About Gayatri Devi

Krishna said in the Gita “aham Gayatri tvam mantra.” which means “Among all the Mantras, I am the Gayatri Mantra.”

oṃ bhur bhuvaḥ svaḥa

tát savitúr váren yaṃ

bhárgo devásya dhimahi

dhi yo yó naḥ pracodáyāt

Gayatri Devi is the creator (Brahma), protector (Vishnu) and destroyer (Shiva). She has all aspects of the creator, protector and destroyer in Her and all the weapons represent these Divine qualities, that we were just talking about. She is sitting on a red lotus, which symbolizes that She has the whole power (Parashakti). Her whip symbolizes the destruction of all the sins. Also the axe destroys the ego, pride and arrogance. She has a swan which symbolizes purity. It is the ultimate purity without any negativity, because She is the manifestation of Brahman Itself.

When you chant the Gayatri Mantra, it gives calmness to the mind and when the mind is calm, you will have peace

.

Five faces: Gayatri Devi has five faces, which symbolize the five elements. The whole Universe is bind by these five elements, but not everywhere it has these five elements in action.

Ten hands: She has ten hands, that are showing that She is ever ready to come to your help. The position of Her hands show “Don’t fear anything my children”. “I am a Mother. I am here always to protect you.” She will give you everything. Just by chanting the Mantra you will get everything what you want in life.

This yagna is conducted by Sri Swami Vishwananda and is dedicated to the Divine Mother in the form of Gayatri Devi. The yagna takes place over a period of 3 days and the first day is usually dedicated to the invocation of Gayatri devi by carrying out a kalash puja. Discourse about Gayatri devi is sometimes given by Swami. All participants take part in offering havan samagri and rice into the yagna kund whilst chanting the Gayatri mantra. All present receive the benefit and the blessing of both Gayatri Devi and Sri Swami Vishwananda.

Tomorrow begins the Gayatri Yagna with Swami Vishwananda

In Springen Swami Vishwananda will perform the Gayatri Yagna from

Friday 24th June to Sunday 26th June

New CD with Swamiji

On his last trip in South Africa Swamiji recordet a new Cd in a professional Music Studio.

You can order the CD at: "Bhaktishop" or mail to: order@bhaktishop.de

(Also available at "Silenzio-Music")

Birthday-Tombola

Tombola raffle starting on the 33rd Birthday of

SRI SWAMI VISHWANANDA

First prize

The shoes in which Swami visited

all holy places in Israel 2011!

For his 33rd birthday Swami wishes the reopening of his International

Center Shree Peetha Nilaya in Springen to take place as soon as

possible. Instead of offering personal presents to him you are invited to

participate in a tombola. All proceeds will be used only for the renovation

of the buildings.

There are only 108 tickets each costing €33!

The draw will take place at Gurupurnima 15th July 2011 in Springen.

2nd Prize

T-Shirt that Swami particularly likes and

often wore…

3rd Prize

Three days during Navaratri

2011, between 28th September

and 6th October, in Swami’s

Center in a single room with full

board free of charge.

To participate:

You can purchase tickets either by:

1. Cash payment in the Bhakti Shop in the Center in Springen (Mataji Tusti) or

2. Ordering via e-mail and the transfer of €33 per ticket. When cashed you will

receive one or more ticket numbers.

Email: tombola@bhaktimarga.org

Please send emails in English or German.

Bank account

Account: Bhakti Event GmbH

Account Number: 200 282 891, Frankfurter Sparkasse

IBAN: DE295005 0201 0200282891

Israel pilgrimage (part 3)

During a lovely lunchbreak Swamiji was explaing to us about the appearance of the holy light at the Church of the Holy Sepulcre.

Pillar at the entrance to the Holy Sepulcre where the holy light comes out every easter

Joseph of Arimathea was the man who donated his own prepared tomb for the burial of Jesus after Jesus' Crucifixion. Joseph took the body from the cross, wrapped it in the fine linen and applied myrrh and aloes.

Jesus body was placed on this rock after Josef took him down from the cross which is very close to the entrance of the church. The visitors bring roserys, shawls and many many other things to bless on the stone.

For more Infos and pictures about the pilgrimage with Swami Vishwananda in Israel please go to: http://www.vishwananda-blog.blogspot.com/

For more Infos and pictures about the pilgrimage with Swami Vishwananda in Israel please go to: http://www.vishwananda-blog.blogspot.com/

Greetings from Swamiji

We just received the following email from Yamunashree*, which we would like to share with you all:

Jai Gurudev Dear All - SHALOM! many greetings from Swamiji on the way from Bethlehem now to Galilee to the Baptism this afternoon! Everything runs well - the group is nice and we have an intensive time together!! We all give you our greetings and Love

Sea of Galilee

"Skyline" of Bethlehem

* Yamunashree organises external events with Swamiji, such as this pilgrimage to Israel

We venerate the place where the body of Christ was put after his death

Swami Vishwananda at the Holy sepulcre Church in Jerusalem

Visiting the Golgotha where Jesus Christ was crucified.

On both sides of the altar you see the golgotha rock. Under the altar you can put your hand inside the square hole where the cross was fixed in the rock.

Swami Vishwananda gave Shaktipat to the Atmakriya group

In Moscow  the 4th of May Swami Vishwananda began with the blessing of the new Atma Kriya people.

Satsang of Swami Vishwananda

After the Shaktipat Swami Vishwananda gave a satsang with the Atma Kriya group.

Swami Vishwananda gave also a satsang to the Belarussian people

How nice it would have been to have a darshan in Bellarussia with such nice people.

Short satsang of Swami Vishwananda

The Ekaterinburg people from the Ural region had also a satsang with Swami Vishwananda.

After all the short satsang Swami materialised a ring for a devotee

Darshan with Swami Vishwananda

After the Satsangs Swami Vishwanandaji gave a discourse about love and began at 6:00 PM the darshan.

Darshan of Swami Vishwananda

The baby Alexander was enjoying also the darshan with many others.

Anastasia Baby was happy in the arm of Swami Vishwananda.

Anastasia got a big tilak and a red dot. The darshan went on during nine hours to finish at 3:00 AM.

A nice way to greet after Easter

Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti! A few days ago we celebrated the "Feast of Feasts" in the Orthodox Spiritual Calendar: Easter.
Well over 200 guests participated in the festivities, many from Russia and Poland, but also from France, England, Czech Republic, Serbia, Croatia, Switzerland, Italy, Portugal and of course also Germany. Reading from the look on the faces and the plenty feedback we received, not only they enjoyed their time, but were also touched by the ceremonies in our cute little chapel at Shree Peetha Nilaya in Springen, Germany.

As you might know, in Orthodoxy, after Saturday night, when the Holy light from the Altar is brought out and everyone light their candles off it at the strike of midnight, to commemorate the Resurrection of Christ one greets one another with „Christos Anesti“* (Greek) = Christ is Risen! and the response is: „Alithos Anesti“ = Truly He is Risen!*.

What you might not now, is this: In the days after Easter in Greece and other Orthodox countries people keep greeting eachother with „Christos is Risen“ instead of „hello“, and the person who is greeted responds again with „Truly He is Risen“. It is the standard greeting and response during Easter and for 40 days after, till the day of Ascension.
It's a nice reminder of Easter and extends the sweet flavor of the Great Feast of Feasts well beyond the first hours after we have returned home and are enveloped again by the routine of everyday life.

* in Russian: Hristos voskrese! Voistina voskrese!


>> Flickr Photo Album of Easter 2011 at Shree Peetha Nilaya

Youtube Video with Slideshow and Live Chapel Music of Easter 2011:

Swami Vishwananda gave a Darshan in Bremen

The darshan took four hours. People came from the North of Germany but also from London, Switzerland and even Siberia.