All World
Gayatri Pariwar

As a tribute to Vandaniya Mataji, “Matrushakti Shraddhanjali Mahapurashcharan” – a collective social, cultural and spiritual endeavor to usher in a golden era of Truth, has been taken up by the parijans of All World Gayatri Pariwar. This era changing 9-year Anushthan has commenced on Guru Purnima, 2017 (July 9) and will conclude on Guru Purnima, 2026 (July 29). There are three wonderful co-incidences that align during the year 2026. The first one being that the year 2026 is the birth centenary year of Vandaniya Mataji. Secondly, the ‘Akhand Deepak’ that is incessantly kept lighted in Shantikunj (ever since Param Pujya Gurudev first lit it) also completes 100 years (on the Vasant Panchami of 2026, January 20). And, thirdly, 2026 marks the centenary year of the Bhagvat Siddhi Day (November 24) of Maharshi Sri Aurobindo. This 9-year Anushthan has been divided into three phases, each spanning 3 years. The first phase has already started from July 9, 2017 and will continue up to July 5, 2020. The second phase spans from July 5, 2020 to July 3, 2023. On this same day, the third and final phase will commence and conclude on July 29, 2026. About 120 million Gayatri Pariwar parijans across the globe are expected to join this collective Anushthan. Throughout this period, all the participants will undertake three spiritual practices as per their capabilities. They are Upasana, Sadhana and Aradhana. These are explained as follows: 

Upasana – We should wake up before sunrise and do Atmabodh Sadhana first thing in the morning; that is, meditate on the idea that each day is a new birth and a new start. One may contemplate for 5 to 6 minutes and focus on the thought that one has to do something new in this new birth and new day. We need to write down new resolutions for the day in our diary. At the end of the day, we should do Tatvabodh Sadhana, where we imagine that each night is the new death. In 5 to 6 minutes, we will recall what we were not able to do that day and also think if those tasks could be accomplished the next day or not. Let us record this too in our diaries before going to bed. Finally, thanking God for giving that day’s life, become relaxed and go to sleep. 6 AKHAND JYOTI Sept.-Oct. 2017 “The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.” - Franklin D. Roosevelt 

Along with these Sadhanas, after completing daily morning chores (bath,etc), we need to do 5-mala Jap (chanting) of Gayatri Mantra or write 50 Gayatri Mantras in Mantra Lekhan book, or recite Gayatri Chalisa 5 times. Before or after the japa, 15 minutes of meditation should also be done. One may choose any of the following as per one’s liking: Pran Sanchaar Meditation or Panchkoshi Jagran Meditation or Meditation of the three bodies - physical, subtle and causal. The audio files of the instructions for these meditations (in Gurudev’s voice) are available on our website (http://www.awgp.org/media_gallery/ audio). This needs to be carried out for next three years continuously. By doing this, each participant will be able to do japa of 1 lakh, 82 thousand, and 500 mantras in one year. (In three years it will be japa of 5 lakh, 47 thousand, and 500 mantras). The collective figure of all the parijans would be enormous. 

Sadhana - Our Mission’s objective is to lay the foundation of a new era of peace, progress and bliss. This requires refinement of thoughts, sentiments, and emotions of the masses. Of the many wonderful faculties bestowed upon human beings, the faculty of emotions is supreme. More than the circumstances and the availability or the lack of resources, it is this faculty which is responsible for one’s joys or sorrows in general. Refinement and righteous use of the power of emotions can solve most of the problems faced by the world today. Therefore, regular swadhyaya (study of inspiring literature) is mandatory for all sadhaks in order to maintain the positive thought vibrations. Swadhyaya can be done at the individual level or it can be done in groups of 5 to 10 people. The list of books for individual and group study is given elsewhere (see page 46 of this issue).