|
|
May 1--
Pittsburgh
ANNIVERSARY OF
HINDU-JAIN TEMPLE STHAPANA
From 1980 to 1984, Pujya Swamiji's
vision, dedication, and leadership led to the construction
of the first Hindu-Jain temple in USA. This glorious,
towering, abode of God lies on the top of the rolling hills
in the suburbs of Pennsylvania. Pujya Swamiji was
called there in 1980 by the Indian community to lead them in
the construction of a temple. However, His vision was for
more than just a mandir. His vision was also for unity in
the community. Thus, His divine vision led to not only a
gorgeous red brick 3-dome temple, but also to a great
harmony, peace and unity in the community. It is still the
only temple in the world in which not only do Hindus and
Jains worship together but also where the two sects of
Jainism -- Shwetambar and Jigambar -- worship together.
|
|
|
|
Hindu-Jain temple inspired,
conceived and built by Pujya Swamiji
in Monroeville, Pennsylvania |
|
From May 1 - May 8, the community
celebrated the 21 anniversary of the mandir. It was a great
honor for the community to have Pujya Swamiji's presence
again with them for the anniversary. The entire community
center was packed with families who had come to perform puja
and have Pujya Swamiji's divine darshan. Pujya Swamiji
gave a beautiful lecture on the meaning of being a Hindu and
also on the obstacles and challenges that arise in our
spiritual practice (and what the solutions are). After
the pravachan everyone joined together to watch the divine
Ganga Aarti which we had brought on DVD from Rishikesh.
Everyone's eyes filled with tears as they beheld the divine
darshan of Mother Ganga, and everyone joined together to
sing the aarti.
May 7 -
San Francisco, California
Pujya Swamiji was in San Francisco for
one day and gave a satsang and question-answer session in
Danville.
May 8-10 -
Los Angeles, California
Pujya Swamiji traveled to Los Angeles
from San Francisco.
 |
|
|
|
| |
 |
On the 8th He gave a
beautiful program at the new Golden Bridge yoga
center in Hollywood. Able to hold nearly 1000
people this has truly become Los Angeles'
premier yoga center.
As the day was Mother's Day,
He gave an inspiring and thought-provoking
lecture on the Mother |
|
 |
Pujya Swamiji
addresses the audiece at Golden Bridge |
|
First He spoke about the importance of
our own mothers and how we too frequently neglect them. He
urged people to accept their mothers -- with all their
possible faults and failings -- as human and to forgive
them. "Our mothers made some human, natural mistake 25 years
ago and we are still suffering from it! This is not the way.
Let it go. She made you miserable for 10 minutes, 25 years
ago and you've made yourself miserable for the last 25 years
reliving it every minute!!"
However, then He shifted and He spoke
about the True, Divine Mother. "Our own mothers may
occasionally let us down. They may not be everything we wish
them to be. But there is a Mother who will never let you
down. There is a Mother whose arms are always there to
embrace you. That is the Divine Mother."
On May 9, He spoke at Karuna Yoga in
Los Angeles. "Karuna means compassion" He explained to the
non-Indian audience. "How to really live Karuna? How to
bring Karuna in our lives every minute? How to make every
moment of every day Karuna-Yoga?" He gave a beautiful talk
on the path of compassion versus the path of passion and
where each path leads us.
May 14 -
Singapore
On the way back to India from USA, Pujya
Swamiji stopped for 1 day in Singapore. He arrived in the
morning and left the same evening, and yet during that one
day He gave two beautiful programs. In the morning He spoke
at Inward Bound Yoga, run by Rebecca Pflaum, and in the
afternoon He addressed the large community of the Singapore
Jain Society, headed by Shri Naginbhai Doshi. He promised
the Singapore community that next time He would stay longer!
May 22 -
Rishikesh
Pujya Swamiji was a special guest at the
ground-laying ceremony for the new Nirmal Ashram Eye
Hospital to be built in Rishikesh. Funded generously by Shri
Chandukewal Ramani of London, the Eye Hospital will be built
and run under the team of Mission for Vision, led by Dr. R.V.
Ramani of the Sankara Eye Institute, Coimbatore.
In all of the Rishikesh area there is no
proper eye care facility and this first class hospital will
fill a great void.
(Upcoming in the next, June update, Dr.
R.V. Ramani operated for free on 50 poor villagers in the
Coimbatore hospital, on June 3, in honor of Pujya Swamiji's
birthday - details in June update).
May 30 -
Rishikesh
The final rites for Shri Sunil Dutt
(world famous actor, political leader, humanitarian, social
leader and philanthropist) were conducted at Parmarth
Niketan. Sanjay Dutt and his sisters Priya and Namrata
came with the entire family to immerse Shri Sunil Dutt's
ashes in the holy water of Mother Ganga. The puja was graced
also by the presence of the Honorable Chief Minister of
Uttranchal, Shri Narayan Dutt Tiwariji and other
dignitaries. The Uttranchal Police performed the official
Salami Shastra in Shri Sunil Dutt's honor.
|
|
|
|
Puja is performed for the
ashes of Shri Sunil Dutt |
|
|
|
|
|
The Police of Uttranchal
perform the Salami Shasta for Shri Sunil Dutt |
|
Sanjay
Dutt and his family also performed the divine Ganga Yagna
and Aarti at Parmarth in the evening.
|
|
|
|
Sanjay Dutt performs final
purnahuti with Pujya Swamiji and the Ganga Aarti |
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
Sanjay Dutt and Priya Dutt join Pujya
Swamiji in the divine kirtan and bhajans at the
Ganga Aarti. |
|
|
|
|
|
UPCOMING EVENTS IN JUNE 2005 UPDATE:
1. Conference on Review of Encyclopedia of Hinduism
2. Pujya Swamiji's Birthday at Parmarth
3. All India Ayurveda Conference
4. Honorable Governor comes to Parmarth
5. Honorable Chief Minister comes to Parmarth
FILM ON PUJYA
SWAMIJI & HIS TEACHINGS:
 |
On April 17,
2004 at the Arclight Theater in Hollywood, USA a
film on the life and teachings of Pujya Swamiji
premiered to a sold out audience.
The film, titled, "A Day in the Light" is
produced and directed by Christopher Miglino.
The film has already
been shown to delighted and inspired audiences at the
Sedona Film Festival, the Indian Film Festival in
Los Angeles and several other film festivals in USA
and Europe.
See www.adayinthelight.com
to order your own copy of the beautiful film.
Or, you can go directly to
www.amazon.com and order it from there
For more information,
email Christopher directly at chris@yogamates.com
Click on the links
below for previews:
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Bathing
in Ganga at Parmarth
|
|
|
Itinerary
for Pujya Swamiji
for June - September 2005 |
|
June |
July |
August |
| 1-27 |
Rishikesh |
1-15 |
Rishikesh |
1-2 |
Winnipeg |
| 28 |
Mumbai |
17 |
Sacramento |
3-4 |
Toronto |
| 30 |
Rishikesh |
21-24 |
Louisville,
KY |
6-13 |
New Jersey |
| |
|
26 |
Dallas, TX |
15-18 |
Europe |
| |
|
27-29 |
Pittsburgh |
20-21 |
Leicester, UK |
| |
|
30-31 |
Chicago |
22 |
Manchester |
| |
|
|
|
23 |
Edinburgh,
Scotland |
| |
|
|
|
24-28 |
London |
| |
|
|
|
29 |
Leicester |
| |
|
|
|
31 |
Rishikesh |
Email contact for program information:
parmarth@aol.com
*Note: Pujya Swamiji's schedule is always
subject to change at the last minute. Please be sure to
call or email prior to coming to Rishikesh, just to
confirm that He is there.
|
|
|
Contact
Information:
Phone: (0135) 2440088, 2434301 Fax: (0135))
2440066
From abroad, dial: + (91-135) instead of (0135)
|
|
|
