The Guru Sadhana Shivir marked the commencement of the auspicious Guru Purnima celebrations at the ashram. The naturally tranquil ashram was abuzz with devotional zeal and enthusiasm from 1st July – 3rd July as a result. 

Blissful guided meditation sessions by Sadhvi Vrinda Om for 3 consecutive mornings and evening satsangs by both Sadhvi Vrinda Om and Sadhvi Nishtha Om enhanced the inherent joy and bliss of this sacred occasion.

The mood of the satsangs was reminiscent of a cozy, intimate gathering of a large and loving family sitting together with Sri Hari and sharing laughter and closeness.

 

Sadhvi Vrinda candidly shared delightful and little-known anecdotes of Swamiji which enthralled the audience. Peppered with wit, humor, and much laughter, she spoke of His ten superlative attributes such as Integrity and humility; His single-minded pursuit of excellence; the importance of constant and consistent practice; His adherence to His vow of speaking and living the truth; His deep compassion and appreciation for people, their uniqueness, their aspirations and for life itself.

She urged everyone to emulate and act on these superlative attributes in our daily lives as a fail-safe way of bringing about a radical transformation of our consciousness.

Bhakti, pure devotion, is the way to progress on the spiritual path, Sadhvi Vrinda said, quoting from the Ramcharitmanas and echoing the message Swamiji gave during the live stream the same morning.

 

सो सुतंत्र अवलंब न आना। तेहि आधीन ग्यान बिग्याना॥
भगति तात अनुपम सुखमूला। मिलइ जो संत होइँ अनुकूला॥2॥

[Lord Rama says ‘O brother Laxmana! Bhakti is supremely independent. Knowledge and
wisdom are dependent on and subservient to bhakti. My Bhakti is the root of all happiness
and bliss and can be attained only through the benevolence of true saints.’]

Sadhvi Nishtha ji warmed the cockles of everyone’s hearts when she quoted the following from Swamiji’s blog — The Importance of Guru Purnima.

‘On many occasions, I think it’s not Guru but Shishya Purnima that should be celebrated. The amount of love, devotion, and care you have extended to me is beyond human imagination. You’ve made me a part of your lives, thoughts, and families. I never take it for granted.’

 

There wasn’t a dry eye when she again quoted Swamiji from another blog —‘ Three Kinds of People.’

“You are a beautiful aspect of my life. You make it worthwhile. In my ideal world, Swami’s words, actions, or views should never ever be the cause of your grief in any way. It defeats the purpose of my existence. Besides, I want you to know one thing: I care about you—more than you’ll ever know. And nothing will ever change that. 

It is not possible to clip my wings, so I invite you to spread yours and take a flight with me. Up high and beyond. Into serenity, bliss, and truth!”

Sri Hari’s abhishekam in the late afternoon was preceded by the lunch prasadam which was an elaborate affair befitting the occasion. The cherry on the cake of the delectable spread was, hands down, the freshly prepared sizzling hot jalebis which were enjoyed with child-like glee and enthusiasm by everyone present, and the sweet mood continued throughout the evening.

 

अनंत-संसार समुद्र-तार नौकायिताभ्यां गुरुभक्तिदाभ्याम् ।
वैराग्य साम्राज्यद पूजनाभ्यां नमो नमः श्रीगुरुपादुकाभ्याम् ॥1॥

Anantha samsara samudhra tara naukayithabhyam guru bhakthithabhyam,

Vairagya samrajyadha poojanabhyam, namo nama sri guru padukabhyam

To the melodic strains of the divine — Guru Paduka Stotram, sung by ashram residents and devotees, Matarani initiated the solemn and sublime Guru puja by performing the abhishekam of Gurudev’s sacred padukas with holy water, and anointed them with sandal paste and rose petals; subsequently the sanyasis and devotees, one by one, also reverently performed the puja. The tears and sweet smiles of all those presents amplified the beauty and divinity of that moment. 

 

Merriment marked the completion of the sacred ceremony as devotees joyously sang and celebrated with lively bhajans and kirtan. The temple hall reverberated with the sacred energy of Sri Hari and Swamiji, Himself; the devotional fervour and bliss in the temple hall reached a crescendo when Matarani sang many devotional songs in her charming voice right up till it was time to close the doors of the Garbhagriha [sanctum sanctorum], offering

 

Heartfelt gratitude and obeisance to the most resplendent Sri Hari!

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