H.H. Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji Maharaj (Muniji)
January - February 2003

 
 

Highlights:
(Click on link to go directly to that section)
World Dharma Day
Mansarovar Exhibit opens in Delhi
Special NRI function

Yatra Abroad
UK           USA          Australia
PUJYA SWAMIJI'S DIVINE MESSAGE

Upcoming Events
International Yoga Festival

Pujya Swamiji's upcoming itinerary
 

,
January 2  -- New Delhi

The first annual Vishwa Dharma Divas (world righteousness day) was celebrated at the home of Dr. B.K. Modiji. The occasion is also the birthday of Dr. Modiji, but rather than celebrate the day as his own birthday, he has pledged to organize special world peace and righteousness events. Pujya Swamiji spoke about how to bring Dharma into our own lives, and how to live every moment as a World Righteousness Day. He also praised and appreciated Dr. Modiji for his dedication to unity, peace and universal brotherhood.

   
 

 

 

Pujya Swamiji with (right to left) H.H. Swami Divyanand Teerthji Maharj, Pujya Maulanna Wahiduddin Khan Sahib and Pujya Roopchandra Muniji

 

Pujya Swamiji with Ven. Siri Sumedha Theroji, the High Priest of the Sarnath Buddhist Temple

 
January 3: New Delhi
Organized by Shri Uday Sahay and by SAUVvuex Foundation, a beautiful exhibit on the divine land of Mansarovar and Mt. Kailash was arranged at the Indira Gandhi Center for the Arts, presided over by Dr. L.M. Singhvi, the former High Commissioner of India to the UK.

The exhibit included glorious photos of the holy land as well as a film depicting not only Mansarovar and Kailash themselves, but also details of their formation as well as highlights of the arduous yatra. The film also included information about the new ashram and clinic built by India Heritage Research Foundation under Pujya Swamiji's guidance and inspiration.

On the opening day of the Exhibit a large function was held in which Pujya Swamiji along with Central Cabinet minister Shri Ravi Shankar, Dr. L.M. Singhvi, and Shri Mangi Ram Garg, President Dharma Yatra Mahasangh inaugurated the exhibit.


 
   
 

 

 


January 5-10: Rishikesh

The students from the Miripiri Academy in Amritsar came for their annual holidays to the holy land of Rishikesh. Each year during their winter break, the students come to Parmarth Niketan to imbibe the nectar of the divine atmosphere, to participate in the Ganga Aarti, to have inspiring and uplifting satsang with Pujya Swamiji and to rejuvenate their bodies, minds and souls.
 
   
 

   

 

Pujya Swamiji gives an inspiring lecture to the students, telling them that their mantra must be "Study, study, study."

 
January 11: New Delhi
   
 

A large conference was held over 2 days for NRIs (Non-Resident Indians) which was attended by hundreds of prominent and eminent Indians from abroad. A special dinner was hosted by Shri M.L. Mittal and Dr. B.K. Modi to which Pujya Swamiji was invited as a special guest.

 

Here He is discussing unity with Shri Mahendra Chaudhry, Former Prime Minister of Fiji.

 

 

 

January 23-24: Calcutta
Pujya Sant Shri Rameshbhai Oza was delivering Bhagwat Katha in Calcutta and Pujya Swamiji was invited to come and grace the audience with His darshan and pravachan. Thus, prior to leaving for His one month trip abroad, He travelled for a day to Calcutta.

   
 

January 26-27: London
Pujya Swamiji gave 2 darshan/satsang programs here - one at the home of Shri Himatbhai Dawada and the other at the home of Vinay, Priyesh and Nishit Kotecha.

 

 

January 28-29 Toronto, Canada
January 28 in Toronto was a meeting of the IHRF-Canada Board of Trustees and January 29 He gave a special darshan and question-answer session at the home of Smt. Saroj and Shri Mahesh Patel in Kitchener. Pujya Swamiji focused on the theory of Karma and its carry-back and carry-forward effects in our lives.

January 31: Detroit, Michigan
Pujya Swamiji performed a special new-home puja at the home of Dr. Yatinder and Smt. Sarita Singhal and also gave a satsang program there. Dr. Yatiji and Smt. Saritaji sponsor a large children's school and women's vocational training program in Rishikesh, run by India Heritage Research Foundation, in memory of their beloved daughter, Sheena Singhal.

   
 

February 2- 4: Louisville, Kentucky

During the course of His 2 days here, Pujya Swamiji gave several lectures, question-answer sessions and pravachans. He spoke about the tragedy of the Columbia Space Shuttle, saying "Even our watches come with warranties and guarantees. But, our lives have no guarantee. Our watches are water-proof, shock proof, this proof and that proof. But, our lives are not."

He emphasized that the only way to "pass the test" of life is to live for others, to share with others, to give to others. "We never know which moment will be our last. Why to fight? Why to be bitter? Why to argue over little little things?"

 

 

 

 

February 5-9: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
At the headquarters of India Heritage Research Foundation, USA and the Hindu Jain Temple (of which He is the Founder and Spiritual Head) Pujya Swamiji spent 4 days overseeing various aspects of the temple and IHRF. The visit culminated in a meeting of the IHRF-USA Board of Trustees with regard to the great progress being seen by the project of the Encyclopedia of Hinduism.

Additionally, on February 8, in Pujya Swamiji's divine presence, the Hindu Jain Temple (of which He is the founder and Spiritual Head) held a special memorial service in honor of the crew of the Columbia Space Shuttle. "We were on Earth waiting for their celebration. Instead, God planned their cremation in the sky. Their deaths are a tragedy, but their lives are heroic. In the Bhagwad Gita, Lord Krishna says that for a Kshetriya, it is better to die in the line of duty than not to fight. A warrior's best death is on the battlefield, protecting his people. Similarly, an explorer's best death is in space, in his line of duty researching and exploring space for the benefit of the world. Kalpana's life should teach all of the youth that being a minority cannot stop you from reaching the stars. If you can dream it, you can become it."

   

February 10-12: Los Angeles, California
Pujya Swamiji gave 2 special pravachans in Los Angeles. The first was on February 10 at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of Los Angeles. This lecture focused on Chapter 6 of the Bhagwad Gita. Pujya Swamiji first chanted the chapter in its sacred, soul-stirring Sanskrit and then explained how Lord Krishna's instructions on YOGA pertain to our daily lives. "You are not a yogi if you lose your temper," He said. "You are not a yogi if you are bitter, jealous and hyper. It is wonderful to be flexible in your bodies, but we must also learn to be flexible in our lives." He gave a wonderful, humor-filled lecture on how to remain balanced, calm and "Yogic" throughout the trials and tribulations of daily life.

On February 11, He gave a lecture and question-answer session at Golden Bridge Yoga, the home of Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa's Kundalini Yoga. A regular, annual event which draws larger and larger crowds each year, Pujya Swamiji spoke about how to make God your valentine. "I saw a sign on the way over here at the flower store. It said, 'Buy one, get one free.' But, God says, 'Buy Me and be free.'" He spoke about how we agonize over what to give our Valentines, and yet the Divine Valentine wants nothing other than our love. "For your valentine here you have to buy so many things to make him or her happy. But, when you make God your Valentine, He says, "Just come as you are."

February 14-16: San Francisco Bay Area, California
Pujya Swamiji gave several pravachans, question-answer sessions and meditation sessions in various places during His 3 days in the Bay Area.

   
 

In Danville, on the 16th He spoke about how they say that Diamonds are Forever, but really only our karma is forever. He explained how we can make our life a diamond rather than living our lives to acquire diamonds. "Can you eat diamonds for breakfast, lunch or dinner? Can you take them with you when you die? Of course not. Then why do you lose your lives in the pursuit of these items which nourish neither your body nor your soul?"

 

 

 


February 18: Melbourne, Australia
En route to Sydney for the large Prana Pratistha ceremony of the Minto Shiv Mandir, Pujya Swamiji agreed to stop in Melbourne for a day and give a special pravachan/satsang program. As He arrived in Melbourne, His hosts, Divine Souls Shri Nana Laxman and Amit Laxman explained that Melbourne was considered the "Most Liveable City in the World." In His pravachan He asked, "Living here in the most liveable city, are our lives liveable? Our city may be the most liveable, but if our lives are miserable, then what is the benefit of living here?" He spoke on how to make our lives Liveable and Lovable.
 

   
 

 

 

As the pravachan concluded, dedicated and devoted soul Amit Laxman thanked Pujya Swamiji and announced that although the pravachan was given at no charge (for Pujya Swamiji never allows any charge for His programs) that donations were welcome and a donation box was placed in the hallway. Pujya Swamiji quickly and lovingly corrected Amit, telling the audience firmly: "I don't want your checks. Rather, I want you to check yourselves. I don't want your money. I want only your pain, your grudges, your obstacles, your anger. Do not put money or checks in that box. Instead, write down for me any pain you have, any anger you have, any obstacle you are facing in your life. Put that paper in the box and I will take them all back to the holy banks of Mother Ganga and offer Her your pain. You will be free. That is all I want."

 

February 19-23: Sydney, Australia
 

   
 

Pujya Swamiji travelled to Sydney for the Prana Pratishtha Ceremony of the Minto Shiv Temple. This is a temple of which He was the original Founder and Spiritual Head over 10 years ago. It was conceived as the first underground temple in the world, and today it is beautifully completed.

For 4 days, Pujya Swamiji and Pujya Bhaishri graced the pujas and yagnas with their presence and delivered inspiring pravachan.

 
       
     
   

Pujya Swamiji congratulated the dedicated team and said, "God has given you all test after test after test. But, today I am very happy to say that you have passed the tests!" He congratulated them for never giving up, for always working harder and harder to bring their divine dream to reality. He spoke about the importance of giving to the community and working for the community.

 

   
 

 

 

 
 

"Today is not only the day that the prana pratishtha (divine installation) ceremony will take place in temple, but it is also the day that the prana pratishtha must take place in our own hearts. We must let God come and live in our hearts, not only in this temple."

   
 

 

 
   

February 25: Singapore
En route back to India from Australia, Pujya Swamiji spent the day in Singapore and gave 2 special lecture programs, one at the Singapore Jain Religious Society, a holy place whose opening He had graced with His presence exactly 4 years prior and one for a private group of Kundalini Yoga students.

February 26: Bangkok
Even though He had only a few short hours in Bangkok, the divine Purswani family hosted a beautiful satsang program in which Pujya Swamiji gave an inspiring and uplifting lecture as well as held private meetings.
 

 

 

CLICK HERE FOR DIVINE MESSAGE
BY PUJYA SWAMIJ
I

 
 
 

Upcoming Events

May 5-11
ATMA PARISODHANA YOGA SAPTAHAM yoga camp
led by H.H. Yogi Protoplasm

May 5-15
Free Acupressure camp led by Dr. Suman Shah
and many other renowned acupressure specialists.

May 14-21
:  
Bhagwat Katha by Shri Madan Mohan Shastriji


May 23-30
Bhagwat Katha by Acharya Shrikant Vyasji
 

Please click here  for information on upcoming Parmarth Yoga and Meditation camps.

 

DIVINE YATRA TO MANSAROVAR AND MT. KAILASH
June 4-23
, 2003
Join us for a sacred yatra to the holy land of Mansarovar and Mt. Kailash in Tibet. Travel with revered saints, distinguished dignitaries, divine rishikumars on this once in a life time yatra. See www.kailashmansarovar.org for full details.
 

 

INTERNATIONAL YOGA FESTIVAL
March 1-6, 2003
This 6 day Festival will feature Yogacharyas from all over the world
teaching a variety of Yogic Disciplines, including Hatha Yoga, Kundalini Yoga,
Pranayama, Meditation, Stress Reduction,
Yoga Cleansing Kriyas and Yoga Therapy.

There will also be lectures by spiritual masters and scholars
Click Here to See Details of the Festival

 

 
Pujya Swamiji's Itinerary
March - May, 2003
March  April May
1-31 Rishikesh 1-16 Rishikesh 1-31 Rishikesh
    18-20 Durban,
South Africa
 
    23-30 Rishikesh  
Please note: Pujya Swamiji's itinerary is always subject to change. Prior to coming to Rishikesh, please make sure to confirm whether He is here by phone or email.
 
Contact Information:
Phone: (0135)  2434301, 2434308, 2440088 Fax: (0135)) 2434399
From abroad, dial: + (91-135) instead of (0135)