Pujya Swami Madhavpriyadasji and Pujya Purani Shri Balakrishna Swamiji welcomed home to Parmarth to week-long Satsang Sadhana Shibir, whilst Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji emphasizes Environmental Protection and Swachh Bharat as the true Spiritual Practice in Action
RISHIKESH: This week we welcomed saints, devotees and students of the Swaminarayan Gurukul Parivar to enjoy the serene and gorgeous banks of Mother Ganga, lap of the Himalayas, at Parmarth Niketan for their week long annual Satsang Sadhana Shibir (Camp) led and blessed by Pujya Madhavpriysdas Swamiji and Pujya Purani Shri Balakrishna Swamiji. The camp has been noteworthy for many reasons, not the least of which is the huge number of devotees that are attending for the very special blend of Satsang and Sadhana that the camp offers, but also because the annual camp resounded with a collective message for environmental protection, climate action and a Plastic Free/Clean India.
Hundreds of saints, devotees & students gathered @ParmarthNiketan for a week-long #SatsangSadhanaShibir of #meditation #prayers & #satsang plus messages of #environmentalprotection #climateaction & a #PlasticFree #CleanIndia #BetheChange #SwachhBharathttps://t.co/ZXQ1lJ2SXZ pic.twitter.com/fYZTfbUhQI
— Parmarth Niketan (@ParmarthNiketan) October 26, 2019
At the meditation camp organized for the Shibir, Pujya Swamiji not only pledged to say no to single-use plastics and encouraged others to take the same pledge, but He also went on to say, “When we understand that our Mother Earth, Mother Ganga and Mother India is sacred our spiritual practice should extend to ensuring cleaner and greener lifestyles. Let us make it part of your nature to connect with 10 other people to become 11 – then, each of you plant 11 trees. If we commit to planting those trees…commit that our trash is our responsibility…we can leave the Earth better than we found it and that to me is the greatest offering we can give to the Divine.”
Shortly after His inspiring address Pujya Madhavpriyadas Swamiji asked Shri Shyam Bhagat Ji, Shri Bhagat Ji Maharaj, Shri Shastri Maharaj and others to join on stage in affirming SGVP’s commitment to these goals of a cleaner, greener India for all. The Camp included meditation, prayers, satsang by the revered saints, Ganga Aarti and divine prasadam.
Discussions took place during this visit between the renowned saints to work together, furthering the work of SGVP with the Global Interfaith WASH Alliance, Ganga Action Parivar, DSF and Parmarth Niketan to ensure these pledges translate into action in the ground. Discussions also took place to improve the Gurukul Education system across the Nation and to reconnect on the creation of the four Ved Dhams in Himalayan Region of Uttarakhand with the first one in Rishikesh.