Women at BAPS Mandirs across North America celebrated the birthday of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Bhagwan Ram through programs that included skits, dances, and speeches featuring inspirational lessons from their lives. The theme of this celebration was Thai Ek Mana Harine Rijhaviye, referring to the spiritual bliss we can achieve when we focus on togetherness and community-building.
For most of us, teamwork and togetherness are already a part of our mundane lives in many ways: the workplace, school, extracurricular commitments, etc. Just as unity is a valuable asset for success in these endeavors, it is equally critical for an individual’s spiritual progress.
The celebrations explored this theme through stories of the power of coming together, and how unity can strengthen our spiritual journey. Bhagwan Ram exemplified the power of unity at a critical moment during his time in Ayodhya. A dispute stemming from conflicting viewpoints on who should claim the throne could have resulted in a fragmented Raghukul but was resolved by his humble act of accepting exile from his kingdom to maintain peace and unity in his family. Bhagwan Swaminarayan emphasized the same value of unity and togetherness in his time, and the message continues today through His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, who inspires devotees to live harmoniously in society.