Diwali and New Year’s celebrations are the crowning festivals in the annual Hindu calendar. Hundreds of thousands of Hindus in India and abroad celebrate these festivals by doing darshan of the deities in mandirs, offering prayers, performing rituals and with social visits to relatives and friends.
This morning Swamishri performed his daily puja amidst a devotional tempo of bhajans on Diwali sung by sadhus. Thereafter, at 8.30 am he did darshan of abhishek of Shri Nilkanth Varni in the abhishek mandap. Then he performed the mahapuja arti and finally offered prayers to conclude the chopda pujan rituals. Senior sadhus showered flowers and rice grains to sanctify the account books.
Swamishri blessed all, saying, “Today is Diwali celebrated by all in India. Bhagwan Swaminarayan, Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj celebrated Diwali and New Year’s festivals. He brought with him on earth Akshardham and the principle of Akshar-Purushottam thus the message of offering devotion to Purushottam by becoming akshar-rup. Our true form is atma whereas the physical body is temporary. Due to ignorance that we are the body we experience the afflictions of daily life. If we believe ourselves to be atma then we will always be happy. May we endeavour further in erasing our inner swabhavs. For that we have the refuge of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and gurus Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj, and through their grace we will become spiritually enlightened. May God bless you all with peace, prosperity and happiness.Swamishri performed the murti-pratishtha rituals of murtis of the BAPS hari mandir for Lakhiyani.
Swamishri then proceeded towards Thakorji’s darshan in the mandir. Then Swamishri met the devotees seated beneath the mandir dome and blessed all. Finally, Swamishri was honored with garlands by senior sadhus.