Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa Panchmahal Padarpan
Shashtipurti Mahotsav - Day 5
Friday 9th March 2012, Samvat 2068 Fagan Vad 1

Morning - Ceremonial Weighing
Afternoon - Fuldolotsav

Morning - Ceremonial Weighing of Jeevanpran Swamibapa

Morning Images

The final day of the festival, Friday 9 March 2012 had arrived. Sants and disciples had been working through the night to complete the final preparations of the climax of the grand festival to celebrate 60 years since Swamibapa first set foot on the soil of Panchmahal for the benefit of its people.

At 8.00 am, Jeevanpran Swamibapa and Acharya Swamishree presided on a golden chariot in the forecourt of the temple. Before them stood 110 young disciples carrying various different items for offering adoration to Jeevanpran Swamibapa; 60 due to the sixtieth anniversary of Swamibapa coming to Panchmahal, and 50 to mark the golden jubilee of Acharya Swamishree’s initiation as a sant. Shree Muktajeevan Pipe Band London led the parade to the front of the stage.

Having accepted the salute from Shree Muktajeevan Pipe Band, Acharya Swamishree commenced the grand adoration ceremony. One by one, each disciple placed their offerings at the lotus feet of Jeevanpran Swamibapa and Acharya Swamishree. Vedic verses were chanted by the scholar sants whilst this ceremony took place. Flower garlands and robes were offered to Jeevanpran Swamibapa. Aarti was also performed by Acharya Swamishree.

The ceremonial weighing of Jeevanpran Swamibapa was the most special event of the day. Swamibapa was seated on one side of a magnificent, golden scale. One by one, different articles were placed onto the other side of the scale. Jeevanpran Swamibapa was ceremonially weighed with fresh flowers, coconuts, candy sugar and betel nuts. The final weighing was with ‘Panch-ratna’, 5 precious articles. These included gold, silver, platinum, diamonds and rubies. Each time that the scales tipped from one side to the other, there were ecstatic cries of joy from the audience. Acharya Swamishree swung the scales all around so that everyone could see the divine darshan of Jeevanpran Swamibapa’s ‘tula’ ceremony. Acharya Swamishree performed the first aarti, after which the sants and disciples were given the opportunity to perform aarti.

After Jeevanpran Swamibapa’s divine blessings, Acharya Swamishree too bestowed His divine grace, in which He said:

• A lot of time, effort and hard work has gone into making this festival a success. Whoever has contributed, even if only in only some small manner, will attain the divine blessings of Lord Swaminarayanbapa Swamibapa. The merciful Lord will take note of your efforts to please Him, and becoming pleased with you, will undoubtedly bestow divine bliss to you all.
• The selfless devotion demonstrated by the sants and disciples during the festival will not go unnoticed by the Lord. Your efforts have been inscribed into the Lord’s divine register and you will enjoy the rewards of pleasing the Lord when the time comes.
• The Lord and His spiritual heirs have only one intention and that is to give comfort to souls in distress and make them worthy of salvation. Such was the purpose of Jeevanpran Swamibapa’s mission in the Panchmahal region. This festival too has the same aim; anyone who came for darshan during this festival will attain the Lord’s mercy.
• Now that such a supreme Lord’s close proximity has been attained, you have a duty not to allow vile traits to arise within you. Instead you must eliminate all the vile thoughts and behaviours. Lust, anger, arrogance, fascination etc. must not remain within you. Your conduct must be so pure and immaculate that even your enemies will praise you. Remain proud that you are affiliated to Maninagar, to Shree Swaminarayan Gadi, to the supreme Lord Swaminarayanbapa Swamibapa.
• Pray to the Lord for strength and guidance, so that you can remain forever at Shree Swaminarayan Gadi, pleasing the Lord more and more, and that you continue to progress in your life to become closer and closer to the almighty Lord.

After showering the congregation with His divine blessings, Acharya Swamishree gave mementos to disciples who had contributed most during the festival. Prasad was then distributed to everyone present.

Afternoon - Fuldolotsav

Afternoon Images

As this was the day of Fuldolotsav, the festival of flowers, sants and disciples gathered in a nearby open field to celebrate this occasion. After bathing Shree Harikrishna Maharaj with the coloured water and powder, this consecrated paint was showered all over the sants and disciples by Acharya Swamishree. He presided high up on a raised platform, which had a hose spraying coloured water over everyone. It was a truly memorable and joyous occasion. The sentiments behind this is that the colour of the material world should be banished away and replaced with the colour of God, i.e. you must not allow yourself to be controlled by materialistic worldly objects and attachments but instead, you must remain engrossed with adhering to the will of the almighty Lord.

Shree Harikrishna Maharaj was also bathed with Panchamrut, the five nectars. This consecrated Panchamrut was also sprayed over disciples.