Param Pujya Swamiji’s arrival at AVM

Though the onset of spring season in February month marked the parting of winter but lives at AVM campus still lacked a certain force, trees never wore the shroud of greenery, the flowers delayed their spring cheers as if stillness engulfed the whole campus and the devoted souls prayed with eager eyes …. until He came! His Divine Holiness Param Pujya Swamiji.

On the 7th day of April 2015, Swamishree’s arrival enlivened everything around. As if the entire campus had restored freshness - the trees turned jade green and the leaves and flowers of various colours danced in the vernal wind and the students, the teachers resumed sprightliness. There was an unusual verve of happiness and joy all around in the school campus. Radiance and splendour emitted by His divine aura illuminated the weary souls and the elated hearts filled with vitality. No matter how busy and hectic Swamiji’s schedule is, He arrives time to time to bless the AVM family and reinvigorate our spirits. "As and when the wick of enthusiasm burns low, comes ‘He’ yet once again to rekindle our spirits with His Torch of Love and Truth".

 

 

The blessed and most awaited moment arrived when Swamiji wished to hold a Sabha and bless the students and teachers with His golden words. Sabha started with a melodious devotional bhajan sung by students of grades 7 and 8. The senior students of class XII were called on the stage to receive Swamiji’s blessings personally. After toiling tooth and nail for board exams and having sheer anticipation of good result, this moment with Swamiji was summum bonum for them. Swamiji listened to the prayers of each and every one of them and counselled them by showering all His grace and blessings on them. As one comes nearer to Him, it seems that He is but a fountain from which there is a continuous emanation of rays of love, soothing every soul that approaches.

Everybody listened with great eagerness and attention as Swamiji addressed the Sabha and spoke His golden words. Swamishree advised the students and teachers to brush aside the laziness and prepare earnestly for hard work. Thereafter, by giving examples from history, Swamiji explained us that most essential condition of a happy life is to be God-loving and religious. Swamiji reminded us quite affectionately that nothing is impossible for us if we believe that God is our eternal father and a god realized saint is like a loving mother. Swamiji affirmed that there are three monsters which reside within all of us: ego, jealousy and obstinacy and at any cost we should get rid of them - this is the only way to be eligible to receive the ever flowing grace of the Supreme. He further added that personal association with saints helps to destroy delusion. As the students listened to Him with much devotion, Swamiji gave them the golden sutra which is a condition to keep good friends who are religious and who have integrity of character. Everyone in the Sabha had His darshan with folded hands and devoted hearts until Swamishree left the prayer hall.

What better be the sublime sight for eager eyes?

What better be the euphonious voice for curious ears?

What better be the blissful touch for weary frames?

What better be the grand feast for craving souls?

What better be the enthralling scent for withered spirits….If Param Pujya Swamiji arrives to bless us all.

Real Intelligence: Vachanamrut Pratham 18

Among all the species in the history of evolution, humans are at the top of the evolution chart. We are able to think, understand, communicate and perform various tasks and activities, which the other species are unable. This is possible because humans have a gift that no other species have. That is a programmable brain. Real Intelligence lies in programming or training our brain to avoid or bypass all the distractions, conserve our energy and focus on the task at hand. If one is able to do so effectively then the phrase ‘Nothing is impossible!’ is not far from reality.

Shivam House was privileged with the opportunity to ponder upon the topic and share thoughts and experiences everyone in the last week of November 2014.

Taking reference from the holy scripture Vachanamrut and excerpts from the blessings of Param Pujya Hariprasad Swamiji, the following was conveyed in the assemblies throughout the week:

• If we speak inappropriately, we fill ourselves with negativity via our tongue. Negative or inappropriate words take away our energy and decreases our ability to perform our daily tasks. When we eat inappropriately, that negativity is reflected out when we crave to taste a particular food item that we bind ourselves with and that leads to frustration when we don’t get it. It also lures us to overeat and makes us lazy.
  
  But if we speak appropriately and only about relevant things and also do not allow our sense of taste to defeat us, we will remain enthusiastic and energetic, and experience positivity in ourselves.

• If we listen to irrelevant or inappropriate words or music, it fills us with negativity. On the other hand, wise and positive words, good books, appropriate songs or bhajans increases the positivity in us. Relating to the daily experiences of students, it was highlighted that sometimes when we sit down to study or try to think about something new, we hear in our head, some music or song that we may have heard in the past. That actually divides our focus and ends up wasting our time.

• Our eyes are also remarkably capable of experiencing the world around us. Most of the times, we are not even aware of what we are seeing. If we allow our eyes to watch the negative of others or irrelevant things or inappropriate movies or shows, we will actually harm our own self. However, if we just see positive in others or allow our eyes only to see relevant and appropriate things, we shall experience an increase in energy and enthusiasm in our own self. Children also understood that memories of inappropriate movie scenes or irrelevant scenes or looking at the negative aspects of others or negativity in different situations, causes us to lose our concentration and even leads us to anxiety, anger and frustration.
  
  And the same is the case for our sense of smell and touch.

• Further it was made clear that our brain is like a sponge. It absorbs everything through the five senses. Anything we see, hear, taste, feel and smell will get stored in our brain. As a result, this will ignite emotions based on the quality it possesses.
  
  If the input is positive then it will help us to conserve our energy, keep us enthusiastic, motivated and bring eternal bliss.
  
  If the input is negative and we keep or dwelling upon it again and again the effect of it will be brutal. It will be like taking an intoxicant, a drug that will take control of our thinking ability and not allow us to think appropriately and hence we will feel anxiety, anger, frustration etc… It will also be a waste of lot of energy and time.

• In Pratham 18, Shreeji Maharaj has also showed the way to keep our senses positive i.e. being with positive people, having darshan of Thakorji or saints, or watching appropriate documentaries or movies, can inspire us greatly.

Hence, Pratham 18 acts as an eye opener in our life. One who is aware of the ill-effects of dwelling on the negative things and puts consistent effort to maintain the positive inputs through one’s senses is a real intelligent person. Such a person will be able to conserve, nurture and utilize his energy to do productive tasks and will be able to achieve all his goals.

Children were also made aware that Shreeji Maharaj, towards the end in this Vachanamrut, says that “If you do so, I shall consider it to be equivalent to you having served Me in EVERY WAY. I will also bless all of you and be EXTREMELY PLEASED with you.”

Thus throughout the week we understood that

1. Senses are the precious gift of God to humans. Moreover, capability to think is like icing on cake.
2. We must be clear of what we want to do with our life. Have a goal, a destination to achieve.
3. Keep the company of people who are positive, who aim high and who persevere to achieve their destination and goal.
4. Perform daily religious and spiritual rituals like aarti, prayers, pooja and swadhyay.
5. Have complete faith in God.
6. Keep the company of God realised saint to get constant motivation and guidance.

Thus, it was understood that by keeping our senses positive, we are actually serving God and, that is the true service of our soul and hence, of God. A real intelligent person realises that there is no limit to the bliss of God. He understands that he is different from his body, he is aatma and his birth here is mainly to purify his aatma and attain higher bliss of God.

Written by: Shivam House Team

Guru: God Personified

Every nook and corner of AVM campus and every life associated with it, has been flourishing through the ever flowing grace of His Divine Holiness Param Pujya Hariprasad Swamiji. Hence, at AVM, Guru Purnima is just not a commemoration of Swamishree’s glory but a day to reunite with His supremacy by offering our prayers to Him.

“Swamishree always blesses us with all success and happiness, we just need to be committed and resolute for a good cause and a good goal.” said Suhrad Swamiji while addressing the congregation of Guru Purnima celebration in the Atmiya Prayer Hall on campus. In the presence of all elders, teachers, hostel staff, students and all members of Atmiya family, the programme started with Thakorji’s pujan by saints from Haridham and principal Vijay Sir. The junior class’ students sang melodious bhajans admiring the beauty of a Guru-guided life.

 

Thereafter, the host of the programme, Mukesh sir narrated a few stories to the students elucidating that the Guru is God manifested and He cultivates the human potentials. The students were reminded that it was the day for them to resolve to those easy-to-follow yet hard-to-stick to injunctions given by Swamishree to all AVM students and to realise that following these will help them to be a better human being.

The inspiring and elevating words of Pujya Suhrad Swamiji on this pious occasion explained that the best way of celebrating Guru Purnima and offering true reverence to Swamishree is by self – reflection to be worthy of His blessings. He further added that it is a day to decide to resort to prayers and take divine help each time we deviate from our goal. This would certainly bring a realisation which leads to improvement.

So let’s decide, how we are going to deal with the darkness within us - with the glare of fascinating distractions that obscures OR with the light - the glow of Guru’s grace that illuminates!!!

Prayer-a connecting link between Human and Divine

Prayer is a wonderful experience with GOD. Prayer is a type of e-mail that we send to God. It is a link between God and us. Prayer isn’t just a thanksgiving but also an instrument through which we experience Divinity.

Now the question arises that how to pray. Different religions have their own way of prayer. Muslims pray by keeping their palms open facing to the sky. Christians cross their hands and we Indians join our hands near the chest. Though the ways are different but the intentions are same. All remember and invoke their Gods.

When we pray we have to forget all worldly affairs and problems. We have to visualise God and think about His glory. This is how we pray.

Prayer can be done at any time, but mostly people pray before beginning any task. Prayer is a thing one can do in one’s most difficult times. Prayers are not always offered in the temples. One can pray to God anywhere.

There are many benefits of prayer. If we pray all our sins wash away. When we pray we feel better. We feel as if we are in the abode of God; abode of love, abode of peace.

Prayer is really a wonderful experience being with God. It is the best, easiest and the only way to connect you with God. Please experience!


Written by: Ravi Patel (6th B)