BHAGWAN VED PRATISHTHA in the island of BALI-Indonesia
बाली द्वीप में वेद – प्रतिष्ठा
VED PRATISHTHA in the island of BALI- (Indonesia).
On November 2nd 1974, Swami Gangeshwaranandji Maharaj (Gurudev) went to Bali by air.
The Balinese ladies dressed up in their local dress and finery to welcome Gurudev and the group,
They stayed in a lavish and large cottage situated by the sea-side which had a breath taking view.
Shri Narendra Shastri ji stayed with Gurudev during the entire stay in Bali.
He has made commendable contribution towards the awareness and upliftment of the Hindu Dharma and for Sindhi and Sanskrit languages.
On 3rd of November, Gurudev went to ‘Chandidas’ by car. This is a small village located by the sea-side.
Smt.Oak a social worker and a follower of the ideals of Shri Vinoba Bhave and Pujya Gandhiji, has built a ‘Shanti Seva’ organisation/ashram in Chandidas.
Her husband Shri Oak is the Vice President of the local area.
The couple spend their entire time working for the benefit of the society and in several religious activities.
When the Mandali arrived at this island they were greeted by a huge crowd of people.
After the garlanding of Gurudev they were all taken to the Ved Mandir that had been specially made.
The Ved Sthapana was first conducted by the local Balinese Priest according to their rituals but after that according to the traditional
Hindu customs of consecration.
Shri Apteji in his inaugural speech introduced Gurudev as the ‘Ved Vyas of the Modern Age’.
He requested the Hindu people of Bali and the Indian diaspora to remember the bond between the two countries that had been established
centuries ago and the brotherhood and friendship between both the nations.
He said that they should always remember Gurudev as the bonding factor that brought both of them together to make it stronger!
The Vedas declare —–कृण्वन्तो विश्वमार्यम
According to this statement the Vedic Samskriti and Culture was established in the entire region of Indonesia by Kaundaliya and Agastya Rishis.
The similarity in the two cultures, their Samskriti, their Pooja rituals, their method of praying , Hindu arts and crafts, Sculpture, the science of
building temples will easily convince us that this island is a part of the island of Bharat.
Nearly 28 Lakh Hindu people still live and follow their faith of the Vedic Path that had been established by Rishi Agastaya .
Gurudev were extremely pleased with this re-union after several centuries and spoke with great affection with the brothers and sisters of Bali.
Gurudev said-“The Vedas are a great heritage that our ancestors and religious people have left for us. They are for all mankind and they are the purest
and oldest literature.
Brahma created the world as prescribed in the Vedas.
In today’s language we can say that the teachings are the model for the constitution of the world on the basis of which the fabric of society was weaved.
The Vedas promise long life, good health, happiness from wealth and knowledge about the ‘Self’ for those who follow the teachings of the Vedas.
The lost islands and countries have been resurrected and stabilized by the Vedas.
The fame of the Vedas has convinced me that you ( Mr and Mrs Oak ) and the people here will now take over the responsibility of spreading the
message of the Vedas which are for all mankind.
It is without any doubt that these Universal teachings, were popular centuries ago when there was no division of the human race nor were there
any opposing groups and religions.
This is the first time that the Veda Sthapana is in a place where the people have forgotten that their ancestors were Hindus.
On the other hand, the rituals and the old culture have been kept intact by the priests and pandits of the island.”
Gurudev returned to the cottage after all the festivities following the Ved Sthapana.
Katy Behan and Apteji who were in the Mandali stayed back while myself (Ratan Behn) proceeded with Gurudev.
At night, the group went to watch the famous ‘Kecak’ dance and the Ram Leela enactment in the Balinese dance form.
Gurudev remained seated in the car while the others watched the show and returned after a while.
On 4th November, Gurudev visited the Bali cave where Rishi Agastya’s disciple had lived.
Here one can get the pooja items that were in use in the 8th century.
We saw some of the old statues, damaged idols of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Durga and Agastya Rishi.
These statues seem to speak about their deplorable state.
The world famous ‘Boro Budur’ temple was just a little distance away, which can be called as the museum for the old Hindu sculptures.
There are statues of characters from the Ramayana Epic Story and of Lord Buddha .
Shri Narendra Shastri and Shri Punyalalji accompanied us.
We also visited the ‘Cintamani’ Volcano .
On 5th of November Gurudev met the Governor of Bali , Shri Sukarno and both the dignitaries had serious and important talks on Hindu -Dharm.
Gurudev and His Mandali went to Jog Jakarta after completion of the Program in Bali.
बाली निवासी पर सच्ची वेद कृपा
VED KRIPA ON THE PEOPLE OF BALI
Jakarta is the main capital city of Indonesia. Indonesia has two main states, Java and Sumatra.
Bali is the third state and its capital is ‘Denpasar’. This city is built on the concept of the ‘four heads of Lord Brahma’.
In the midst of the city is a 4 headed statue of Brahma and all the 4 heads point to the 4 bazaars of the city.
One can get darshan of Brahma while approaching from any of the streets.
28 lakh Hindus stay here, and their ancestors came here several centuries ago.
The Muslim culture of the neighbouring states is not visible here. The people here still live by the teachings of Agastya Rishi.
In several Caves and temples we can see the idols of Rishi Agastaya.
( Cultural Ramayan Ballet in Bali )
One can also see statues of Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, Durga, Ganesh and others.
The Panch Dev Upasana is prevalent प्रचलित here. Ved Mantras are used in their Pooja and rituals.
Although Vedic mantras are chanted here, the pronunciation is different.
Sometimes it is difficult to recognize them as Vedic Mantras but when any one syllable is recognized , then one can relate to the entire mantra.
Gayatri Mantra is important here and is pronounced and chanted in the same way that we do in Bharat.
In their Poojas they make use of ‘Dhoop’ as prescribed in the Vedic Age for the Yagnas.
‘Dhoop’ is not made of wooden pieces but is made up of fruits and vegetables and the method of invoking God is obviously similar to the Hindu prayers.
There is a Theme Park in Jakarta which is called ‘Mini Indonesia’.
There are churches, mosques and temples here made according to the Balinese culture.
During the 1965 Chinese uprising, many people lost their lives. The rulers of the land realized that communism surfaces when there is no faith
in any religion to hold the land together.
The rulers announced that each person should declare their religion and have no fear as the government would support one and all.
Three questions were asked from the people —
- What is your religion?
- Who is your deity?
- What is your religious book (Dharma Pustak)?
The Muslims and Christians had direct answers to these questions.
The innocent people of Bali had no substantial answer for these questions. They would say-“Our religion is Bali and our deity is Bali.”
The officials did not understand this reply and thus only the two religions of Islam and Christianity were recognized.
People had to write a letter to the church or the mosque when they wanted to get married.
Traditional people of Bali were perturbed and inconvenienced at this law , because for the sake of marriage they had to declare themselves to be
either Muslim or Christian!
Gurudev’s disciple, Pandit Narendra who had studied in Udasin Sanskrit Maha Vidyalaya during the year 1926 was very helpful to the Balinese people
to sort out and resolve this problem.
The Lord does great work through ordinary people sometimes.
Pandit Narendra would often read books written by Gurudev and also listen to His pravachans. He had been staying in Bali since 1940.
He met the Religious Minister Shri Mukti Ali along with five Brahmins, three Kshatriyas and eight kings who had lost their kingdoms.
When Gurudev met him, He told him that your name – Mukti + Ali is a symbol of Hindu Muslim unity.
(THIS PIC IS OF– Mukti Ali who was a Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia in the Development Cabinet.)
Shri Mukti Ali heard the pleas of Pandit Narendra and agreed that the people of Bali had not succumbed to the pressures of Christians and Muslims
and had retained their Hindu identity and so they should be called ‘Hindus’.
Their ancestors had endured, opposition and antagonism from them for a long time.
When Gurudev arrived in Bali, the decision was still pending with the government.
The Ved Sthapana in ‘Mini Bali’ was done with a lot of pomp and fervour.
Many government officials were present.
The topic regarding the true identity of the Balinese was very apparent now.
In fact, it was the need of the people !
Gurudev told Shri Mukti Ali that the people of Bali are our co-brothers of the Hindu religion.
Bhagwan Ved is their Religious book (Dharma Pustak) and Bramha, Vishnu etc are their deities. Their religion is Hindu.
This impressed on Shri Mukti Ali and it was immediately declared that the 28 lakh Balinese were Hindus. He said that he was convinced about
it after meeting Gurudev.
Henceforth the people of Bali will take a letter from this temple whenever they want to get married as Bhagwan Ved has been formally presented
and established here. This was the miracle of Bhagwan Ved !
The problem was resolved and the people of Bali could now follow their own religion. That which could not be achieved with lakhs of rupees was
accomplished with the mere words of Gurudev and the divinity of Bhagwan Ved.
