Around 1,700 devotees participated in the Vishwa Shanti Mahayagna at Swaminarayan Akshardham, New Delhi, to pray for world peace on the auspicious occasion of Vijaya Dashami (Dussehra).
Devotees sat in groups around the 111 specially prepared yagna kunds. Accompanied by the chanting of holy mantras, devotees performed the Vedic rituals and made the traditional offerings into the yagna kunds. In addition, recital of the 315 verses of the Satsang Diksha shastra added to the spiritual atmosphere.
After completion of the mahayagna, Bhaktavatsal Swami addressed the spiritual assembly, “As per the Upanishads, yagna is a special ceremony of devotion and prayers. Today, when the world is facing challenges and difficulties, we turn to God to bless us on this auspicious day with the wisdom to create and spread peace and harmony. Let us all endevour to work towards ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ (The world is one family), because Pramukh Swami Maharaj always said, ‘In the joy of others lies our own.’”