BAPS Celebrates Swaminarayan Jayanti & Ram Navmi in Bartlett, IL

Chicago IL: This year, the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Bartlett, IL celebrated the 232nd birth anniversary of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, also known as Swaminarayan Jayanti, on April 21st, 2013. The day is also auspiciously known as Ram Navmi for the celebration of the birth of Shri Ram Bhagwan. This year’s program included the re-enactment of the Yash Gatha, a musical narration of the journey led by Bhagwan Swaminarayan and a depiction of his countless spiritual endeavors.

The youth of BAPS brought to life the story through the singing of the Yash Gatha. With each stanza, a part of the journey was depicted, accompanied by dances, speeches, and dramas interspersed throughout the performance. The story began with portrayals from Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s birth to his childhood, a time when he was known by the name of Ghanshyam. The audience stilled as the first notes began, the world disappearing behind them as the music delved into the life of a young boy, whose journey touched the hearts of thousands.

The intensity of the scenes re-enacted by the youth drew the audience in. The subtle crescendo hidden in the music of the Yash Gatha grew as the story developed to describe the sacrifices made by Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Following the codes and standards shared through ancient Hindu scriptures including the Vedas and Upanishads, Bhagwan Swaminarayan taught others to live by virtues such as compassion and integrity and to share these values with others. These teachings were further shared through the stories narrated about Shri Ram Bhagwan, who sacrificed everything to be the ideal son while maintaining his dharma, or codes of behavior.

From recounting the movement to uplift women to the practice of ahimsa (principle of non-violence) to helping enlighten a generation of people, Bhagwan Swaminarayan helped increase the moral standard of living for many in an age where adharma once prevailed. Many inspiring incidents from the life of Bhagwan Swaminarayan as well as his devotees were illustrated by Pujya Vivekmurti Swami, who described several examples of individuals whose lives were ethically transformed by the teachings of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Furthermore, a special ladies program was held on April 14th to extol Bhagwan Swaminarayan and explore his relationship with devotees. The theme was centered around three crucial ways a devotee interacts with God as a way of offering devotion: understanding the true nature of God, seeking his refuge, and molding our lives according to his wishes. These have proven to be the surest way to progress spiritually as instructed by Bhagwan Swaminarayan.

Sunday’s Yash Gatha celebration further expounded the many life lessons of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. The musical program connected with the members of the audience, bringing them together to commemorate the birth and legacy of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Today, the continuation of this journey is seen through His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj who continues to inspire devotees to follow the same moral teachings.