Swami Vishveshwarananda as Chief Guest during Bhagawat Katha by Dr. Swami Ramkamal Das Vedantaji, in Shri Bharat Mandir, Rishikesh, on 13^th February 2012

Report by Shri I.D. Joshi

Among the huge congregation of the Saints and Devotees of Rishikesh, Haridwar, Dehradun and other places at the holy ancient Shrine, Shri Bharat Mandir in Rishikesh, H.H. Swami Vishveshwaranandaji Maharaj, President, Omkarananda Ashram, Kumari Somashekhari, Secretary, Omkarananda Ashram, and Shri Narasimhuluji, were warmly welcomed and felicitated by Mahant Ashok Prapannacharyaji and devotees and dignitaries of the town, while joining the Satsang of Shrimad Bhagawat Katha by a great learned Saint of Varanasi, His Divine Grace, Dr. Swami Ramkamal Das Vedantaji Maharaj, a renowned Bhagawat Katha Vachak in India and abroad.

Famous Katha Vachak Dr. Swami Ramkamal Das Vedantaji giving lectures to a big audience in honour of the mother of Mahant Ashok Prapanna Sharma.

Swamiji, Somaji and Narasimhuluji joined the Satsang, and shared the ecstatic moments of the Giri Raj Govardhan Pooja amidst the sweet melodious chanting of the holy names, Bhajans and Kirtan.

At the outset, Shri Harshvardhan Sharma, Secretary, Shri Bharat Mandir School Society, and the young aspiring devotee Shri Vatsal and others received Swamiji and others at the gate and escorted them to the holy sacred Katha Pandal and seated them at the Pandal beside the Vyas Peeth.

Sitting next to His Holiness are Mahant Ashok Prapanna Sharma, Kumari Somashekhari, Swami Vishveshwarananda, Shri Gopalacharyaji and others.

Mahant Ashok Prapannacharyaji felicitated, honoured Swami Vishveshwaranandaji, Somashekhari and Narasimhulu with garlands and shawls. Another great Katha Vachak, Gopalacharyaji, also joyfully greeted them.

The learned scholarly Katha Vachak Vyas, Dr. Swami Ramkamal Das, garlanded Swamiji, Kumari Somashekhariji and Narasimhuluji at the Vyas Peeth and showered Blessings of the Lord on them, pronouncing in the midst of the sweet melodious Katha, that the presence of Swami Vishveshwaranandaji had added to the spiritual splendour of the Bhagawat Katha and everybody present should avail of this golden opportunity to take Blessings from this great Saint.

Swami Vishveshwarananda and Kumari Somashekhari performing Arati in honour of the Saint.

Being engrossed in the ecstatic moments of the divine bliss of the Kirtan, Bhajan and melodious recitation of the sacred verses of the Bhagawatam, invocation and prayers for the glorification of Lord Shri Govardhan, Swami Vishveshwaranandaji and Kumari Somashekhari joined the Arati of the Lord being offered, along with 56 Vyanjanas, i.e. 56 different sweet delicacies to the Lord.

Swamiji and Somashekhari offered flowers and garlands to the Bhagawad Bhagawan and Vyas Ji Maharaj, who extolled Swami Vishveshwaranandaji's presence at the Satsang. Somashekhari reciprocated with admiration and gratitude to the learned Scholar of the Bhagawatam, and thus exchanged the blissful interactions.

It was a moment of great jubilation and exultations among the audience. The devotees flocked together around Swamiji and Somaji, bowed before them and shared a few moments of Satsang with them. The local devotees, who knew Swami Vishveshwaranandaji, expressed their joy and happiness for the visit of Swamiji. Some of them were local educationists, school managers and businessmen, like Shri D.K. Varshney, Shri I.D. Joshi, Shri Brij Lal Nagpal, Shri Roshan Lal Dang, Shri Samit Kumar Agrakhal, Shri Harish Arora, President, Punjabi Mahasabha, etc.

Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda is intensely interacting with Dr. Swami Ramkamal Das.

The ladies and men alike thronged and wished for the blessings of Swami Vishveshwaranandaji. Swamiji and Somaji distributed Rudrakshas as Prasadam to them and they felt happy and blessed.

Shri Swami Vishveshwarananda Saraswati was among the important Mahamandaleshwaras, Saints and Dignitaries, who graced the Katha Celebrations during the Bhagawat Katha Week, such as Swami Satyamitranandaji of Bharat Mata Mandir, Haridwar, Swami Chidananda Saraswati of Paramartha Niketan, Former Minister, Shri Prem Chand Agrawal, MLA, Shri Dinesh Agrawal, MLA, and a Host of other Dignitaries and Saints from Rishikesh and outside.