November 18 to December 6 - 2004

Surat
24-28 - November 2004
12th year Kumbhabhishekam

Sri Swamiji traveled from Baroda to Surat on 24th November Morning. The four hour journey on the busy and congested high way reflected the development this part of Gujarat has seen in recent times. Upon arriving at Ashrama, Sri Swamiji visited the temples which are uniquely built atop the Guru Nilaya and is on the first floor.

Sri Swamiji then arrived at the Yaga Shala specially erected to conduct the PUNAH PRATISHTHA and KUMBHABHISHEKAM rituals. There were three Havan Kundas in which one of them was used for DATTA MOOLA MANTRA HAVAN by Gujarati priests led by the senior and erudite Shukla Yajurveda Scholar, Sri Milan Shastry. Sri Swamiji was very happy to see him. He showed to Sri Swamiji the copper fitted ARANI wood stick and pestle which would later be used to produce the sacred ritual fire. He also showed the 200 year old Shukla Yajurveda script which was penned by one of his ancestors.

That evening a welcome function was held in the Ashrama prayer hall. The Ashrama has seen a new hall being built in front of the Guru Nilaya for devotees to wait and rest between programs. In the evening a welcome program was held in the Ashrama’s Jayalakshmi Mandapa hall. Mavji Bhai Chowdhury, President of Surat district Panchayat attended and welcomed Sri Swamiji to Surat city.

On 25th Morning, Sri Chakra Puja was held and a blood donation camp was held to meet the acute blood shortage in city hospitals.

In the evening at 4 PM, the Governor of Gujarat state, HE Sri Nawal Kishore Sharma arrived in Ashrama and had Darshan of Sadguru Deva. He later inaugurated the three day Shata Shloki Ramayana discourse of Sri Swamiji. In his speech, the Governor remembered the visit he made to Mysore Ashrama in 1993 with the then Prime Minister of India, Sri P.V. Narasimha Rao. He also released the Gujarati book – SHATA SHLOKI RAMAYANA. The Ramayana discourse commenced in the evening at 6.30 in the specially erected stage just outside the prayer hall. It was held outside to accommodate the large audience. Sri Nilkanth Shastry translated Sri Swamiji's Hindi explanation to Gujarati language. But most Gujaratis understand Hindi and enjoyed Sri Swamiji's simple to understand Hindi explanation.

On 26th November 2004, Friday, Kartika Maasa Full moon day, the 12th year Kumbhabhishekam of all the temples of Surat Ashrama were held. The red coloured temples were inaugurated on 12th December 1991. The temple have a very unique feature. All the shrines are on the first floor above Guru Nilaya. No other Ashrama has this type of construction.

After the Sri Chakra Puja, Sri Swamiji released two Gujarati books . 1. Ashrama Nitya Prarthana which contains all the important prayers sung in Mysore Ashrama during morning prayers each day of the week and the Kakadarati Bhajans. The second book is a large sized printing of the popular LALITHA SAHASRANAMA STOTRA in Hindi script.

Sri Swamiji spoke and mentioned that today was very special as it was KARTHIKA PURNAMI day. Sri Swamiji remembered the thousands bathing in Manginapudi Ashrama wells. Sri Swamiji remembered the special event that took place over 15 years ago when Sri Swamiji was invited for the first time to Surat by Mahendra Dave, a devotee of England. Sri Swamiji reminisced the construction of the temple by devotees led by Hans Kamal Grover.

Later Sri Swamiji arrived at the Yaaga Shala and offered Purnahuti in all the three Homa Kundas. All the Kalashas were removed from their installed place and the priests carried them to the respective temple towers. Sri Swamiji climbed the steep steps leading to the central tower of Leela Vishwambara Dattatreya and Anagha Devi shrine. There, Sri Swamiji performed the KUMBHABHISHEKAM at 12.03 PM. At this pious hour as Sri Swamiji poured the sacred water from the Kalasha on the Leela Vishwambara Dattatreya temple’s Kalasha, priests performed Kumbhabhishekam to the respective temple Kalashas. Sri Swamiji then poured puffed corn and coins, flowers and then wrapped the recently polished brass Kalasha. Standing atop the pedestal high up on the temple tower, Sri Swamiji preached oath of truth and Dharmic life to the devotees. Sri Swamiji prayed Lord Dattatreya to grace the shrine for eons to come and Bless Gujarat and the people.

Coming down, Sri Swamiji went around to all the shrines and performed Samprokshana (sprinkling) and Arati to the shrines of Ganapathy, Ambaji, Subramanya, Surya, Krishna, Navagraha, Dakshinamurthy, Hanuman and Shiv ji. Annadana was performed
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In the evening, the second day of the Shata Shloki Ramayana discourse continued.

On 17th morning after the morning Puja, Sri Swamiji spoke on the greatness of Rama and the urgent need of the people of today to heed to the goals and model character of Lord Rama. Sri Swamiji also explained the inner meaning of several controversial topics in Ramayana like Seeta being asked to go through fire test, the questionable act of Rama killing Vali and sending pregnant Seeta to forest. It was amazing to hear Sri Swamiji address these issues and clarify the confusion that bothers many.

In the evening, Sri Swamiji gave interview to the senior correspondent of Gujarat Samachar new paper. This evening was the last session of Ramayana discourse. Sri Swamiji’s singing of Abhangs, Hindi Bhajans and lucid explanation of Ramayana won the hearts of all the devotees in the audience.

Sri Swamiji then released the Gujarati translation of SADGURU SUKTI SANGRAHA which contains Sayings of Sri Swamiji on various topics. First visited in 1988, Surat has a special place in Sri Swamiji’s heart. The happy smiling faces of devotees reflected the mood in the atmosphere.

On 28th November 2004 Sunday, after Sri Chakra Puja, a special program called GYAN GOSHTHI was conducted. Selected Doctors and intellectuals of Surat were invited to attend a lecture demonstration on Healing Music. Dr. Phanishree and Swami Manasa Datta gave lectures and conducted slide show outlining the concept of Healing music. Later, Sri Swamiji played Dvijavanti Raga and the Bhajan Sadanande Jo for over 30 minutes. The 200 member audience were immensely happy with the program.

Sri Swamiji left Surat Ashrama at 4 PM and traveled to Baroda to board the flight to New Delhi.

HE Sri Nawal Kishore Sharma, Governor of Gujarat lights the lamp before the Shata Shloki Ramayana Discourse of Sadguru Deva
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Sri Swamiji releases Nitya Ashrama Prarthana book in Gujarati language
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Tembe Maharaj's Hand Writing
A hundred year old Dattatreya Yantra and the Hand written Shloka written by Tembe Maharaj or Sri Vasudevananda Saraswati, the author of Datta Stava. The shloka was written and given to the father of Sri Nilkantha Shastry in 1913. The shloka is on Goddess Saraswati and reads as

NAMASTE SHARADE DEVI
SARASWATI MATI PRADE
VASATVA MAMA JIHVAGRE
SARVA VIDYA PRADA BHAVA
It means:
Salutations to Sharada Devi
Goddess Saraswati, the giver of intellect
Live at the tip of my tongue
Giver of all Knowledge

This is indeed a very rare manuscript
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close up of the manuscript
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Sri Swamiji performs Sri Chakra Puja in front of a giant hand painted screen of Sri Rama Parivar
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Sri Swamiji lectures on the Shata Shloki Ramayana in Hindi language
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Sri Swamiji performs Kumbhabhisheka of Leela Vishwambara Dattatreya and Anagha Devi
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Sacred water being sprinkled on the brass tower
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Sri Swamiji pours water on Ganapathy
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Subramanya Swamy
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Goddess Durga
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Shiv ji

Surya Narayana
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Maha Vishnu
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Nava Graha
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Hayagreeva
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Dattatreya and Anagha Devi receive bath with sacred waters
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Arati is offered after the Kumbhabhishekam
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Annadanam was performed to all the Devotees
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Leela Vishwambara Avadhoota Dattatreya and Anagha Lakshmi
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Sri Swamiji releases Sadguru Sukti Sangraha - a collection of quotations from Sri Swamiji in Gujarati language. It was translated by Sri Vyas of Gujarat Mitra news paper
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Sri Nilkanth Shastry was honoured by Swami Manasa Datta. This 78 year old profound scholar is a very lively and humble personality.
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The last event during the Surat visit this year. A healing music conference. Here we see Sri Swamiji seeing a slide show being presented by Dr. Phani Shree

North India Tour -2004
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