The Guru Purnima Utsav was held at the Royal Albert’s Palace in Fords, NJ on Wednesday, July 13th, 2022. More than 1,600 individuals attended this auspicious festival, including devotees from surrounding states as well as honorable dignitaries. All attendees were further blessed with the presence of P. Sarvamangalswami, P. Guruprasadswami, P. Samanvayswami, and P. Satyaswaroopswami.
After mahaprasad, the celebration commenced with a series of devotional kirtans. A grand procession for Shree Thakorji, the Gunatit Saints and Guruhari Prabodhjivan Swamiji then took place with great enthusiasm. This was followed by a short presentation delivered by youths on the special significance of Guru Purnima. They emphasized how a true Guru has the power to provide strength, peace of mind, and a path forward even in times of uncertainty and lost hope.
Thereafter, P. Guruprasadswami spoke on the characteristics of an ideal Guru-Disciple relationship. By taking examples from Hindu heritage, he described the importance of keeping faith in the Guru in order to pass through even the most dire of circumstances with ease. P. Sarvamangalswami then spoke and described the different types of darkness one may face, in the form of physical, mental, and spiritual challenges. He then explained how a true Guru can pull us out from such darkness and bring us into the light.
Overall, the youths and the saints shared inspirational incidents depicting the divine role Guruhari Hariprasad Swamiji has played for uplifting countless individuals worldwide, and how Guruhari Prabodhjivan Swamiji now plays that same role today. A brief smruti video highlighting Guruhari Prabodhjivan Swamiji’s inspirational life was also shown. As the celebration came to a close, all the devotees had a special opportunity to do poojan of Shree Thakorji and the saints, and receive their blessings.
