UK Dharmayatra 2023
18th - 31st May 2023
Param Pujya Bhaishree accompanied with Br Vikrambhai, Br Minalben and Br Lalitaben graced the blessed land of UK on their Dharmayatra.
18th May 2023
London Heathrow
After an unbearable wait of five long years, UK mumukshu’s eyes welled up with devotion as they beheld Param Pujya Bhaishree and the Brahmanishts arriving at London Heathrow!
Despite having spent two busy weeks at the Kenya Dharmayatra, and having just arrived after an overnight flight, there was not any sign of weariness in Bhaishree! Just the same serene, calm, composed, elevated and cheerful persona!
After a day of rest, the UK Dharmayatra starts in full swing from tomorrow with numerous events at various locations. Excitement is in the air, and the only desire is to soak in every moment, relish every word and cherish every opportunity to be in Bhaishree’s grace.
19th May 2023 11:00am,
Mahavir Foundation (Kenton Derasar) London
Param Pujya Bhaishree along with the Brahmanishths and mumukshus performed Aarti and Mangal Divo at the Kenton Derasar this morning.
Kenton Derasar hold a very special place in the hearts of UK mumukshus, for it has served as an oasis of calm in the midst of the daily hustle and bustle for many a soul. And it was here that nearly a decade ago in 2012, Bhaishree had consecrated the image of Param Krupaludev, Shree Saubhagbhai and Prabhushree Lalluji Maharaj Saheb.
Offering our venerations to Jineshwar Bhagwan and Shrimad Rajchandra marked the auspicious beginning of the UK dharmayatra!
19th May 2023 6pm,
Welcome Ceremony
UK mumukshus gathered with great joy and devotion in their hearts this evening at the official welcome ceremony for Param Pujya Bhaishree and the team of Brahmanishths.
Bhaishree was welcomed with great fanfare and melodious singing. In his address to mumukshus, Bhaishree encouraged all to inculcate the three virtues of perseverance, self-belief and single-minded dedication in order to achieve the goal of Samyak Darshan. Through his compassionate words and soulful anecdotes Bhaishree set the tone for the coming days, thereby prodding everyone to immerse themselves in their spiritual practice and to derive the highest possible spiritual benefit from the upcoming Satsangs and the Meditation retreat.
Finally, mumukshus performed Guru Aarti and concluded the function with a cake cutting ceremony to commemorate Bhaishree's 80th year.
20th May 2023 10:00am, Niland Centre
Young Children’s, Children’s, Teens and Spiritual Parenting Events
Lots of fun and excitement was in the air this morning when we had our events for children, teens and parents at the Niland Centre. The air was full of positive vibes and the sun was shining on us too, as we experienced the love and wisdom of Bhramnishths Vikrambhai and Minalben.
The children had a fun session with Minalben on 'Finding your Inner Superpowers.' She started by telling them she loved them all and invited them to sing the navkar mantra. They had a great time after snacks, with a treasure hunt in the sun with a fantastic goody bag at the end, yoga, and sharing key takeaways they learnt from Minalben, followed by a walk and play in the garden.
The teens had a very insightful session with Vikrambhai, on 'This is Me: The Journey of my Identity'. They started with a fun mind-game to break the ice and covered issues such as peer pressure, taking control of your own life and making your own decisions with advice from others, staying young in mind and how this helps increase your concentration. They then went on a long walk in the sunny grounds and sat outside, where he sang and explained the meaning of Maitri Bhavanu and the 4 qualities of love, friendship, appreciation and compassion. He provided very helpful and practical answers based on spirituality to questions that the teens had written anonymously.
Parents were treated to insights and advice from Minalben on 'Spiritual Parenting: Thriving Together.' This was enjoyed by all, who found it very helpful and insightful also given Minalben’s experience of being a parent and grandparent.
The final treat was for the babies and toddlers in the 'I am a Star' session, where they did bhakti and aarti with Minalben and Vikrambhi. Overall, a very enjoyable morning for all, lots of smiles and happiness in the air and lots of insights and valuable knowledge to take away.
20th May 2023 6:00pm
Spirituality of Service
There was a wonderful buzz at Avanti House Secondary School on Saturday evening as philanthropists and humanitarians came together to celebrate service and philanthropy during our Humanitarian Evening- ‘Spirituality of Service’. It was a wonderful opportunity for us to give thanks to those who support, collaborate or volunteer with us, or who do significant philanthropy elsewhere.
We were privileged to hear from Param Pujya Bhaishree on the power and impact of selfless compassion, and from Brahmnishths Vikrambhai and Minalben on the fascinating history of the ashram and the setting up of the humanitarian activities. They noted that there is a focus on alleviating the root cause of suffering and to remove hatred towards suffering, in addition to relieving poverty and hardship.
We were treated to 6 riveting videos showcasing the impact of the work being carried out on the ground in these areas: helping differently abled children, higher education for girls, primary education, the community hospital, eye hospital and dental clinic, and grain distribution. There were many tears in the room thereafter. We are only able to do this wonderful work due to the support provided by our donors and those who have taken part in, donated to, match-funded or volunteered in challenge events and fundraisers such as the Light of Hope. Thank you so much to all of you.
We heard from Anilbhai Doshi, on his experience of sponsoring a week-long series of humanitarian activities in Sayla in 2014 and a medical camp in Sayla in January 2023, from Alpaben Dhanani on her family’s experience of hosting a camp for differently-abled persons in Jamnagar last Christmas and from Bipinbhai Shah, who talked about his experience of sponsoring 1,000 cataract operations at the eye hospital.
These accounts from people who have experienced RajSaubhag’s philanthropy in action really reinforced how effectively the donations have been used to change lives and how well-organised everything was, down to the last detail. The trustees also emphasised that there were no admin or fundraising costs taken out of donations, and warmly invited all attendees to visit Sayla and see the projects for themselves. A very enjoyable, informative and inspiring evening for all.
21st May 2023 11:00am,
Jain Centre Leicester
This glorious morning UK mumukshus along with Param Pujya Bhaishree and the Brahmanishths departed by coach for a day trip to Leicester. The Jain centre of Leicester has always been on the agenda during UK Dharmayatras right from the beginning, but this year was special- for the Derasar is celebrating the 35th anniversary of their Pratistha Mahotsav which was held back in 1988. That very year, Param Pujya Bapuji was in the UK thanks to the first ever international Dharmayatra and had himself consecrated the images of Param Krupaludev and Shree Saubhagbhai. Ever since then Leicester has become a regular destination of pilgrimage for UK mumukshus.
Once the coach arrived at Leicester Derasar, the members of the Jain Centre welcome Bhishree and everyone in their usual grand manner with much pomp and gaiety. Next we headed up to the main hall where Raj Saubhag as well as Leicester mumukshus who had gathered in large numbers had the blessed opportunity of listening to Bhaishree's discourse. Drawing form the Uttaradhyayana Sutra, Bhaishree spoke about the four essential attainments for spiritual progress- (1) Manushyatva ie. human incarnation, (2) Shravan ie. the opportunity to listen to the words of the enlightened (3) Shraddha ie. faith in the words of such teachers & (4) Purusharth ie. spiritual efforts and striving on the part of the seeker.
Next we performed Aarti & Mangal Divo, both in the Jinalay which houses Bhagwan Shantinath as the mool-nayak and in the mandir which houses the images of Param Krupaludev, Saubhagbhai and Prabhushree.
After lunch and a short break, Raj Saubhag's bhakti team delighted everyone with a divine rendition of bhakti songs dedicated to the Tirthankars. Next we heard some pearls of wisdom from Br. Minalben & Br. Vikrambhai. With the day well spent at the Derasar and with Bhaishree and with the teachings and the divine atmosphere still fresh in their hearts, mumukshus headed back to London.
22nd May 2023, 5:00pm
Mystic Poetry in Jainism at SOAS & Pure Soul exhibition
Param Pujya Bhaishree along with UK mumukshus paid a visit to the Pure Soul exhibition at the SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) which is a leading institute for religious studies and is part of the University College London (UCL).
This Pure Soul exhibition has been organised by Prof. Peter Flugel, chair of the centre of Jaina studies, SOAS. After exploring the various exhibits which included several ancient scriptures as also an entire section dedicated to Shrimad Rajchandra, we enjoyed a South Indian dinner at a local restaurant and then headed to the lecture theatre for the highlight of the evening- a talk on ‘Mystic Poetry in Jainism’ by P. Minalben and P. Vikrambhai.
The audience was enthralled by the mesmerising singing of Vikrambhai and the profound, joyful explanations shared by both speakers. Starting the talk by explaining the blissful inner state of the mystic poet, they then delved into the life of one such poet- Shrimad Rajchandra, and shared the meanings of one of Krupaludev’s earliest poems ‘Bahu Punya Kera’.
Finally they spoke about the life and times of another such mystic poet- Anandghanji Maharaj Saheb and shared a few inspiring anecdotes from his life. Singing the verses of one of his compositions ‘Ab hum amar bhaye’ they shared the profound esoteric essence behind his words. In the final verse of this poem, Anandghanji has left behind a cryptic clue to all seekers which Minalben and Vikrambhai decoded for the audience as follows- Anandghanji says “there lie two letters of the alphabet close to each other, those that do not recall them shall never overcome mortality”. Explaining these words, they shared that these two alphabets are actually સ and હ (both of which lie next to each other in the Devanagari script) and together they become સોહં or ‘I am That’! And by meditating upon this word and its essence the seeker can become immortal!
Truly it was a spellbinding evening that left an indelible mark upon all those present!
23rd May 2023, 10:00am
Day 1 of the morning series
This morning we were blessed with a swadhyay from Br. Lalitaben before Param Pujya Bhaishree’s Param Satsang.
Lalitaben spoke about how simple the path is - that we simply need to change our perspective. I am not the body, but rather the pure soul inside. None of this body’s wealth, possessions or family are truly mine. This simple change in perspective is all that is needed.
Param Pujya Bhaishree’s swadhyay was our first preparation swadhyay for the upcoming shibir on ‘Samyak Darshan’
The first of the 5 characteristics of Samyak Darshan is ‘Sham’ or upsham - to calm our passions. When we are doing dhyan, we often encounter thoughts that disturb us - these thoughts are caused by the attachments that we have in our lives, and the ‘kashayas’ or passions that we have engaged in.
We need to be able to turn back from these passions when we feel they are going to arise. For instance, if someone insults us, we might initially get angry and speak out. Being able to hold back our speech is the first step, but thereafter we need to strive to have that kashays not arise in the first place.
He told us a story highlighting the sheer power of forgiveness, and how true forgiveness can take us all the way to Samyak Darshan and eventually Keval Gnan!
O Guruji, under your loving guidance, may we continuously reduce our Kashays and attain Samyak Darshan!
23rd May 2023 7:00pm
Oshwal Centre Potters Bar
The Oshwal association of the UK has had a long standing association with Raj Saubhag, having hosted Param Pujya Bhaishree regularly during every Dharmayatra as well as partnering on various philanthropic initiatives.
This evening Bhaishree & the Brahmanishths received a warm welcome at the Oshwal Centre by the committee members, and after dinner we all participated in Aarti & Mangal Divo at the majestic Derasar which is situated in the sprawling, lush grounds of the centre.
As the large audience from the Jain community gathered to partake in Bhaishree's Satsang, they were firstly introduced to Raj Saubhag's various humanitarian & charitable activities through a series of deeply touching short films that presented these activities and their impact through stories from the very beneficiaries of them over the past several decades.
Bhaishree's Satsang was on the topic of 'The relevance of Bhagwan Mahavir's path in modern times'. Bhaishree started by speaking about the revolutionary impact of Lord Mahavir's approach upon the world in terms of making the Jain philosophy accessible and inclusive for all. He then drew upon Shrimad Rajchandra's magnificent composition 'Mool Marag Sambhalo' to highlight the essence of Lord Mahavir's path which comprises of the three jewels of Right Knowledge, Right Faith and Right Conduct as the essential trinity for attaining soul-realisation and for ascending the journey towards liberation. As P. Vikrambhai recited one verse after another in his melodious voice, Bhaishree unraveled the essence of each of them- thereby drawing the audience's attention towards the most critical aspects of the path to liberation. Drawing upon Shrimad's words Bhaishree explained that Right Knowledge lies in understanding the characteristics and nature of consciousness as expounded by an enlightened master, Right Faith lies in experientially realising the above within oneself, and Right conduct lies in abiding by the above knowledge and faith in ones activities.
Leaving the audience with much to contemplate upon, the evening concluded with both organisations thanking and applauding each other for all their spiritual, philanthropic and collaborative initiatives.
24th May 2023, 10:00am
Day 2 of the morning Satsang series
Lalitaben continued to emphasise the importance of doing a 180 degree turn. Our viewpoint needs to be that “I am the atma” - everything else is merely an association. The characteristics of an object are inseparable from it - that is how we can recognise the soul: through its characteristics of awareness and its ability to know.
She went to remind us that Param Krupaludev Shrimad Rajchandraji said “ame deh dhari chhiye ke kem” - or “am I indeed in an embodied form?” Remembering that his soul was actually embodied is something that took him so much effort. May we also lose our sense of identification with the body to this extent and finally realise our souls
Param Pujya Bhaishree’s Param Satsang was on the second and third of the five attributes of Samyak Darshan, namely Samveg (having no desire but Moksha) and Nirved (feeling weary of this sansaar which is filled with suffering).
He took the story of Anathi Muni, a young, inspiring monk, who was sitting in meditation, only to be approached by King Shrenik. King Shrenik tried to lure him back into worldly life, stating that a young man such as him should be making the most of his youth and enjoy sensual pleasures. He offered to be Anathi Muni’s protector. To this, Anathi Muni exclaimed: how can you be my protector when you yourself are unprotected?
Taken aback, King Shrenik questioned this statement. Anathi Muni described how, before he became a monk, he suffered with an incredibly painful disease. No one could save him. No one could protect him. No one could remove the pain - not even his nearest and dearest. Only true religion saved him from suffering in this lifetime and future lifetimes.
Oh Bhaishree, we have surrendered to you! May we follow the path you have shown with utmost devotion, putting aside all other desires so that we may attain Samyak Darshan too!
24th May 2023, 8.00pm
Harmonious Relationships
This evening, seekers gathered for an English language satsang to hear Pujya Br. Minalben and Pujya Br. Vikrambhai share their perspectives on 'Harmonious Relationships'. The evening began with a wonderful dance on 'sabsi oonchi prem sagai' depicting six different soulful & loving relationships from Indian mythologies including the Ramayan and Mahabharata.
Our speakers then expounded on what relationships are and shared the A-Z of various emotions experienced within relationships, as well as sharing some important tips for maintaining harmonious relationships with everyone- Love and keeping a safe distance.
They then intricately guided us to explore our own relationship with ourselves, reminding us that as we pass the various phases of life there is only one element that remains constant and that is who we truly are! They urged seekers to find a true guru, surrender to them and follow their instructions and this would eventually lead to experiencing our true selves; whilst also leading to being harmony with all living and non living entities!
O Gurudev, we are so blessed to have found you and pledge to be steadfast in following your instruction so that we too can experience our true selves and ultimately be in harmony with the entire universe!
25th May 2023, 10:00 am
Day 3 of morning Satsang series
This morning's Satsang began with Br. Lalitaben's discourse where she stressed upon the importance of this blessed opportunity that we have all received to progress on the spiritual path. She exclaimed that we have arrived at the doorstep of finally awakening from our ageless slumber of false identification with the body, and that we need to ceaselessly remind ourselves that 'I am the pure powerful soul' so as to finally put an end to the miserable cycle of birth and death.
Next Param Pujya Bhaishree continued with his topic which is the five attributes of 'Samyak Darshan'. He spoke about the final two of these attributes- 'Shraddha' or 'Aastha' (faith in the True Lord, True Guru and the True Religion) and 'Anukampa' (compassion towards all souls).
Emphasising the importance of 'Shraddha' bhaishree stated that if such faith remains unwavering until we breathe our last then the soul is guaranteed to be liberated within fifteen lifetimes- such is the power in faith! Bhaishree explained that faith can be of two forms: conditional faith which is firm belief in the True Lord, True Guru and True Religion, and absolute faith which is intrinsic belief in the fact that we are the omnipresent, omnipotent, eternal, pure awareness. Through the stories of King Kumarpal and other great Shravaks Bhaishree shared examples of sincere seekers of yore whose unwavering faith even in the midst of great travesty led to tremendous spiritual progress.
Bhaishree then spoke about 'Anukampa' which is compassion both towards other souls as also oneself. It involves the cultivation of an equitable viewpoint towards all living beings right from unicellular organisms to five-sensed, intelligent lifeforms- such that we can see them all as manifestations of the same consciousness as our own. 'Anukampa', Bhaishree stated, also involves having compassion towards all the suffering souls living in delusion and caught in the unending trap of birth and death, and in being of assistance so they may attain the spiritual path. Through the stories of Lord Mahavir & Chandakaushik as well as King Humayun, Bhaishree highlighted how great acts of compassion can prove to be truly transformative.
We thank you dearest Gurudev, for blessing us with this divine knowledge of the five attributes of the awakened ones, and we pray that we might be able to cultive them within ourselves by your grace!
25th May 2023, 5:00pm
SRMD - London Spiritual Centre
Param Pujya Bhaishree along with the team of Brahmanishths and a few Raj Saubhag UK mumukshus paid a visit to Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur's London Spiritual Centre which houses a magnificent temple dedicated to Shrimad Rajchandra.
SRMD committee members as well as mumukshus extended a grand welcome to Bhaishree. After offering salutations to the idol of Param Krupaludev, all those present participated in Aarti & Mandal Divo. Next followed an enthralling bhakti session of devotional singing, including a stuti to Param Pujya Bapuji, that created an elevated atmosphere. SRMD members wanted to commemorate Bhaishree’s 80th birth year, and did so by presenting Him with a gift, showing their love, and devotion towards Him.
Aptly, Bhaishree addressed the audience with a few words of wisdom on the topic of ‘Prem’ (love) itself.
Bhaishree said: We can’t see love, but we can understand it. Love can take many forms: compassion, appreciation of virtues, praise, universal friendship, serving God, serving humanity, oneness, non-violence, observing one’s duty, meditation, and more.
The visit ended with both Raj Saubhag and SRMD expressing their prem for one another and their oneness in devotion for Param Krupaludev.
25th May 2023, 8.00pm
Overcoming Overwhelm
Seekers returned back eagerly to learn on the topic of ‘Overcoming overwhelm’. The session kicked off with a wonderful dance on ‘Ai Malik tere bande hum’, which depicted one way to overcome overwhelm.
Our speakers, Pujya Br. Minalben and Pujya Br. Vikrambhai then delved into the topic and asked us whether we introspected. They then gave 3 prompts to helps us introspection and understand our inner workings - what are my thoughts like, what are my feelings and what is my nature like? They went on further to give various tips to help us manage our feelings to overcome overwhelm. A few of these included outsourcing or delegating various tasks, challenging the need for perfection and redefining the definition of success.
Br Minalben and Br Vikrambhai compassionately then prompted the audience to cultivate mindfulness whilst doing tasks and being present in the task itself. This can help overcome any tears from the past and fears of the future. They then gently nudged us all to slowly cultivate the art of being a witness and that will reduce our attachment to the world and help us remain centred within our witnessing consciousness. This is the ultimate tool to help us overcome overwhelm whilst managing all the various tasks we have.
O Gurudev, your ever serene and centred persona despite your extremely busy schedule is the ultimate inspiration for us to learn the art of overcoming overwhelm from and we are ever so grateful to have you in our lives!
26th May 2023, 10:00am
Day 4 of the morning Satsang series
In his discourse this morning, Param Pujya Bhaishree spoke about one singular concept- that of ‘granthi’ which are the seven figurative knots of mohaniya karma (the category of karma that keeps the soul bound in delusion)
The Jain philosophy has laid down a series of fourteen stages called the ‘gunasthanaks’ so as to chart our the path of ascension to self-realisation and eventually liberation. These fourteen stages involve nothing but the overcoming of mohaniya karma step by step, starting with the gross forms and ultimately the subtlest ones. Bhaishree explained that it is at the very first gunasthanak that the sincere seeker has the rare opportunity to achieve ‘granthi-bhed’ or in other words the untangling of these knots and thereby make the leap to the fourth gunasthanak. And it is only from here that the path to liberation begins.
Thus Bhaishree laid the ground for the upcoming five-day dhyan shibir where the topic is ‘Samyak Darshan’. Embodiment of compassion, O enlightened master, bless us with the courage and perseverance to finally overcome these granthis and attain the divine moment of oneness with the self!
27th May 2023
Day 1 of the shibir
Nearly 190 souls gathered with great enthusiasm at the Avanti House secondary school for the first day of the five day spiritual retreat. The shibir comprises of there daily hour-long meditation sessions, as well as two discourses by Param Pujya Bhaishree.
Bhaishree’s topic for the shibir is ‘Samyak Darshan’ and his discourse are based on the book of the same name, which is a compilation of lectures by Pujya Bhanuvijayji Maharaj Saheb.
Bhaishree began by stressing upon the biggest obstacle in attaining Samyak Darshan or the blessed experience of self-realisation- which is nothing but the individual’s hubris in terms of falsely assuming their preconceived notions to be the entire truth. Speaking further upon this issue, Bhaishree spoke about the karma theory and the process by which karma is bound, born and eventually shed. He then explained that the only way to attain Samyak Darshan is through ‘bodh’ (the spiritual wisdom bestowed by enlightened master) and ‘purusharth’ (sincere efforts). And finally Bhaishree drew everyone’s attention to the unfathomable and glorious inner state of such an awakened person- among which is the miraculous condition wherein such a being does not go through any significant intrinsic suffering no matter what the external circumstances!
During the second and third meditation sessions, P. Minalben & P. Vikrambhai conducted English language sessions for beginners on the path as also those who have not been initiated in meditation. Their topic was ‘the practical path to spirituality’ which consisted of various foundational concepts on the spiritual path.
28th May 2023
Day 2 of the shibir
After a peaceful meditation session this morning, seekers assembled for Param Pujya Bhaishree’s discourse. Continuing on the topic of ‘Samyak Darshan’, Bhaishree elaborated further on the glorious inner state of one that has attained self-realisation. He shared that such a soul ‘never ever engages wholeheartedly in the materialistic world’ which is to say that even if such a soul were incarnated as a great king or emperor, still their inner discrimination between consciousness and matter is such that they remain detached from the world! Bhaishree highlighted this point through the story of Jambu Kumar- such was the power of Samyak Darshan that he remained unflinching even in the midst of the most enticing pleasures, and instead adopted monkhood along with his beautiful brides!
After two more meditation sessions and a lunch break, it was time for Bhaishree’s second discourse of the day during which he focussed on the two classifications of the enlightened master’s teachings in the context of Samyak Darshan:
(1) ‘Updesh Bodh’ or those foundational teachings that prepare the seeker by laying the ground for the more advanced absolute teachings. Updesh bodh focussed on cultivating two important virtues- those of ‘Vairagya’ or detachment from the materialistic world and ‘Upsham’ or calming of the passions in the midst of pleasant or unpleasant circumstances. And
(2) ‘Siddhant Bodh’ or those teachings that focus upon the elemental substances or ‘dravyas’ that this universe is comprised of, including consciousness. Bhaishree explained in great depth that each such elemental substance has three attributes- eternal existence, key characteristics & finally expressions or manifestations. As an analogy, if ‘clay’ were the substance, ‘plasticity’ would be one of the characteristics, and a ‘pot’ would be an expression. Bhaishree used the above concepts to explain the elevated and altered state of an awakened soul- their focus now remains unwaveringly on the unchanging, elemental substance (consciousness) rather that its temporary expressions such as ‘vikapls’ or engaging in chains of thoughts, feelings, sensations, perceptions.
29th May 2023
Day 3 of the shibir
After the morning meditation, seekers eagerly returned to another thought provoking Satsang on the topic of 'Samyak Darshan'. Param Pujya Bhaishree started by sharing that the main cause of Sansaar (continuous cycle of birth and death) is nothing but Anantanubandh kashay (infinitely binding passions)- which are intense passions that arise from 'papanubandhi karma', which is a type of karma that leads to the binding of more karma whilst they are in fruition and being endured. The root cause of this is Mithyatva (delusion). Bhaishree compassionately explained that a banyan tree has innumerable branches and each branch has numerous of roots hanging from them, with each such root containing the potential to birth thousands of more banyan trees. Just like that Mithyatva is such a potent seed to create infinite cycles of birth and rebirth.
Bhaishree then lovingly explained the tools to prevent any passions that have arisen by seeking forgiveness either daily, fortnightly, every 4 months or at least once a year, as this would prevent the kashay (passion) from becoming anantanubandi.
After another meditation and reflection session, Bhaishree continued with another Satsang, explaining that just like a whole banyan tree is hidden within the seed, in the same way, the whole tree of moksha is hidden in the seed of faith in a true Guru.
O dear Gurudev, we are so grateful for you gently shaking us from our deep slumber to realise how dangerous Mithyatva really is.
30th May 2023
Day 4 of the shibir
The day started with a meditation session followed by another Satsang on the subject of ‘Samyak Darshan’. Param Pujya Bhaishree continued to expound upon the foundational qualities required for seekers striving for Samyak Darshan, which are- (1) vyavahar shuddhi (purity in behaviour), (2) jivan / aachaar shuddhi (purity in daily life/conduct) and (3) antkaran shuddhi (purity of conscious mind/ heart). He then lovingly expressed that one needs the following 9 attainments even before embarking on the process of Samyak Darshan: (1) one must have a discriminative mind, (2) a body with five senses, (3) six paryaptis - ability to ingest food, a body comprised of 7 elements, possess organs of sensory perception, ability to breathe, ability to speak and use the mind (4) must be a 'bhavya' soul ie a soul that that is preordained to attain moksha (5) such a soul must be destined to attain liberation within a time period known as 'ardh pudgal paravartan kaal'- which despite being colossal, is still finite. (6) have 3 shubh leshya or benevolent inclinations (7) posess the ability to focus attention, for Samyak Darshan can only be attained through such focus (8) ability to contemplate on positive qualities as well as reflect upon shortcomings (9) inclined towards attaining Samyak Darshan.
Param Pujya Bhaishree then continued that to attain Samyak Darshan, one needs to attain 5 labdhis or transcendental achievements-
(1) Kshayopsham labdhi- the achievement by which the intensity of the four 'ghati' karmas is reduced manifold
(2) Vishuddhi labdhi- the achievement by which the fruition of Mohaniya Karma (delusion causing karma) is weakened. This leads to the subsidence of the ego and calming of passions, binding of good karma that bears fruits of comfort, and ultimately the opportune meeting of an enlightened master, who can impart true spiritual understanding.
(3) Deshna labdhi- the achievement by which the seeker's focus changes from the ephemeral to the everlasting, which is to say that a great desire arises to understand from the words of the enlightened masters and contemplate only upon that which has no beginning and no end
(4) Prayogya labdhi- the achievement by which the seeker is now ready to attain Samyak Darshan. They have the courage, the zeal and the inner strength to do so. The time frame for the fruition of their latent karma is now reduced significantly to within 1 'koda kodi' (100 trillion) 'sagaropam'- which is a tremendously long time, but nonetheless finite and with the goal in sight
(5) Karan labdhi- the final achievement by which the seeker becomes so profoundly engrossed in the enlightened master's teachings that they make the ultimate breakthrough and attains Samyak Darshan.
Following another meditation session, Param Pujya Bhaishree explained in depth the first 3 labdhis in much detail clarifying every seeker’s questions. He expressed that by contemplating on the soul and using our intellect (buddhi) so that it converts to pragna (discriminative intellect), we can surely distinguish between the soul and body and that should be the focus of our striving.
O Dear Bhaishree, we are immensely grateful to you for really breaking down what seems to be an extremely arduous and complex path into small manageable steps so that we too can strive towards Samyak Darshan.
31st May 2023
Day 5 of the shibir
After the morning meditation session, seekers assembled keely to partake of Bhaishree's final sermon of the shibir and in anticipation to comprehend the final chapters of the text 'Samyak Darshan'. Bhaishree spoke in depth about the last two of the five labdhis which are the transcendental achievements that are the prerequisites for the attainment of Samyak Darshan ie. that blessed experience of realising the self as pure, eternal awareness, distinct from the body.
Elaborating up the 'Karam labdhi', Bhaishree shared that 'Karan' means expression or manifestation, or in other words the inner state of the seeker. Karam labdhi comprises of three stages-
(1) Yathapravruti Karan- this is the arising of intense feelings of 'vairagya' ie. detachment or dissociation from the material world. This stage has occurred innumerable times in the soul's timeless journey, but thus far the soul has never managed to go beyond it. Now when the final yathapravruti karan occurs, the feelings of vairagya are extremely intense thereby enabling the seeker to enter the next stage
(2) Apurva Karan- This is the unprecedented stage wherein tremendous energy, enthusiasm and devotion for attaining the experience of the divine soul arise in the seeker, and they become profoundly engrossed & transfixed upon the absolute teachings of the enlightened master. And now they are ready to untie all the knots or 'granthi's of delusion and make the final breakthrough.
(3) Anivrutti Karan- numerous times has the soul reached the prior stage, but alas has had to turn back from the final attainment. By a divine stroke of grace, fuelled by the sincere striving of the seeker- there arises a blessed window where all Mohaniya karma remain in latency, and those in fruition are borne within an 'antarmuhurat' (48 mins) thereby leaving a short gap. And in that gap the unprecedented, unfathomable, ecstatic experience of Samyak Darshan is attained!
Through numerous verses sung by P. Vikrambhai in his melodious voice, Bhaishree highlighted the joy of this experience as sung by enlightened sages of the past. Finally Bhaishree shared the transformation that occurs in the life of such a soul that has attained the above state and the fact that moksha is now inevitable for them!
Sthapnas during the UK Dharmayatra
As always, Param Pujya Bhaishree and the Brahmanishths joyously conducted several sthapnas over the course of the UK Dharmayatra.
Consecrating the idols of the Omniscient Lord Tirthankars and also the images of Param Krupaludev, and other saints is a rare and blessed opportunity - more so when performed in the presence of and at the hands of an enlightened master!
The idol of the Lord Tirthankar serves as a potent symbol of the pure soul, unblemished by all that is external, and eternally transfixed within themselves. It is described as a superlative focal-point (ઉત્કૃષ્ટ અવલંબન) for the seeker to still their gaze and dissolve into pure awareness. While the seeker is still not at a stage to comprehend the formless, the form of the Tirthankar's idol serves as a divine sacrament to contemplate upon the formless. No wonder Anandghanji Maharaj Saheb describes the ornamental service of such idols as service to oneself! (જિન પૂજા તે નિજ પૂજના)
As P. Vikrambhai stirred everyone's souls into a state of ecstatic love and devotion through his soulful singing and unwavering devotion to the Lord Tirthankars, Bhaishree gazed deeply into the eyes of the murti (idols) - as if imparting life to them! Letting go of all inhibitions, family members and all attendees broke out into chanting and dancing creating a heavenly atmosphere where all else was forgotten like trivial dreams. Finally, the idols were consecrated in their beautiful homes, thereby inviting the Lord into ones heart and soul.
31st May 2023
Farewell ceremony
After almost two weeks of being drenched in Bhaishree's divine love, blessings and teachings, the time has come to bid adieu to the beloved enlightened master and his team of Brahmanishths.
The Raj Saubhag bhakti team's melodious renditions of spiritual songs set the tone for the evening by drenching everyone's hearts in devotion. Bhaishree addressed the audience one final time, and through the words of Param Krupaludev in Vachanamrut letter 200 which was written upon Shree Saubhagbhai's request to his two sons, highlighted the rarity and importance of the spiritual path. Br. Pradipbhai and other mumukshus shared their experiences of the shibir as also the special English language shibir.
Finally with heavy hearts, everyone had the opportunity to greet Bhaishree individually. As we departed, feelings were mixed- on the one had there was tremendous gratitude for the blessing that this dharmayatra had brought, but on the other there were poignant and nostalgic emotions knowing that Bhaishree would soon be departing. Yes there was an unshakeable confidence that the enlightened master lives not outside, but within the hearts and souls of sincere seekers and are thereby always with us!
Param Pujya Bhaishree’s swadhyay video recordings
Samyaktva na Lakshan and Granthibhed
Br Lalitaben’s swadhyay video recordings
English Language Shibir - video recordings
Br Minalben, Br Vikrambhai
Shibir - Video recordings
Samyak Darshan