Holy Pilgrimage - Hindu temples in United Kingdom
BAPS
Swami Narasyan Sanstha, Sothend-on-Sea Essex, UK
The address for this Mandir is
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
190 Queensway
Southend-on-Sea Essex UK SS1 2LU
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
190 Queensway
Southend-on-Sea Essex UK SS1 2LU
The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha is a
spiritual, volunteer-driven organization dedicated to improving society through
individual growth by fostering the Hindu ideals of faith, unity, and selfless
service.
“In the joy of others lies our own.” – Pramukh Swami Maharaj
“True spirituality speaks the language of love.” – Pramukh Swami Maharaj
“Better the world around you by bettering yourself.” – Pramukh Swami Maharaj
Bhagwan Swaminarayan established the
Swaminarayan faith and renewed the ideals of Hinduism in 18th century India. He
established a spiritual way of life and code of conduct to be
followed. ‘Satsang’ is the word used by Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s followers
to describe the process of associating with God and the guru to achieve
spiritual enlightenment. Literally, ‘sat’ and ‘sang’ in Sanskrit mean
‘association with the truth.’ Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s followers are commonly
referred to as ‘satsangis’ as they identify with Swaminarayan satsang.
Satsangis live their daily lives in
accordance with a righteous code of conduct, or dharma, which is defined by the
Swaminarayan scriptures as well as by the living guru. As explained by the
current guru, Pramukh Swami Maharaj, “Paraspar preeti prasaravey te dharma,”
which means, “That [code of conduct] which increases love and peace is worthy
of being called dharma.”
The central religious tenet for BAPS
satsangis is bhakti, or devotion to God. Bhakti, when combined with dharma,
gnan (spiritual knowledge), and vairagya (detachment), leads to one becoming an
ideal devotee, or an ekantik bhakta. This is achieved in the BAPS Swaminarayan
Sanstha by devoting oneself to God as per the example set by the guru. The guru
is the ideal bhakta of God; hence, the guru guides spiritual aspirants on the
path to spiritual bliss, a state that he enjoys continuously.
Hindu Sanatan Dharma is often known as a democratic religion. The
Vedas say that there are many paths to the same destination: moksha. That is
why Hindu Sanãtan Dharma embraces a great diversity of beliefs about God or
Bhagwan, the universe, and the path to moksha. Though followers of Hindu
Sanãtan Dharma may seem to be following different paths to Bhagwan, the core
beliefs are the same. These core beliefs form the essence of Hindu Sanãtan
Dharma and have been practiced since the beginning of time. All Hindus believe
in the revealed scripture (the Vedas) and one Supreme God. All paths lead to a
common goal of salvation, of the soul's freedom from a temporal body. Hindus
also believe in the sacredness of life, compassion, service, reincarnation, and
the laws of karma and dharma. Most Hindus build mandirs which are dedicated to
the Supreme and believe that a true guru is needed on the path to moksha.
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Southend-on-Sea, hosted its first
one-day satsang shibir on Sunday 8 May 2011.
The shibir, themed ‘Kariye Raji Ghanshyam’, was aimed at learning
how to please Bhagwan Swaminarayan and Guru Pramukh Swami Maharaj through the
three key principles of Mahima, Milan and Mamatva.
The day comprised of discourses by sadhus, group discussions and
team building activities, all of which were enjoyed by almost 90 devotees.
The first session, on Mahima, highlighted how one can fully
appreciate the glory of devotees and sadhus by taking examples from Bhagwan
Swaminarayan’s time as well as those present now. The second session, Milan,
focussed on serving together with unity and fraternity. The third and final
session, Mamatva, inspired all to develop greater affection for the mandir.
A deeper understanding and practice of all three principles would
help one progress spiritually and ultimately result in inner peace and
happiness due to the grace of God and guru.
In addition, the ladies also enjoyed garba in the presence of
Harikrishna Maharaj which provided the perfect end to an enlightening and
thoroughly enjoyable day.
Philosophy
In the Hindu tradition, the discussion and understanding of
philosophy is a fundamental tool for a spiritual aspirant to attain moksha,
liberation of the soul from the cycle of birth and death. The sound
philosophical base of the Swaminarayan Sampraday, and particularly the BAPS
Swaminarayan Sanstha, is grounded in the Aksharbrahma-Parabrahma philosophy derived
from the Vedas and revealed by Bhagwan Swaminarayan. This philosophy teaches
aspirants to worship Paramatma and to realize their true form to be the atma
and not simply the body. The attainment of ekantik dharma is at the heart of
the practical application of this philosophy in the life of a spiritual
aspirant. Bhagwan Swaminarayan taught His followers that the path to moksha is
a comprehensive approach combining dharma, bhakti, gnan, and vairagya. This
philosophical understanding is maintained with the continued presence of
Aksharbrahma in the form of the guru. Today, Pramukh Swami Maharaj offers
spiritual guidance on the path towards moksha to millions of people by leading
a life of utmost discipline and adherence to the Aksharbrahma-Parabrahma philosophy
Rituals are an important part of everyday life in the Hindu
tradition. These rites and rituals are not rooted in blind faith or
superstition; rather, they have a practical application and relevance to
people’s everyday lives. BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha followers live by the code
of conduct established by Bhagwan Swaminarayan and by the guidance of the
current guru. These practices stabilize the mind and purify its thoughts. They
are the answer to maintaining one’s focus on God admidst one’s daily routine.
This section provides an introduction to these timeless Hindu rites and
rituals.
The word ‘puja’ comes from the Sanskrit word ‘puj,’ meaning to
worship or to adore. Nitya Puja, or daily puja, is a prayer ritual performed
every morning by Hindu devotees. A devotee can communicate with God during
daily puja and convey one’s concerns and feelings directly to God. Puja helps
an individual concentrate on the divine murti of God and His gunatit sadhu. It
helps to calm the mind and quiet its many thoughts. Each morning, after having
brushed and bathed but prior to eating or drinking, devotees put on freshly
washed clothes and sit facing in a northern or eastern direction on a clean
piece of cloth, or asana. The northern direction symbolizes the path for
spiritual progress, and the sun rises in the eastern direction, symbolizing
enlightenment. Devotees then lay out before them the murtis of Bhagwan
Swaminarayan and the guru parampara on another asana while reciting a Sanskrit
verse inviting them to grace their puja. Thereafter, a male devotee places a
tilak-chandlo made from chandan and kumkum on his forehead, while female
devotees apply a kumkum chandlo. During puja, followers of Bhagwan Swaminarayan
meditate on His divine form and their atma, acknowledging that their existence
is separate from the body. They then engage in dhyan, yoga/pranayam, mansi,
mala, dandavat, pradakshina, and prarthana. Devotees recite another shloka
signaling the end of the puja and then read 5 shlokas from the Shikshapatri. After
finishing puja, devotees say “Jai Swaminarayan” to those present and bow down,
or perform panchang pranam, to their parents. Beginning each day in this manner
spiritually prepares one’s mind for the stress associated with daily
tasks.
Seva, or selfless service to society, is a cornerstone of the BAPS
Swaminarayan Sanstha. Bhagwan Swaminarayan initiated this tradition of
integrating service with spirituality in the late 18th century through a
groundbreaking program of social work. Today, Pramukh Swami Maharaj
continues this tradition through a wide range of humanitarian activities
including: (1) health and wellness; (2) education; (3) environmental
awareness; (4) community empowerment and (5) disaster relief. Together
with its international and independent partner BAPS Charities, BAPS and its
tens of thousands of volunteers continue to uphold this Spirit of Service,
enriching their own lives and the lives of those they serve
Culture and heritage are a distinct part of the identity of an
individual and a community. The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha hosts a variety of
initiatives to help Indians stay connected with their cultural roots. The
Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi and Gandhinagar stand as a testament to
the 10,000 year old culture of the Indian subcontinent and will remain a
tribute for future generations. Various exhibitions and special Mega Festivals
bring India to the doorsteps of Indians living both geographically and ideologically
outside of India. Mystic India, the first large format film ever produced about
India, transported the mysticism of India to the hearts and homes of millions
worldwide. BAPS mandirs preserve ancient Hindu traditions. They are a
celebrated example of majestic Indian architecture and promote a healthy,
well-balanced lifestyle prescribed by the ancient sages. Through BAPS’ many
cultural initiatives, millions of people can experience they beauty of India
and its traditions.
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Contact us:
BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir
190 Queensway
Southend-on-Sea SS1 2LU Essex UK
Phone: 01702 617381
E-mail: info.southend@uk.baps.org
190 Queensway
Southend-on-Sea SS1 2LU Essex UK
Phone: 01702 617381
E-mail: info.southend@uk.baps.org
Om
Tat Sat
(Continued...)
(My
humble salutations to the great
devotees and Pilgrimage tourist guide
for the collection)
(The Blog is reverently for all the seekers of truth,
lovers of wisdom and to share the Hindu Dharma with others on the
spiritual path and also this is purely a non-commercial blog)
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