy, which may be of any state. Make a time-table where you have a fixed time for meditation, those whose life has irregular time schedules, pray to Gurudev to help them meditate at least twice a day. God helps those who help themselves – meditate in and around the time of sunrise or sunset, this is the most ideal time. Make it compulsory to wake up before sunrise, make this a military rule for the kids at home.

This is an era of illusion – get out of this illusive state. Pray to Gurudev to help you get out of this state. When performing Gurukarya do not pull in opposite directions. Many thanks to Surat sadhaks for making GP 2013 possible in spite of negative feedback from other sadhaks. Pratapbhai had pure faith in Gurudev’s word that this years Gurupurnima will take place at Dandi only and he said it will happen! Those who had the desire to do Gurukarya, only those people came. 8 to 10 busloads of people came daily for the last ten days or so and they helped in putting up the pandal. Gurudev gave a small glimpse of the difficulties He faced when wandering in the jungles for 18 years, so you have to manage for only two nights for this GP. He had only one desire and that was to obtain spiritual knowledge and a great desire to distribute this knowledge globally. The first Guru cam and took Him away, after that He always went by Himself.

The fourth point is Gurudakshina – give this knowledge to others (about Samarpan Meditation) who do not know. Give this message about this path to moksha to other. Do not consider yourself to be different to others. Each soul is doing devotional practice in some form or the other – do not distinguish between non-sadhak and sadhak. Post holder’s should not develop any ego – this post is not forever, like the body, stay in balance while doing Gurukarya. Change of external clothes does not change the soul – that is eternal. Because you are post holders do not consider yourself to be different. If you attract the chitta of others, both good and bad, the bad effects occur immediately to imbalance you. Wear whatever you need to wear if it makes you happy from within. Clothes which expose the body attract unwanted attention. Males should not have hair which touches the collar and girls should never cut their hair. Stay neat, proper and happy and give joy to others. I want to share with you one point for your overall progress. An ideal sadhak is one who always accepts that there are many who are better than him/her, then only can you keep on improving and learning. If you believe yourself to be the best, then there is no room for improvement, for progress. Examples of ideal sadhaks, Sonali and Dharmesh Shah, Naimisha and Bihag Lalaji who make power point presentations for promoting Samarpan Meditation, Rambhai who performs Gurukarya through the medium of ‘havan’, Harshaben and Pratapbhai Shah. Pujya Guruma told the sadhaks to donate selflessly and they will always get more than they need. She told her story about Gurudev needing Rs. 8000 to go to Assam one day and she did not have any money whatsoever. She said from out of the blue she received a call from a radio station to conduct a radio program. They signed a contract and after the program she got a cheque for the exact amount which Gurudev wanted! On another occasion she got a program on Doordarshan, which too gave her a cheque for the exact amount which was Swamiji’s requirement. Many such incidents have taken place. One will always get money when one really requires it, always remain positive and things will always happen positively. I realised that I went through tough times so that I could learn from the hardships of life and to learn to manage with little, learn that wastage is bad, such as wastage of water, electricity, etc. The cost of learning in life is the fees you pay by means of the experience you get – always take it positively.

Pujya Guruma then spoke about the chakras. I missed writing about the first three chakras. She said when the heart chakra, one has no fear, one is completely satisfied, such a life is limited and controlled and no bad can ever happen. This chakra belongs to the Ram and Shiva element – when the heart chakra is clear then you will always live a pure life in your daily routine. The Vishuddhi (throat) chakra's deity is Shree Krishna – Shree Krishna was complete in all respects. An intelligent person uses 4-5% of his intellect, a genius uses 8-10%, but Krishna had mastered all 16 faculties. The virat (vast) element is awakened, you accept and respect all religions, this is the place for brother and sister relationships; you will get success from all avenues. For the Agya (third eye) chakra requires Gurudev’s blessings for clearance – only a living Satguru is required; Mahavir resides in the left hemisphere, Buddha in the right hemisphere, Jesus at the rear (representing forgiveness) and Gurudev in the front part. When Gurudev clears the Agya chakra He absorbs all the poison lying there from all your past births, and then only can you progress to the sahastrara (Crown). Once you reach the sahastrara, then all the elements get developed. You need to keep your attention on the sahastrara at all times – you should attempt to remain there all the time, for that you should meditate regularly. From Deepak Sharma you can learn the meaning of surrender. About Ujwaladidi, Guruma said that Ujjwaladidi has the job to ensure that Swamiji should not be disturbed, she is willing to take any amount of rebukes / ill wishes to protect Swamiji.

Pujya Guruma mentioned that Pujya Swamiji wants to meet each and everyone, she said that it is her promise that he will meet everyone (Loud applause and cheers). Centre visits can happen only if you have spiritual questions to be answered. If you have no questions then you can meditate with Swamiji for half and hour. She gave her blessings to all to clear their chakras, saying that you should have the feeling that you are nothing, and Gurudev has done everything, meditate regularly and progress spiritually on the path to liberation.

After Pujya Guruma’s discourse we broke for dinner and reconvened at 8.00pm for the cultural program. At 8.15pm Pujya Guruma entered. There were ten dance performances from different centres. The Bharuch centre dance on the theme of the full moon was vibrant and full of energy - it energised the entire gathering into continuous applause and shouts of “once more, once more”! This dance was repeated after all the performances to continuous applause. The other standout performance was the Ganpati Stuthi performed by the Surat sadhaks. After this, the days’ program concluded and we retired for the night at 10.15pm.

Day 3, July 23, 2013

At 1.30am Harish and I woke up and went for our morning ablutions. There was a very cool breeze blowing with the hint of a slight drizzle. I had just completed my bath and was towelling my body, when the person in the next bath cubicle landed with a thud at my feet. He was probably trying to remove his trousers by leaning on the plastic partition thinking it to be a solid wall!! I held his shoulders and helped him get up (I was completely in the buff) as he apologised, he was probably 60 plus in age but very slim and fit. As I helped him up I raised the blue plastic partition and tried to fix it to the nail but without any success. After trying for a couple of minutes I told the gentleman that it cannot be fixed and that I was letting it go. He said ok, and with his back to me he proceeded to undress, and I with my back to him proceeded to wear my boxers. As I bent down to pick up the liquid soap bottle my eyes fell on his brown bunions and I left the bath cubicle laughing to myself silently. I reached our tent, woke up Shri Anant and told him to go for his bath. I packed my bag and brought out the last set of clothes for the day and had this feeling of why oh why is this getting over so soon. As I lay down again, I enjoyed the cool breeze and the night sounds of insects and birds as nature played its song as the souls slept. Nature’s musical symphony is best to be heard in silence – and this time we experienced real silence as Swamiji ensured that there were no snorers anywhere near our beddings. My eyes closed and when they opened about 3.30am, I saw Harish sitting and doing his yoga asanas. I too sat and did some asanas taught by Atul Shuklaji.

We left for the meditation hall at 5.30am. The meditation was conducted by Shri Rambhai at exactly 6am. During the half an hour meditation I got an amazing fragrance, nothing I had got before, it was ethereal and unearthly, I wondered which Guru Energy blessed me with His fragrance. After the meditation we went and stood in line for breakfast. The line was massive, and as we neared the volunteers who were segregating the ladies line and the gents line, bunch of Goa sadhikas (about ten of them) gate crashed the queue, in spite of protests from the other sadhikas and volunteers giving seva - they just did not listen – they pushed their way in. I really felt ashamed at being a Goan at that point in time! We immediately took our breakfast, ate it and went back to our tent. Anant went to meet his family and said he would join us in a while. As we relaxed in our tent, Harish asked me to check out the sadhak on his left, the guy was merrily rubbing a plastic bag on his hand, preparing his gutka – I remembered Pujya Swamiji’s discourse where he mentions what is our level of surrender by doing a self analysis of whether Pujya Swamiji is doing what we are doing. I had got a faint whiff of tobacco the previous day, but I had thought it was my imagination. Also a few moments later, I saw another elderly man light up a cigarette on the far side of the tent. I told Harish, it is so sad that these sadhaks do not know what they are doing – they are in a divine, energy filled vibrant Guru’s place and they are showing disrespect to the Guru’s place. But I guess each individual is on his/her own journey and will have to face the good/bad consequences of his/her actions. We can only pray to Pujya Swamiji to forgive them for they know not what they do.

At 8 am after Anant joined us, we left for the final session of Q&A with Pujya Swamiji. Before the Q&A session, Trustee of YPBSST, Shri Vibhav Parikh was requested to read out the vote of thanks. He started by thanking Pujya Swamiji and Pujya Guruma for making this event a grand success to a round of very loud and incessant clapping of the 8000 plus sadhaks present there. He then thanked the sadhak brothers and sisters who made the impossible, possible. Then he thanked Dr Paras Bhatt and Mrs Hema Virkar for there as usual impeccable compeering of the event, then he thanked all the agencies involved in the preparations, the collector of Navsari, the Police Commissioner of Navsari, the Gram Panchayat and Babaswami Multimedia. His vote of thanks came right from the heart and touched me as he spoke with a depth of feeling, which I am sure must have touched each and every soul present there. Deservedly his vote of thanks drew a very large and loud round of applause, such that I can confidently say that this was possibly the best vote of thanks I have heard anyone give at any event which I have attended since the time I joined the Samarpan family in February 2009.

After the vote of thanks we waited in anticipation for the arrival of Pujya Swamiji and Pujya Guruma for the final session. The meditation chant had started playing and I had my eyes closed in meditation, savouring and enjoying the last session of the three day event, absorbing the sounds and soaking in the energy prevalent over there. Pujya Guruma entered the hall to the accompaniment of the blowing of conches and about five minutes later I thought Pujya Swamiji too had entered, and as the thought crossed my mind the conches blew and the sadhaks started clapping welcoming Pujya Swamiji’s arrival. The mike was given to Ujjwala-didi for compeering the Q&A session. After obtaining Pujya Swamiji’s permission Ujjwala didi started the session with the first question.

1) Why do you entrust Pratapbhai with all big events? Pujya Swamiji laughed and smilingly said that no answer can be better than this successful GP. He then said that Pratapbhai pays attention to small detail and the smallest of jobs he does with great planning. We need 10 such Pratapbhais – he is personally present at the site and he delivers, look at how he works. It was my wish that this place be purified by GP as this location will host the Guru Shakti Dham. It was his wish to accommodate all those who desired to come. As he expressed the desire, I had to stand by him willy-nilly and give him support.

2)  When you choose all post holders, why do you select those who don’t listen to you? Pujya Swamiji replied – my view is like that of a mother. My appointments are like a medical solution, to treat the appointee. Earlier the meetings used to take just five minutes and rest of the time used to be spent having spiritual discussions.

      3) What is the new rule which is going to come? Policies change with time. Now changes will take place to take care of the present as well as the future. Henceforth people will be able to work based on capability and efficiency and commitment, not for a fixed term. Trustees do not have time to get involved in management, this Management Committee (MC) will be involved in framing rules, policies, guidelines, be used for taking tough decisions, they will guide not only the Trustees, but also the Life Time Trustees. I have told them to keep a watch on the activities of the Life Time Trustees too. The management of both the Trusts is now handed over to Guruma, after that will be the Life Time Trustees, followed by MC, Managing Trustee, Trustees, Pramukh Acharya and so on. Management involves all aspects and the decision should be right. Registration for any event is mandatory as it is an important aspect of planning. The same rules apply in the outside world. As sadhaks you have to have self-discipline and this planning is being done keeping in mind the infrastructure we need to have in place for the next 800 years. These policies and rules will be brought into effect from April 1, 2015, these will be published,  if any of you have any suggestions, please give them to Shri Anant Khamankar.

      4) Ajeevan Sevadharis come only to get married and then leave, why does this happen? I do not keep anyone who is only physically present and whose chitta is not over here. What do I do with the body, I let it go. Whoever stays will reach a state of void.

      5)   My wife loves me a lot and she wants to be my wife for the next 7 births. But I do not love her and I wish this to be my last birth. Whose wish will come true? (On hearing this question Pujya Swamiji was in splits as was the entire gathering, Pujya Swamiji was laughing heartily). Pujya Swamiji said, Paramatma’s energy is one. By praying to that energy and increasing your receiving capacity, and after doing this you use this energy to fulfill your wishes. There are two kinds of energies – positive and negative. If through a positive medium you invite the energies, then these can be used only for positive purposes and vice versa. I am always with the positive forces as they are praying and working in the direction of flow of those energies. In Dandi GP, there were sadhaks who wanted to have GP in Dandi and those who were against this. I sided with the positive forces. Similarly Paramatma also sides with the positive forces – so your wife’s wishes are positive and yours are negative, hence you are stuck with this wife for 7 births. (The audience was clapping and laughing loudly to this response as Swamiji looked on with a broad smile).

      6) While propagating Samarpan Meditation should we make them meditate on “I am a holy soul, I am a pure soul”. This years’ Chaitanya Mahotsav will be held in Kutch and the Doctors Mahashibir in Kutch in October. Since the age of 5 I have believed myself to be a holy and pure soul. As I believed this my soul became stronger and stronger and took my body in the direction in which it should go. The knowledge of what is good or bad is known to the soul and not to the body, give your bodies steering to the soul. It took me 50 years to reach this stage – you cannot use this to propagate SM. I was in a very high meditative state when I made you recite I am a holy soul, I am a pure soul and then transferred my state to you. Do not try to become a Guru and do something for which you are not authorised. Do you want to experiment again, repeat after me.
The sadhaks repeated with Pujya Swamiji the mantra “mai shudh atma hoon, mai pavitra atma hoon” three times and then entered into meditation. I was busy writing and tried to connect during the third repetition, but could not connect. As the meditation started, the heaven literally opened up and it rained heavily for the 15 minute duration of the meditation. As the meditation ended so did the rain. I did feel peace and quiet, vibrations and feeling of coolness on the spine and crown chakra were all there – but this could have become something special, but I missed the bus…..but I am sure my time will come sooner or later with His Grace. During this meditation about 5 sadhaks possessed with spirits (souls) who were screaming and shouting and crying and finally achieved liberation with His Grace and kindness.

7) How does one do the “Namaskar vidhi”, as volunteers give conflicting views during the process?  When I did meditation with you, I did ‘namaskar’ to you, I surrendered to you, you do not need to touch physically, your feelings are important. Be silent, ladies keep talking and yesterday I tried to figure out what they were saying, it was like a buzz, this disturbs the entire gathering. I saw male volunteers amongst the ladies, this should not happen. Make a promise to yourself that till you offer your ‘namaskar’ you will not get disturbed.

      8) What is Guru pujan? How should it be performed? Guru Pujan is only a reason, like any other puja you remove the flowers, smell them, take the idols, wipe them, wash them with water/milk, clean them, apply ‘gandh’, offer flowers, etc. As we perform these kriyas it is our aim to go on the journey within. We always pay attention to the faults of others, but don’t go within – puja is performed to go within, to reach our soul and reach the peace of the soul. Gurupujan is similar – to reach the soul in the form of the Guru, if we reach that state then that will be the true Gurupujan. Our attention strays to distractions, never let that happen, keep your attention focussed on achieving a state of void. Don’t look at others’ faults.

      9) Is it possible to give the knowledge of “jeevant Samadhi” (living entombment / death at will) to a sadhak, is anybody capable of receiving this knowledge? My maternal grandfather had the knowledge of making  an antidote for snake poison but he did not pass it on to his sons, he confined that knowledge to himself. I used to think why did he not pass on this knowledge to his sons. This knowledge cannot be given, it will automatically get transferred to a capable disciple. I have received this knowledge from the Himalayan Gurus after I became capable of receiving it.

After the Q&A session Pujya Swamiji gave the closing address at 10.30am. He said that the Guru Shakti Dham will be located at the site where the GP 2013 festival took place. Work will start immediately after GP. There will be no space to hold GP after the GSD comes up, hence this GP is unique, there was never one held before and there won’t be any GP held at Dandi in the future. The programs are becoming bigger and bigger, and hence GP was held here in the face of extremely adverse circumstances, if we had missed this opportunity, it would never have happened. Those sadhaks who have made this possible are deserving of special blessings. Guru’s work is greater than the Guru, hence when the sadhaks desired to have such a big function, they are all deserving of special thanks. The next anushthan will see the mangal murti for Melbourne getting energised.

After this, we did the shanti path, it was about 10.45am and those who wanted to visit the energy statue were allowed to do so. We carried the mattress on which we were seated as instructed and piled it at the location indicated by the volunteers. We went back to our tent and packed our bags, changed and waited and shared experiences. At around noon, we carried our mattresses and bags to the main tent, where we helped in piling them up. Anant went to check on his family. I informed the sadhikas who had come with us to get ready for departure. Anant and I then went and got the food packets and Prasad packets for the three of us. In the meanwhile Pravin Purav and Deepak Tandon joined us. We had our lunch and then I moved on to get my car out. I managed to get the car out and I thought the car would pass through the bamboos and a tractor parked there. The ground was slippery and for a while I thought I had got stuck. I called Pratapbhai and requested him to have the tractor removed, in the meanwhile Harish, Deepak and Pravin came to the shed where the cars were parked. One small car manoeuvred and got its self out. Harish then told me to reverse and get out from behind. I managed to squeeze the car through a very tiny gap leaving just a couple of inches on either side of the vehicle and heaved a sigh of relief as the car passed through. Then I waited for a Maruti Desire to make its way out, as the driver went back and forth at least four times before he managed to get out. I managed to get the big SUV out in the second instance and speeded on the mucky road lest I got stuck. I managed to get out and went onto the Ashrams main road.  As I waited for Harish to come – he had gone to get his bag, a sadhak caught me and asked whether I could drop him of at Navsari, I said sure, then he said he had another person with him, I said ok. As he sat in the car, he said he was Ashok Jain and a judge from Ajmer, and whenever I come to Ajmer I could call him, etc. I told him there is no need just sit. Cars behind were beginning to come out and I went a little ahead and waited as Harish finally came with his bag. The rain was still holding up and I prayed that it not rain till at least we reached the main pucca road at Dandi, after which it could rain all the way to Mumbai for all we cared. Arati had called and said that Mumbai was receiving very high rainfall and high tide warnings had been issued. We finally got on our way…..there were sadhaks walking on their way out in the muck and the progress was slow. The judge was very impatient and lowered the window to loudly gesture to the sadhaks to make way – I stopped him and told him to have some patience and consideration as we were lucky to be in the car and they were walking in much with their baggage, young and old alike. After that he kept quiet. It took us almost 50 minutes to cross the 3km stretch, testing my driving skills to the limit, people were there all along the way and with oncoming autos and small tempos the going was tough and dicey. But we made it! We dropped off the judge and his companion at ERU road, then went to A-1 Bungalows to pick up the ‘sahitya’ boxes which Naimishaji had told me to collect from Rupambhai’s house. We picked the three large boxes and put them in the back and then went to the Dham for a while as one sadhika was new and had not been to the Dham. After a 15 minute break at the Dham at around 3.15pm we left the Dham for Mumbai. We sped across to the accompaniment of light to heavy rain and stopped at Parsi da Dhabha at around 4.30pm. We were joined by Khamankarji and Deepak Tandonji. After snacking to our hearts content we left at around 5.15pm for Mumbai. Puravji joined us, and we sped through the toll, and reached Goregaon at around 7pm where, the sadhikas got off, Puravji and Harish then got off at Andheri. It took me about half an hour to cross Andheri, I ultimately reached home at 8pm, totally energized after three days of great fun, bliss and joy.

I hope all of you enjoy reading this as much as I loved writing it re-living each moment as I wrote the blog. God and Gurudeva bless all!

Jai Baba Swami