Celebration of Three "Kshatriya Sanchalans"

Three "Kshatriya Sanchalans" were held in the Gujarati cities of Ahmedabad, Baroda, and Rajkot, in April 2005 in the presence of Pujya Didiji (daughter of Pujya Dadaji and the current leader of the Swadhyay Pariwar).  The events were attended by one million Kshatriya (warrior caste) men and women in each location (a total of three million attendees).  Most of the participants had come there after having learned the "Trikal Sandhya" by heart; the Trikal Sandhya consists of three small prayers, each comprised of 3 to 4 Sanskrit verses, and a couple of Sanskrit stotras by Adi Shankaracharya.

Dadaji had started and organized this occasion named "Sanchalan".  A "Sanchalan" is a not a gathering to protest against any political, economic or religious institutions; nor it is a movement to make any sort of demands.  It is a devotional and spiritual gathering to heartily acknowledge God's love and service to oneself and every other human being.  God, the Almighty, is the giver, maintainer, and guide in all of our lives.  During this gathering, the attendees collectively express their gratitude for this to God.  God awakens us in the morning, digests our meals and brings the peacefulness of sleep at night.  So we must gratefully pray to him during these three times of the day.  Also, every man should lead a moral and spiritual life in accordance with God.  This understanding and awareness is developed in each of the participants of these three Sanchalans.

This understanding and awareness spring from the knowledge that God resides with and within me.  This indwelling Divinity is within my body, heart, and mind, and He helps me in all of my actions.  However, I must take responsibility for my own actions, both good and bad.  Therefore, I must first work to transform myself morally and spiritually, and then He will help me in my efforts.  This is a great and marvelous awareness!  It has changed the lives of millions of people by steering them towards morality and the development of divine, brotherly relationship with other human beings.

This does not happen easily.  Thousands of Swadhyayees visited all the villages of Gujarat regularly.  They contacted all of the Kshatriya families individually, cultivated divine, brotherly relationships under the Fatherhood of God, and conveyed these spiritual and rational thoughts, as explained by Pujya Pandurang Shastri (Dadaji).  They visited the villages as devotees and instruments of God, paying for their own transportation and taking their own food.  Thus, they served God by their own means, rather than by asking for help from others.  The loving relations of Swadhyayees and Dadaji's divine love and reason-based philosophical thoughts transformed their lives.  They were happy to lead a better moral and harmonious social life in their villages and in the society at large.

There are many sub-castes among the Kshatriyas, such as Darbar, Kathi, Karadia, Rajput, Thakor, Mer, etc.  These factions had previously been divided with enmity and inequalities.  These Kshatriya groups had harbored disputes with other castes of their villages as well.  Other farming and serving castes were afraid of and harassed by these Kshatriya groups.  As a result of the constructive efforts of Swadhyayees, the Kshatriya castes came closer to each other and the other castes by dissolving their differences and developing divine relationships with them.  Their animosity disappeared, and the environment in the village became peaceful and harmonious.

Many people changed their lives by abandoning their bad habits and addictions.  This had an immensely positive impact on their family and economical lives.  Prosperity came to their homes.  Family quarrels were reduced.  Children now enjoy increased love from their parents.  All family members now regularly read, hear, and learn the moral and spiritual teachings of Dadaji and Didiji.

The quality of life for women in Kshatriya families is very much confined to the four walls of their house.  In fact, many women said that their bodies only leave the home at the time of their death.  Due to the transformation in the thoughts and morality of such Kshatriya families, now the Kshatriya women go out in the society to spread Dadaji's message of love and spirituality.  They go out with other women, as well as with their husbands.  They are now extremely happy to have the opportunity to go out into the society for the purpose of God's work.  They feel eternally indebted to Dadaji and Didiji for enabling them to do service to God in this way.

For example, one such change is especially pleasantly surprising.  The Kshatriya women have started visiting the women of "Untouchable" (Bhavlakshi) families, teaching them Sanskrit verses and Dadaji's divine thoughts.  This is a real revolution!  Previously, the Kshatriyas used to feel nothing but hatred towards the so-called Untouchables, often insulting and frightening them.  This has taken a total reverse turn, as such behavior has been abolished!

There is no need to describe the vices and enmities prevalent in the villages before the efforts of Swadhyayees.  Different groups have now come both physically and emotionally closer to each other to bring harmony into their social and personal lives.

The force for all of these revolutionary transformations is rooted in a devotional approach to all aspects of human life. "Devotion (bhakti) is a social force", as is explained, preached, and practiced by Pujya Dadaji and Pujya Didiji.