Gurudev showers blessings on devotees

BY A STAFF WRITER

NEWARK (NJ) — Over 3,000 people from all walks of life from the US and 14 other countries, including India, availed the opportunity to get personally blessed by Brahmrishi Sri Guruvanand Swami at the International Guru Poornima 2014 celebrations on July 12 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) here.

It was a magical night of bhakti, anand, spirituality and celebration, marked by memorable devotional dance sequences, and climaxing in a powerful, inspirational discourse by Sri Guruvanand Swami, lovingly addressed as ‘Gurudev’ by his countless devotees around the world.

In his moving discourse which appealed to the heart and met with a huge applause, Gurudev promised to help pull his devotees out of adversities and to cut their bonds of karma with his spiritual powers and siddhis gained over decades of sadhna.

“I have come to awaken you into spirituality lest your life goes waste,” he thundered. He asked of people not big sacrifices but starting with small vows like not losing one’s temper for 24 hours. He also said that he wants to focus on ensuring that Indian tradition and sanskars are kept alive in the second generation NRIs.
Gurudev also enjoyed and applauded–as did the audience in the packed hall–the superb dance items. Guru Rachna Sarang, who has her own Academy of Performing Arts, mesmerized the audience with a Ganesh Vandana. Her students’ enactment of Hanuman Chalisa in the Kathak style stole everybody’s heart. The grand finale was a Guru Stuti specially composed and dedicated to Gurudev.
Apra Bhandari emceed the evening. Ashok Sancheti, US coordinator, thanked the dancers, choreographers and others who contributed in making the event an unalloyed success. Sampat Poddar, international president, gave the welcome address. Prabha Bhandari, who led the team of volunteers, was recognized for her tremendous contribution to the organization and in holding this event.

Guru Poornima is the day for paying reverence to one’s teachers and mentors, spiritual or otherwise. This is the day when, his disciples say, Sri Guruvanand’s divine power is at its peak and when his blessing ushers in peace and happiness in devotees’ lives.

Though Gurudev has been coming to America since 2008, it was the first time that he graced Guru Poornima here, the first outside India, and blessed a stream of seekers towards the end of the evening even as others enjoyed a delicious, vegetarian meal.

Attendees were thrilled to be part of the Guru Poornima program that literally vibrated with spiritual energy. Indeed, an event of this scale in the ambience of a magnificent auditorium like the NJPAC has never been seen in this part of the world. The organizers of the widely-publicized event held under the aegis of the World Spiritual Awareness Forum are pleased with the response.

A small group of them contributed funds for the three-day program that had no commercial trappings whatsoever. The plan is to follow up with a larger set-up to spread Gurudev’s message with a website, especially to engage the youths.

On July 11, a Bhakti Sandhya with Gurudev was attended by over 1,000 people, including many from India, Hong Kong, Dubai and Europe. Several people who have contributed to the spread of Gurudev’s programs were recognized that day.
A disciple of revered Yogiraj Devraha Baba, Sri Guruvanand Swami is a perfected master (Satguru) who is also a renowned scholar of Hinduism and Jainism with a deep understanding of other religions. He teaches people to lead morally uplifting and spiritually fulfilling life, which leads to overcoming karmic debts while fulfilling worldly duties.