Following the Master: Vrindavan 2015 – Day 1 (Journey to India Begins)

“In reality the dirt outside is nothing compared to the dirt people have inside. The dust in Vrindavan is the dust that purifies the dirt covering your soul. That’s why the Saints say take the dust from Vrindavan ... take the dust from the feet of the devotees of the Lord.” – Sri Swami Vishwananda

The Journey:

The majority of the group departed from Shree Peetha Nilaya on 16 November 2015 and landed shortly after midnight in Delhi, India. From Delhi, a bus was arranged which took the group straight to Vrindavan.

After arriving in Vrindavan, the group had some food and rest and, soon after, hit the bumpy Indian road to visit the birthplace of Sri Krishna called Mathura. Unfortunately, the whole Mathura complex was strongly secured by the Indian army and no cameras were allowed inside.

After returning back, Swamini VishwaMohini Ma held a Satsang, the group sang a few bhajans, and then got ready to welcome Sri Swami Vishwananda, who arrived around midnight.

Highlights:

Trip to Mathura:

Lord Krishna was born in a prison cell in Mathura. The prison cell is a symbol of humility. It shows how the Lord, through his humbleness, is willing to be born in an environment that most people would look down upon. The same acts of humility can be seen with other great masters such as Jesus Christ, who was born in a stable.

The amazing thing about the temple is that it’s situated alongside a mosque. The two places of worship stand side by side in harmony. How every culture can find a place in India is one of the most beautiful things about this country. The religious tolerance demonstrated in India is unmatched and stands as an example for the rest of the world.

Welcoming Sri Swami Vishwananda:

The welcome was very sweet and everybody was excited and joyful that Guruji arrived. The arrival of Guruji marked the beginning of an exciting next few days in the land of Radha Krishna.

For more pictures, please visit our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SriSwamiVishwananda

Following the Master: Vrindavan 2015

“When you go to satsang, when you go to pilgrimage places, it is always you who receives, it is always for your benefit.” – Sri Swami Vishwananda 

Bhakti Marga is excited to announce the continuation of the blog series, “Following the Master,” that documents the journeys of Sri Swami Vishwananda as he goes on pilgrimage to the world’s most sacred places.

The second of these trips is to Vrindavan, India, and takes place from 17 November to 26 November, 2015.

Vrindavan is an ancient city located in the upper part of India near Delhi, where Lord Krishna spent his childhood. The city is associated with many pastimes (leelas) of Lord Krishna, including the famous Ras Leela which he performed with the gopis.

In the Vaishnava tradition, Krishna is considered an Avatar of the Lord and the eighth incarnation of Narayana. Millions of pilgrimages from all around the world flock to the city to pay homage to Krishna and to visit the holy places where his pastimes took place.

Vrindavan is also believed to be the heart of the Bhakti Movement. The Bhakti philosophy is based on viewing the Lord in a personal form and developing a unique relationship with the Lord through that form. In Vrindavan, Krishna takes on many forms in the temples he is worshiped in, including the form of a lover, a child and a friend.

During the next days we will describe many of the holy places around Vrindavan and talk in detail about the various legends associated with each place.

Don’t miss the opportunity to follow Sri Swami Vishwananda and the Bhakti Marga devotees as they journey into the heart of Bhakti in India.

“Vrindavan, the land of Lord Krishna, where 5ooo years ago He poured His love in everything around Him. This Love has never finished. Throughout the centuries, through the devotion of the people, through the Love of the people they have kept His vibration alive.” – Sri Swami Vishwananda

Follow along and stay updated with new posts each day.

2015 Karthik Night at Shree Peetha Nilaya

As the conches sounded off, the Karthik celebrations began, signalling the beginning of an entire night filled with bhajans and dancing, but most important of all, devotion for God. The first prayer was a maha abishekam on Guruji's padukas.

In the Guru Gita (verse 110), Lord Shiva says to Parvati, “By the Guru’s Grace the disciple should meditate on the Supreme. The path shown by the Guru leads to Self-Realisation.” This verse helps each of us to understand why we worship the Guru first, as it is through His Grace that we can build a relationship with God.

The main prayer of the Karthik Night was a Kalash Puja, which included the offering of Prasad to Lord Krishna every two hours, throughout the night. While the yagna (homa) was being conducted, Sri Swami Vishwananda arrived for the festival and sat down on his chair to meditate. Soon, Sri Swami Vishwananda began singing bhajans, and the pujaris offered an abishekam to Giridhariji, Thakurji, and a Govardhana Shila.

Later on, Guruji gave a short talk about Karthik as well as the love that connects us to God:

Jai Gurudev everyone!

First, welcome to this second Karthik Night. This Karthik month is a reminder of why we are here. We all know that we are here to attain the Love of God, to attain His Grace, to attain Him, to be one with Him, to be one near Him. But how do we attain that? 

To attain God, God doesn’t want anything from anybody outside. God has created the whole universe freely for everyone to enjoy. Do you think He needs anything from anyone? No, He doesn’t need anything from anyone. But we need it. We need Him. The reminder of that is the love which He has put inside of our hearts. This is the only thing that can link us humans to Him, nothing else. All that we do is an act of loving Him. All the prayers that we do is so that the love inside of our hearts for Him grows so that His Grace can manifest inside of our hearts. This love relationship which we have with Him, that’s what we are celebrating.

We were just singing, ‘Govinda Dāmodara Mādhaveti’, no? Sri Krishna expressed that by tying Himself with the rope around His belly showing that He was not tying just a rope, but that we are all tied to Him with the relationship of love. We have a loving relationship to God. That loving relationship can express itself only by love. In love there is acceptance, there is respect. This is the only thing that can bring you closer to God, nothing else. And this is your personal relationship to Him. Nobody can do that for you. It is between you and God. Nobody can say, “Light the candles or do something and your love for God will grow.” There is no technique for it. There is no something that you can say, “Okay, I’ll make a bargain with you.” This doesn’t exist. People who think like that, that they can bargain with God, they are far away from that. Then God becomes a businessman, you know, “You do this, I do that.” But in love you are always in deep – when you are in love you always forget about yourself, but you think of your beloved. So the same with the loving relationship between you and Thakurji, between you and God.

We ask, “Lord, please shelter us! Shelter us under Your Grace. Shelter us under Your Love, in Your Love.” For what? So that the love inside of our hearts grows for Him, and in that, we forget about ourselves, because who knows oneself? But we can get to know Him. So that’s the unification. When you are dancing around, you are reaffirming this love, this relationship.

The middle lamp symbolises Thakurji, Giridhari, Krishna Himself, standing there. Each lamp around it symbolises each person. Which means that we are all part of Him. We are not separated from Him. And His Grace is there. We just need to ask Him to manifest Himself.

We just ask Him from the deepest corner of our hearts; let it come outside, let it manifest in the outside so that we can remind ourselves that we belong to Him and that He belongs to us. It’s not only we belong only to Him, but He also belongs to us.

In this relationship, let the love of your heart expand itself, let it go into the world. Because right now you know very well what has been happening in many places. The world needs it. So this light that we are lighting is not just for here, but it’s a light for the world. Together with your prayer, together with your positive thinking, offer it to Mother Earth that really peace prevails, that this mind which understands things in one way truly understands what it really is to love and what it really is to attain God.

The Karthik Night at Shree Peetha Nilaya was filled with music and dance. The women and men took turns dancing around the centre lamp, sometimes dancing with dandiya sticks, and at other times, without. The songs never fell flat during the long night of devotion, as each person had properly prepared the music they chose to perform.

Throughout the night, Guruji joined in on the dancing, and also sang a multitude of bhajans in the early morning.

Prasad was abundant, of course, and allowed everyone their fill of sweets as the night progressed.

When the arati had come to a close, the lamp was extinguished by the throwing of flower petals onto the wicks. Then, each person had the opportunity to make the auspicious offering of a jasmine flower to Sri Krishna as they received their final darshan from the deity during Karthik Night.

If you missed out on Karthik Night, join us for Babaji Day on 30 November. To register and learn more about Babaji Day, click on the link provided: http://www.bhaktimarga.org/events/babaji-day

Impressions from Diwali

For the last few days at Shree Peetha Nilaya, we have conducted the prayers for Dhanteras and Diwali. Since Shree Peetha Nilaya is the home of Maha Lakshmi, the holiday of Diwali and Dhanteras has been especially dear to us.

Maha Lakshmi is the one who provides everything for Her children, whether we are conscious of it or not. Her blessings are absolutely boundless. Just as She has made a home in our hearts, we have a made a home in Her heart that we call Shree Peetha Nilaya. Diwali and Dhanteras has been a special time where we have been able to express our love for the Divine Mother. It has been a time for each one of us to show our gratitude for Her grace and guidance. In this span of time, we have also honoured Lord Kubera, and have remembered that God is not to be found outside of ourselves, but rather, within the depths of our hearts.

Yesterday, Sri Swami Vishwananda performed an impromptu puja to Maha Lakshmi before the night of Diwali. After the abishekham, Guruji and the other pujaris took their time to decorate Maa in the most beautiful manner. When the curtains opened, Maha Lakshmi was decorated with shimmering jewellery and garlanded with colourful flowers.     

Before the final arati, Guruji gave a talk about Diwali and what it truly represents. Here’s a small excerpt from the beginning of his talk:

Jai Gurudev!

So today is Diwali. Actually, Diwali has been celebrated for the past five days starting with Dhanteras and onwards. Diwali is celebrated – as you know very well – for the Goddess of Light Maha Lakshmi, Shree. But it’s also celebrated as the victory of good over evil. It is the return of Rama to Ayodhya. In the south of India they celebrate Diwali during the day and in the north they celebrate it at night. It is said that during Rama’s return from Lanka, the people were rejoicing that Ravana was killed. So they lit the way for Rama. 

Even if on the spiritual path we talk that one has to rise beyond duality, beyond the good and the bad, yet, good qualities have more power than negative qualities. Negative always puts you down, whereas good elevates you. It elevates you until you reach a point where even the good is transformed into bliss. So that good quality doesn’t just stay good forever. That good quality transforms itself into the blissful state. So that’s why on the spiritual path, it’s said that you have to rise beyond good and bad. But yet, to rise beyond good and bad you have to hold onto the good quality that you have because that’s what will make you rise above both qualities. If you hold onto the negative, it will drag you down and you will never reach the goal what you have incarnated for. But the good quality will elevate you till the point where it transforms itself into bliss. So on Diwali we light the lamp everywhere, no? People light the lamp outside but forget to light the inner lamp. And the inner lamp is not a lamp which is visible to the outside, but by concentrating on your good quality the inner lamp lights itself.

So, on this Diwali, like all the Diwalis that will continue from now on which you will celebrate, let all your negative qualities be burned by your inner light. Nobody can take that away from you. You see, your negative quality, your good quality, it’s yours, but whichever one you give power to, that will be the one which will carry you. So if you give power to your negative quality by concentrating on it, by feeding it, it will carry you, it will drag you down. Whereas, if you put more concentration on the inner light which you have, like that it will burn all the negative qualities which you have and it will shine the light what you have inside of you. 

In all religions they talk about the light, no? The immaterial light. Christ said that if you have the light, you don’t hide it underneath, you put it out. And this is the light of spirituality which is inborn through good karma which you have accumulated, through good punya which you have accumulated through many lives. So it is these good qualities that must awaken.

Diwali began later in the night with Sri Swami Vishwananda. The ceremony consisted of a few pujas, such as Vishwakshena Puja, Ganesha Puja, and Guru Puja. These pujas are the introductory rituals to the Kalash Puja which was performed; it's important to know that the Kalash pot is a representation of Maha Lakshmi Herself.

As the prayers were coming to a close, Guruji started to sing a range of devotional songs. The music team joined in and had a few of their own to sing, making the festival complete. After the arati, Guruji gave a guided meditation which provided each person with the opportunity to experience their own inner light. The night concluded with the traditional lighting of candles, which were set around the pathways leading towards the ashram, and along the corridors inside the center. Without question, one of the signature aspects of Diwali is the beauty of the multiple lights, reminding each person that there is an even more magnificent display within oneself, just waiting to be discovered. 

2015 Karthik Month Continues

The month of Karthik is considered to be the dearest to Lord Krishna. This is the month when we celebrate the joyous pastimes and Leelas of Sri Krishna. Another name for Karthik is “Damodara,” meaning, “He who is bound around the abdomen." The name, Damodara, can be divided into two parts, ‘Dama’ meaning ropes, and ‘Udara’ meaning belly. This is a name for Krishna that comes from the Leela when Mother Yashoda bound Krishna, who was being a little naughty, with ropes around his waist to a wooden mortar. That's why Karthik is also called Damodara. 

The Damodarastakam is an eight-stanza poem that is frequently sung during Karthik. The song itself sings of Krishna's glory and narrates the story of how Lord Krishna earned the name, Damodara. Here are the two concluding verses from the Damodarastakam:

kuverātmajau baddha-mūrtyaiva yadvat
tvayā mocitau bhakti-bhājau kṛtau ca
tathā prema-bhaktim svakām me prayaccha
na mokṣe graho me ‘sti dāmodareha

O Lord Damodara, in Your form as a baby Mother Yashoda bound You to a grinding stone with a rope for tying cows. You then freed the sons of Kubera, Manigriva and Nalakuvara, who were cursed to stand as trees and You gave them the chance to become Your devotees. Please bless me in this same way. I have no desire for liberation, your love alone I crave.

namas te 'stu dāmne sphurad-dīpti-dhāmne
tvadīyodarāyātha viśvasya dhāmne
namo rādhikāyai tvadīya-priyāyai
namo 'nanta-līlāya devāya tubhyam

O Lord, the entire universe was created by Lord Brahma, who was born from Your abdomen, which was bound with a rope by Mother Yashoda. To this rope I offer my humble obeisances. I offer my obeisances to Your most beloved Srimati Radharani and to Your unlimited pastimes.

Sri Swami Vishwananda talking about the Damodara Leela:

"...there were two trees in the courtyard and these two trees were the sons of Kubera. Kubera is the god of money and he had two sons cursed by Narada Muni due to their pride and arrogance. So Thakurji said, “It’s time to deliver them now.” He went crawling, pulling the mortar behind him, and went in between the two trees with it. He pulled the stone so hard that the trees fell.

You know, Kubera stands for material wealth. Very often when people have material wealth, what awakens inside of them is also pride of what they have and arrogance. They think that this will last forever. It lasts only until life lasts, that’s it. More than that, no. As long as you breathe. The moment you breathe your last breath it is finished.

Pride and arrogance are normal in somebody’s life. Because you have a mind and the mind has hundreds of negative qualities which very often one likes to entertain. But once you are in connection, and once you build your relationship to God, these qualities start to leave you. They start disappearing because you don’t need these qualities.

So the same, when the Grace of Krishna awakens itself in the heart of a bhakta, pride and arrogance start disappearing. Krishna frees the bhakta who is surrendered to Him from these qualities." - Sri Swami Vishwananda

The month is extremely auspicious for Vaishnavas, as it is said that just to offer one Tulsi leaf to the Feet of the Lord during this time gives 10,000 times more punya than offering one cow.

Another important ceremony during the Karthik month is the Govardhan puja.

The Govardhan puja is a celebration that remembers the story of Lord Krishna lifting the Govardhana Hill to protect the people of Vrindavan. This is a time when we remember that the Lord always protects His bhaktas, and that the highest worship is to God.

Have a Happy Karthik Month!

To register for the upcoming Karthik Night at SPN, click the link below:

http://www.bhaktimarga.org/events/karthik-night

Karthik Night: Switzerland 2015

Karthik Night is a night filled with bhakti. It’s a night where everyone sings and dances until the morning sun has risen. Dedicated specifically to Lord Krishna, this Karthik night in Cudrefin, Switzerland, was a real blessing for all who attended.

The night began with a short procession to install the deities onto the altar that had been decorated and designed by the Bhakti Marga Switzerland team. From murals of Krishna, to beautiful curtains draping down all around the room, the organisers of the event truly did a remarkable job.

Before the dancing began, Guruji gave a talk about Karthik night, and also in general about Karthik month itself. Here’s a small excerpt from that talk:

...Karthik, it is the month which is very dear to Lord Krishna and it is said during this time of Karthik, whatever you do in remembrance of Thakur, in remembrance of Krishna, Narayana, Rama, you bear merits a hundred times more than usual. Normally when you pray, very often you have a certain aim, (there's a reason) why you pray. Isn’t it? You have to ask God for something, you want God to reveal Himself. But during Karthik, whatever you do in remembrance of Him, it bears hundred times the merit it normally has. 

That’s why this month is very important. And especially today (since) it is Ekadashi, which is also even more special, because today is very dear to the Lord. Every month there is one day which is dedicated to Maha Vishnu and that is Ekadashi. When you fast on this day, whatever you long for, deep inside, will help you to connect more to Him. So you are already in the blessed month, and on a blessed day. 

Like I explained last year, you can sing the Glory of the Lord any time and it always bears good fruit. It’s not that only today or only in this month when you chant the Glory of Krishna you have good merit. No, you always have good merit. Whenever you think of God, it’s always good.

Later on, there was classical Indian dancing performed by a group of talented young girls. 

 Sri Swami Vishwananda joins in on the fun.

Karthik night is a night that reminds us why we’re on the spiritual path, especially the bhakti path. On this night, we dance, we sing, we enjoy prasad, and from all of this, Lord Krishna, Lord Narayana, blesses us with a hundred times more punya. How easy is the path of bhakti? Just by coming together with fellow devotees of God, and having a great time throughout the night, we are able to attain the one thing that we have come to this Earth for – the Lotus Feet of the Lord.

How blessed we are, to not only have the opportunity to celebrate Karthik, but to also be in the presence of a living master, Sri Swami Vishwananda, whose presence brings to life the spirit of Karthik, and whose grace grants us all that we need to live life to its utmost potential.

Karthik night is truly a beautiful experience. We hope to see you all for the upcoming Karthik at Shree Peetha Nilaya this week.

Here's the link for more information: http://www.bhaktimarga.org/events/karthik-night

Diwali and Dhanteras: Celebrating God's Light

Diwali is one of the brightest and most celebrated festivals in all of India. Known as “the festival  of lights,” Diwali is a time when elaborate decorations are created, family and friends get together, and most of all, the Divine is worshipped and loved by millions of people. Part of what makes Diwali so unique, is that it is a holiday which has many parallels between faiths. For example, both Jains and Sikhs celebrate their own festival of lights, showing that the light which is in us all originates from the same essence. In India itself, the meaning and context behind Diwali differs region by region, but nonetheless, the underlying principle is parallel.

In North India, Diwali is the celebration that marks Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya after he vanquished the demon Ravana and rescued Sita. In South India, Diwali commemorates the defeat of the demon Narakasura, the demon that Krishna valiantly slayed. In western India, the festival celebrates the day that Lord Vishnu sent the demon King Bali to rule the nether world. In eastern India, such as in parts of Bengal, Diwali celebrates the victory of Goddess Kali over the demon Bakrasura. No matter what the area is, Diwali glorifies the victory of good over evil, the victory of the heart over the mind.

In addition to the universal appeal that Diwali represents, Diwali contains numerous characteristics that personify the holiday. Have you heard the saying, “Lights. Camera. Action.”? Well on Diwali, it’s more like, “Lights! Lights! Lights!” From setting off flashing fireworks, building blazing bonfires, and lighting the luminous clay earthen lamps, Diwali is all about the lights. As it is celebrated throughout the night, Diwali is a time to remember that out of the darkness of ignorance, the light of God will reveal itself. This is the true light that is hidden within each and every person.

Diwali is a festival that is comprised of five days, with the third day being the main festive day. Dhanteras, sometimes called “the festival of wealth,” marks the first two days of Diwali and is dedicated to Maha Lakshmi, Kubera, and Dhanvantari. Traditionally on Dhanteras, houses and businesses are cleaned, decorated, and improved, and the entrance ways are adorned with a classical style of art called Rangoli. Made with materials such as coloured rice, dry flour, coloured sand, flowers, and more, Rangoli is an art which is found throughout India and is a significant part of the Indian culture. With many other epithets, such as Muggu or Kolam, Rangoli designs take on diverse patterns as each part of India has their own style and design. Rangoli is an art that truly has become an outlet for service and devotion. The length of time and dedication that it takes to make the complex geometrical forms is remarkably substantial.

On Diwali itself, one of the common Rangoli designs is the Diya, or Deep, which is an illustrated version of a lamp. As it is believed that during Diwali, Maha Lakshmi Herself travels around the Earth searching to see where She is welcomed, oftentimes people leave their doors and windows open to offer a gesture to Maa for Her blessing. It is also a custom to make Rangoli designs of Maha Lakshmi’s footprints on the pathway leading towards the entrance, as it indicates Her arrival.

All in all, Diwali is truly one of the most spectacular holidays found in the Hindu culture and it has spread across the world to places like Australia, Europe, the United States, and more. It symbolises  the significance of what it means to let the light within us all shine bright for the whole world to share. Diwali is a time to remember that the light is not only all around us, but it is, by nature, who we actually are. We are all manifestations of Divine Love.

We cordially invite you to take part in Diwali and Dhanteras as well as other Karthik Month events happening at Shree Peetha Nilaya. Below you can find upcoming events planned in celebration of Kartik Month:


1. Diwali at Shree Peetha Nilaya (Springen, Germany) – 11 November 2015
2. Karthik Night at Shree Peetha Nilaya - 14 November 2015

You can find out more about upcoming events at: www.bhaktimarga.org/events

Karthik Month 2015 - Fasting

"…on the spiritual path as you are fasting, you are in a state of constantly remembering God, so your mind is not focused on the food, but mostly on your spiritual path. So, this helps you to elevate also. Because, you see, when you eat a lot, your concentration also becomes heavy. You can’t really concentrate fully. But when you are fasting, you are light. Then it becomes easy for you to concentrate on the Divine or do your sadhana."  – Sri Swami Vishwananda

We are happy to announce the arrival of Karthik Month!

This time of year is very dear to Lord Krishna, as many of his leelas were enacted during this month, such as the Govardhana Leela and the Ras Leela. It is said that, during this month, whatever prayer you offer to Krishna, the punya, or spiritual benefit, received is much more than other months. According to scriptures, when you fast during an auspicious time, the hold of the material world is lessened by the fast, and that accelerates our spiritual growth.

Although it is tradition to fast in some way during the month, Sri Swami Vishwananda has made it absolutely clear that it is up to you whether to fast or not, and if fasting, what kind of fast you want to do. As with most things on the path of Bhakti, there are no prescribed rules as to how one should perform rituals, as each person has a unique and different relationship to God.

If you wish to fast, we recommend doing it on the Ekadashi days (see below).

Info on Ekadashi: Ekadashi takes place on the eleventh day of every lunar fortnight in the Hindu Tradition, or 2 times per month according to the western calendar. In Hinduism, Ekadashi is believed to be an auspicious day dedicated to Lord Vishnu. If you choose to fast during this time, it is recommend that one abstains from all types of grains, but you can have a light diet of nuts, milk, fruits, etc., if you wish. The fast should begin at sunrise and last until the next day. Ekadashi Dates for Karthik Month: 7 & 22 November, 2015

For those of you interested in learning more about the Ekadashi dates for the reminder of the year and for 2016, stay tuned for a future blog post on the subject.

Regardless of whether you choose to fast or not, we cordially invite you to the upcoming events planned in celebration of Kartik Month:

1. Karthik Night at Cudrefin, Switzerland – 7 November 2015
2. Diwali at Shree Peetha Nilaya (Springen, Germany) – 11 November 2015
3. Karthik Night at Shree Peetha Nilaya - 14 November 2015

You can find out more about upcoming events at: www.bhaktimarga.org/events

Navaratri 2015: Final Day - Dussehra

"Whatever you are doing, you are doing for Him. There is nothing in this world that you are not doing for God. There is nothing in this world that is not a prayer. But the attitude with which you are doing it, is very important: the attitude of surrender, the attitude of love, dedication, and loyalty." - Sri Swami Vishwananda

Event Name: Dussehra

This day marks the victory of Durga over the demon Mahishasur, after she fought with the demon for nine nights and ten days.

Another important event associated with Dussehra is the victory of Rama over the demon king Ravana. It is said that on this day Rama killed Ravana, who had abducted his wife Sita to his kingdom in Lanka.

Event Highlights:

The nine nights of Navaratri wouldn’t be complete without the Dussehra celebration on the tenth day. Dussehra marks the victory of the heart over the ego. The commemoration began similar to Navaratri with Guru Puja, Gauri Ganesha Puja, and Kalash Puja to nine Goddesses.

Sri Swami Vishwananda lead the ceremonies which took place outside, in front of a yagna in a kund dug into the earth. The fire from the yagna blazed with hefty pieces of timber, which helped warm the participants on this cold and drizzly day.

Round after round of participants came to gather near the fire to chant and offer rice, until everyone had had a turn. After the yagna was complete, an abishekam was performed on Sri Swami Vishwananda himself. Sitting on top of a large abishekam tray, holding the Maha Lakshmi murti, Sri Swami Vishwananda was fully bathed with the water from the Kalash pots.

After Sri Swami Vishwananda had changed into some dry clothes, he made his way to the front of the altar and performed arati. Guruji concluded the event with the final prayers and a few words to say about Dussehra and Navaratri in general:

So today was Dussehra, the last day where Ma Bhagavati consumed everything, purified you completely, fulfilled all your wishes, and gave you blessing. Just like all the sages and the saints, She comes to your aid and listens to your prayers. 

Now, I know you are hungry and tired right now. So come and have Darshan quickly and take the tulsi dhal. Tulsi dhal is rice with which we have done archana, and tulsi dhal carries the blessing of the nine days of Navaratri -- especially the blessing of Maha Lakshmi. So you can keep it in your safe, you’ll become rich, and keep it in your purse, it will ever be full. But it brings the blessing of Ma Bhagavati Lakshmi. So may your business and everything flourish.

Hopefully next year we will see you all again. May Ma Bhagavati keep you all healthy and grounded and that all that you wish for, may Ma Bhagavati Devi Jagadamba fulfil it. And this blessing, just like the mantra says, the blessing that you receive now, you go to the world and bring it to the world. It’s not for you to keep for yourself.  Like I talked about love earlier: love is not something that you can keep only for yourself. Like that too, the blessing goes wherever you go, whatever country you go to. The last mantra that we were chanting was blessing you. It said that whichever country you come from, that blessing goes to that country also. 

That’s why we say, “Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu".   We don’t just separate, “Please give only me peace of mind.” Or, “Give me only peace, nobody else.” No, we never say that. We say, “Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu.” We live in this world, no? We are part of this world, so if first we are happy, then we can make somebody else happy. But we pray for the world to be happy. We don’t think only egoistically for ourselves, but we pray that the whole world is happy, and that the whole world is at peace. 

But for that we have to become peace. We can’t pray that there is peace outside when we are not in peace ourselves. We can’t pray and say, “God bless the world with lots of love.” God is always blessing the world with love. Eternally He is blessing the world with love, but people don’t see it, and people don’t feel it because they are so busy with their minds, busy in the outside, busy on the computer, busy in the office, busy with money, busy in this and that. So busy that the beauty of life passes in front of their eyes and they don’t see it. The Grace passes and they don’t realise it. 

Because, you see, they have the expectation that when Grace comes, it will appear ‘Boom’ like a revelation to them. Isn’t it true? That’s what is in the mind of men, right? Like God has spoken to Moses, and like that God will come and say, “I reveal Myself to you.” No, it’s not like this. For great yogis like Moses – all this, yes – but for people, He comes daily to them. But very often you are so busy in the world that you don’t realise it, you don’t see it, and you don’t take the opportunity of it.

And that’s what you have to pray to Ma Bhagavati for. That’s what Atma Kriya Yoga stands for, no? To remind you, to make you aware, that you are meeting God in each step of your life. Whatever you are doing, you are doing for Him. There is nothing in this world that you are not doing for God. There is nothing in this world that is not a prayer. But the attitude with which you are doing it, is very important: the attitude of surrender, the attitude of love, dedication, and loyalty. When that attitude is there inside of you, then whatever you do in the world becomes a prayer. So that’s why we pray, “Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu” that all be happy, including each one of you.

So it was lovely to be with all of you for the nine days praying to Ma Bhagavati. I see this enthusiasm. You see, what I appreciate so much when I look at all of you, (you know my aunty and others were also saying), we come from a place where we pray every day. In Mauritius there are prayers in all the temples for nine days also, but this dedication that you have, they don’t have. That’s why it’s said that to those who really long for God, God will reveal Himself to them. 

So carry on in your spiritual path, and Ma Bhagavati will give you strength, will give you power, will support you, and will carry you, like She carries everyone who surrenders to Her. – Sri Swami Vishwananda

Testimonies: 

The following is a story by Rishi Pramod about how Sri Swami Vishwananda's blessing is not only for the devotees that are at Shree Peetha Nilaya, but for all the devotees around the world. He blesses all who celebrate and Love the Divine.

"Today after the final prayers of Navaratri, we enjoyed once more the prasad which filled not just our bodies with sweetness, but also our soul.

For this special occasion, we got an extra blessing through Rakesh, our brother from Kenya.

He brought vibhuti which manifests daily in the temple in Kenya, and also Amrit, which constantly manifests in the temple in Kenya from a pendant of Guruji.

Through Guruji's and the Divine Mother's presence during the nine night and ten days, together with the prayers, the bhajans, the amazing sangha (gathering) of devotees and the prasad, we experienced and received, literally, the nectar of immortality.

All glory to the Satguru, all glory to the Divine Mother, all glory to the assembled devotees." - Rishi Pramod

For more impressions from the event, please check out our Facebook page:
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