Murti-Pratishtha Mahotsav
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Annual Subscription Rs. 60 July 2010 Murti-Pratishtha Mahotsav BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, Limbdi, 27-28 May 2010 Murtis in the three main shrines and abhishek mandap of BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, Limbdi July 2010, Vol. 33 No. 7 Murti-Pratishtha Mahotsav, Limbdi FIRST WORD Special Issue The manner in which we conduct our lives gives rise to our habits and attitudes. No one can hope that living an indulgent, indisciplined and wanton life will not affect his or her state of mind. Gunatitanand Swami has stated that a person who overwhelms himself with worldly pleasures ‘bruises’ his soul. In other words the person cannot incline himself to practice morality and spirituality, which thus excludes him from the experience of lasting inner peace and joy. CONTENTS The Hindu shastras have prescribed the road- map of life by denoting the four goals of human BAPS Festival life: dharma, artha, kama and moksha. With 4 Grand Murti-Pratishtha Mahotsav, dharma as the base the householder should pur- Limbdi sue wealth (artha) and fulfil his worldly desires Vicharan (kama). In fact, the main focus and goal is the last 12 Memories of Jhalavad Swamishri’s taxing and tireless vicharan... pursuit of life – moksha. Yogiji Maharaj Without the spiritual unfolding of one’s 18 Hãji Bhalã Sadhu... consciousness one indiscriminately hankers after The saintliness of Yogiji Maharaj... worldly pleasures and activities. Thus one is Vicharan left feeling discontented, empty, aggressive and 28 Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s Vicharan restless. Only by making our spiritual practices BAPS News the focal point of our lives will we be able to 29 SVAS Shibirs, Navsari, Bochasan, stabilize and add purpose, meaning and joy to our Ahmedabad thoughts and actions. 29 Kishore-Kishore Shibir, Mumbai 30 Shibirs in Asia-Pacific Region The life and work of God and his holy Sadhu Website: www.baps.org awaken a person’s consciousness from the E-mail: [email protected] mundane to the spiritual. They gracefully remind, Founder: HDH Pramukh Swami Maharaj, inspire and assist us on our journey towards Editor: Sadhu Swayamprakashdas, Contributors: Sadhu Vivekjivandas, Sadhu Amrutvijaydas, moksha. A little faith and effort on our part Designer: Sadhu Shrijiswarupdas Published & Printed by: Swaminarayan Aksharpith, Shahibaug, liberates us from our ignorance and miseries and Ahmedabad–380 004. India. make us into receptacles of divine bliss. SUBSCRIPTION RATES Outside India (By Air Mail) India The Hindu tradition of mandirs effects the Rupees Pounds US Dollars Rupees 1 Year 500 6 10 60 spiritual enlightenment of our consciousness and 2 Years 1000 12 20 110 liberates us from our insane pursuit of material 3 Years 1500 18 30 160 Website: www.swaminarayan.org, E-mail: [email protected] pleasures. X July 2010 X Swaminarayan Bliss 3 Grand Murti-Pratishtha Mahotsav 27-28 May 2010, Limbdi his Land of Jhalavad… horizon. Dry thorny bushes, leaf-less trees in This Land of Jhalavad… T every direction… In these few words, poet Prajaram Raval Flowers here are small and water is merely a has painted a picture of Jhalavad. It is a region mirage; nurtured by the Jhala and Rana Kshatriya Flowers and leaves shrivel without water, the communities. Limbdi is a city of Jhalavad, intense scorching summers… brimming with dharma and known as Little Kashi. This Land of Jhalavad… The new BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Look in the distance for miles and miles, you’ll Limbdi is located at the mid-point on the highway not see a single hill; between Ahmedabad and Rajkot. Just vast, open and flat land merging into the The Jhalavad region has been sanctified by 4 Swaminarayan Bliss X July 2010 vastly improved, one thing remains: the open tree-less terrains. In 1996, Pramukh Swami Maharaj consecrated a shikharbaddh mandir in this region at Surendranagar. The mandir in Limbdi is the second in this region. Commuters on the Ahmedabad- Rajkot highway are naturally drawn to this grand mandir right by the roadside. About 100 years ago, Jhaverbhai Diwan, a leading devotee in the time of Shastriji Maharaj lived in Limbdi. Jhaverbhai introduced Maharaja Dolatsinhji of Limbdi State and other officials to the divine personality of Shastriji Maharaj. It was through the assistance of Limbdi State that the land for the shikharbaddh Sarangpur Mandir was obtained. Shastriji Maharaj, Yogiji Maharaj and Nirgundas Swami frequently visited Limbdi, where Chhaganbhai Khatri, a native of Mojidad, had taken up residence. In 1955, Chhaganbhai was introduced to Satsang by Merubha Bapu of Chachana, who was present at the ground- breaking ceremony of the Sarangpur mandir performed by Shastriji Maharaj. Thereafter, satsang began to spread gradually throughout the Jhalavad region. Chhaganbhai was very knowledgeable and wherever he went he conducted discourses. As a result Nathubhai Soni, Chunilalbhai, Shivlalbhai of Umrala, Pranshankarbhai, Lakshmishankarbhai, Shivubha Bapu, Nagardas Bapa, Gordhanbhai, Jethalalbhai, Chandulalbhai, Lakshmichandbhai, Laljibhai Master, Ghanshyambhai Bhaichandbhai BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, Limbdi. Shah, Narsinhbhai, Narayanbhai and other (Inset) Swamishri performs murti -prati shtha devotees joined the Satsang. Bhagwan Swaminarayan and has a rich historical Chhaganbhai also kept in touch with connection with the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. Pitambarbhai, Kesarbhai, Dharamshibhai, It has been the cradle of many courageous, Motibhai, Bhagwanbhai, Bhudharbhai, Kasalchand dedicated and wise devotees of all communities. Kothari, Balubha Bapu, Umedsangbhai, Even today, the stories of these devotees inspire Lakshmanji and Ghanshyamji of Chachana, devotion and sacrifice. Kalyansang of Sauka, Hathubhai and Jashubhai Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj reached of Fedra, Talshibhai Patel of Navagam-Sejakpar, even the remote villages of this region, enduring Vashrambhai, Bhudharbhai Patel, Popatbhai, the rough terrains on their bullock-carts. Although Makanbhai, Raghubhai of Pandari and other times have changed and the infrastructure is now devotees, and as a result frequently benefited July 2010 X Swaminarayan Bliss 5 from the company of Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Then, with the help of Jnaneshwar Swami and Maharaj. Aruni Bhagat, the 8-acre land adjacent to the Also, the saintly Santvallabh Swami constantly initial 4.5 acres was purchased. toured the entire region and strengthened Satsang. After him, Hariprakash Swami and MANDIR CONSTRUCTION BEGINS Ghanshyamcharan Swami toured the area for The mandir construction project was over 30 years. Thereafter, Amrutcharan Swami launched and devotees from Mojidad, Sejakpar, and other sadhus have continued to nourish the Acharda, Bhoyka, Anandpar, Chuda, Pandari, Satsang. Pansina, Rangpur, Kantharia, Chhalarda, Hadala, The first satsang sabha in Limbdi took place Ramdevgadh, Chhatariyala, Jobala, Laliyad and at Muljibhai’s home. Yogiji Maharaj encouraged other places throughout Jhalavad actively lent the devotees to attend the sabhas with regular their support. Men and women devotees also letters. On 9 September 1953, he wrote that observed many fasts and other vrats in prayer for 3,000 devotees will attend the satsang sabha in the successful completion of the project. Limbdi. In 1998, Swamishri performed the bhumi- Initially, no more than 60 devotees attended the pujan. On 20 February 2007, Mahant Swami sabha. However, Rajnikant Bhudharbhai Parmar, initiated the construction work for the sikharbaddh a relative of Ghelabhai of Acharda, resolved that mandir. For the first time in Sampradaya’s history, a he would not eat gur until the sabha attendance shikharbaddh mandir has been built from intricate reached 100. After some years, his austerities glass reinforced concrete (GRC), reinforced bore fruit. cement concrete (RCC) and fibreglass designs. By the wish of Yogiji Maharaj, Ramjibhai, son Men and women devotees, young and old, served of Chhaganbhai, donated his mudbrick house day and night from start to finish in every aspect for use as a mandir, where, in 1964, murtis were of the construction process. The foundations were consecrated. Later, this place was renovated by filled with 600 truckloads of sand. Also, teams of the support of Bhupendrabhai Shah and in 1975 devotees would serve on a rota basis and in the Pramukh Swami Maharaj performed the re- last 18 months, they completed work requiring consecration of the murtis. 2,100 bags of cement. Whenever called devotees At present, the senior devotees include Mulji- would willingly and enthusiastically come to bhai Khatri, Bhupendrabhai Shah, Prabhubhai perform seva. Thus, with the dedicated combined Mistry, Vasantbhai Soni and the main satsang ac- efforts of all, this five-shikhar mandir, complete tivities coordinators are Pravinbhai Jajal and Ga- with the Shri Nilkanth Varni Abhishek Mandapam torbhai Patel. Under this mandir’s jurisdiction are was finished. two satsang regions: Limbdi and Chuda, with a While the mandir was under construction total of 34 satsang centres. many other collective and individual activities As satsang continued to grow, the need for were organized. A paper-recycling project was a bigger mandir became apparent. In 1985, launched. The women devotees observed chain- Pramukh Swami Maharaj expressed such a wish fasting until the mandir inauguration. Many and then the search for suitable land began. devotees, male and female, young and old, pledged Once, Swamishri was travelling on the highway to avoid their favourite foods. In addition, many and saw the land on which the new mandir has performed anushthan, pilgrimages,