Hundreds of grieving men, women and children gathered at Swaminarayan temples over two dozen locations across the Tri-state Aug, 21 to hold prayers in remembrance and honor of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the spiritual head of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Sanstha who away August 13 in Gujarat at the age of 95.
Tearful devotees gathered at 28 such centers in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania sat for hours in the temples as they paid respect to the 5th spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and garlanded his portraits. Many shared memories of their personal meetings and interactions with Pramukh Swami with each other. Their stories essentially brought out his unflinching love for humankind and thorough that love for God. “He was, throughout his life, in constant communion with God,” one of his devotees, a management and marketing professional from New Jersey who has been following the path of spirituality since coming in touch with the order some 20 years ago, said.
Pramukh Swami dedicated his life towards the service and personal development of others, establishing temples across the world to preserve spirituality and committed to developing and overseeing schools, hospitals, and disaster relief services to provide infrastructure and support across communities of all sizes.
“His Holiness Pramukh Swamiji was an ideal in spiritual world. He took Indian culture to the whole world and gave it a new direction. He created attraction in youth towards Indian culture,” Jain spiritual leader, acharya Lokesh Muni who addressed one such assembly at BAPS center in Flushing, Queens, said.
“Pramukh Swamiji did not just teach virtues — he lived them every day. That’s what made him a guru to millions of devotees around the world. Pramukh Swamji built a global faith on Vedic values,” Muni said.
Tributes at the New York memorial also came from Baba Ramdev, a yoga teacher known for his work in Ayurveda, who attended the event along with Lokesh Muni and many other eminent people. He said that Pramukh Swamiji’s example helped his followers find more harmony — both with others, and within themselves.
“He will always be remembered for his selfless services to society, impeccable commitment to the community, and profound devotion to faith that earned him the respect and reverence of countless worldwide,” he said.
As in New York, people in other BAPS centers sat with their eyes moist with tears as speakers reminisced about him. “People shed tears at his passing away, but they also seemed to believe that Pramukh Swamiji will always be alive in their hearts and minds through his teachings and blessings which they feel assured will continue through Mahant Swamiji who has been named as Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s successor,” Lenin Joshi of BAPS, who attended the prayers at Robbinsville BAPS center in New Jersey, said.
Prayer assemblies were held in 150 cities across the country, including New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, and Los Angeles.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed devotees in India before the final rites, saying, “His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj was a stalwart among humans who embodied compassion and humility…Today you have lost a guru, but I have lost a father,” he said.
Several other national and international dignitaries visited Sarangpur or sent their condolences. In the U.S. presidential nominee Hillary Clinton offered her condolences. “Bill and I offer our sincerest condolences to the devotees of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj and the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha worldwide. Pramukh Swami didn’t just teach virtues – he lived them every day. That’s what made him a Guru to millions of devotees around the world,” she said.
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