News Stories

Australia

While Pujya Swamiji was in Melbourne for the Parliament of World's Religions, there was also a public program for the Melbourne com- munity. Pujya Swamiji, Pujya Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji, Pujya Swami Avdheshanandji, Pujya Swami Agniveshji and Pujya Swami Parmatmanandji all gave a beautiful and in- spiring program at Melbourne University on Sunday the 6th December.

The Honorable President was very impressed to hear the Sansad’s tenets, goals and plans and she offered her full support. Pujya Swamiji presented her also with sacred water from the holy Lake Mansarovar.

The saints gave inspiring lectures on a variety of topics pertaining to India, In- dian culture, spirituality and more. To see the video of Pujya Swamiji’s lecture please click here

Brisbane, Australia

While in Australia, Pujya Swamiji also traveled to Brisbane where He spent 2 days. He gave a large, beautiful pravachan program at the home of Sailesh and Marina Chand who live on the premises of a sacred Sai Baba temple. They personally care for the temple, perform all the seva and the puja with great devotion.

They organized for Pujya Swamiji to give a satsang there at the temple for the Sai com- munity as well as for the entire local Brisbane community, Hindus and non-Hindus, for Pujya Swamiji’s teachings are applicable and ben- eficial for everyone. The program began with Pujya Swamiji’s sacred charan-puja, followed by bhajans/kirtans, inspiring discourse and it concluded with aarti.

When He arrived at the Brisbane airport, there were SO many people there from the community to receive Him -- with flowers, love and song. In the middle of the Brisbane airport, they sang with such love and devotion to Him....

Pujya Swamiji was so impressed to see their beautiful devotion and also the piety of all the devotees of the temple.

Also on the premises, outside in the garden, is a sacred Shiv Linga and Pujya Swamiji offered His prayers there prior to leaving the next morning.

To hear His talk on how to use our human birth to fulfill our Divine potential and attain God realization, please click here.

It was a beautiful evening, filled with love, song, prayer and divine inspiration. Early the next morn- ing, Pujya Swamiji left for Melbourne where He had to speak in a mid-morning session on the Hindu-Jewish dialogue.

On Pujya Swamiji’s first night in Brisbane, He visited the Goldcoast and stayed at the home of Divine Souls Bina and Chris Stevenson. Bina has lovingly and selflessly dedicated her life to the service of the needy in India.

While Pujya Swamiji was there Bina and Chris also organized a beautiful, private and cozy aarti in their home, which Pujya Swamiji lovingly performed.

Sydney, Australia

Pujya Swamiji also visited Sydney, Australia where He had spent a great deal of time over many years in the early 1990s as the founder and spiritual head of the first underground temple in the world, a beautiful Shiv temple in Mintoo, Sydney.

There was a beautiful program at the Mintoo temple in which He gave a discourse fol- lowed by aarti and Maha prasad. Pujya Swamiji even served the Maha prasad with His own hands!

While Pujya Swamiji was in Sydney, He was also requested to visit the home of Clive and Eriko Meyhew, beautiful souls who are the founder of YogAid, an organization that uses yoga, and people’s love of it, to raise funds for charitable organiza- tions. They organize YogaAid events at many places, in many cit- ies around the world, in which par- ticipants perform 108 sun salutation (or variations thereof) taught by dif- ferent teachers.

They come to Parmarth every year during the International Yoga Fes- tival and they had requested Pujya Swamiji to come to their home. So, graciously and lovingly He agreed.

They have a beautiful home, right on the ocean, and they organized the darshan and meditation in a room that was fully open to the sea breeze. There was a meditation as well as His blessings and question- answer time. The participants, most of whom were not Indians and had never been to India, were truly touched, inspired and awakened by His words and teachings.

Pittsburgh, PA

In October, Pujya Swamiji visited USA -- Pittsburgh, Harrisburgh, Louisville, KY and New York/New Jersey -- on a short trip coinciding with the divine holidays of Diwali and Annaukt (the day after Diwali). He celebrated Diwali with all the devotees and community of the Hindu Jain Temple and graced the Annakut function the following day with His presence as well, in which a special puja was performed for the Encyclopedia of Hinduism, the landmark historic project of IHRF.

Pittsburgh is the birthplace of the Encyclopedia of Hinduism project which Pujya Swamiji conceived of in 1987 and which actually began in 1993 (after spending 5 years traveling around the world identi- fying the top scholars). Pujya Swamiji is the Founder and Spiritual Head of the Hindu-Jain Temple in Pittsburgh and it was while He was there that the inspiration for this project came. Immedi- ately after making the of- ficial decision to embark on the project, they all went to the SV temple (the South Indian Balaji temple) of Pittsburgh to seek blessings of Lord Venkateshwara. Hence, now that the work is com- pleted and the Encyclo- pedia will be launched, Pujya Swamiji again went back to the SV temple on His trip to Pittsburgh in order to seek Lord Venkateshwara’s bless- ings on the first volume.

A beautiful puja was con- ducted there by the priests.

Pittsburgh, PA

Pujya Swamiji also gave a pro- gram in Harrisburgh, Pennsylva- nia (the capital of Pennsylvania), USA. Pujya Sri Shankar- acharyaji, Swami Divyanand Teerthji also graced the occasion with his presence at Pujya Swamiji’s request.

The function was in honor of the completion of the manuscript of the Encyclopedia, and was orga- nized by IHRF President, Shri Hasubhai Shah and his divine wife, Smt. Harshaben.

Pujya Swamiji and Pujya Sri Shankaracharyaji also honored Shri Hasubhai and Smt. Harshaben, Drs. Navalbhai and Nilaben Kant and several others for their commitment and dedi- cation to the divine project.

Louisville, KY

Pujya Swamiji and Pujya Sri Shankaracharyaji also traveled to Lou- isville, KY where they gave a beauti- ful program at the Hindu Temple of Kentucky. The program was orga- nized by Smt. Rekhaben & Shri Atulbhai Mashruwala, Smt. Jayshreeben & Dr. Rajanbhai Amin, and Drs. Taranginiben and Chandrakantbhai Patel.

As puja was performed for the 1st volume of EH, and after receiving the blessings from the saints, the volume was carried around to receive the blessings of all the devotees also.