The 109th birthday celebration of Brahmaswarup Yogiji Maharaj was celebrated with great joy and divinity in Amdavad. Swamishri's morning puja was enriched with devotional bhajans on Lord Swaminarayan and Yogiji Maharaj. After puja, Swamishri paid glowing tributes to the successful efforts of children in their 20-day Deaddiction program by waving a flag and appreciating them on World Anti-Tobacco Day.
At 10.15 am Swamishri arrived for the Diksha ceremony of 22 youths. After the Vedic rituals and mantras Swamishri initiated 4 youths into the sadhu-order and 18 novices into the parshad-order. In his blessings Swamishri explained, " The greatest service in joining the sadhu-fold is that they will inspire faith and satsang in countless people which will liberate them from the cycles of birth and death. The sadhus' noble service to society is their efforts in redeeming people from addictions and vices and inspiring character. We desire that our son becomes a social worker or a national leader or a politician or a doctor or whatever that is a service to society. Likewise becoming a sadhu is the greatest service to society. What greater service is there than to transform all types of people by inspiring character and virtues! People fail to understand this. And this work is being done by the wish of Yogiji Maharaj..."
In the main Yogi Jayanti assembly in the evening the senior sadhus talked glowingly of Yogiji Maharaj's saintliness and purity. Swamishri blessed the 7,000 congregation, saying, " Like a coconut made of sugar, where every part is sweet, Yogiji Maharaj's life was full of sweetness, and glory of God's greatness. He never found fault in anyone but saw divinity and goodness in all. From his young age he was inclined towards service and love. He stayed at the mandir in Dhari to hear discourses, perform arti and puja of Thakorji and clean the mandir. He also meditated by the village river in the morning. One would enjoy being with Swamishri. His love, his natural way of talking would make anyone feel like staying with him. So his sweetness, that is his divinity, would make any person postpone his work and stay to avail of his spirituality and he would return with peace in his llife. Lord Swaminarayan was present in Him..."