Pune
21 January 2005 (V.S. 2061; Posh sud 11) Friday, Mumbai, Pune
At 9.20 am Swamishri departed from Mumbai and arrived at Chhotubhai Ajmera’s family bungalow in Pune. Swamishri last visited the Pune Satsang mandal in 1991. The devotees honored Swamishri in the evening assembly.
Parayan assembly
23 January 2005 (V.S. 2061; Posh sud 13) Sunday, Pune, Surat
o Swamishri flew in a small passenger plane from Pune to Surat, arriving at 11.45 am. After Thakorji’s darshan Swamishri had lunch at 12.55 pm.
o In the evening satsang assembly 30,000 devotees and well-wishers welcomed Swamishri and listened to his blessings.
Surat
24 January 2005 (V.S. 2061; Posh sud 14) Monday, Surat
In the evening assembly a wonderful drama on ‘Nilkanth’s Redemptory Journey’ was enacted by the youths of BAPS Surat Satsang Mandal. The dialogues in Hindi included incidents about the fight between evil bawas in Jagannathpuri, the service to Sevakram, Pibek’s defeat, etc. Finally, Swamishri blessed the assembly.
Swamishri performs the murti-pratishtha rituals of Shri Nilkanth Varni in the Rang Mandap at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Surat
25 January 2005 (V.S. 2061; Posh sud 15) Thursday, Surat; Gunatit Diksha Din, Nilkanth Varni Murti-Pratishtha
At 10.30 am Swamishri performed the pratishtha rituals of Nilkanth Varni in the Rang Mandap beneath the mandir. During the Vedic pratishtha rituals 174 devotees participated. After the consecration rituals, Swamishri performed arti and pujan of Nilkanth Varni. Thereafter Swamishri performed the abhishek rituals of Nilkanth Varni and Harikrishna Maharaj with panchamrut, saffron-scented water and plain water.
During the pratishtha assembly Swamishri said, “The city of Surat is very privileged and blessed because its people have had the spiritual benefit of the entire Swaminarayan hierarchy. Bhagwan Swaminarayan has visited Surat and given happiness to the people of Surat. Ardeshar, a Parsi, served Maharaj immensely and that was why Maharaj gave him his own pagh... Today, Nilkanth Varni has been ritually consecrated here. Nilkanth Varni will fulfil your wishes. When you pray with a pure heart all your wishes will be fulfilled. As our devotion to Him we must behold Him in all divinity. And above all our wishes we pray that Maharaj fulfils our wishes to make us brahmarup, take us to Akshardham, realise His glory, that Satsang increases and our inner ignorance dissolves...”
About 8,000 devotees were present during the assembly.
Swamishri responds to the welcome accorded by devotees
26 January 2005 (V.S. 2061; Posh vad 1) Wednesday, Surat; Republic Day, Youth Day
o The deities in the mandir were adorned for the Republic Day celebrations. The devotees waved Indian flags as Swamishri walked by for Thakorji’s darshan. Swamishri unfurled the Indian flag before the murti of Shri Ghanshyam Maharaj.
o The evening satsang assembly commenced with Pujya Viveksagar Swami’s discourse. Thereafter a drama was performed by BAPS youths ‘Hoist the Victory Flag...’ before Swamishri. Finally Swamishri blessed the assembly.
27 January 2005 (V.S. 2061; Posh vad 2) Thursday, Surat
o At 10.00 am Swamishri presided over an assembly in which 8,000 devotees had arrived from the rural areas outside Surat. Their stories of moral transformations due to satsang were related to the assembly. Thereafter the rural devotees honored Shri Harikrishna Maharaj. And finally Swamishri blessed the assembly.
o In the evening assembly the women devotees honored Shri Harikrishna Maharaj. On this day a total of 1,238 women devotees had observed a waterless fast.
Ritual Entry of BAPS Pramukh Swami Hospital
28 January 2005 (V.S. 2061; Posh vad 3) Friday, Surat
At 10.00 am Swamishri arrived at the BAPS Pramukh Swami Hospital and performed pujan of the entrance and inaugurated the hospital by untying the nadachhadi. Swamishri sanctified the entire hospital with Shri Harikrishna Maharaj, briefly blessed the press conference and an assembly of staff members. Swamishri said, “By the wish and blessings of Shriji Maharaj, Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj this hospital has been built. All facilities are provided in the hospital. The equipment is good and the doctors are service-oriented and full of faith. It is by God’s grace that such elements become conducive and it is God’s wish that a good hospital be made for the service of all. We pray to God that good work is done here. The diseases of body will be cured but we should be aware that there are diseases of the mind. The doctor treats the physical ailments but they cannot cure the disease of mind. For that we have satsang. They are cured when one finds the refuge of God and His Sadhu.”
Surat
30 January 2005 (V.S. 2061; Posh vad 5) Sunday, Surat
At 9.00 am the Chief Minister of Gujarat inaugurated the BAPS Pramukh Swami Hospital in the presence of senior sadhus, Pujya Dr. Swami, Kothari Swami, Ishwarcharan Swami and Viveksagar Swami. After a tour of the hospital the Chief Minister arrived at the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir for the assembly. In his speech The Chief Minister said, “A hospital has been declared open today in Surat for the service of society. There are many hospitals, good hospitals, modern hospitals, but there is a difference here. It is ultramodern in the medical field, but it is spiritually blessed and graced by Pramukh Swami Maharaj... Our land has been blessed by great people. It is because of them that we are forging ahead. If you have not seen them then come here. He (Swamishri) is the living form. There is no dearth of Sampradays, ashrams, acharyas, religious heads. But Pramukh Swami’s leadership carves a new trail of service that is people – oriented, modern and spiritual. And the effect of his work is not in the Akshar Purushottam Sanstha alone but in all directions…”
Then the Chief Minister inaugurated a book in English, Yugpurush Pramukh Swami Maharaj, written by Kiritbhai Shelat (IAS officer) which describes Swamishri’s multifaceted personality.
Thereafter Pujya Doctor Swami and MP Shri Kashiram Rana addressed the assembly. At 11.00 am a two minute silent prayer was offered as a tribute to Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary. Finally Swamishri blessed the assembly, “We thank all of you who have come to honour the occasion. Whatever that is accomplished is done by the wish of God. God inspires all and that is why everything is accomplished. Such a huge project is done through the effort and cooperation of sadhus, devotees, volunteers, businessmen, government and the local municipality officials. Through the help of all the hospital has been made well... This hospital has been made in Surat to cure people of physical ailments and diseases. And to cure one of mental diseases we have this mandir. To still the mind we have this mandir. If you want to be free of diseases of the mind then come here. We pray to God that He grants peace and health to all.”
31 January 2005 (V.S. 2061; Posh vad 6) Monday, Surat
Swamishri performed the murti-pratishtha rituals of pujan and arti of murtis for the villages of Dungri and Khanjan.
In the evening assembly students of BAPS Chhatralay presented a drama ‘Sanskar Saurabh’ and also honored Shri Harikrishna Maharaj.