Pujya Bhaishri declared as ‘State Guest’ by the Govt. of Madhya Pradesh during Bhopal Bhagavat Katha
Bhopal Bhagavat Katha commenced on 21st Dec. 2006. This was the first occasion of holding Pujya Bhiashri’s katha in Bhopal. Pujya Bhaishri was received at the Bhopal Airport by Ex-Chief Minister and present Minister of Industry Shri Babulal Gaur, Shri Kaptansingh Solanki, Shri Ajay Bishnoi, Shri Bharatbhai Patel, the Chairman of the group of “Sandhya Prakash” daily. These dignitaries welcomed Pujya Bhaishri and offered their tributes. From the airport Pujya Bhaishri was taken in a procession and on the way many committees greeted Pujya Bhaishri and offered floral tributes. It was a three hour procession of greetings by over 65 organisations. The Government of M.P. declared Pujya Bhaishri the “State Guest”.
The Shobhayatra of Bhagavatji was taken out on 21st Dec. Thereafter The Chief Minister of M.P. Shri Shivrajsingh Chauhan, Shri Babulal Gaur and Shri Ramesh Agrawal of the “Divya Bhaskar” Group of newspapers kindled the auspicious lamp. Commencing narration of the katha, Pujya Bhaishri in his introductory address said that “When the fight ensues in the jungle between the snake and the mongoose, every now and then the mongoose goes and smells a specific herbal root because of which the effect of the snake’s poison gets nullified. Today, even as we are involved in the struggle of our worldly pursuits, like the smart mongoose we too need to take help of the herbal root which can detoxify us from the poison of the worldly affairs. Shrimad Bhagavat offers this much needed respite in our worldly struggles. Hence, we must seek the refuge of the Bhagavat which will cure us from the world’s poison and we will emerge refreshed and resuscitated. Therefore come and seek refuge of Shrimad Bhagavat. It will awaken us to our spiritual self and help us in our emancipation.
Commenting upon the non-vegetarian food, Pujya Bhaishri remarked that the human body is suitable only for vegetarian food. Herbivorous animals eat food grown on earth, drink water through their lips while the carnivorous animals survive on flesh of other living beings drink water with their tongue. Now man has to decide which category does he fall in? Whether he drinks water through his lips or with his tongue? Birds and animals behave as per their natural constitution. But we who call ourselves as intelligent animals disobey the nature’s law. Since man eats non-vegetarian food he invites many diseases and illnesses like the Mad-cow, Bird-flu, etc. We have never heard that 150 chickens organized a party in which they cooked and ate human beings. But when 150 people organize a party they cook and eat many chickens. Who is the animal amongst them? Make your body a temple. Don’t make it a graveyard.
Many festivals were celebrated during the katha with great pomp and fervour. Shri Krishna janmotsav was celebrated on the fifth day, on the sixth day Govardhan utsav was celebrated and Rukmini vivaha was celebrated on the eighth day with great aplomb.
During his stay in Bhopal, Pujya Bhaishri also visited the local Gurudwara. He had the darshan of the Holy Guru Granthsahib and blessed the assembled people and children. Pujya Bhaishri also paid a visit to people of scheduled tribe where he had the darshan of Rishi Valmiki’s idol and offered his worship over there along with the Valmiki people. Addressing them he said that in our country we have a tradition of making an offering to the saintly person when he visits us. Today I ask you to promise me that: (1) All of you will give up your vices; (2) You will educate your children and (3) Everyone will work. Everyone was deeply moved by these words of Pujya Bhaishri.
Many political leaders like Shri Babulal Gaur, Shri Ajay Bishnoi, Sushri Uma Bharatiji, Shri Kaptansingh Solanki, Shri Anupji Mishra and the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shri Shivrajsingh Solanki came to hear Pujya Bhaishri’s katha.
