Jain Saint: Shrimad Rajachandra

Jain Saint: Shrimad Rajachandra2500 years ago, the 24th great teacher of the Jains, Mahavira, attained nirvana (release from the cycle of birth and death). Since then, several enlightened souls have expounded the philosophy of Jainism. One such exalted soul was Shrimad Rajchandra. He is deeply venerated for the great spiritual heights He had attained, his outstanding personality, His remarkable exposition of Mahavira’s teachings and His literary genius.

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Water and Sanitation as a Human Right

10 Years of UN Water

Human rights recognise the inherent value of each person, regardless of background, where we live, what we look like, what we think or what we believe.

They are based on principles of dignity, equality and mutual respect, which are shared across cultures, religions and philosophies. They are about being treated fairly, treating others fairly and having the ability to make genuine choices in our daily lives.

In 2010, the UN General Assembly adopted resolution 64/292 recognizing “the right to safe and clean drinking water and sanitation as a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights”.

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Ashram Visit: October 2001

verandaI sat in the nearly depleted darshan hall (not many here at the present moment, but then that is due to change, the Sai Paduka Trust is coming up from Madurai next week) I looked at Swami as he began walking down the red carpet from Poornachandra to give Afternoon Darshan. Yesterday I was reading Paramahansa Yoganananda and Sri Aurobindo on Avatars. I began to think about Swami as Avatar as he entered the hall. Swami is not what I think about him, Swami is what I know about him and that is based on my experience.

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Ashram Visit: Gandhi Jayanti, 2001

darshanSwami was working right up to bhajans, calling people in for business. Business is administrator of this, administrator of that, Secretary of this, Department Head in College, etc, etc, all called in for 5 or 10 minutes into the room. Someone comes out of the room during the start of bhajans. Swami comes out and waits, continues talking with an admin orderly and then takes his seat during the first bhajan.

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Ashram Visit: 7 October 2001

hand of the masterSwami stood on the porch on the way toward the verandah, and spoke to one of the Institute staff. He used his hands as he spoke. It was magnificent to watch, Swami is THE master of communication, verbal and non verbal. Soft, swift movements of his hands, gesturing, a spoken word observable. He looked like Mother Sai up there on the porch. Actually looked like a woman in his robe, you know, his tummy came out, his chest changed. Mother Sai looking after all her students and devotees.

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Guru Purnima: What is a Guru? What is a Swami?

what is a guruGuru Purnima is the festival of the guru; it is also known as Vyasa Purnima, as this is the day that Sage Vyasa completed dictating the Bhagavad Gita. On the festival of Guru Purnima, we were asked, ‘What is a guru, What is a Swami?’ We take some space here to consider Sanyasin, Swami, Acharya and Guru.

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Ashram Visit 2001: Guru Day, Thursday

a listening Sai Primary school students and girl boarders in white sarees came, filling the hall. Swami sent an elderly Western woman for interview. Daughter went also. When she arrived on the porch she wandered out to the edge and spent nearly ten minutes, she and daughter, waving and gesturing, try to attract husband/father to come to the verandah.

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