Oct
21
2014
In the service of God and humanity
In the service of God and humanity
Dear Divine Souls, I hope that — by God’s Grace — this finds you in the best of health and happiness at this sacred and divine time of Diwali, the Festival of Light! From high in the sky, the beautifully burning lights of Diwali can be seen, illuminating the nation of India (and so many nations around the world where Indians live) in a kaleidoscopic symphony of colours. The lights of Diwali are viewable even by NASA satellite! Fascinatingly the division between countries, that which divides us — where one country ends...
Dear Divine Souls, I hope that – by God’s grace – this finds you and all your loved ones in the best of health and happiness at this holy time of Janmasthami. Krishna Janmasthami is the celebration of the day that Bhagwan Krishna incarnated in human form upon the Earth. It is celebrated at midnight on the eighth day of the dark fortnight in the month of Bhadrapada (August-September). The day is celebrated by worshipping Bhagwan Krishna, fasting and chanting devotional kirtan and bhajans until past midnight. The Bhagavad Gita says that whenever there...
Dear Divine Souls, I hope that – by God’s grace – this finds you and all your loved ones in the best of health and happiness at this beautiful time of Hanuman Jayanti, the birthday of Lord Shri Hanuman. The celebration of Hanuman Jayanti is a celebration of devotion, a celebration of sacrifice, a celebration of surrender. The day commemorates the life of Sri Hanuman, a divine incarnation who embodies the perfect devotee. Hanumanji was the son of the God of wind. History of Sri Hanuman and Hanuman Jayanti In the Heavenly, Divine Realms,...
At this time of the New Year inevitably people make resolutions, vows, promises and goals to become “new” in some way. We are always looking for some pill, some book or some practice we can use to become “newer and better.” These days there is talk everywhere about the “Secret to Youth.” Advertisements, commercials, billboards and magazines coax us to purchase their products, subscribe to their services or attend their retreats in order to attain the elusive Fountain of Youth. It is not merely wrinkle-free skin and shiny black...
This article was published in The Speaking Tree, here. Find out the true secret to internal peace and eternal joy with SWAMI CHIDANAND SARASWATI Every day people come to me with a host of problems, looking for solutions. Their questions are always the same — on happiness, peace, relationships and on life. There are a few important principles to live by and so many lessons to be learnt. Every day you go out to work, earn money and become more and more prosperous. Yet, at the end of the day, you are not...
Dear Divine Souls, I hope that – by God’s grace – this finds you and all your loved ones in the best of health and happiness at this sacred time. Today marks the holy day dedicated to the Guru. The full moon of the Guru. However, the Guru’s light is always full. The light of the Guru never dissipates or wanes. There is no such thing as the “half-moon” of the Guru or quarter-moon or sliver-of-a-moon of the Guru. The light and grace of the Guru is purna, always full, always constant. That’s what...
Dear Divine Souls, Today is the sacred and beautiful day of Holi, a day celebrated across India with great joy, gaiety and festivity. There are many meanings and much significance attached to this day. For some, it is the festival of Springtime, the heralding of warm weather and bidding farewell to the winter. It is also seen as a festival of love, the return of fertility. The Puranas describe Holi as a celebration of virtue over vice. It is a time when we rejoice in the victory of pure, divine Prahlaad...
23 February marked the 108th Rotarian Anniversary and Pujya Swamiji and the Ganga Action Parivar joined Rotarians in Allahabad, Chandigarh and worldwide to spread the message that truly service is the ultimate path to peace. Pujya Swamiji shares a beautiful quote from Mother Teresa: 'The fruit of prayer is faith, The fruit of faith is love. The fruit of love is devotion. The fruit of devotion is service. The fruit of service is peace.' One of the greatest services needed today is the preservation of the environment and our natural...
In celebration of this joyous Diwali occasion, one can see beautifully lit oil lamps and candles glowing in the darkness of night throughout India and wherever Indians have settled in the world. We line our homes, our rooms, our offices and our streets with brightly shining diyas. However, on this day we must not only light beautiful lamps in our homes and offices, but we must light the lamp in our hearts. The Divine Light Within Within each of us shines the Divine Light. The Divine Presence is not only everywhere outside of...