Ashram Look for Diwali!

 Deepawali=deep+awali= light+line

Old Hanuman Temple!

 

Shiva Temple

 

 New Ganesh Temple!

New Hanuman Temple!

Happy Deepawali!

Let the light show us the way and lead us in this New Year!

Happy Deepawali 2014!

Vishwaguru Swami Maheshwarananda in Jaipur

Dear friends,

Our beloved Gurudev Paramhans Swami Maheshwarananda ji was in Jaipur Ashram on 5th till 8th October.

Swamiji in Zagreb Ashram, Croatia

Hindu Dharma Samrat Paramhans Swami Madhavananda's 91st birth anniversary

Today, on 11. September 2014 we have celebrated the 91st birth anniversary of the founder of Om Vishwa Guru Deep Ashram, Jaipur. Holy Guruji was born on 11. September 1923 in a small village Nipal, district Pali, Rajasthan, India. He left his body on 31. October 2003.

How we can describe the life of an saint? Or the one who dedicated his whole life to the service of the humanity? Whatever we say is still to less! We are happy that still in this time and age of Kali Yoga there are still such enlightened persons to guide us!

 

Paramhans Swami Madhavanandaji

Altar decorated and prasad is offered.

People singing bhajans.

 Evening finished with the recorded lecture from Holy Guruji.

Jaipur Ashram New Look

On the auspicious occasion of Ganesh Chaturti (birthday of Lord Ganesh) remover of obstacles here in OM Vishwa Guru Deep Ashram we had murti sthapna ceremony during which the Pandit has put "the life" in the statues of Ganesha and Hanuman.

 

  Firstly statues are prepared and then put on the respective places.

Arati, prayer to Ganeshji after putting it on the mandir.

Lord Ganesha

Final and important part is putting the flag on the temple 

after installing the statue

Prayer to Hanumanji

Sri Ram Bhakta Hanumaji in meditation posture

 

New night view of the ashram

Day 7

And the last day of Katha passed. It is very difficult  to recite 18.000 verses in such a short time. But still it is possible to cover the all main stories.

 

Today's actors were kids

 

Acharya Rajendra Joshi

 

Hara Hara Mahadev!

Day 6

 On the 6th day of Srimat Bhagawat, Pandiji Rajendra Joshi was telling the story of Govardhan mountain which Krishna was holding for 7 days on his finger while the Indra was sending the torrents of rain. This story is the one which finally established supremacy of Krishna over the Indra Dev.

 

Puja on the symbol of Govardhan

Today was chappan bhog offered to Krishna, or 56 different food items, 8 items per each of seven days Krishna was holding the Govardhan!

Day 5

Today Krishna was born!!!

Kathavachak sang the song about Krishna!

Story about Kamsa

Listening to the bhajans!

And Krishna was born!

People doing pranam to Nanda Gopal!

Jay Sri Krishna!

Children Musical Evening

Pathik Art and Cultural Society presented today in Om Vishwa Guru Deep Ashram 

Musical Evening!

The students were educated by Acharya Rajendra Joshi and Kathak teacher Veena Joshi both from Manav Chetna Jagriti society! The event took place on 16th August 2014 at 5 PM.

Children were showing their skills in Vocal, Sitar, Tabla and Kathak from the classical side and keyboard and guitar from the modern side.

 Introductory speech given by Swami Gyaneshwar

Opening note was then given by ex Governor of Assam Shri S.N.Bhargawa

 

Children playing tabla under the instructions of Veena Joshi

Guitar performance

Kathak dance - Guru Vandana

Day 4

One of the highlights of today's narration was the well known story about enmity between Prajapati Daksha and Lord Shiva. Prajapati Daksha was the unchallenged ruler of that time, and as there is saying: "Power corrupts, but absolute power corrupts absolutely!" he became proud beyond borders and wanted Lord Shiva to obey him. Although Daksha gave his daughter Sati to be Lord Shiva's wife, this just made the situation worst. Ultimately Lord Shiva prevailed and Daksha saw his mistake but not without consequences.

To keep ego in check is one of the most difficult things, therefore Guru bhakti and devotion to God plays very important part in spiritual progress and keeping our ego minimal.

 Puja on the Srimat Bhagawat performed by Mahant Triloki Das Goswami.

Day 3

Today the story entered into the Book 3 (Skanda 3). Some of the highlights are the story about the Beginning of creation, which somehow resembles today's thery of Big Bang, or is it vice versa?

Most of the book was dedicated to the perfect wife and mother Devahuti.

 Hara Hara Mahadev!

Afterwards the prasad was given to the people who were listening on the special occasion of 69th birthday of Vishwa Guru Mahamandaleshwar Paramhans Swami Maheshwaranada ji.

Day 2 14. August 2014

On the second day in Om Vishwa Guru of Srimad Bhagawat story continued from Book 1 (Skanda 1) and finished in Book 2. The small, but attentive listener were reliving the lives of Narada, Shaunak Rishi and other saints. Some Avataras of the Lord were described and the Day's story finished with the Parikshit's many questions.

Kathavachak Rajendra Joshi

 

Small but dedicated listener.

Puja and Aarati for the Holy Book!

First Day of Bhagawat Katha

And the first day passed... Pandit Rajendra Joshi, born in Bikaner, who has been telling this story of Krishna for the last 20 years is narrating it again but this time in Ashram.
It is quite an art to recite 18,000 verses in just 7 days! Rare are the people nowadays who want, or have time, to spend more than a few hours to listen to the most famous of the Puranas.

Srimad Bhagawat is full of stories of devotion towards God. In the Sanatan Dharma tradition God is only One, Universal, Absolute, but can take any form He likes. That is why in India there are so many Gods and Goddesses, as they are all but a small part, or amsa, as they are called in the books, of that One Universal God!
As all stories start .... Once upon a time there was a great king, known by the name of Parikshit. Due to some unfavorable circumstances he was bitten by the king of snakes and was destined to die withing one week and is searching for the way to get out of this predicament.

Srimad Bhagawat is made as a conversation between king Parikshit and saint Suka Muni who manages to liberate the king from this mortal world in mere 7 days.

***

Today's stories were from Book 1 (Skand 1) where the benefits of merely listening to these stories are explained, and then the life of some saints described.

You can download the full Puranas on http://vedpuran.net/ or any other site of your choosing.

Kalash Yatra

Before the start of any auspicious programme, Kalash Yatra is performed. Kalash Yatra is the procession of several ladies who are each carrying a water pot on their head or in their hands, which is topped with a dry coconut and decorated with leaves of the ashoka tree. On this occasion, at the front of this procession was a person who is carrying a special book on his head, the Srimad Bhagawat.

Our journey starts with the necessary puja (ceremony) for the book in Harihar Mandir, Shyam Nagar.

When everybody is ready, the procession begins.

Musicians are walking at the front of the procession and people are dancing from time to time.

Pandit Rajendra Joshi, kathavachak, the one who will read and explain the life of Krishna, is also carrying the holy Purana on his head.

The procession went through the whole of Shyam Nagar (suburb of Jaipur). In this way everybody gets to know that a program is taking place and can join.

The book reached Om Vishwa Guru Deep Ashram and MM Swami Gyaneshwar Puri Ji also carried the Holy book.

At the end of the reading, there was a little satsang and an announcement for the next days' programmes, which will start at the auspicious time of 1pm.

All are most welcome!