October 2008 Annual Subscription Rs. 60 12 3 4 SWAMISHRI’S VICHARAN August 2008 1 & 2. Shri Akshar Purushottam Maharaj and Shri Ghanshyam Maharaj, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Bochasan. 3. Swamishri blesses devotees and youths on his way to Thakorji’s darshan, Bochasan. 4. Youths perform a dance during the Raksha Bandhan Celebration, Anand-Vidyanagar (16 August). October 2008, Vol. 31 No. 10 CONTENTS FIRST WORD 1. Swaminarayan History In childhood our needs are basic and mini- Shri Hari Cautions! ..............................4 Virtures more important than miracles... mum: food, clothing and shelter. But as we grow 2. Prayer: Medical Science we are influenced by our inner desires and Will Doctors Now expectations. Excessive desires and over expecta- Prescribe ‘Prayer’? ...............................7 tions cause burden, pain and conflict. Cutting 3. Prayer Source of Strength .............................10 them down to proper size makes life easier, hap- 4. Prayer: Personal Experiences pier and hassle-free. It gives mental and emo- Sincere Prayers tional space to absorb distress, failure, insult, etc. Are Always Answered.........................11 Prayer: Food, Rest, Exercise, Life does not always work out the way we for the Soul ........................................12 plan it to be. It is not straightforward, exact ‘Chant...!’ Yogiji Maharaj Bestowed and trouble-free all the time because there are a Bond With Prayer ............................13 many factors and variables in play. For exam- Prayer Amid Panic: Real-life Experience ...........................17 ple, we suffer because of others, mistakes, Prayers: Helped to Obliterate when people are rude and stubborn, our com- Heart Blockage ...................................18 puter breaks down, etc. By lowering our 5. Vicharan expectations we will be surprised with joy Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s Vicharan ....21 6. Inspiring Incidents when things work out, and when they don’t Living With Swamishri ............................22 we will not be devastated. 7. BAPS News Lowering expectations should not be mis- Bal-Balika India Trip 2008 .................23 India Experience 2008 .......................23 understood with lowering our standards of UK National Karyakar Shibir 2008 ....24 excellence and effort. It simply means accept- BAPS Charities Relief Aid for ing bad moods, mistakes, failures and glitches Hurricane Ike Victims, USA................25 to be a part of life. BAPS Relief Work for Bihar Flood Victims, Bihar, India ................25 Over expectation is a sign of self-centred- ness. By reducing it we broaden our purview to Website: www.swaminarayan.org include others. We learn to consider others, E-mail: [email protected] appreciate them, reward them and serve them. Founder: HDH Pramukh Swami Maharaj Editor: Sadhu Swayamprakashdas A shift from being self-centred to all-inclusive Contributors: Sadhu Vivekjivandas, Sadhu Amrutvijaydas takes places. Arrogance gives way to humility, Designer: Sadhu Shrijiswarupdas Published & Printed by: Swaminarayan Aksharpith, power dissolves into service and dehbhav is Shahibaug, Ahmedabad–380 004. India. eradicated to unveil atmabhav, which is the SUBSCRIPTION RATES Outside India (By Air Mail) India core to an eternal and blissful life. Rupees Pounds US DollarsRupees This is why we need daily prayer in life. 1 Year 400 6 10 60 2 Years 800 12 20 110 This month’s issue deals with the importance 3 Years 1200 18 30 160 and benefits of praying to God. ◆ SWAMINARAYAN HISTORY: TRANSLATION: SADHU VIVEKJIVANDAS hri Hari S Cautions! Shriji Maharaj travelled to Visnagar and was pleased with the chief administrator Laldas’ change of heart. He blessed him and proceeded to the village of Langhnoj... aharaj then travelled to Meu and respect. He also saw Maharaj’s sadhus, but their on to Langhnoj. There was a Hanu- sterling saintliness made him flinch a little. He Mmanji mandir there. Its large shot an uninviting and raw look at them. Shri precinct was ideal to stay. But there was a bawo, Hari saw this and announced, “We cannot stay endowed with magical powers, staying there. here. It belongs to the bawo with magical pow- He was young and rotund. He had a rudraksh ers.” On hearing this the bawo felt at ease. mala around his neck and a gold bracelet Maharaj stayed at another place in the village. adorning his arm. The youthful bawo had won That evening many folks of the village came the confidence of the leader and other folks of to Maharaj. They were naïve, unlettered and the village through his magical powers. He had accustomed to seeing God only in those who fulfilled the wishes of many women by giving showed extraordinary powers. They asked them charmed amulets and strings. People Maharaj, “People call you God. We will believe would wash the soles of his feet with water and it to be so if you show us your divine powers.” drink it. Such reverence and devotion from so Shri Hari simply smiled at their words and many had buoyed him with joy and arrogance. replied, “I do not perform any miracles, but I All this toxicity was clearly reflected in his eyes abide by dharma and inspire others to do so. I and swagger. encourage whoever comes to me to give up Bhagwan Swaminarayan came to the Hanu- meat, liquor, adultery, stealing and other bad manji mandir with his entourage with the pur- habits.” pose of residing there. The bawo got up and The village folks explained, “Maharaj, we saw Shri Hari but he did not join his palms in have a bawaji staying at the Hanumanji mandir. 4 Swaminarayan Bliss ◆ October 2008 He performs a slew of miracles. He blesses senior sadhus. “As we get more wooden bowls I women with sons. Our village chief has shall give one to every sadhu. Look after them assigned all his family members to look after and don’t ever give them up. Never think of eat- the bawa. His young daughter cooks food and ing without your bowl.” Then Maharaj told the serves him. Everyone serves the bawaji keenly.” sadhus to proceed towards Karjisan. Shri Hari Shri Hari understood their expectation of took two parshads with him and went to Dan- him and replied, “My sadhus have renounced garva at Jatanba’s house. But Jatanba was out women and wealth, therefore they remain aloof. to fill her pot of water. Shriji Maharaj looked up They do not know any magical spells and in the kitchen and saw a potful of milk suspend- charms. Furthermore, it is magicians who per- ed high from the ceiling. Maharaj told someone form magic and show miracles, but one should to bring it down. Then he drank a little and not be impressed and overwhelmed by them. gave the rest to the parshads. Meanwhile Jatan- Take the refuge of a true guru who has the ba returned. On seeing Maharaj she was sur- virtues of dharma, jnan, vairagya and bhakti.” prised and very pleased, “Maharaj, how come Then Maharaj smiled and made a cautious, cat- you are here? And you have emptied this vessel egorical remark, “Your bawaji has shown many of milk!” She sent word to Brahmachari to pre- miracles uptil now. But he will perform a bigger pare a meal for Maharaj. She desired that miracle in a day or two. When that happens Maharaj should leave only after having a meal your eyes will open up to the reality of his at her house. Shri Hari replied, “Our lunch is nature.” scheduled at Karjisan. I wanted to drink milk The village people left without understand- and it’s done. I ask for your leave.” The people ing Shri Hari’s words. Maharaj stayed there for of the village came to know of Maharaj’s arrival. two days. The day he was to leave the bawaji Immediately Agraji, Amraji and others came to ran away with the village chief’s young daugh- Maharaj. They offered pujan and arti and gifted ter. The chief sent his men in all directions to him with a yellow shawl. Then Shri Hari depart- search for his daughter. Some of the village peo- ed for Karjisan. On arriving there he went to ple came to Maharaj and said, “Maharaj, what Nanabhai’s farmhouse. His farm had a luxuriant you said the other day has come true. The harvest of millet. Maharaj enquired, “Why have bawaji has run away with the chief’s daughter. you not harvested your crop as yet?” He has indeed shown us a bigger miracle!” “Maharaj, Govindbhai (his brother) travels Maharaj reminded them, “That is why one for satsang purposes so he gets no time for this. must always see whether a guru possesses I’ll get it harvested later,” Nanabhai replied. virtues prescribed by the shastras. Only one Brahmanand Swami told him, “You too trav- who has renounced money and women in eight- el for the spread of satsang. Whenever Maharaj fold ways and offers bhakti and upasana with travels in this region you travel with him.” the belief that God is present on earth should The next day, Nanabhai told a few Brahmin be made a guru.” cooks to prepare a meal. Brahmachariji started Gangadas Suthar of Mansa arrived carrying making a meal for Shri Hari. Maharaj took the fifty wooden eating bowls on his head. He parshads and sadhus to the farm and harvested placed thembefore Maharaj. Shri Hari was the five vighas of millet crop. Soon thereafter pleased with their quality and gave one each to Govindbhai and Nanabhai came to the farm and Muktanand Swami, Nityanand Swami and other they were surprised to see their crop havested. October 2008 ◆ Swaminarayan Bliss 5 “Maharaj, what have you done?” they “I have gathered these sadhus to travel with me exclaimed. for my darshan, discourses and to benefit spiri- “Service to two devotees,” Shri Hari replied tually by doing seva. But after eating they take smilingly.