Welcoming the marble that will gift us the idol of Param Krupaludev

“ગુરુ કારીગર સરીખા, ટાંકે વચન વિચાર
પથ્થર સે પ્રતિમા કરે, પૂજા લહે અપાર”

“રાજમંદિર” એ પ.પૂ ભાઈશ્રીના હૃદયમાં રહેલો પરમ કૃપાળુ દેવ પ્રત્યેનો ઉત્કૃષ્ટ ભક્તિભાવ છે. મુમુક્ષુઓનાં કલ્યાણ અર્થે જે દાયકાઓ સુધી મદદરૂપ થવાનું છે તે અતિ સુંદર “રાજમંદિર” પૂર્ણ થવાના આરે છે. પરમ કૃપાળુ દેવની અત્યંત જીવંત પ્રતિમાજી ઘડાય અને તેનું અવલંબન પામી મુમુક્ષુઓ મોક્ષના માર્ગે વીતરાગ બનતા જાય એ ભાઈશ્રીનો પરમાર્થ મનોરથ છે. આપણે ભાગ્યશાળી છીએ કે બે વર્ષના અંતે દૂધ જેવો સફેદ આરસનો પથ્થર વિયેટનામની ખાણમાંથી મળી આવ્યો છે જેને તારીખ ૧૪-૬-૨૦૧૮ ના રોજ બહુમાનપૂર્વક, આનંદ ઉલ્હાસ સાથે વધાવી, આશ્રમના પ્રાંગણમાં સ્થાપવામાં આવ્યો છે.

જોગાનુજોગ તે સમયે પ.પૂ. છોટાબાપુજી તેમજ પ.પૂ. બાપુજી સાથે જેમનો ઘનિષ્ઠ આધ્યાત્મિક સંબંધ હતો, તેવા ગચ્છાધિપતિ આચાર્ય માણેકસાગર સુરી મહારાજ સાહેબની પરંપરાના સાધુ ભગવંતો ગચ્છાધિપતિ પૂ. શ્રી ચન્દ્રસાગર મ.સા. (પૂ. આગમોધ્ધારક સૂરિ) વિહાર કરતા આશ્રમમાં પધાર્યા હતા.

તેમણે અર્થપૂર્ણ પ્રવચન દ્વારા ઉત્તમ સમજણ આપી અને મંત્રોચ્ચાર દ્વારા તે એકેન્દ્રિય જીવોને ભાવપૂર્વક વિનંતી કરી કે, તેઓ કૃપા કરી મૂર્તિ કંડારવા માટે અનુમતિ આપે.

આપણી ઉપર તે એકેન્દ્રિય જીવો અનુગ્રહ કરે તે માટે આપણે નાનો પણ સંકલ્પ કરવો જોઈએ એવી પ્રેરણા સાધુભગવંતોએ કરતાં ત્યાં ઉપસ્થિત મુમુક્ષુઓએ મૂર્તિ પૂર્ણપણે ઘડાય અને તેની પ્રતિષ્ઠા થાય ત્યાં સુધી પોતાની ઈચ્છા અનુસાર પ્રતિજ્ઞા લીધી હતી.

ભલે આપણે ત્યાં હાજર ન હતાં પણ આપણે પણ આ વાંચી આપણી શક્તિ અનુસાર સંકલ્પ લેવો જોઈએ. ઓછામાં ઓછું રોજ, ૫ માળા સહજાત્મસ્વરૂપ પરમગુરુ અથવા તો નમસ્કાર મહામંત્રની ગણવી એવી ભલામણ આ પુણ્યાત્મક પ્રસંગે ભાઇશ્રીએ કરી છે.    

Vegan provision at Raj Saubhag Ashram

The catering team led by manager Jayesbhai is helping to provide for vegan diets. The catering in the Ashram is jain vegetarian, however an increasing number of our mumukshus are also vegan.

There are many reasons for a vegan diet: animal welfare, health, climate change are to name a few. You can read about animal welfare in our maitri moves article by clicking here.

Although the ashram cannot guarantee to provide for vegan diets at all times, it is making an effort to do so.

When you arrive at the ashram please speak personally to Jayeshbhai (Kitchen Manager) in the kitchen and let him know you are vegan and the duration of your stay. His mobile number is +918264250982.

Breakfasts:

Please ask for the khakhra without ghee. On most days breakfast is vegan. When there is upma then seperate vegan upma can be requested.

Lunch:

Lunches usually consist of rotli, dal, rice, shak. There is rotlis without ghee on all days and you can request for rotla without ghee too. On days that there is kadhi and a dairy based shak they will make you an alternative. Jayeshbhai will ensure that there is a vegan shak available to you on all days.

Dinner:

Dinner is usually lighter and mostly vegan. The kitchen will make you vegan idli and khichri without ghee on those relevant days, or a vegan alternative if there are other non vegan dishes on the menu.

Soya Milk

Jayeshbhai is also happy to order you soya milk from Rajkot and Ahmedabad. This is normally the sofit brand and costs approx Rs 110 - 120 per litre carton.

Fruit

You can order fruit from the ashram office. What is available depends on the season but the ashram staff will help you find what you need from Sayla town, and will often go and get it for you if they have time. Fruit is sometimes provided at lunchtimes. It is there daily during ekant maun shibirs, but at other times it depends on ashram members sponsoring the fruit. Depending on the number of people staying in the ashram this sponsorship may be from Rs 300 - 500 per day, so if you feel generous then you can sponsor fruit for the whole ashram.

This is a new initiative and a learning process for the kitchen. They welcome feedback and encouragement and appreciate your positive feedback too. This is something that the kitchen team have done from their own initiative and very welcome to the vegans among us so thank you to the team. Please ask for clarification at meal times if you are unsure of ingrediants, Jayeshbhai is the person to ask and he understands veganism well.

We would also recommend you keep some personal provisions in case you require them. Porridge, nuts, chocolate, fruit and dry snacks may be useful to keep.

* Please note that the milk and ghee used in the Ashram is from the Ashram cows which are very well kept and looked after. Dairy products may be necessary for some poeple in their diets for health and the Ashram is not advising this diet over others as these decisions are a personal choice.

Diwali 2017

During the Diwali celebrations this year Param Pujya Bhaishree took the text: 'Maniratna Mala' by Shree Tulsidasji. Param Krupaludev Shrimad Rajchandra had instructed in Letters 435, 789, 796 and updesh chaya 11 that this text was important to read. It contains many outstanding examples and understandings of 'Moh' which is worth contemplating on. The text is made up of 32 Shloks or stanzas. The expanded explanation of these 32 shloks is in the form of 100 questions and answers.

We share the swadhyays with you here below. 

Shree Kalpasutra

During Paryushan Mahaparva the Kalpasutra shastra is read. The shatra contains the biographies of Tirthanker bhagwans, most notably Shree Parshvanath Bhagwan and Shree Mahavir Bhagwan.

In Raj Saubhag ashram Sayla Br Vinubhai has read the Kalpasutra under Param Pujya Bapuji’s and Param pujya Bhaishree’s agna for many years.

The recordings below are from 2017 and are shared here for your inspiration.

Kalpasutra reading during Paryushan 2017

Kalpasutra is one of the important Jain texts and traditionally recited during Paryushan Mahaparva. The first section describes the lives of the twenty-four Tirthankars. The second part chronicles the life of Shree Mahavir Swami Bhagwan. The third part describes the rules for Sadhu-Sadhiviji and the laws during chaturmas (rainy season).

We are please to share the recording of Br Vinubhai reciting the Kalpasutra during Paryushan in 2017:

Paryushan 2017 - A time for reflection, discipline, penance and forgiveness

Paryushan Swadhyays

The video swadhyays from Paryushan 2017 will be uploaded day by day below for you to watch.

TOPIC:

YOG VASHISHT - VAIRAGYA PRAKRAN

Paryushan Swadhyay 1:

Friday 18th Aug 2017 - Morning

Paryushan Swadhyay 2:

Friday 18th Aug 2017 - Afternoon

Paryushan Swadhyay 3:

Saturday 19th Aug 2017 - Morning

Paryushan Swadhyay 4:

Saturday 19th Aug 2017 - Afternoon

Paryushan Swadhyay 5:

Sunday 20th Aug 2017 - Morning

Paryushan Swadhyay 6:

Sunday 20th Aug 2017 - Afternoon

TOPIC:

SHREE KALPASUTRA

Read by Br. Vinubhai Shah

Kalpasutra Swadhyay 1:

Monday 21st Aug 2017 - Morning

Kalpasutra Swadhyay 2:

Monday 21st Aug 2017 - Afternoon

Kalpasutra Swadhyay 3:

Tuesday 22nd Aug 2017 - Morning

Kalpasutra Swadhyay 4:

Tuesday 22nd Aug 2017 - Afternoon

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Paryushan Mahaparva

18th - 25th August 2017

Paryshan parva is an 8 day Jain festival of reflection and seeking forgiveness for one's sins. Every evening pratikraman is undertaken during which one recounts not just the past day, week, fortnight, month but those transgressions and sins committed in the lasy year and beyond. One repents and asks for forgiveness. One reflects as to their root causes and makes firm resolutions to avoid them in the present and future. One disciplines the mind and the senses and stills one's awareness to reside within.

During this Paryushan Mahaparva we ask after all those tapasvis and wish them well in their sadhana and tapa.

Listen to the complete Shree Bruhad Alochana here. You can find the individual tracks and download options in our Bhakti Library

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75th Ladies Swadhyay

The 75th ladies swadhyay was held on 30th April, at Brahmnisht Minalben’s residence in Mumbai.

Pujya Bhaishree graced the occasion and gave a discourse on a poem written by Ganga Sati.  He likened Minalben to Ganga Sati and the lady mumukshus to Paanbai.

Briefing the mumukshus about the life of Ganga Sati, Pujya Bhaishree said that she was an elevated, enlightened Vedanti Saint, who composed many divine, meaningful bhajans.   Her life reflected her writing and many bhajans were composed to guide Paanbai on the spiritual path.  (There are 2 version of Ganga Sati’s relationship with Paanbai – one version says that Paanbai was her daughter-in-law and another version says that Paanbai was her maid who was part of her dowry) Ganga Sati’s husband Kahalchand, was also deeply spiritual. 

According to traditional account, he utilized his spiritual powers to prove himself in the presence of the villagers.  Later, regretting this misuse of powers (since people would now be attracted to him due to these powers rather than his spirituality), Kahalchand decided to take samadhi and end his life. Gangasati urged him to let her take samadhi too but he refused and instructed her to wait until she had perfected Paanbai, her daughter-in-law/maid on path of devotion.  Obeying the instructions of her husband, Ganga Sati through her bhajans and devotional songs, laid out the path for Paanbai and then accepted Samadhi. 

પરિપૂર્ણ સતસંગ હવે તમને કરાવું,
ને આપું જોને નિર્મળ જ્ઞાન રે,
જનમવા મરવાનું તમારું મટાડીને
ધરાવું અવિનાશીનું ધ્યાન રે ... પરિપૂર્ણ.

નામરૂપને મિથ્યા જાણો ને
મેલી દેજો મનની તાણાવાણ રે,
આવો બેસો એકાંતમાં ને તમને,
પદ આપું નિર્વાણ રે ... પરિપૂર્ણ.

સદા રહો સતસંગમાં ને
કરો અગમની ઓળખાણ રે,
નુરત સુરતથી નિજ નામ પકડીને
જેથી થાય હરિની જાણ રે ... પરિપૂર્ણ.

મેલ ટળે ને વાસના ગળે,
ન કરો પુરણનો અભિયાસ રે,
ગંગા રે સતી એમ બોલિયાં,
થાય મૂળ પ્રકૃતિનો નાશ રે ... પરિપૂર્ણ.

Ganga Sati says: “I will bequeath to you true knowledge herewith.  Let go of our beliefs in births and deaths, and strive to attain the Absolute Truth – that which is beyond life and death.  Do not associate yourself with this body, your name and the thought processes of the mind. Seek solitude and immerse yourself in satsang.  Strive to know your Atma – which is the absolute truth.  Know your Atma –which is timeless.  This striving will help you rid yourself of negative qualities."

Pujya Bhaishree elaborated further.  He highlighted the immense benefits that will accrue from consistent satsang. This was a fail proof way overcoming one’s attachment to this transient, material world and walk on the path of spirituality. 

• Until he reaches his goal (the Atma), the mumukshu should seek refuge of an enlightened Master and immerse himself in satsang.
• This satsang will help him overcome his bad qualities and inculcate purity
• Every mumukshu should aim to be consistent and single-minded in his pursuit of purity.
• Sansaar-bhaav has ensured that we are constantly taking new births and dying new deaths.
• Pujya Bhaishree added that only the followers of a true Guru can understand the underlying, deep meaning of the last part of the above composition.  

Swadhyay was followed by skits and dance performances, by the mumukshus, highlighting all that they hadlearned; a cake-cutting ceremony and dinner.