Swami Shreeji Volume 4, Issue 8 August 31, 2014 Satsang Times Meet Dinkar Uncle! - Parixitbhai Dinkar Uncle loves to help. He is a personable and talented individual with In this issue: the mind of an engineer and the heart of a benevolent. While working in Meet Dinkar Uncle! Elkhart, Indiana, he came in to association with Kakaji, and progressively over the years, decided to live a life to help others, simultaneously preaching the Dinkar Uncle: A Genuine message of unity, harmony, and oneness. The first time I met Dinkar Uncle in Devotee, Giver and June, 2001, when I came to America. The home-cum-temple, where the Guru! weekly assemblies were conducted, was only a few houses away from where I Engaging in Devotion! lived. Since then, I have become acquainted with him and have learned something about his faith and spirit. Advent of Independent For over thirteen years, I have been a witness to his character, his integrity, Learning! and his love for family, friends and community. He is an extraordinary citizen We are So Fortunate! and an exemplary human being. Dinkar Uncle often cherishes moments of his first meeting with Kakaji, which changed his life for good. When he met Kakaji first time on July 7, 1973, he fell in love with Kakaji at the first sight. Divine Days: Kakaji’s divine persona left a deep impression on him. In 1976, Dinkar Uncle moved to Waukegan, IL and accepted a position at Abbott Laboratories. October 1: Dinkar Kakaji has visited him several times. Inspired by Kakaji’s selfless service and Uncle’s Birthday devotion, he too became intentional about dedicating his life to others. Since then, He was often seen helping devotees fixing air conditioners, doing oil changes, resolving legal issues, making food and living arrangements for needy devotees, visiting and praying for them during the time of crisis. In 1981, on the occasion of the 200th birthday of Lord Swaminarayan, Kakaji enshrined the moorti (images) of Swaminarayan Bhagwan (June 21) and converted Dinkar Uncle's home into a temple. During Kakaji's seventh and Note from the Editor: final visit in 1985, on the occasion of the 200th birthday of Gunatitanand Please contact us at Swami, Kakaji enshrined the moorti of Gunatitanand Swami in the Waukegan [email protected], temple. Kakaji returned to Akshardham on March 7, 1986. Kakaji has or entrusted him with spreading the divine message of Lord SwamiNarayan in [email protected] America. In order to materialize it, in June 1989, he, along with Bapu, started with any feedback. Friday evening sabha (assembly), where they would discourse on fundamental principles of spirituality and humanity. They would teach us how to be a good From Chicago, husband, a good father, a good citizen, and a good human overall. Filled with Richa Shah’s timeless wisdom and practical steps you can right away, these discourses were Jay SwamiNarayan such that you want to listen and refer to again and again. Their practical approaches to dire circumstances are worthy of emulation. By participating in various cultural activities, festival, and picnics arranged by them, young children, along with spiritual knowledge, would also gain the real life knowledge and learn various skills such as public speaking, decoration, organizing events, singing, reading, etc. Just like a thread is common and passes through all beads of a rosary, the messages of broad-mindedness and positive thinking is the common message of his discourse. His positivity is more than co-incidental. His broad- mindedness is more than incidental. His love and care for us is not for any material gain. Neither it is for fame or respect. It is an act of selfless love and fervent devotion toward his master Kakaji. Satsang Times, Volume 4, Issue 8 Dinkar Uncle- A Genuine Devotee! - Angieben We may call you as our "uncle" but you are so much more to us. You are our Dear Divine Guru, the One who will remove our impurities and make us faultless after so many births. God resides eternally in your heart, so you are our Akshar. You have such perfection in your devotion that Swaminarayan Bhagwan has promised to act through you and sees through your eyes, walks through your legs, and do the work of the universe through your actions. "The powers of such a person are such that since it is God who sees through his eyes, he empowers the eyes of all of the beings in the brahmänd; and since it is God who walks through his legs, he is also capable of endowing the strength to walk to the legs of all of the beings in the brahmänd. Thus, since it is God who resides in all of the indriyas of such a Sant, that Sant is able to empower the indriyas of all beings in the brahmänd. Therefore, such a Sant is the sustainer of the world." (Vachanamrut Gadhada First 27) Even one glance from you can grant eternal liberation - how fortunate are we that to fulfill God's command, you have chosen to spend 70 years on this Earth, and 40 of those years have been in Chicago! On your 70th birthday, I thank you for every moment that you have graced us with your patience and humility, in your earnest desire to continue Kakaji's lineage of gunatit Saints. For us, you have made the highest goal so easily attainable for every man, woman, and child in your company. I pray that we understand your commands, and that after these past 40 years, you can use our eyes and legs to do your work in this universe. I pray that we can humbly fulfill our highest potential while in your company. Dinkar Uncle- A Genuine Giver! - Emilyben Dinkar Uncle is a giver: a giver of knowledge, wisdom, love, hope, time, values, strength, smiles, positivity, blessings, prayers and peace. He fills our hearts with the magnanimity of Lord SwamiNarayan and all brahmswaroop saints. It is through his actions and words we can find ultimate liberation. On bended knees, I say to all - I am so grateful and thankful to have his association, as well as the company and friendship of his devotees. I pray to fully understand Lord SwamiNarayan, Kakaji, and his greatness and for us all to be able to live out his commands while fully imbibing true upasana. Dinkar Uncle- A Genuine Guru! – Parixitbhai Once, a devotee asked Sirla Prabhupada, “How will I know who is the genuine guru?” Prabhupada gave very thought provoking answer. He replied, “Just find out the one who is most addicted to Krishna. He is genuine.” For us, Dinkar Uncle is such a genuine guru. Dinkar Uncle’s love for Lord Swaminarayan and His devotees is very apparent in his all actions. He speaks about God and nothing else. He is after God, and God only. He has no interest in materialistic pleasures. He has no other business, but to preach everyone to become a devotee of God. Not even for a moment, his mind is not occupied with the thought of greatness of God. His all actions are devoted to God. The Mundaka Upanishad further elaborated on the qualities of the genuine guru, “Srotriyam brahma-nistham”. He is well-versed in scriptures and is absorbed in brahmic consciousness. Dinkar Uncle is well-versed in all scriptures. His knowledge of Vedic and other religious scriptures is very in-depth and very much apparent in his discourses. His style of presenting the hardest principle of scriptures in the simplest manner is worth mentioning. Dinkar Uncle lives in brahmic consciousness. Every day, his day starts with, “I am brahm and servant of God”, and ends with the same. In Bhagvad Geeta (18.54) Lord Krishna further explains: Brahma-bhutah prasannatma na socati na kankshati samah sarveshu bhuteshu mad-bhaktim labhate param 2 Satsang Times, Volume 4, Issue 8 “One who is thus transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful. He never laments or desires to have anything. He is equally disposed toward every living entity. In that state he attains pure devotional service unto Me.” Dinkar uncle is ever joyful. His mind is pristine and his heart is pure. I haven’t seen him lamenting or desiring for anything else but God. No sort of biases, prejudices, and pre-conceived notions are to be found in him. He treats everyone with the same affection and respect as he would treat his master, Kakaji. He has equal glory for all religions, taking the good from everywhere. No one is big, or small for him. No one is rich or poor. No one is intelligent or foolish. For him, we are nothing but the forms of God. Even if we insult him, there would be absolute no change in his thin lines of face. He still would treat us with the same affection and respect. These are the qualities of brahm that Dinkar possesses. On the auspicious occasion of Dinkar uncle’s 70th birthday, we pray to Lord SwamiNarayan, Gunatitanand Swami, and gunatit saints that we become instrumental in your mission to become brahmroop, worship Lord, and spreading the divine message of Lord SwamiNarayan and His saints. We become brahmroop and humble of the humblest. Engaging in Devotion! – Discourses by Dinkar Uncle Gunatitanand Swami Ni Vaato, Chapter 12/215: It is not that we lack food, clothing etc. (i.e., these are no longer the cause of unhappiness and miseries). We get them now; but now there is misery from lust, anger and greed. Whatever job/work related activities one may have - they are limited.