Report of the Master’s Birthday Celebration and Inauguration of Manav Kendra

6 February 1970

by Mrs D.K. Narendra and Eileen Wigg

As in previous years, Sawan Ashram, steadily became filled to capacity, and on the night of the 5^th was overflowing with thousands of members of the Master’s family. The birthday eve had a special air of expectancy as, at a late hour, the people sat together in the large – though not large enough – open space in the centre of the Ashram. The singing of hymns of praise and devotion to the Satguru expressed their deep joy to be once again in the presence of the Master – some had come from far and wide; some able to make the journey only once a year.

As the chanting of hymns echoed out the hearts’ devotion from the people, the Master slowly made His way through His crowded house and veranda, to sit for a short while with His children. They sang more hymns and two or three dear ones begged to relate some of their personal experiences of the Master-Power working in their everyday lives. After about thirty minutes, the Master returned to His house – not to rest, but to resume working.

The devoted helpers in the kitchen were engaged throughout the night in making food for the morrow, and willing hands put the final touches to the decorations and lights. The Ashram was an all-night beehive of industry, accompanied by the gentle chanting of Holy Verses. By 3:30 a.m. On 6^th February the Sangat had once again gathered in full force, hopefully awaiting the arrival of the Master in their midst. Each year for some time now, the Master has kindly bestowed the Grace of His darshan in the early hours of His birth anniversary. To each heart it always seems to hold a very special blessing.

The Ashram stage, beautifully decorated with flowers and lights, was ready and waiting, with about a dozen microphones of all shapes and sizes, lined up along the front like soldiers guarding a palace. At 5 a.m. the Master came from His house and mounted the platform, greeting the Sangat with folded hands. The Chela Ram Singers started the kirtan – the singing of Holy Songs. Two beautiful hymns were sung, and the Master listened with eyes closed in meditative mood. At the close of the Holy Songs and poems, the Sangat leaned forward expectantly and there was an eager hush as the Master began His first words of advice of the 77^th year of His life’s mission.

At the conclusion of His talk – which will be published in a future issue of ‘Sat Sandesh’ –, the Master urged the people to retire to their private meditations, but to gather again for a group meditation sitting at 8 a.m. Following this, the morning’s Satsang began at 9 a.m.

The Manav Kendra and its Relation to Master’s Mission

This meeting, which was presided over by His Honour Hansraj Gupta, the Mayor of Delhi, and featured an address by Maj. Gen. Mohammed Mazarhi, of Iran, was dedicated to the inauguration of the new society, the Manav Kendra, which means man-centre – or a centre where man can learn to become a True Human Being.

As all disciples of the Master know, the Master’s teachings, under the simple name of Ruhani Satsang – Spiritual Gathering – have been successfully upheld at Sawan Ashram since 1951, and True Seekers from different religions, castes and nationalities regularly continue to pour through the gates of this great seat of Spirituality. They enter with the sole purpose of forgetting all worldly matters for awhile to place all devoted attention upon the privilege of Inner Contact with God.

Since the Master accepted the Presidency of the World Fellowship of Religions in 1957, this organisation has also made great progress in bringing together leaders and representatives of many religions on equal basis, where they have striven to uncover the basic similarities in their aims and beliefs.

Observing the urgent need among the human race for more detailed guidance in the right way of living, the Master has recently taken a further step in His mission, and a further heavy load in His burden of work. The newly formed Manav Kendra is shaping up in its embryo stage, under His direction as Chairman. Hand-in-hand with Spiritual Practices, the Master emphasises the necessity of an ethical and righteous mode of living, befitting a True Human Being. The world today is in great distress of mind, body, and spirit, with man’s inhumanity to man ever increasing. Through selfishness, the natural inclination of sympathy towards each other is suffocated, practically from birth. The Manav Kendra, continuing and furthering the work of Ruhani Satsang, will build a foundation where True Living will be demonstrated, through man-making, man-service and land-service, with schemes for:

• Universal structures of worship, including the Vishwa Mandir – universal temple – which will include signs and symbols of all religions, and a library containing scriptures and books of all faiths, to facilitate parallel study of religions;

• father homes, or homes for the aged, both men and women;

• health centres and hospitals, which will avoid dependence on any one system of medicine by using them all: allopathy, homoeopathy, naturopathy, vedic and unani, and others;

• agricultural activities, dairy farms and cattle breeding;

• language schools, where Indian and foreign languages will be taught so that people of different regions and countries can converse with and understand each other.

The combined benefit of a practical method for improved living, and the Master’s Spiritual Science, will result in the participants enjoying the perfect balance of a truly human way of life.

The Master has many times said,

It is not difficult to meet God – but it is very difficult to make a Real Man.

If any one person is responsible for the creation of the Manav Kendra, it is Bibi Hardevi Ji, known to many in India as Tai Ji – which means mother’s elder sister, or aunt. She holds the important post of supervising the personal household of the Master, and also directs much of the maintenance of Sawan Ashram. It was Tai Ji who first conceived the idea of Manav Kendra, who presented it to the Master and obtained His whole-hearted approval, and who has worked tirelessly and selflessly to make it a reality.

Five centres are envisioned at present, one each in the north, south, east, west and centre of India. Work on the first one, to be located at Dehradun, may begin this year.

Our Indian correspondent, Eileen Wigg, concludes her account of the Manav Kendra as follows:

Those who are already following the Master’s teachings, encompassing the spiritual and ethical aspects of living, will be able to discern the underlying prospects and possibilities that a centre for man could offer.

The world as a whole, has reversed its direction of motion, and is travelling at a stupendous rate – ‘headlong down’ towards the negative pole. This is a fact obvious to any observer, by the state of the planet itself. Unless God in His Great Mercy will intervene, the end of the story can be a tragic one.

However, there are hopeful signs. The Master indicates that there is a subterranean Spiritual Awakening going on beneath the sea of materialism. Only He knows if this slow but sure tortoise will eventually win the race against the momentum of its speedy opponent. Those who tread the Spiritual Path have a personal responsibility – one that needs no explanation. If all the children of Light would radiate the Living Word more and more brightly every day – not in talk but in exemplified living – the Master promises that such force would be a tremendous boost to mankind. He says that to change the conditions, first the people have to change: ‘Reformers are wanted – not of others, but of themselves.’

Under His inspiration and guidance, the Manav Kendra may develop into a wonderful avenue to demonstrate in action the ideal way of living that the Master has enjoined – be it His will and pleasure.