Shastriji Maharaj’s Memorial Day
Swamishri came out in the morning from his residential quarters attired in a pagh akin to what Shastriji Maharaj used to wear. The devotees were enthused and applauded for having a unique darshan of Swamishri.
Beneath the neem tree in the mandir compound a large backdrop of the Sarangpur Mandir in flex was set up to commemorate the occasion. To its left was a murti of Shastriji Maharaj. Swamishri was wheeled onto a platform before the flex backdrop. To his right was the murti of Shri Harikrishna Maharaj. Dr Swami, Tyagvallabh Swami, Ishwarcharan Swami, Viveksagar Swami, Kothari Satsangijivan Swami and Shrihari Swami were seated on the platform wearing the traditional pagh. Tyagvallabh Swami performed pujan of Thakorji, murti of Shastriji Maharaj and Swamishri. During the pujan ritual the shlokas written by Shastriji Maharaj “Shrimatsadguna shãlinam...”, the shloka on Shastriji Maharaj “Jenunãm ratyã...” and the shloka on Swamishri “Shobho sãdhugune...” were recited by all. The senior sadhus honoured Swamishri with garlands while the bhajan “Ãje Yagnapurushne dwãr...” was being sung by sadhus. Swamishri responded by clapping and showering his grace upon all. Thereafter Swamishri sanctified a bowl of dudhpak with rose petals; which was then emptied in a large vessel of dudhpak to be served to all.
Swamishri went to the mandir for Thakorji’s darshan. On entering the middle sanctum of the mandir, an ambience akin to Dada Khachar’s darbar had been set up. A wooden cutout of a paramhansa seated with a pattar had been arranged before the murti of Shriji Maharaj. When Swamishri pressed a remote controlled switch, dudhpak flowed from a kalash in Maharaj’s hand into the pattar of the paramhansa.
On his way back to his quarters the devotees clapped and sang in praise of Shastriji Maharaj and Swamishri. Thereafter Swamishri performed his puja in his room and took lunch.
In all, 12,000 devotees took mahaprasad in the mandir on the memorial day celebration.