‘Indians should stand united all over the world’ Nairobi Bhagavat Katha
The Shrimad Bhagwat Gyan Yagya by Pujya Bhaishri was held from 11th August, 2000 to 19th August, 2000, at the Sanatan Dharam Sabha Temple in Nairobi from 5.00pm to 8.00pm, by three trusts: the Jalaram Temple Committee, the Kutchi Gujarati Committee and the Hindu Council of Kenya.
Pujya Bhaishri through his divine kripa gave us gyan on how the whole world is God himself and that there is nothing in this world apart from God. Only God is truth and the world false. He further elaborated why bhakti and satkarma is important in our life in order to obtain peace. In addition, he explained that in this kalyuga, the easiest method to attain God or Krishna or Bliss, is to chant God’s name, i.e. through kirtans. By hearing, singing and chanting God’s name, one can acquire devotion. By listening to Krishna Mahima, we come to know who He is and thus begin to love Him. Consequently, we will stop committing deeds He doesn’t like and obtain param Shanti and anand, which is Lord Krishna Himself.
A topic that touched the whole audience was when Pujya Bhaishri stressed on Unity; the whole Indian committee outside Bharat should be one and bring its culture and sanskriti to the fore. We should stop being jealous of each other. There should be love and unity amongst ourselves. The audience responded with a big applause to this statement. He also advised all daughter-in-laws to respect their in-laws and encouraged everyone to stay in an extended family in which the elders shower their divine blessings on the young and pass on their Sanskriti and Sanskaar to the younger generation. In return, the youth in the family should serve the elders happily, to their best ability.
On 13th, 14th and 15th August 2000, from 10.30am to 11.30am, a program of a spiritual nature called Jigyasa had been organised. Here, all the Hari Bhaktas asked questions to Pujya Bhaishri who replied with splendid satisfactory answers. The jigyasa session was held at the Jalaram Temple in Nairobi. Around 20 -25 people attended it. A few of the questions were:
Why did Ravan die only when Lord Rama killed him with the 31st arrow, and why did Lord Ram have to use 31 arrows? Bhaishri replied that, Ravan had Sitaji’s remembrance in his heart all the time. Sitaji and Ramji are one and the same. So if Ramji would kill Ravan at that point, the whole world would have been destroyed since Ramji is nothing but the whole world. So in order to kill him, it was imperative to make Ravan forget Sitaji. When Lord Ram had used 30 arrows, Vibhishanji came to tell Lord Ram that until you do not hit him on the stomach where he has nectar, stored by from Lord Brahma’s boon, he would not be killed. Seeing that his own brother had betrayed him by disclosing the secret of his survival to Ramji, Ravan was so incensed that in his temper he forgot Sitaji and at that very moment Lord Ram killed Ravan with the 31st arrow.
Another question asked was, why does Lord Ganesha have an elephant’s head? Please explain the mystery behind this. Bhaishri said that Lord Ganesha kept on refusing Lord Shiva to enter the house where Mata Parvati was bathing. Without thinking much as to why Shiva was forcing him to let him in Ganesha refused Lord Shiva’s entrance. Lord Shiva thought that he is my son, and still isn’t thinking deeply. My son cannot be such a narrow thinker. So, he chopped of Ganesha’s head and gave him an elephant’s head. You will note an elephant has a big head with small eyes. This represents the deep thinking a person should resort to. Secondly, the elephant’s face has large ears which means that a person should listen first as to what is being said before sticking on to one’s words without thinking. Thirdly the long nose signifies that a person should easily smell and find out if something wrong is being said by the other person.
The two utsavs held were Krishna Janma and Govardhan Pooja. The utsavs were celebrated with such great joy and enthusiasm that words cannot express. During Janmashtmi mahotsav, Pujya Bhaishri described the way Nandji and Yashodaji came to know of Krishna’s birth, and chanted the “Nand Ghar anand bhayo, jai kanhaiya lal ki…. “ dhun. A person who had become Vasudev carried a small baby, Krishna, over his head, and brought him to the stage. Pujya Bhaishri greeted him with warmth. Small girls and boys who dressed as gopis and gvalas also went on the stage and danced and jumped as they chanted the dhun in joy. Pujya Bhaishri bursted party poppers and sprays over these children and the rest of the people. He then distributed sweets to all while other organisers circulated sugar candies, almonds and such prasad to the audience. The audience stood up: some jumped up in joy, some danced, others just clapped and chanted the dhun and others were busy collecting the prasad being distributed! Later, Pujya Bhaishri opened the baby Krishna’s cot (jhoola) and everyone with great devotion participated in swinging the little Krishna in his jhoola.
During the Govardhan puja, lots of devotees brought different varieties of food and an ankut was laid over a small sort of mountain decorated with trees and flowers. This prasad was distributed to all at dinner that night. In celebration of the Utsav, Pujya Bhaishri sang a beautiful dhun.
On the 15th of August, India’s independence day, Pujya Bhaishri sang patriotic songs at the end of the katha. Everyone willingly and happily joined him. One of the girls went onto the stage and waved India’s flag as everyone remembered the nation. This was indeed a very memorable moment. The songs sung were: ‘JAHA DAAL DAAL PAR SONE KI…….’ and ‘AIE MERE PYAARE VATAN, TUJH PE DIL QURBAAN…..’. Bhaishri also mentioned the earthquake in Gujarat and assured everyone that Kutch would be restored within three years. He also stressed that this century would be India’s century.
Approximately 2000-2500 people attended the katha everyday and about 3500 during the weekends.
On the last day, Pujya Bhaishri entranced all with the Gopi viraha prasang and with a wonderful elucidation on what true love symbolizes.
