Dear Brothers and Sisters,

On Monday 23 February Maha Shivaratri will be up on us.

 

God is Omnipresent and All-pervasive. By the very nature of these qualities, He cannot have any form. He is, therefore, formless. But, in order to bless us, He assumes innumerable forms.

Shiva represents the universal power of destruction, which has two facets - the end of physical existence, and the liberation from its subtle bonds (by the destruction of ignorance). The story of Shiva is the story of God dwelling in human consciousness. He is the Great Yogi, severe and serene in meditation, ever absorbed in super conscious Reality (samadhi). Shiva, the Great God, is the teacher of the four approaches to higher understanding (Yoga, Vedanta, Language, and Music), as well as all the arts and sciences. He is the Supreme Guru (spiritual guide), who teaches always in silence the oneness of one’s higher Self (atman) with the ultimate Reality (Brahman).

Shiva is ever the great Destroyer of Ignorance, endowed with infinite compassion, longing only to burn the miseries of the world, to illumine the world, to reveal within each being the highest Truth.

The conception is that, on Shivaratri, Shiva manifests Himself in the form of a vast Linga (Jyotirlingam). It is interpreted as a Phallic Emblem. There should be no modesty or affected prudery about its meaning. The Linga and Yoni are the symbols of the biological act by which all living creatures are created by nature. There can be no higher and purer symbols of the Universal Parents indispensable for reproducing life. The more one thinks about the divine purpose and the nature of the life principal, the more one is convinced of the purity of the procreative act for perpetuating life or Prana in the Plane of Matter.

For ages past, the Indian people have been celebrating Shivaratri (the sacred night of Lord Shiva) as a national Festival. And so do we Devotees of Shri Babaji who this most wonderful manifestation of Lord Shiva. Shri Babaji’s Paduka’s, Shri Muniraj and many devotees from all over will travel for this great occasion celebrate His presence in our lives to Manda Ashram in Gujarat. They will arrive on the 22nd of February and leave again on the 25th. Shri Yogendra and Palluben from Mumbay have been lovingly taking care of this wonderful ashram and are inviting you to join them there. To get to Manda you can come from Mumbai to Sanjan station and take a riksha to BHOLE BABA ASHRAM, Nagam via Khatalwad village The tel no of Manda ashram is 0260 2995479.
There are trains going to Gujarat that stop in sanjan or Vapi. In Vapi can get riksha or cars to come to Manda. If any problem one can contact Dr Jitubhai at Bhole Baba Dispensary, Anand Nagar Society, Charwada Rd Vapi and tel. 02060 2436477 and he can help arrange transport. Also trains coming from north stop in Vapi and some in Sanjan.

For those who are unable to make it to Gujarat please visit your local Ashram or temple in remembrance of the great Lord. If even that is to far for your reach do please for your own benefit and of your family members remember HIM at your home so He may bless you and up lift you from darkness to Light .

Bhole Baba KI jai

Shiv Shankar Bhagwan ki Jai !!!