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This article explains: The true spiritual meaning of Rakhi or Raksha Bandhan, a major festival of India. We know the literal meaning of Raksha Bandhan – the bondage of protection and as per tradition, the sister puts a ‘tilak’ on the forehead of her brother, and ties a “rakhi’ (a colorful and decorated thread) on their brother’s wrist, and gives sweets as an offering of their love. In return, the brother vows to protect his sister under all circumstances and of course, gives his sister ‘kharchi’ or a gift. Raksha Bandhan has a deeper spiritual explanation. Come and learn the true meaning of Rakhi festival and of its every pratha. Spiritual meaning of each Pratha 1. Tilak The “tilak‟ is a sign of being victorious over “BODY-CONSCIOUSNESS‟ and the web of vices that influenced us to perform negative actions. It is also a symbol of awakening one’s awareness of “Soul-consciousness”, realizing our true identity as infinitesimal points of divine energy – Soul, Atma, Ruha, Spirit or divine light energy, and NOT the physical body. 2. Rakhi Rakhi is a sign of the VOW of purity taken by all human beings (souls), a VOW made to God Shiva that we shall remain pure for our entire life. Because we ALL human beings are brothers and sisters among us. We have the same spiritual father - the Supreme Soul is our creator (father). Signifying this, the sister prays for the wellness and betterment of her brother, just as God is a well-wisher of ours. 3. Sweets (Meethai) The sweets that the sister offers to the brother is a symbol of sweetness is our relationship. We make a vow of behaving sweetly with EVERYONE whom we shall meet. Sister is saying to brother - 'Become sweet.' 4. Kharchi (money in return of tying Rakhi) A relationship is one in which there is give and take. Hence here also, the brother gives kharchi in return for love and sweets. This is the give and take is fulfilled. Watch Video on: Significance of Raksha Bandhan celebration (Hindi) Do we ever stop to marvel at the magic of love? They say love is as delicate as a flower that a single touch can bruise it, and yet so strong as to withstand all storms. Love is the epitome of freedom and power but only when grounded in Purity and Spiritual principles. The Festival of Raksha Bandhan (Bond of Protection) speaks of this Sacred, Loving relationship that nurtures, protects and uplifts. Traditionally, sisters apply a “tilak‟ on the forehead of their brothers, tie a colorful decorated “rakhi‟ or thread on their brother’s wrist, and offer sweets as a token of their love. In return, the brother vows to protect his sister under all circumstances and of course, gives his sister a gift. Tying a “rakhi” is a symbol of purity in thought, word and deed. So, make a pledge to stay in your original nature of peace, love, purity, knowledge, and compassion… my every thought, word and action becomes elevated and divine. Then, we receive the sweets as God bestows on us divine wisdom, becomes our true protector and liberator, and showers us with unlimited peace and happiness! Under His canopy of protection, we can be truly safe. The gift I give is to see every other being as a child of God and part of my spiritual family. This unlimited vision of brotherhood breaks all barriers of caste, creed, age, gender, religion, socio-economic status, sanskars (personality traits)…. I can live by my TRUE SELF-RESPECT and help others to do the same. ~ GOD ties Rakhi to all Souls ~ We already now understand the deep meaning of the rituals of Rakhi. Tilak signifies 'soul consciousness'. God, the supreme soul gives us a tilak of remembrance - that you are a Soul. Then he ties us a Rakhi (vow of purity) and ask us to remain pure in this last birth. Then he makes us as sweet as himself. Sweet means with all attainments and virtues. Then at last, gives us kharchi (wealth of new world) and we shall receive an inheritance of heaven (golden age). This is our golden fortune. In Relation to Brahma Kumaris Rakhi, as it was initially meant to be, is a worldwide brotherhood consciousness. This is to remind that we ALL, beyond religion and region, are Brothers and sisters This has to be remembered again, since has been forgotten. Do you realise that you, me, the soul of Christ, Buddha, Ibrahim, and all other religion's souls - we all have a common father? Our spiritual father, who is incorporeal, whom we also call God or the Supreme soul. We are all his children. This we have forgotten, and thus we fought in the name of religion, race and region. GOD, our spiritual father comes and remind us: "You are my long lost and now found sweetest and dearest children. I have come to take you all back to our sweet home." The process is to become pure, and adopt divine virtues with the help of powers of God, which we receive when we remember him. This is called Raja Yog meditation. Final Words Every Indian festival is a reminder of God’s teaching of Sangam Yug (present time). They all have a purpose, and a message to give. But yes, you will get the nectar from this only when you know the real consciousness behind those festivals. Now you know atleast the truth behind 'Rakhi'. Useful Links Video Gallery (our Most important videos) Revelations (Life and Beyond) Celibacy Article About Us (Introduction)

What is the spiritual significance of Raksha Bandhan for Brahman souls? Raksha Bandhan is a sacred thread that binds us in God’s Love, liberates us from all the bondages of the body and the physical world, and fills us with feelings of safety and protection. Let our feelings be pure and elevated for every soul. Let there be forgiveness and good wishes and a ufeeling of universal brotherhood. Together, we will be able to create an atmosphere of love and contentment in our world. Let this Rakshabandhan be proof of self-transformation. Let us remember to renounce our wasteful thoughts, words, and actions and transform them into elevated ones as we tie our Rakhi this year. This rakhi is a vow (pratigya) to our Supreme father (god). Visit our post: Full version article on Rakhi The True Significance of Rakhi ( A vow of purity, A bond of protection ) Do we ever stop to marvel at the magic of love? They say love is as delicate as a flower that a single touch can bruise it, and yet so strong as to withstand all storms. Love is the epitome of freedom and power but only when grounded in Purity and Spiritual principles. The Festival of Raksha Bandhan (Bond of Protection) speaks of this Sacred, Loving relationship that nurtures, protects and uplifts. Traditionally, sisters apply a “tilak‟ on the forehead of their brothers, tie a colorful decorated “rakhi‟ or thread on their brother’s wrist, and offer sweets as a token of their love. In return, the brother vows to protect his sister under all circumstances and of course, gives his sister a gift. Raksha Bandhan has a deeper spiritual explanation. The Tilak is a symbol of awakening one’s awareness of ‘Soul-consciousness’. It is also a sign of being victorious over “BODY-CONSCIOUSNESS‟ and the web of vices that influenced us to perform negative actions. This festival is also a symbol of awakening one’s awareness of “Soul-consciousness”, realizing our true identity as infinitesimal points of divine energy – Soul, Atma, Ruha, Spirit or divine light energy, and NOT the physical body. Tying a “rakhi” is a symbol of purity in thought, word and deed. So, make a pledge to stay in your original nature of peace, love, purity, wisdom, mercy… my every thought, word and action becomes elevated and divine. Then, we receive the sweets as God bestows on us divine wisdom, becomes our true protector and liberator, and showers us with unlimited peace and happiness! Under His canopy of protection, we can be truly safe. The gift I give is to see every other being as a child of God and part of my spiritual family. This unlimited vision of brotherhood breaks all barriers of caste, creed, age, gender, religion, socio-economic status, sanskars (personality traits)…. I can live by my TRUE SELF-RESPECT and help others to do the same. This is how to truly celebrate Rakshabandhan (Rakhi). ✪ Watch *video* - Significance of Rakhi So, let’s pledge to stay in our original nature of peace, love, purity, wisdom, mercy, due to which our every thought, word and action becomes elevated and divine. Let our feelings be pure and elevated for every soul. Let there be forgiveness and good wishes and a feeling of universal brotherhood. Together, we will be able to create an atmosphere of love and contentment in our world. Let this Raksha Bandhan be a proof of self-transformation. Let us remember to renounce our wasteful thoughts, words and actions and transform them into elevated ones as we tie our Rakhi this year. This Rakhi is a vow (pratigya) to our Supreme Father (God). Brahma Kumaris We at Brahma Kumaris understand the spiritual significance of each festival and celebrate them in its true sense. Learn 7 days Course (online) Rakhi, as it was initially meant to be, is a worldwide brotherhood consciousness. This is to remind that we ALL, beyond religion and region, are Brothers and sisters This has to be remembered again, since has been forgotten. Do you realise that you, me, the soul of Christ, Buddha, Ibrahim, and all other religion's souls - we all have a common father? Our spiritual father, who is incorporeal, whom we also call God or the Supreme soul. We are all his children. This we have forgotten, and thus we fought in the name of religion, race and region. GOD, our spiritual father comes and remind us: "You are my long lost and now found sweetest and dearest children. I have come to take you all back to our sweet home." The process is to become pure and adopt divine virtues with the help of powers of God, which we receive when we remember him. This is called Raja Yog meditation. Final Words Every Indian festival is a reminder of God’s teaching of Sangam Yug (present time). They all have a purpose, and a message to give. But yes, you will get the nectar from this only when you know the real consciousness behind those festivals. Now you know atleast the truth behind 'Rakhi'. --- Useful pages to visit --- Spiritual Significance of Maha Shivratri? When will Shri Krishna take Birth? What is Gyan Murli of Shiv baba?

Didi (elder sister) Manmohini ji joined the Yagya (Brahma kumaris) in its beginning years in 1936-37. Her childhood name was Gopi who was born in around 1915 to mother Rukmani in Sindh, Hyderabad (presently located in Pakistan). They had a family connection with Dada Lekhraj (later named Prajapita Brahma). ➤Get PDF version of this biography article to download/print. ➤Visit the July special post of Didi Manmohini to get the entire collection of Didi's Biography, experiences, qualities, poems, and videos. Index Experience Video Introduction Experience continues Administrative skills Tireless servant Animation movie Didi Manmohini ji shared her life experience in this way: "I was born in a famous and respected Sindhi family. The family into which I was married was also a very respectable one. Even in my loukik life, our relatives would frequently visit Dada Lekhraj's family. They were sort of pulled to him. You will probably ask, why? Because Dada was very well-known for his devotion. Seeing his devotional feelings, generosity, magnanimity, and kind-heartedness, the local community had a good respect for him. Besides, I would continue to meet and communicate with Baba because of our loukik relations. My loukik mother also desired that her children should forge relations with Baba's family. However, it did not happen in that way and we were married to other homes." "In spite of being in a rich family, I was very unhappy in my worldly life. This is why I would spend more time attending various Satsangs here and there. There were all types of comfort in my home and we were constantly engaged in charity and making donations. I loved the Geeta and the Bhagavat very much. I did not know what would happen through reading them but I just loved the story of Gopis in the Bhagavat. I was habitual of going through that story daily. I even visualized myself as a Gopi internally. Even my loukik name was Gopi! As I was reading about Krishna's divine games with his Gopis I would shed tears of love. I was so fond of those Gopis! I wondered how the Gopis succeeded in meeting Krishna. So this is how my path of devotion continued." - says Didi. Introduction and Life Story "I saw a spinning discus of light in the middle of Baba's forehead" ​Didi continues; "Once my loukik mother (whom they would call Queen Mother in the yagya) went to see Baba. And the next day after having gone to Baba she sent back her car to take me there, too. In those days having a car was 2 considered something great. I got into the car and went to Baba. Baba was sitting in a small room holding the Gita scripture in his hands and conducting a spiritual discourse (Satsang). I had seen Baba a number of times before, however, on that day I was experiencing a special pull to him. I came up to Baba and sat down in front of him in such a way that Baba's drishti would meet my drishti. I saw a spinning discus of light in the middle of Baba's forehead. I would not even say that I went into a trance. I was seeing this discus of light on Baba's forehead with my physical eyes. Baba was narrating something but I was hardly aware of what all of that was about. At the end, Baba started chanting the sound of ‘Om’ and I got lost in the love of that chanting. The heart was willing to get merged in the sound of Baba's voice. Even at that time, I could see the discus of light on Baba's forehead." After the Satsang was complete, Baba asked me whether I had heard anything during the Satsang. I answered, 'Baba, I have heard it but I want to learn more.' Baba said, 'Come to Om Mandali tomorrow.' The next day Baba conducted his Satsang at another place. I went there and sat down in front of Baba. In those days we did not have the pictures that we are having now. Baba took a sheet of paper and a pencil and drew a picture of the subtle regions and of paramdham (home of souls). I would listen to Baba and the firm faith came in my heart that I was that same gopi described in the Bhagavat. ​ Didi had to tolerate assaults because of her vow of purity ​ When Baba started his Satsang in Hyderabad it caused a sensation in the city. On one hand many were getting divine visions and on other hand they were told (during Murlis) to remain pure in family life (celibacy). Baba's first direction was to remain pure (celibate). As soon as Didi heard that, she decided, 'I will stay pure.' As Didi took a vow of purity, her husband quarreled with her. He even beat Didi once or twice. Once he even threw a glass at Didi and hurt her head. But didi was intoxicated in her love for Baba's Gyan-murli (the flute of knowledge). As she was listening to the knowledge she would get intoxicated. She would immediately imbibe whatever Baba said and start practising it in her practical life. She had to tolerate lots of assaults after taking the vow of purity. Having got fed up with her husband's cruelty she had to leave his house and return to her parents. Didi was Mamma's right hand in day-to-day tasks. Administrative skills After the partition in 1951, when preparations were to be made for this organization to move from Sindh to another place, Baba sent Didi for this task. And it was Didi ji who made all the inquiries and selected Mount Abu for this purpose. "The image of knowledge, the image of virtues, the image of yoga, and the image of tenderness" And that was not all about her! Didi had many other virtues. First of all, she was a very diligent student. From 1937 till 1983 she was never absent in Baba's Gyan Murli class. Everyone would see her present in the class with her notebook and her pen. At the time of listening, she would note down certain points of knowledge, and then throughout the day she would share them with the seekers she met. So she remained a diligent student even at the age of 72. And she was also very good in her yoga practice. She would take her bath in the morning and not only would she be seated at 4.00 a.m. according to the discipline but also she conducted meditation for everyone in silence by becoming the image of yoga. ​ Tireless Godly Servant From the beginning of the Yagya, she was very active in taking responsibilities. She did tireless service in this institution by fully surrendering her mind, body, and wealth to the task of awakening people. Even in her old age, she would travel widely across the country doing Godly service everywhere from Assam to Abu, from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, from Kolkatta to Kach. She even went abroad for this elevated task. Even at the age of 72, she would show her care providing thousands of those coming to Madhuban with all the comforts as well as taking them into the depths of Gyan. Day and night she was busy showering everyone with her motherly love. ​ The Life Of Renunciation Didi lived a very simple life. From dressing to meals and behavior. In this way, she remained an image of simplicity and renunciation. Whatever possessions she had she gave them as presents to others and was connected in love with God. ​ Essence Didi was: Loving, royal, attentive, simple, Yogi, conqueror of sleep, cheerful, and responsible. Animation Movie: Didi Manmohini ➤Visit the July special post of Didi Manmohini to get the entire collection of Didi's Biography, experiences, qualities, poems, and videos. Useful Links Biography section Full Documentary Biography PDF Experiences with Didi With Dadi Prakashmani Yagya History

दशहरा - Dussehra - Destroying The Ravan Within A Special Message on Dussehra this year 2023. A Godly message to overcome the five vices (lust, anger, greed, ego, attachment) which we call Ravan (Ravana), and to re-establish the inner kingdom of peace, purity, love, joy, and spiritual power. When the Soul who has fallen in the well of these five vices will now recognise its true spiritual identity as a child of the Supreme Soul (god) and thus receive spiritual knowledge from the Father (Shiv Baba). Tip: You may also listen to this article (audio⇗) So let's explore the truth behind the celebration of Dussehra (Dushera) after the nine days of Navratri and why is Ravana burned on the 10th day? What does it mean? What does 10 heads of Ravan signify? Who are Sita and Rama? You will know them in this article. To read many such useful articles, visit our Articles section. Who is Sita? In the old days, the saints and sages used to explain the wisdom of life and living by telling a story and then relating it to individual life. These then became our religious scriptures. One of the most revered religious scriptures of ancient India is "Ramayana", which is the life story of Lord Rama, the king of Ayodhya. As the story goes, Sita (wife of Lord Rama) who was residing in a forest was kidnapped by Ravana (an evil-minded king of Lanka). How does that happen? Well, a great wisdom of life is understood just from this incidence. The very scene in which the kidnap of Sita happens is full of spiritual meaning. Now we will explain the significance of the story while narrating it... Apharan of Sita Story: Sita was residing in a forest, along with Rama, and his brother Lakshman. One day, Rama went into the deeper forest to fulfill a wish (desire) of Sita, which was to get a deer which she saw and found very charming. After a while, when Rama did not return, Lakshman also followed him. Before that, he drew a 'Rekha' (a line), famously known as 'Lakshman Rekha' around the hut in which Sita stayed. This rekha would protect Sita from any danger. Meaning behind it: Observe how the names of characters taken here signify the meaning. Laksh, which means 'aim and objective' of our life. And lakshman-rekha would mean - the line of our principles (the Hindi word is Maryada). And when Sita, who represents us, the souls crosses our 'rekha' (line of Maryada) of values and principles, then the Ravana (representing the 5 vices) would take control on us (saying kidnap us) and take us to Lanka (representing a world of sorrow). As long as Sita was inside the line of values and principles, Ravana was helpless and could not do anything... But as soon as Sita crosses the line of Maryada, Ravan could easily take the control. The message we get here is: We all souls are a Sita who lives in this body. Rama, is our spiritual father, the supreme soul (Shiv Baba). As long as we stay in our Maryada (stick with our principle moral values), we are safe from the vices... If we become careless and cross our line of maryada, then the vices (lust, anger, greed, ego, attachment) would enter and take us to the world of sorrow (that is; our life becomes a misery). In order to free us souls from sorrow, God himself (Ram) has to cross the ocean (explaining that the Supreme soul lives in the soul world, while we live in this corporeal world, and hence in order to free us, he has to cross this ocean/border). Cross the ocean and enter the Lanka. In order to take us back to home, he has to first finish the Ravan (5 vices). And how does he do that? The story also describes that. Lord Rama targets the arrow (the Hindi word is bana) at the Navel (Nabhi) of Ravana and he falls down. Victory is achieved. Here, the navel (nabi) is taken as the 'root', which signifies that 'body-consciousness' actually is the root cause of all vices. Aim to finish body-consciousness and you get rid of all those 10 heads (5 vices both in male and female), and you get the victory. This victory of us souls over our own weaknesses (in the form of vices) is celebrated year after year. But when would we actually get this victory? Answer is: In order to overcome our weaknesses, we derive powers from our father, whom we have called God, the supreme soul. How? Through Yog (connection with God). This which we call RajaYog Meditation. ✱ Watch this video where BK Sister Shivani explains the meaning of Dussehra ✱ Victory over Weaknesses (Dussehra Significance): BK Shivani Dussehra celebration across India Many interesting and famous mythological stories of Dussehra or Vijayadashami, that celebrate the victory of righteousness over evil, are present in the world. On this day, a portrait of Ravana is created every year and is burned by a person who forms himself as Lord Rama. After this, a celebration is made to signify that we have burned the evil and a victory is achieved. This is celebrated across India in similar ways. As God, our spiritual father himself has revealed in the Murlis, we the souls were originally a sparkling star-like point of living energy, full of peace, purity, and bliss. When we spiritually powerful souls first came onto the world to play, our purity was naturally seen through the physical body, in the form of divine qualities like love, happiness, and joy. Refer to: World Drama Cycle. Slowly as we came in the cycle of birth and death, we started falsely identifying our-self with this physical body and forgot our eternal identity of that of a soul. We started getting attracted to the five senses and sense objects. The golden deer which had attracted Sita in the Ramayan is a symbolic representation of these material attractions (which we see today), while the internal stage of soul-consciousness is shown in the form of the Lakshman Rekha which Sita had crossed. This led to her getting kidnapped by vices and getting distanced from Rama (God). ✦Essence The episode of the kidnapping of Sita by Ravan refers to the kidnapping of the soul by the forces of Evil or the five vices namely lust, anger, greed, attachment, and ego. Ram comes in the world to free all the Sita from the lanka of Ravan (the five vices). Tip: Read our article on Navratri Message. Useful links General Articles - Hindi & English 7 days course online (Eng) About Brahma Kumaris - Introduction Online Services (daily sustenance 'online') Videos Library (watch our selected videos) BK Google⇗ (our Search engine)

Brahma Kumari (BK) Sister Jayanti is well-known not only within the Brahma Kumaris family but also outside. Mainly for her contributions to our TV shows, important ceremonies, lectures, being the director of BKWSU for Europe zone, and also being an ambassador of BKWSU at the UN (United Nations). In this official biography article, learn about Sister Jayanti's early life, spiritual life, her qualities, her role in services, and present news. Tip: Visit our Biography section to learn about the life stories of great souls (in both English & Hindi languages). Skip to Useful links for more related topics. Sister Jayanti Early Life Jayanti Kriplani was born to a well-doing Sindhi family in Pune (or Poona) city in India in 1949. Her father's occupation allowed the family to move to England when she was 8 years old. She completed her school life/high school education in England. ➥Her life changed forever when she came to India for the first time during her school holidays when she was about 19 years old. She came with her mother. While they were staying in their home in Pune, they got to know about a Satsang (holy gathering) running nearby. This was Geeta Pathshala of Brahma Kumaris... And to their fortune, Mamma herself had visited that centre and was staying for a few days. A family friend informed Jayanti's mother about this. "Must visit this Satsang"; she said "and listen to mamma explaining God's versions of Bhagavad Gita". Jayanti and her mother visited and met Mamma Saraswati for the first time. Experience with Mamma Sister Jayanti remembers: "I was quiet resistent to spirituality, and thus leaned not to go to the satsang. But as I got there, there was this divine energy, a state of real peace, and an unconditional motherly love around this women (referring to Mamma) who greeted us.. I cannot describe how spiritually attractive Mamma was to me that time... I sat down to listen Mamma's murli and felt a deep connection to my own self.." ➥This was the very first experience of Sister Jayanti with Mamma, and the BK organisation. She had a conversation with Mamma, who suggested they should visit Mount Abu (Madhuban). Later both Jayanti and her mother visited Madhuban and meet Prajapita Brahma Baba. This was how Sister Jayanti got connected with us. Personality & Virtues Being an emissary for peace at the UN for the last 45 years, Sister Jayanti always had a vision that is universal. Let it be universal love, brotherhood, peace, or spiritual identity. "We all are souls, children of the divine"; she reminds us. Sister BK Jayanti is an excellent speaker on spirituality topics and she connects with people. She has been an instrument in transforming the lives of many while she was serving in Europe, based in London. Her peaceful nature and calming voice further connect to people and they also experience how a person is transformed by spiritual wisdom, and connecting to God, the Supreme Soul. ➥Sister Jayanti sees the erosion of spiritual values at the heart of the underlying cause of the crises that the world is facing today. She has worked to promote positive thinking, religious harmony, moral and spiritual values in all sectors of society. ➥An elegant speaker, Sister Jayanti delivers a unique blend of spiritual wisdom from the East, and scientific knowledge from the West; explaining the deepest spiritual truths with clarity. Sister Jayanti has spoken on topics like spirituality in daily life, health, education, racial harmony, women´s needs, religions of the world, and peace in the world. We listed down some of her notable presentations: Environment From 2009-2020, she headed the BK delegation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP), and has spoken internationally on the link between human consciousness and climate change. In January 2018, she led meditation sessions at the World Economic Forum in Davos, and at the European Commission’s EU Sustainable Energy Week Conference in Brussels. Women’s Needs She was a delegate to the International Women’s Year Conference, in Berlin in 1975, which caused the start of the United Nations Decade for Women. Interfaith Sister Jayanti is an advisor to the Council for the Parliament of the World´s Religions and gives a major representation at this Parliament. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the World Congress of Faiths and is a member of the Advisory Body of the International Interfaith Centre. Sister Jayanti's role with the Brahma Kumaris Her role within the Brahma Kumaris is very broad: Based in the UK: Director of the BK international Co-ordinating Office in London, Global Co-operation House, Global Retreat Centre in Oxfordshire, and is the Director for BK Centres in over 3l countries in Europe and the Middle East. Global Administration: At a young age she helped establish BK Centres in London, Hong Kong, the Caribbean, Japan, South Africa, and several European countries. BK UN Representative: NGO representative to the United Nations, Geneva for the Brahma Kumaris, participating in UN conferences and projects connected to the environment and climate change, women, development, youth, and other major international projects for the UN. In this capacity, she has undertaken extensive research into the role of spiritual values in world change and their role in empowering humanity to deal positively with the challenges we face today. Speaker: She is a much sought-after public speaker and broadcaster on a worldwide scale. She is an eloquent speaker who captivates her audience not just with her wisdom and depth of spirituality, but also her soothing voice. She has recorded hundreds of meditation commentaries. Author: She has written several inspiring books on spirituality in daily life. Teacher: Sister Jayanti’s day-to-day work includes spiritual teaching and providing spiritual guidance to the many students of the Brahma Kumaris. Useful Links Biography Section (for all BKs) About Brahma Kumaris (Introduction) FAQs on BKWSU Question Answers (general) General Articles (English & Hindi)

Diwali, or Deepawali, as said by tradition is an age-old and significant festival recognised and celebrated in India by almost all of its religions (Hindu, Sikh, Jain, SwamiNarayan, South cultures). Deepawali, while it marks the beginning of a new time (New Year), it also marks the final victory of good over evil forces, of light (knowledge) over darkness (ignorance); and therefore we do light up a Diya (a small lamp) to remind ourselves of our own inner light of peace, purity, love, and spiritual joy. Some also celebrate this festival as a remembrance day of lord Rama's return to his kingdom, which again makes the same sense when we say "When the final victory over the inner vices is achieved, God's kingdom is established on earth" Listen to the Audio version of this article This is a complete article on Diwali, for the year 2022. Written and published by the team of the "Shiv Baba Service Initiative". Please SHARE this article with your relatives. Visit General Articles to read our selected most useful articles in English and Hindi. Index: What does Diya represent? Video 1 (BK Shivani) Soul & Supreme Soul Diwali brings Cleanliness Diwali brings Newness Shri Lakshmi visits home Video 2 (BK Shivani) Essence of article Note: There is more than one meaning to the rituals and beliefs connected with Deepawali festival. And we will cover all those aspects and explain the spiritual meaning behind them. Read this article till the end. Festival of Lights! The image of light holds a very deep meaning in many faiths. It is the symbol of the image of God and also the image of one’s true identity- the spirit or the soul. Just as the sea of lights guided Rama back to his kingdom, so too do we have the ability to walk towards the ultimate light- that of God through following a spiritual path of self-discovery. What does a Diya represent? A Diya is lit up in all houses. It is a symbol of the soul's Diya (light or consciousness) being lighted up in the presence of the supreme soul. Diya also translates into 'given' or 'donated'. Diya would mean: "I give all my weaknesses to God", and in return, we do receive his pure energies. With his powers, we can transform ourselves. This festival also reminds us "To Give" whatever we have in excess. This is the way of living in which we not only provide for others who are in need but also bring benefit ourselves self by doing such good deeds. Watch this video ➜ Significance of Diya ~ Diwali message by BK Shivani BK Shivani behen explains the meaning behind lighting up a Diya on the night of Diwali. Also marks a new beginning. *To watch more videos by Sister Shivani on 'Diwali significance', visit the Full playlist on YouTube. Soul & the Supreme Soul Raja Yoga, which means “an intellectual connection with God (Supreme Soul)” is a form of meditation that focuses the attention of the mind on one’s true identity as a light, a point of spiritual conscious energy- the soul. The soul is residing at the centre of the forehead and using the brain and senses to write this article. The "Tilak" marked on the forehead is to remind us that the self is a pure divine soul. The light – the soul – is the core of our being. One of the greatest spiritual truths mentioned in the Gita is the understanding that every human soul consists of several original qualities – like the genetic makeup of the soul. They are: Peace, purity, love happiness, and wisdom. (Refer to: Original Virtues of Soul). Just by turning my awareness within and releasing these original qualities, I will be able to experience them. That is what gives us the power of Hanuman, the wisdom of Krishna, or the courage of Rama. Diwali brings Cleanliness In India, as a child as well, we all would have observed that our parents operate the cleaning of the entire house during the time of Deepawali; and we also helped them clean. But what is the purpose of this only during the time of Diwali? What does cleanliness signify? The real purpose is to clean our thoughts, clean our impure sanskaras, find out our weaknesses and throw them away, and in all clean our inner self and reflect upon our life. "This body in which I the soul live is also my home, which I should keep pure and clean." This is the true significance of cleanliness observed during the new year (and Diwali). Such introverted and spiritual aspects are forgotten with time as we become extroverts. Now is the time when God (Supreme Soul) himself explains what we have forgotten. Diwali brings Newness New clothes, new accounts, presents, sweets, colourful decorations, lighting everywhere, traditional dances- these are all pretty common experiences in the time of Diwali! They all add to the joyous nature of the festival- and it is indeed a "glorious" festival, which also unites families as they gather during its 10 to 18 days long national holiday which is one reason it is loved by so many. Shri Lakshmi visits our Home The belief is widespread in India, that Shri Lakshmi (goddess of wealth) visits our home during the time of Deepawali. And therefore we do cleaning in our house and at the workplace. There is a spiritual meaning behind this belief as well. Till now, we have learned that this festival reminds us to become soul-conscious, to clean our thoughts and heart, to donate whatever we have in excess, and to spread happiness to everyone. And when we do all this, we become a great soul, after whom all prosperity follows. "Prosperity of peace, wealth, health and happiness comes to those who adopt divine values and virtues." Takeaway: Plant and cherish divine virtues of purity, peace, selfless love, truth, mercy, kindness, and knowledge in your life; and all prosperity will follow you. Watch this video ➜ What Do We learn from Diwali? (BK Shivani) BK Shivani explains the meaning behind Diwali celebration and the significance of these four days (Vasu Bras, Dhan Teras, Diwali day, and Lakshmi pooja) Essence of Diwali Article "Festival of Lights" is the remembrance day of our victory against evil forces (5 vices- lust, anger, greed, ego, attachment) We clean the house (which signifies the cleaning of our thoughts, words, and karma) We light a Diya to signify the 'awakening' of the soul, that God comes and makes us conscious of our own self a divine point of light (soul) We light up our souls with the fire of spiritual knowledge of "self-realisation". As we become 'soul-conscious', we attain innate inner peace, joy, and happiness. As we attain a victory over these vices, then Shri Lakshmi (symbol of wealth and prosperity) comes into our life. Diwali marks the beginning of a new way of living. Everything is new! Hence a 'New Year' is celebrated the day after Deepawali. Useful Links PDF version of this article General Articles (Hindi & English) RajYoga course online (WISDOM) Video Library (our most important videos to watch/download) BK Google (our search engine)

ब्रह्माकुमारी व ब्रह्माकुमार आज जानते है की अव्यक्त बापदादा की मुरली द्वारा पालना देने का पार्ट अब समाप्त हुआ है। अर्थात अब हमे ज्ञान स्वरुप, अव्यक्त फरिस्ता स्वरुप बनना है। शिक्षक की शिक्षा तो हमारे साथ है ही है, और उसमे भी शिव बाबा हम बच्चो को योग में extra सहयोग दे रहे है। अच्छा, यह तो हुई हर एक आत्मा के पुरुषार्थ अनुसार उनके अनुभव की बात। हमारे अन्य लेख पढ़ने लिए General Articles जरूर विजिट करे। Visit General Articles यह लेख में आप जानेंगे की अव्यक्त में मिलन मनाना अर्थात क्या? जरूर पढ़े, समझे, अभ्यास में लाये, और अन्य बी.के.भाई बहनो को SHARE करे। बाबा मिलन क्या होता है ? ✦ सबसे पहले तो ये की हम ब्राह्मण आत्माये इतने प्यार से बाबा किसे कहते है तो "बाबा" शब्द जो हम बोलते रहते है वो हमारे आत्मिक पिता, पारलौकिक पिता शिव है, बाबा इसलिए कहते है क्योंकि बाबा शब्द एक बहुत प्यार का प्रतीक है, हम अपने अपने घर में भी अपने बड़े बुजुर्गों को प्यार से बाबा कहते है न, क्योंकि जिससे हम बहुत प्रेम करते हो और जो अनुभवों का भण्डार हो और जो हमारे जीवन के भविष्य में हमारे मददगार है। ✦ अब हम बाबा मिलन अर्थात परमात्म मिलन कहते है इसका तात्पर्य यह है कि जब इस दुनिया में विकारों की आंधी, सत्य का विनाश और अधर्म की हानि होती है, तब स्वयं परमात्मा इस धरा पर साधारण तन में प्रवेश कर हम आत्माओ को सत्यता, प्रेम ,सुख, शांति का पाठ पढ़ाते है, मानव को पुनः सच्चा मानव बनाते है, सत्कर्म व् सत्यधर्म का पाठ पढ़ाकर एक नया राज्य नयी दुनिया सतयुग के स्थापना के निमित्त बनाते है। ✦ भगवान् ने कहा है मैं किसी साधारण से रूप में इस धरा पर आकर तुमको अपना परिचय देता हूँ, तुममे से कोई विरला ही मुझे पहचान पायेंगे क्योंकि तुम मायानगरी में बिलकुल अंधे बन पड़े थे इसलिए मुझे तुम आत्माओ को जगाने आना होता है। तो जो आत्माये परमात्मा को पहचान लेते है और उनकी श्रीमत को पालन करते है वही वास्तव में परमात्मा से मिलन मनाते है। ✦ बाबा मिलन अर्थात जिस तरह हम इस दुनिया में लोगो से बात करते, मिलते, मिलन मनाते है उसी प्रकार हम आत्मा स्वरुप में टिक कर सुबह सुबह जो विशेष परमात्म की याद का समय होता है, उस समय परमात्मा रूह रिहान कर सकते है ,उनसे मन से ही ,अपने संकल्पों से बात कर सकते है ,उनसे प्रतिदिन मिलन मना सकते है तो ये बाबा मिलन होता है। ✦ और जब स्वयं आदिपिता प्रजापिता ब्रह्मा इस धरा पर जीवित थे तब परमात्मा उनके तन का आधार लेकर कभी भी आत्माओ से मिलन मनाने आजाते परंतु उनके देह त्यागने के बाद और सर्वश्रष्ठ पवित्र 8 में सम्मलित रत्न हमारी दादी जी की तन में आकर विशेष दिन फिक्स कर परमात्मा आत्माओ से डायरेक्ट इस धरा पर मिलन मनाते है तो इसे ही हम बाबा या बापदादा मिलन कहते है। यह वीडियो में आप सुनो ➞ अव्यक्त बापदादा से मिलन करने का योग (with guided commentary) ✤ Useful Links General Articles - Hindi & English RajYog guided commentaries (audio) Article: मुरली क्या है? Hindi Audio-Books (free listen/download) राजयोग कर्मयोग की विधि : course page BK Google (our search engine)

"A deep and long research on Near-Death Experiences initiated by a well-known psychologist and author Dr Raymond Moody has revealed God as a being of light and How Soul (we) decide our Next Life after leaving one body"; should have become a headline in every newspaper of the world. What can be more important than an out-of-body, impersonal experience that reveals and proves thereby that we are non-physical and immortal beings of pure consciousness who merely enter this body, experience life, perform karma, and leave the body when it is time to take another body! These experiences also revealed the existence of another world, a world of light and abundance, where the supreme light (God) also resides. Tip: Also read our post on Out of Body Experience (OBE) Index Common Reports Nine Elements of NDE Conclusion Essence NDE stories playlist NDE video interview Useful Links In the 1970s and 1980s, an initiative study by Dr Raymond Moody examined Near-Death-Experiences of many people recorded after they came back to life. A majority of them reported that they saw a powerful loving beautiful white light, incorporeal or personified (which they recognised as God) who showered them with the most precious experience of unconditional love, acceptance, peace, and comfort. Then they saw their life story and had to go back to the world in order to settle their karmic debts with souls. Common Reports Some also reported that they saw a film playing in front of them that shows their life journey. And at the end, they were given two choices; whether to stay or to go back and fulfil their leftover task. This ahead proves that we ourselves decide our birthplace, family, etc. while we are in our higher-conscious state. Most of the ND experiences did experience presence of a powerful light above them, whom now they would call 'god' who would also observe their life journey along with, but does not judge them. While this, they did experience 'unconditional love'. NDE is the most significant proof of afterlife and of God's existence Dr Moody's Nine Elements of NDEs Dr Raymond Moody is a well-known researcher in the field of out-of-body and near-death experiences, and in fact, the best-known expert in this field. Since 1976, he has been researching the cases of people who went into comma, or in simple words the stage where the body organs hibernated while the brain still functions. This research which he started at the medical college of Georgia in the USA, soon earned the attention of local and international media as he made eye-opening common conclusions after researching (interviewing) dozens of cases. 1. A Strange Sound A buzzing, or ringing noise, while having a sense of being dead. Before the subject left his or her body, they heard a soft and high sound. While as soon as they left the body, there was a sense of complete peace and stillness, as if life was merely, a dream. 2. Peace and Painlessness While people are dying, they may be in intense pain, but as soon as they leave the body the pain vanishes and they experience peace, serenity, and harmony with the entire existance. With this, many reported that they felt a deep connection with the entire world, all living beings. They could feel what other people are feeling in the world. "All life-experiences were merged in a wonderful melody. And I could feel an individual's life as I pay attention to a particular life experience, say of a political leader, of a famous artist, of an average family person, or of a person in pain. I could feel anything and everything as if you can see all the TV channels at once"; reports a young mother who had her NDE while giving birth to her first child. Source: Her NDE (youtube) 3. Out-of-Body Experience The dying often have the sensation of rising up and floating above their own body, while being detached from the body. Some do experience the feeling of being in a spiritual body that appears to be a sort of living energy field. They could see everything just as they see with physical eyes, but much more. They can see, know, and experience everything as there is no longer a physical restriction. Many reported that they could sense if someone was remembering them, no matter how far physically they are. 4. The Tunnel Experience The next experience is that as they move away from their body, they were pulled into a tunnel, at an extremely high speed, until reaching a realm of radiant white light. As soon as they enter the realm, they reported feeling at home, being complete and free from all burdens. Here, some even saw serene nature: vast beautiful gardens where flowers and grasses were all full of life. The sense that everything is made of pure energy. 5. Rising Rapidly into the Heavens Instead of a tunnel, some people report rising suddenly into the heavens and seeing the Earth and the celestial sphere as they would be seen by astronauts in space. 6. People of Light Once on the other side of the tunnel, or after they have risen into the subtle world, the dying meet people who glow with an inner light. Often they find friends and relatives who meet and greet them. (This reveals that we all have a subtle body of light, which we get for a short time after death and before taking the next birth) 7. The Being of Light (God) After (or before) meeting the other beings or angels of light, the experiencer often meets a powerful spiritual being, a deeply loving and mighty white light, whom most of them identified as God. They all reported that this white light gave them the highest experience of love, comforted them, and empowered them. This was much like a "refreshment" for the soul, in the presence of the Supreme Soul (God) 8. The Life Review Then either God himself or a being of light (angel) presents with a panoramic review of everything they have ever done in their life, a LIFE REVIEW if you may. That is, they re-live every act, every moment of their life once again. The amazing aspect of this "life-review" experience was that we get to experience life from the other person's point of view with whom we had an interaction. And the soul concludes that "love" is the most important thing. Having kindness, love and mercy for all was the offering of that moment. NOTE: The "life-review" experience was brief for almost everyone. This show is only a few seconds but covers all parts of your life. It is FELT more than it is seen. 9. Reluctance to Return The Being of Light sometimes tells the dying that they must return to life. Other times, they are given a choice of staying or returning. In either case, they are reluctant to return. The people who choose to return do so only because of loved ones they do not wish to leave behind. Conclusion At last, as we have to return (back to earth) and take the next life (birth), we are presented with some options on where to take birth. In most cases, there are 2 options. Those options are created as a result of our past life Karmic accounts. Thus, we have to take birth to a family with whom we had the most karmic accounts. And our future life will follow up. ➥ If for instance, a soul had a brief encounter with death and the person died due to an uncalled accident, then as many NDE survivors told, they were presented two options: Whether to go back to their family, or to stay with God in the world of light and bliss. And ofcourse, most of them instantly thought of staying... But as soon as they did, they were shown the scenes back on earth, the situation their families would go through just if they decide not to go back. Seeing this, all of them would opt to return. Though some also reported that they heard a voice (of God) asking them to return. "You cannot stay, you have not yet fulfiled the Purpose", they would hear. And the word "purpose" resonated through their soul, making them willing to go back to earth and fulfil their responsibilities and purpose of life. This is how this beautiful divine experience is created. Essence In essence, some great secrets of life are revealed: We are not this body (we are a being of light, a Soul) After death, we go to God We see our own life story and judge ourselves (God does not judge us) God does not decide our fate, our life. We decide. God is full of love. He grants us all he has and up to us is how to use it. A collection of NDE stories Here below, we would present you a video interview of a person (Nadia McCaffrey) who had her Out of Body (Near Death) experience when she was a child. Video interview by 'Anthony Chene'. NDE video interview NDE YouTube channels ➤ Follow this YouTube channel for Near-Death Experiences Interviews like the one above. ➤ Watch videos on The Other Side NDE (YouTube channel) with 80+ NDE interviews with animations. ➤ Watch videos on NDE dairy (YouTube channel) for 90+ audio/video interviews with beautiful presentations. ➤ Recommended Book: Awakenings from the Light (12 Life Lessons) by Nancy Rynes. Useful Links Who am I? - Self realisation Video Gallery (selected videos) Godly Message - English version BK Google - Search engine for BKs On Godly Service, 𝕾𝖍𝖎𝖛 𝕭𝖆𝖇𝖆 𝕾𝖊𝖗𝖛𝖎𝖈𝖊𝖘 𝕴𝖓𝖎𝖙𝖎𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖛𝖊