Day 4 - Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Shatabdi Mahotsav - Afternoon
Samvat 2063 Bhadarva Vad 9, Thursday 4th October 2007

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The afternoon sabha included the Shree Jeevanpran Bapashree ni Vaato samou parayans for the disciples from USA, India and London. Each benefactor was given a gift as a commemoration of Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Shatabdi Mahotsav.

Acharya Swamishree's Divine Ashirwad

• We are not only celebrating the centenary of our Gurudev Jeevanpran Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa, but of the divine scripture, the Discourses of Abji Bapashree.
• 101 years ago, on the evening of Vaisakh sud Poonam, Jeevanpran Abji Bapashree said to Sadguru Shree Ishwarcharandasji Swamibapa, “You have come here to listen to my discourses every year for the past fifteen years. You ask many questions and I reply with answers in ways that no-one has or will again. However, you do not write any of this down, which would otherwise be useful in the future. From now on, for the benefit of everyone, begin writing. From the very next day, Sadgurubapa began transcribing Jeevanpran Bapashree’s discourses.
• Jeevanpran Swamibapa has explicitly stated that in order to become one with the Murti of God, one must read the Discourses of Abji Bapashree. Today, we are reciting the First Part of the Discourses of Abji Bapashree.
• Every person has the particular trait that rather than complimenting another person, he is more inclined to highlight his flaws; to compliment someone takes time and effort but insulting him seems to come naturally. This is because when a person insults another, it comparatively elevates him; and when someone compliments another, comparatively it diminishes his own qualities.
• Jeevanpran Bapashree has said that someone who compliments himself cannot see all his own flaws, but he instead highlights and embellishes the rare virtues he does have. A person enjoys hearing about his own virtues, but because he also continuously listens to others being insulted, he becomes accustomed to hearing about and noticing others’ faults. True greatness comes from relinquishing such flaw-finding and self-indulgence.
• Jeevanpran Swamibapa has taught us that one of the most important qualities to have is endurance. Swamibapa taught by example: On one occasion, soon after Swamibapa was initiated as a sant by Sadguru Shree Ishwarcharandasji Swamibapa, other sadhus became jealous of the love and favour that Swamibapa had attained from Sadgurubapa; Swamibapa remained in Sadgurubapa’s personal service. The other sadhus left the portion of dishes that were meant to be washed by Swamibapa, and because it was someone’s donated meal that day, the dishes were large and numerous. Swamibapa was particularly busy that day and had just attended to Sadgurubapa’s personal service before seeing the immense pile of dishes left for Him. At seeing the pile, Swamibapa began to laugh. Hearing his laughter, Sadgurubapa came. He said to Swamibapa, “I know of the scheming the other sadhus have made against you, but I thought that eventually they would recognise their mistakes without being told – that is why I haven’t said anything. However, why have you remained silent about it?” Jeevanpran Swamibapa replied, “A few days ago you highlighted the importance of having endurance, and defined that endurance as tolerance and patience – you said that such endurance was in fact, an austerity. Therefore My endurance is My practising austerities before You.” Then, Sadgurbapa replied, “I have come to aide you in performing such austerities.” Swamibapa humbly prayed, “Oh Guru! Do not concern yourself. Allow me to perform these austerities as a form of donation to You. Please retire to Your quarters.” Hearing such humility, Sadgurbapa became extremely pleased with Swamibapa. As a result of this, the situation changed entirely. Seeing the quality of endurance in Swamibapa, all the other sadhus succumbed to Him and sided with Him.
• Someone with qualities such as these never gets embroiled in flaw-finding in others and self-indulgence. He only obeys the commands of Jeevanpran Swamibapa and cannot be influenced by others. Someone who is easily influenced by others can never please God because worldly people may pull him any number of different directions. Jeevanpran Swamibapa has given an example of this: A father and son were travelling, with the father sat atop a donkey. Passers by commented how inappropriate it was for the father to be sitting and the son to be walking; and so the father walked and let the son sit on the donkey. Further on, more passers by commented that the son should be ashamed to sit while making the elderly father walk and so both sat on the donkey. Yet more passers by criticised the pair for making the poor donkey bear the weight of two people. Hearing this, both the father and son got off the donkey and instead carried it! Seeing this, people commented that the pair must be mad to be carrying a donkey, which itself is employed to carry things. In this way, people will pull others in very many directions as they see fit.
• We, as the disciples of God, should discard what other people think and say of us, and continue to please the supreme Lord Swaminarayanbapa Swamibapa whilst remaining under the shelter of Shree Swaminarayan Gadi. Only if we ignore society in this way and do only as commanded by Jeevanpran Swamibapa, will we be able to ask the Lord for the divine bliss that exists in His Murti.
• Let us pray to the Lord on this occasion: Oh Lord! Give us the strength to disregard the opinions of other people and remain only under Your divine guidance. Mercifully protect us under the shelter of Shree Swaminarayan Gadi so that we may experience the bliss of Your Murti.