Shivabalayogi Bangalore Ashram 1993

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Video of the Bangalore Ashram, August 7th function, 1993
The 32nd anniversary of Shivabalayogi successfully completing tapas.

A video visit to the Shivabalayogi ashram in Bangalore for the occasion of the August function in 1993. This was the last tapas anniversary attended by Shivabalayogi in his own physical body. He entered mahasamadhi the following year, on March 28. Although his body was weak (he had been on dialysis for almost two years), we can see him animated and smiling, especially during abhishekam (ritual bathing) of the gods and the mass feeding on Sunday. Shivabalayogi exists to serve all creation, gods and ordinary people.

The edited programs are as follows:

Weekday Program. A typical weekday evening program at the ashram, including some amazing bhajans led by a sadhu, followed by darshan.
The Bangalore Ashram. Scenes of the four-acre ashram itself to give a sense of what it was like before Swamiji's mahasamadhi.
Morning Darshan. Darshan in Swamiji's room on the morning of the August 7th function.
Homa. Swamiji emerges to preside over the homa (yagna, fire sacrifice), an offering he made on each special occasion, including Mahashivaratri (in Adivarapupeta), his birthday, the tapas anniversary, and to honor his mother's mahasamadhi (August 15 at the old Bangalore ashram on Bannerghatta Road).
Abhishekam. Shivabalayogi presides over the abhishekam (ritual bathing) of all of the gods in the Brahma Vishnu Maheshwara temple, followed by abhishekam to Swamiji himself, bathing him with 108 pots of warmed water.
Sunday Program. Bhajans and mass feeding on a Sunday night, the main night at the Bangalore ashram.

All programs: Video taken in August of 1993 by Doug (Azul) Amey and Tom Palotas, edited by Tom Palotas.

	Weekday Bhajans and Darshan Video of evening bhajans and Shivabalayogi darshan at the Bangalore ashram, taken a day or two before the August 7 tapas anniversary function. The sadhu singing these two bhajans had come for the function. 5:03 minutes
	The Shivabalayogi Ashram, JP Nagar, Bangalore Video of the Shivabalayogi ashram in J.P. Nagar, Bangalore, shows the four-acre site and devotees taking care of the gardens, cooking, and doing morning homa (offerings to sacred fire) -- typical daily activities before Shivabalayogi entered mahasamadhi. 6:04 minutes.
	Morning Darshan, August 7, 1993 Darshan in Swamiji's room on the morning of the August 7th function. On the morning of each major function at the Bangalore ashram, Swamiji would give public darshan in his room and cut several eggless cakes that would be shared with devotees (one would be offered at the homa) while a steady stream of devotees would bow to him at his asana (seat). 6:20 minutes.
	Homa (Yagna) Swamiji emerges from giving morning darshan and conducts the homa, the sacrifice to sacred fire. August 7th, 1993. Swamiji offered a homa on each special occasion, including Mahashivaratri (in Adivarapupeta), his birthday and the tapas anniversary (both in Bangalore), and to honor his mother's mahasamadhi (August 15 at the old Bangalore ashram on Bannerghatta Road). 11:59 minutes Read what Shivabalayogi had to say about homa.
	Abhishekam Immediately after the homa, Shivabalayogi presides over the abhishekam (ritual bathing) of all of the gods in the Brahma Vishnu Maheshwara temple, each with 108 pots of water, ending with Nandi, the god in the form of a bull that is the vehicle of Lord Shiva. During the 1993 August function, after the abhishekam in the temple, something special happened. Devotees performed abhishekam to Swamiji himself, bathing him with 108 pots of warmed water. Their hope was that this form of worship would strengthen his body. 10:57 minutes.
	Sunday Program Bhajans and mass feeding on a Sunday night, the main night at the Bangalore ashram. This occasion was Sunday, August 8, 1993, the day after the tapas anniversary function. Swamiji was still noticeably weak from the previous day's exertions, yet we see him animated and smiling during the mass feeding. Feeding all people is of great importance to Shivabalayogi. The food he gives is blessed; it is prashad. 7:35 minutes. Read about what Shivabalayogi said about the significance of prashad.