Images

The second day of Shree Swaminarayan Temple New Jersey’s 7th Patotsav celebration landed on the auspicious day of Sadguru Din. The day began with scripture recitals from Shree Swaminarayan Gadi. Then His Divine Holiness Acharya Swamishree showered His divine blessings upon the entire congregation.

In His blessings, Acharya Swamishree explained the importance of understanding the glory of Supreme Lord Shree Swaminarayan. To achieve eternal salvation, one must understand the true form of the Lord, and one must understand that there is no higher entity than He (sanatan upasana). Lord Swaminarayan and His sants give darshan in human form in order for disciples to attain eternal salvation from Them in simple ways, such as:

• Giving out last breath in the places the Lord and His sants had visited as humans
• Touching the wind that bounces of the Lord and His sants
• Remembering celebrations, parades, or a simple event that was associated with Karan Satsang
• Doing darshan of the Lord and His sants

One time Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa was visiting Nairobi, and He gave darshan to an African working at a temple site. Upon meeting Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa, he soon felt peace at heart and body. Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa gave darshan to this African in his last breath and took him to Akshardham. 

Acharya Swamishree explained that one has to find a true Guru and true sants who can grant such salvation. He explained this by giving an example with sugar and salt. Even though they look the same, sugar is sweeter. This Karan Satsang is sugar. The Lord has graced us all by overlooking all our sins, big or small. If He were to start nitpicking, no one would be capable of achieving eternal salvation in Akshardham.  Once in the Karan Satsang, one must obey all rules set forth by the Lord to achieve salvation.

Shree Muktajeevan Swamibapa has given us Shree Swaminarayan Gadi and has taken the responsibility of all who abide by it. In one’s daily prayers, one should thank the Lord who has given him birth in this Karan Satsang. We are very fortunate, as disciples of Shree Swaminarayan Gadi, to be a part of this Karan Satsang, and we should never forget the Lord’s grace for this.

After Acharya Swamishree’s divine blessings, all the disciples were given the opportunity to offer dhotis to Acharya Swamishree and sants. Afterwards, everyone was served maha-prasad.

Later that night, the disciples of the temple held a night of devotion. Young girls performed devotional dances to start off the night. A religious drama titled “Swamibapa Haiya Na Har Taran Har” followed the dances.