Discourse & Satsangs

48th Annual Delhi Jñāna Yajña

3 Perspectives

Brahmacharini Namrata Swaroopa has been closely associated with CIRD-Delhi since it came up in year 2000. Over the years she has been involved in all the CIRDs, accompanying Poojya Swamiji, Nutan Swamiji and Ma during their visits to the centres. She shares her insights on post-pandemic revival taking place in CIRD-Delhi over the last year, and the powerful spiritual current bringing about those changes.

Ashwani Kumar, Sanjay Chakravarty and Mala Sherwani are three CIRD-Delhi stalwarts who actively organize and participate in every Jñāna Yajña. Together they give us an overview of the programme this year.

Dev Kumar Balakarishnan from Malaysia is one of SIRD-Malaysia’s core team members. During Nutan Swamiji’s Sadhana Shibiram in SIRD in January this year, Swamiji had spoken about what makes it possible for such visit programmes to be conducted – the tireless, selfless efforts of a few dedicated people remaining in Ashram who ensure that everything continues to run uninterrupted.

While Poojya Swamiji and Ma were in Delhi for the Jñāna Yajña last month, Dev Kumar came to perform seva in Ashram at its ‘quiet time’, experiencing first-hand what Nutan Swamiji had described, before accompanying Nutan Swamiji to Delhi then travelling back to Ashram with Poojya Swamiji and Ma.

Paada Pooja (March 23)

Spring arrives in CIRD Delhi – Brni. Namrata Swaroopa

After a bitter winter, spring was displaying her glory when Poojya Swamiji accompanied by Ma Gurupriyaji arrived in Delhi. The fresh breeze, profusion of flowers and joyous
atmosphere reflected the love and joy in the hearts of devotees.

शान्ता महान्तो निवसन्ति सन्तो वसन्तवल्लोकहितं चरन्तः ।
तीर्णाः स्वयं भीमभवार्णवं जनानहेतुनान्यानपि तारयन्तः ॥

śāntā mahānto nivasanti santo
vasantavallokahitaṃ carantaḥ |
tīrṇāḥ svayaṃ bhīmabhavārṇavaṃ janān
ahetunānyānapi tārayantaḥ ||

  Vivekachudamani 37

Saintly people, calm and magnanimous, live like the spring season, committed to the welfare of the world. Having crossed the dreadful sea of worldliness, they take others also across without any self-interest.

This blossoming in the hearts of CIRD devotees was a very special development. The seeds for this flowering were sown during the Jñāna Yajña in November 2023. While departing for Ashram, Ma Gurupriyaji had inspired CIRD devotees to have residential retreats once a month in CIRD.

After returning to Ashram, in the midst of preparations for the annual Śrīmad Bhāgavata Tattva Sameeksha Satram, Poojya Swamiji, Nutan Swamiji and Ma remained in close touch encouraging and inspiring the Delhi devotees.

The first monthly retreat took place in the bitter cold of January 2024. The attendance during the second retreat in February increased and the third monthly retreat in March saw enthusiastic participation by around 45 devotees. In addition to the spiritual routines and sessions, everyone was engaged in “setting-up CIRD for Swamiji’s arrival” seva. The joy and anticipation were palpable as devotees inspected and made every part of the Centre ready to welcome Poojya Swamiji and Ma.

The effectiveness of coming to CIRD and doing collective saadhana for the past three months soon became evident in the harmonious working of the various Jñāna Yajña seva groups.

Poojya Swamiji’s Satsang based on Vivekachudamani

From the moment of arrival in CIRD, Ma was ceaselessly active meeting new and old volunteers, organizing them into functional groups, sweeping away the entrenched hurdles of our minds, nudging us to accept and love each other. Late night meetings, in person and online, with individuals and groups found everyone being inspired and rejuvenated, with a new determination to do his or her sadhana and fulfill the Guru’s mission.

Seeing Poojya Swamiji at the age of 91 undertake arduous journeys to selflessly share his knowledge was a powerful goad to action, inspiring us to transcend feelings of tiredness and make sacrifices wherever necessary. Seeing Nutan Swamiji and Ma attend simultaneously to CIRD Delhi, Jamshedpur, Ashram, Dakshinkhanda, and devotees from around the world made us experience and understand the true love and unaffectedness of Knowers.

Love and conceern makes them ceaselessly active for the welfare of others, undisturbed by external situations and bodily troubles. This, and the openness with which they welcome everyone into their lives, making each one of us their own, makes us realize the great blessedness of their Holy association.

Devotees’ Greatest Fortune – Ashwani Kumar, Sanjay Chakravarty, Mala Sherwani

It was the much-awaited time of the year when our Poojya Swamiji, accompanied by Ma Gurupriyaji graced us with their presence from 21 March to 9 April. They were accompanied by Brni. Namrata  Swaroopa, Sadhika Chandrika, Dr Aravindan and Smt Anjalai.

This time Nutan Swamiji also joined during 5-10 April on his way to Palampur. He was accompanied by Dev Kumar from SIRD Malaysia. It is rare to see all 3 of our Spiritual Masters together in Delhi. Providence willed it so and we all felt tremendously blessed.

The CIRD-Delhi core team swung into action well in advance. Complete CIRD including Satsang Hall, Sadhana Niketan and the Prajnana Dham was under major renovation, and getting them functional in time was an additional challenge. But with Poojya Swamiji’s blessings and the earnest
effort of the renovation team, everything was completed just before the arrival of Swamiji. It was a delightful experience to discover how the modern facility of WhatsApp can work wonders in successfully coordinating teamwork.

Ma’s classes in Hindi

Guru-Archana

On 23 March, Guru-archana was performed by Smt Mala Sherwani and Sow Ela Trivedi. Poojya Swamiji delivered his benedictory address almost entirely in Hindi for the benefit of the local people. He explained what constitutes true sadhana, how it has to be connected to the ultimate goal in life, and how it is a pursuit of the mind and the intelligence alone.

Frequently referring to his own sadhana, and the great role his Gurudev played in it, Poojya Swamiji went on to explain the relevance and importance of scriptures.

Evening Talks by Poojya Swamiji (26-31 March) 

“Harnessing Inner Resources for Interactional Excellence” — (based on Viveka-cūḍāmaṇi)

Poojya Swamiji spoke in his characteristic masterly way, at times exhorting the listeners with thundering conviction in his voice. He stressed on one-pointed sadhana, which can completely transform our life.

Poojya Swamiji’s explanations were not only lucid, but extremely inspirational, rendering the process of sadhana clearly within our grasp.

Evening Satsangs in Hindi by Ma Gurupriyaji

In Ma Gurupriyaji’s discourses in Hindi from 29-31 March on “How to make life peaceful and Beautiful” and then from 2-4 April on “The Importance of Surrender in Life”, Ma explained dedication, devotion and loyalty in such beautiful and simple words that all can easily understand and apply them in their life. Seeing Ma, one gets the feeling of being a little child keeping the head on his mother’s lap.

In her melodious voice, Ma recited several shlokas, and went to the root of the problem faced by every human being: how to attain peace, and how to be incessantly happy.

Festival of Holi (Mar 25)

Anna Vastra Dāna Satram

On Saturday, 6th April, Anna Vastra Dāna Satram was held amidst nāma-sankeertana. 2,000 bedsheets along with red masoor dal packets and sweets were distributed to the needy. This time, the accompanying small children were also given Choco Pie. The queue was orderly, people were calm and patient, not shouting at each other; they understood that those having coupons would not be denied. Poojya Swamiji stood on his feet for the most period of daana, with Nutan Swamiji joining many times. Ma distributed laddoo prasada to recipients, and choco pies to the children  accompanying their parents.

CIRD volunteers continued with Daana distribution visiting indigent colonies around, even after the Jnaana Yajna. 200 families at Yamuna Pushta were given Bedsheet, Dal and sweets. 2 schools and 1 Anganwadi near Kanawani village also were visited.

Power of Words

Another novel feature of the Jñāna Yajṇa this time was that all talks including Prabhata-rashmih, except Viveka-cūḍāmaṇi classes, were in Hindi. The audience loved it, as many are comfortable in Hindi only, and therefore could understand the words and emotions deeply.

In future we will have to hold more programmes in Hindi if we want our spiritual culture, and particularly the scriptural knowledge to penetrate deeper into the people of our country. And Swamiji’s Hindi is now impeccably good. Ma, of course, melts the listener’s heart in whatever language she speaks!

The wisdom from Poojya Swamiji’s Viveka-cūḍāmaṇi classes and Ma’s devotionally rich classes, converged in our minds. We found no difference between the messages at all. Nowhere else this Knowledge is told with such depth and intensity. It was as if we got everything without even asking.

Distributing dal, bedsheet and laddu prasada

New tides

Delhi Jñāna Yajña was a spiritual feast for everyone. What made us happy this time is scores of new faces. In fact, we later checked the register and found over 100 new names!

We marveled at Poojya Swamiji for granting 4 deekshas in this period despite Swamiji’s health issues. It was a clear demonstration of Poojya Swamiji’s commitment towards the society, as well as his life’s mission.

Once in a meeting, Ma explained that if we treat all devotees as our own children and serve them wholeheartedly, then we will never commit any mistake. These words are imprinted in our hearts, in our psyche. Now whenever we perform any seva – in Annakshetra or anywhere else – we feel those we are serving are like our own children, and pray “May they be satisfied, and may I not commit any mistake in serving them.”

It is our great fortune to have darshan of these great saints in such an easy manner. To begin with, darshan of such rare Saints is precious; what more when they make themselves so easily available to us devotees. We are very thankful for that.

Other Side of the Coin – Dev Kumar Balakrishnan

Tranquil and Austere Time

Arriving two days after Poojya Swamiji and Ma Gurupriyaji had left to conduct the Delhi Jñāna Yajña, staying at the Ashram became a novel experience for me. The task of running the Institution was firmly placed in the hands of Nutan Swamiji, who was ably assisted in administrative, financial & other matters by Ashramites, staff and workers.

Observing how all activities were still running at clockwork precision during Poojya Swamiji’s absence, made me think of the Gurubhakti of people behind the scene in the Ashram. Be it prayers, morning or evening, preparation for daily Pushpa-samarpanam, Bhojana-pavitreekaranam, special meal requirements for devotees & visitors, making prasada and giving it to devotees when they leave, running of library & publication, accommodation & transport arrangements at the front office, building & facility maintenance, societal initiatives under the Ashram Trust or livestreaming of weekly Global Satsangs – not a single activity had missed a beat!

Recipients waiting patiently in CIRD-Delhi grounds

Everything that one encounters in the Ashram which enables it to function as an effective unit comes down to the tireless, multitasking efforts of a few, mainly the Ashram inmates who have completely surrendered at the Guru’s Feet. One cannot imagine the dedication, discipline and commitment in their hearts to ensure that Ashram runs smoothly at all costs to fulfil its objectives.

It is in this context that I felt, we as devotees could spend some time to grow in austerity by being of service to the Ashram, whenever Poojya Swamiji or Ma or Nutan Swamiji is away. Much assistance is required at many levels to combine and collectively execute tasks in the Ashram.

No compulsion, only a natural process of unfoldment

When we carefully notice how even a simple act of wiping vessels on behalf of others may free inmates to go ahead and handle other responsibilities entrusted to them, we gradually come to understand that being a small cog in the greater Providential wheel allows for the Ashram’s general machinery to function at a higher frequency.

There is a host of functions and activities one can take up based on one’s knowledge, skill and experience. “See where you can fit in!”, I’ve heard Poojya Swamiji say on numerous occasions.

In addition, the scope for new learning never diminishes if one opens one’s mind to it. All work, no matter small or big, is interlinked and will only impart wisdom to the art of living, giving way for the flow of ever-increasing individual refinement in behaviour, character and interaction.

Another important fact not to be taken lightly or discounted during this so-called ‘quiet or lull’ period at the Ashram is the growth of personal sadhana one is privy to pursue. The mind is free of its daily mental worldly oscillations to a large extent and this enables one to alternatively focus on both introspective as well as meditative sadhana to its fullest measure. Poojya Swamiji has exhorted us several times to use the Samadhi Mandir for this purpose. We may also use the scenic Ashram  surroundings to remain in our solitude and do silent walking or sitting to feel an ever growing expanse of mind in the company of nature.

Dress distribution to workers

Lessons from a brief sojourn in Delhi

Three days in Delhi were sufficient to embrace the warmth and affection of Poojya Swamiji’s Delhi devotees. Though language did pose a small communicative barrier, actions of kindness and affection from the devotees needed no further explanation, only a universal love was felt in the heart.

During the Dāna Satram, Poojya Swamiji, Nutan Swamiji and Ma were fully active for more than two hours to lovingly meet and hand over bedsheet, dal and prasada to each recipient. Efforts to hand out more Dāna to the underprivileged segments of society displaced by modern development in the city, were undertaken by some devotees over the next two days based on Poojya Swamiji’s wishes and advice.

It is here that we should lay down a key marker. A Living Saint’s concern and compassion flow like a never-ending stream of love for everyone, especially when there is a compelling cause for the needy. Sharing and caring are, like two wings of a bird, two qualities we should always be imbued with. As Swamiji says, this noble attitude truly enriches the giver.

Back to Ashram

Despite returning from Delhi late at night, Poojya Swamiji was up early the next morning to inspect the new Ashram main gate arch being built. When looking at the gate design, Swamiji commented that he lacked the ability to view objects in a three-dimensional way like Nutan Swamiji does.

Subsequently, Swamiji walked several rounds from the main gate to the front office before proceeding to take up his bodily exercises for another 30 minutes. Swamiji tirelessly carried on with all normal routines throughout the day, a true inspiration for all of us. Pondering over what I saw during this visit, I felt that Swamiji has certainly given to his followers:

1. An austere life of sadhana
2. Love and inspiration for loka-saṅgraha
3. Looking after one’s own body as a healthy vehicle through proper food and exercise.
Undoubtedly, a three-way prescription for a purposeful life for all of us.

Jai Gurudev!