PRAMUKH SWAMI MAHARAJ And thier work.
From the time he had become a sadhu, till the passing away of Yogiji Maharaj, Pramukh Swami had always lived in the footsteps of his gurus and served under them devotedly. Yogiji Maharaj had often indicated that Pramukh Swami would be his successor as guru of BAPS. Sadguru Santvallabh Swami, a loyal disciple of Shastriji Maharaj and beloved of Yogiji Maharaj, was the first to proclaim Pramukh Swami Maharaj as the new guru. To please his gurus and continue the work they had begun, he engaged in intense, tireless vicharan. So intense, that just reading about it makes one breathless. For ten years, Swamishri, as everyone respectfully called him, followed a schedule full of exertion and difficulties. There were problems with transportation, and other logistics, yet he still travelled to see every devotee he could and sanctify their home. The following was the typical daily schedule for Swamishri:
5.30 a.m. – wake up, bathe, etc.
6.30 a.m. – puja, daily reading, arti, katha
7.30 a.m. – breakfast
8.00 a.m. – padhramanis begin
Lunch would be at anytime after 12.30 p.m.
3.00 p.m. – rest and bathe
3.30 p.m. – move to a new village
4.00 p.m. – welcome sabha
5.00 p.m. – padhramanis
7.00 p.m. – evening arti
9.00 p.m. – sabha
12.00 midnight – chesta, meet devotees
12.30 to 1.00 a.m. – sleep
This was the schedule he followed for 10 years, during which he made a total of 6,464 village, town and city visits – an average of 2 villages a day. He accomplished such hectic vicharan in bullock-carts, rickety cars and hazardous rickshaws! Even when observing a nirjala fast or suffering from fever, he would complete the padhramanis arranged.
Upto 2007, Pramukh Swami Maharaj has travelled all through India and completed 27 overseas satsang tours (including three with Yogiji Maharaj, in 1955, 1960 and 1970). Swamishri has visited over 45 countries, including: UK, USA, Canada, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Dubai, Abu Dabhi, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Israel, Egypt and others.
As a result of his constant travels there has been a tremendous increase in the number of BAPS satsang centres and mandirs. Since 1971, Swamishri has consecrated 30 shikharbaddh mandirs and over 1000 hari mandirs in India, England, USA, Canada, East Africa, South Africa and other countries.
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