This Ganga-Dashahara, Woburn Satsang Center reverberated with the Ganga's divinity and cleansing gift to mankind. Ganga's energizing currents nurture the idea that Spirituality is the infusion of purity (pavitratA/पवित्रता) and divinity (divyata/दिव्यता) in our thoughts and emotions (विचार एवं भावना).  Spirituality descends and grows in a chitta (चित्त), that has become pure, refined and completely cleansed ! In spirituality, there is *no conflict* between thoughts and emotions, rather these are in perfect harmony. 

All devotees collectively offered their ahutis in main ceremony of deep-yagya (दीप-यज्ञ). They performed a variety of spiritual practices (sadhana) engaging all the devotees with diverse inclinations. Deep-Yagya is a contemporary version of traditional Yagya, which is adapted by Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya (founder of Gayatri Parivar). As such, “Deep-Yagya” helps to spread popularly, the philosophy of Yagya for the busy lifestyle of modern times. In this ceremony devotees lighted 108 lamps. Entire congregation together offered the “Gayatri Mantra Aahutis.” “Mahamrityunjaya Mantra Aahutis,” were also offered for the devotees, whose birthday’s and wedding anniversaries fall in the the current calendar month. Congregation also offered  special ahutis for graduating kids to wish them a bright and thriving future nurtured by Dharma !

Sangeeta Saxena, a volunteer priest of Gayatri Pariwar, officiated the Puja/Deep-yagya ceremony. The evening opened with a soaring rendition of Sri Hanuman Chaalisa, followed by pragya-geets  in melodious voices of Neeta Rathi & Sangeeta-ji. Swami Saxena delighted the devotees with his vivacity of spontaneous tabla rhythms.

To celebrate this occasion, devotees invoked, Adi-Shakti Gayatri (आदि-शक्ति गायत्री)in three forms of “Ved-Mata/वेदमाता ,”  â€œDev-Mata/देवमाता â€ and “Vishwa-Mata/विश्वमाता .”  Then, invocation of “Hansa/हंस â€ and “Ganga/गंगा " followed during the special parva-pujan sequence. They prayed to the Ved-Mata to descent in the form of the “light of knowledge” i.e Gyan Praksah in their lives to remove the three root-causes of unhappiness, i.e. the ignorance, the infirmity and the impoverishment (i.e. Agyan/अज्ञान , Ashakti/अशक्ति  and Abhava/अभाव ). Devotees invoked Dev-Mata to  transform our ordinary lives into the one that is enriched with divinity (Devatva/देवत्व ). Invoking “Vishwa-Mata,” devotees prayed for the gift of all encompassing-love that would enable the humanity to realize the ideal of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam,(i.e. “world deemed as a family”). Participants offered prayers to “Ganga-Mata” for the internal purification and also to strengthen the tendency of selfless service (Parmartha). 

Devotees signed off  the evening  with a definite sense that, after one has refined their Chitta (चित्त),  the light of Supreme Consciousness,  that is the "प्रकाश of परमात्मा",  spreads and illuminates their inner-sky or अन्तर्गगन. Where spirituality offers holistic vision and a complete science of living a meaningful life.  

The entire celebration was lucidly interspersed with the life changing philosophy behind all the Puja activities performed throughout the evening. Sanjay Saxena, rendered program commentary based on the teachings of Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya.

Towards the conclusion of the evening, all participants took vows to give up one weakness/undesirable habit in their lives and also took a vow to inculcate a new strength/good habit for the continued progress and transformation of their lives.

The event was a huge success with the active support of volunteers, who poured their heart and hard work to make this event a memorable one. The evening concluded with Aarti and Mantra Pushpanjali followed by Mahaprasad (dinner) that Paramvyom/परमव्योम  Saxena, sponsored to share the joys of his recent college graduation and as a mark of  gratitude towards  the Dev-Shaktis.  A dedicated team of Satsang center volunteers prepared the Mahaprasad with great love and care.

Gayatri Jayanti festival rejoices in the manifestation (pradurbhava/प्रादुर्भाव ) of Adi-Shakti Gayatri for the well-being of all humanity. On this day, it is believed that Ganga also descended on earth from the 'Svarga-Loka', i.e. Avataran/अवतरण  of Ganga on earth, and it came to being known as “Ganga Dashahara."

All World Gayatri Pariwar , also celebrates the Gayatri Jayanti as a 'Maha-Samadhi-day’ of its founder Pandit Shriram Sharma Acharya, who left his physical body on the morning of Gayatri Jayanti in 1990 and entered into the 'Sukshma-Jagat'(subtle world). Acharyaji pioneered the revival of spirituality through creative integration of modern science and ancient Dharmic Traditions, relevant for challenging circumstances of present times. According to Him, the “perversion of thoughts” is the root cause of crisis in individual, family, social and world affairs in current times. The only way out of this desperate situation is “total thought revolution," which he termed as “Vichar Kranti." “Gayatri Sadhana and Yagya” is the most effective techniques or technology for pulling the humanity out of this current crisis as a prime enabler of “Vichar Kranti."

Volunteers of Gayatri Parivar of Massachusetts are actively providing services to facilitate and perform much sought-after family ceremonies, which are integral part of Hindu tradition. Please check www.Gayatri.info for more information and upcoming events' flyers.

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