Parmarth Updates

February 7:
On the eve of the Paush Purnima, the final full moon of the Kumbha, Pujya Sant Rameshbhai Oza came to Parmarth's camp and we had a special night of puja, kirtan and bhajan.

February 8
Shri Subba Raoji, an internationally renowned leader of youth, came to Parmarth's camp with his group of spirited youth - each young boy or girl representing a different state of India. We were entertained and educated through brief songs about the different regions of this vast country, each verse ending with "

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Pujya Swamiji and Pujya Bhaiji at the beautiful Shiv Puja, kirtan and bhajan program	Pujya Swamiji gives Sangam jal to Shri Subbaraoji and his dedicated team of youth

February 8
During the course of Kumbha, we had a free acupressure camp during which 11,000 patients were treated for a wide range of ailments. The team of doctors and specialists came under the direction of Dr. KC Goel, Mata Prasad Khemka, president of the Acupressure Research Centre, and Shri JP Agarwal, the course director

February 8-9
At the sacred time of the Paush Purnima (full moon), 24 of the rishikumars had their official upanayana, or sacred thread ceremony. This ceremony marks the boy's official entry into the study of the vedas and the "gurukul" system. Although historically it was a ritual performed only for the brahmin caste, Pujya Swamiji made no distinctions between children born of different castes. Any of the boys who wanted to undergo the official ceremony - during which they also receive a sacred mantra from Pujya Swamiji - were welcome.

The ceremony was an incredibly moving and touching one, during which Pujya Swamiji told the young boys the story of His own youth, spent deep in the Himalayan forests. He spoke about the power of the Vedas and what a gift it is for these boys to be learning such sacred, precious texts.

Pujya Swamiji concluded with an inspiring speech to the young boys regarding the importance of their role in helping to lead the planet toward a bright, peaceful, divine future. As Pujya Swamiji shed tears of love over the young, divine, children, they each fell at His feet, offering their devotion, their love and their lives in the service of God. It was a moment that will never be forgotten by anyone blessed enough to witness it.

Bottom: As in the tradition, Pujya Swamiji feeds the children from His own hands, symbolizing that now He will play the role of their mother and father.

Top: Pujya Swamiji with the newly initiated brahmacharis

	We returned from Kumbha and immediately began International Yoga Festival, the annual week-long event hosted by Parmarth Niketan. Each year delegates come from across the globe to imbibe in the divine nectar of yoga. There were asana classes, pranayama classes, and meditation classes, as well as lectures by revered saints and erudite scholars. Each day ended with the divine Ganga Yagna and Aarti

Pujya Swamiji flew on an emergency trip to the earthquake struck regions of Gujarat. For two days, He and Pujya Sant Shri Rameshbhai Oza travelled through village after village in which not a single building was standing. "It is more horrible than you could even imagine," were Pujya Swamiji's words after the first day.

He met with the Chief Minister and other important ministers and officials about Parmarth's plan to adopt as many children as were rendered orphans by this tragedy.

For every orphan with nowhere to turn, Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji (Muniji) has pledged that provisions will be made to bring them to the holy banks of Mother Ganga, to Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh. We are already running a gurukul/orphanage where 100 young rishikumars are learning not only the ancient science of the Vedas, but where their lives are also being infused with essential sanskaras, values and ethics.


These beautiful rishikumars -- full of hope, inspiration and piety -- also were orphans/impoverished children before being taken into the orphanage/gurukul at Parmarth Niketan

By Pujya Swamiji's grace, these children - orphaned by the tragedy -- will be taken in to Parmarth's orphanage where they will receive not only shelter and nourishment, but they will also receive the priceless gifts of hope, faith, tenderness and care.

Pujya Swamiji said Mother Ganga will be their mother and the Himalayas will be their guardians. Parmarth Niketan will be their home and 100 rishikumars will be their brothers and sisters.

The government of Gujarat has said that they - for official, legal reasons - must wait another few months before they can release children to orphanages out of the state. This is to allow plenty of time in case a long lost relative arrives to take the child, or in case land or money is owed to the child. Then, once sufficient time has passed, for those children who are still without hope, without loved ones and without a place to turn, the government will give them to organizations equipped to care for them.


An old woman who has lost everything in the tragedy clings to Pujya Swamiji for help and solace	The saints visit a hospital overflowing with wounds, disease, injuries and death.

We have given our application for 1000 orphans. We can accommodate that many on the grounds of Parmarth Niketan. If they can give us more, we will accommodate them on another new piece of land, on the banks of Mother Ganga, near Parmarth Niketan. If they give us fewer, then we will shower as many as they give us with love, tenderness and care.

Thus, within a few months, by the grace of God, hundreds of young children will be brought from their disaster-struck land to the holy, divine banks of Mother Ganga.

CLICK HERE: for more information about how YOU can help in this crucial effort.

This is one of the rare occasions in which the divine word of the Bhagwat is recited by a Shankaracharyaji. The Bhagwat is holy, sacred and timeless. However, to have it rendered and explained by someone of the highest post in Hinduism is a true chance of a life-time.

The katha will be held on the beautiful, divine premises of Parmarth Niketan, in the holy presence of H.H. Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji (Muniji). Additionally, this glorious occasion will be graced by the presence of so many other revered saints.

However, there will be more than Katha. It will be a week full of spirituality, of devotion and of prayer. There will be special programs each day, in addition to the Katha, including yagna, puja, aarti, bhajan, kirtan and satsang.

There will also be daily meditation and yoga classes as well as special bhajan programs.
We invite you all to attend this beautiful occasion. So, come, drink of the divine nectar of Mother Ganga; rest in the lap of the sacred Himalayas, have the darshan and satsang of so many pujya saints and imbibe the rich, transformative wisdom of the Bhagavat Katha.