Anoopam Sur Vrund welcomed 2008 with Swaminarayan Maha-dhun. Pujya Sriraj (a youth from USA) sang brimming with emotions “Bhakti karta chhute mara pran, Yogi evu mangu ...” (Oh Lord! I seek blessings to be in Your service while my soul renounces this body).

After Guru Vandana and Bhakt Vadana, today’s morning sabha was themed as Sant Vandana.

Pujya Ashvinbhai opened the sabha explaining who the Sant is. He is one whose love has no boundaries, is not restricted to his devotees, but whose love is for the whole world, and every living organism. To worship the sant is to worship God and one who does this attains God.

Pujya Dr Manojbhai Soni (Vice Chancellor, Maharaja Sayajirao University, Vadodara) referred to Gurusabha Golden Jubilee celebrations as being unparalleled. This is because celebrations are generally with reference to persons, but rarely does one find celebrations with reference to completion of 50 years of fulfillment of divine instructions given by a Guru to His Disciple. Pujya Manojbhai Soni narrated a touching parable which expressed how the Sant accepts us however defective we are and even uses our defect constructively in the seva of the Lord.

Puyja Adhyatmanand Swamiji stated that Guru is the centre-point of our life and those who have been accepted by a Guru, are sure to have the darkness of ignorance eliminated from their lives. He praised the high spiritual state of Guruvarya Param Pujya Saheb’s saints. The reason is simple, he said as only a mango can grow on the branch of a mango tree, whereas tamarind never could. He suggested we empty ourselves of all pre-convictions to give our Guru the space to pour His divinity into us.