Guru Purnima
11 July 2006 (V.S. 2062, Ashadh sud 15) Tuesday, Bochasan; Guru Purnima
The festival of Guru Purnima is celebrated every year in the presence of Pramukh Swami Maharaj in Bochasan. Today the assembly was addressed by senior sadhus who extolled the glory of Shriji Maharaj and the Guru Parampara. The programme was interlaced with kirtans and a traditional dance. Swamishri arrived at 10.30 am. Tyagvallabh Swami, Dr Swami and Mahant Swami spoke about the importance of guru and the glory of Swamishri. Thereafter Shri Bhupendrasinh Chudasama, Minister for Agriculture, spoke gloriously about Swamishri’s social services and creation of Akshardham in Gandhinagar and New Delhi. Then a leading member of the Congress Party, Shri Shaktisinh Gohil, addressed the assembly.The senior sadhus garlanded Swamishri on behalf of everyone. Then 45,000 devotees in the assembly offered flower petals in obeisance to Swamishri. A traditional dance to honour Swamishri, “Guru roon ada kem kariye”, was performed by children and youths of Adas Satsang Mandal.Finally, Swamishri blessed the mammoth gathering, “Firstly, I offer my respects to all of you who have come from distant places in India and abroad to celebrate Guru Purnima for Thakorji’s darshan and to receive the blessings of sadhus. The glory of Guru Purnima goes back to hundreds of thousands of years. Through such festivals our culture and values are consolidated in our souls. One is inspired during festivals. One comes to take the blessings of God and His Sadhu.”“Our spiritual values give happiness in this life and the life hereafter. Our spiritual values include morality, bhakti, truth, compassion, ahimsa and brahmacharya. Guru Punam is celebrated to consolidate these values. God is the guru of all and through the spiritual gurus who have realized God one receives commands and inspiration. The supreme benefit in this world is to be liberated from the cycles of birth and death, moksha of atma, and attain the eternal bliss of God – one attains this through the guru.”“The government has an ongoing campaign to plant trees for the benefit of our environment. People know that trees give oxygen. Despite knowing this they cut down trees. To survive we need trees. God gives us oxygen free of cost. Plant a few trees every year and then nurture the sapling. This is a great service to society. May God gives us strength to attain our life’s goal of moksha and in performing our worldly duties.”Swamishri announced that all devotees pledge to plant a sapling.On the occasion of the Guru Punam festival hundreds of devotees donated blood at the BAPS blood donation camp organized by the Sanshta’s health services and many more also availed of a diagnostic camp.