Raksha Bandhan celebration 2008
It has already become a tradition for many years that thousands of disciples of Mahamandaleshwar Paramhans Swami Maheshwaranandaji are gathering in the Yoga in Daily Life summer-camp in Hungary and celebrate collectively the festival of Raksha Bandhan. Explaining the high meaning of this festival, Swamiji said:
“Raksha means protection, and Bandhan means to tie. We need protection from the Tri-Tapas – adhi-bauthika, adhi-devika and adhi-atmika - in every aspect. We need protection not only in the physical world but also in the astral planes. We need protection for our present life, and for the future, too. In rain we need an umbrella, against cold we need a blanket. When we are hungry we need food, when we are thirsty we need water. When we are sad we need a shoulder to lean on. We need medicine against illness and a shelter in stormy weather. We also need protection against negative energies. We need protection of our parents, of our family, of our society – and we need protection of Gurudev. Don’t think that you are strong enough to rely on your own solely. We cannot survive without protection. Without protection there is no liberation and no self-realization. Pray to God for his protection.
We need blessing - blessings from our parents, our brothers and sisters, our friends and teachers and from Gurudev. Blessing will work in your life in a miraculous way. The humble and pure souls seek blessing for protection. It is the blessing that protects us. Raksha Bandhan means that you are protected, you are within the circle of protection. A sister who has a brother needs not to worry or to be afraid in any circumstances. Her brother is her strong arm of protection. A sister can also be protective for her brother. Sister is a symbol of mercy, love, beauty, spirituality – symbol of the Divine. The biggest sin is to beat a woman, and to beat your sister is like you have lost your arm. You should know the value of having a sister or brother. If you don’t have a blood sister or brother, you can adopt a sister or brother at Raksha Bandhan. But it should be a real relation like sister and brother – don’t think to marry her or him afterwards. This would be a great mistake and neglecting this holy tradition.
Time will come and your parents will depart from this world. Then your sister takes the place of your mother, and your brother takes the place of your father. If we maintain this tradition we maintain and protect humanity. We awake in the consciousness such beautiful relations. Nowadays many people miss such feelings. People say that they don’t like festivals and traditions. The festivals and traditions shall unite us, shall give us a hold, protect and support us. We need such occasions in this time very much, occasions that awake pure feelings in our heart, humbleness, love, understanding and giving. Your wife or husband can divorce from you, but your brother and sister cannot separate from you. This relation is eternal.
Raksha Bandhan should be also the day when you remember your real protector: Gurudev.
For the sake of humanity and our entire planet, we shall create and maintain such a culture that unites and protects, that creates Satsang, not Kusang, that creates love, not wars.
But when you don’t have trust and peace in your heart, your cannot create peace in your surroundings. Therefore: create Inner Peace for World Peace. Raksha Bandhan shall be an occasion to start with this.”
Raksha Bandan celebration
