AM_Introductory_Booklet

A Swaminarayan Socio-spiritual
& charitable organisation
A Unique and Progres sive Approach
Anoopam Mission in the words of
Saints and Community Leaders…
“Institutions are many in India and also throughout the world who claim to serve
mankind, but the work done by Anoopam Mission is unique in itself. Under the inspiring
leadership of Shri Jashbhai Saheb, they are doing really an invaluable job towards the
uplift of the society at large. There are institutions, which provide free food, clothing,
shelter etc. to the poor and needy, but Anoopam Mission is way ahead of them in imparting
education, knowledge and mainly in building human character. With a battery of devoted,
young, energetic and disciplined Sadhaks behind him, Saheb is truly serving the Janta
Janardan in the right spirit. May Lord Swaminarayan bestow prosperity, integrity,
devotion and bliss on Anoopam Mission as always.”
Swami Satyamitranand Giriji
“Anoopam Mission, as the name suggests, has a unique approach to address various
challenges faced by the modern world…”
Pujyashree Bhupendrabhai Pandya
Param Pujya Yogiji Maharaj with the young Jashbhai ‘Saheb’ in 1957
Anoopam (un-u-pum) adj : incomparable
In 1957, a god-realized guru gave a simple but revolutionary directive to his
charismatic and beloved youth leader:
To go forth and establish a new, contemporary order of ‘plain-clothes’ sadhus who
live and work within society, thereby practicing renunciation from within, and
perform their service to God via selfless service to humanity.
This was the genesis of Anoopam Mission.
“The Anoopam Mission UK is known for its selfless activities and is engaged in bringing
the various communities within the larger community of Hinduism together to work for
noble causes…”
Dr M.N. Nandakumara Executive Director, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan UK
“Anoopam Mission, is an excellent example of the best practice of Hindu culture….
.and for the good example it set by opening up their culture to a wider public in such a
gracious and open-hearted way.’…”
Shaunaka Rishi Das Director, Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies. UK
“PP Saheb we look to your continuing love, guidance, spirituality and support”
Dr Sam Pitroda Chairman of India's National Knowledge Commission USA
“It is my experience that Saheb and all the Sadhus and devotees associated with
Anoopam Mission are doing an exemplary service to humanity.”
Swami Nityananda, USA
The Swaminarayan Faith
“I have incarnated, not to kill demons but to uproot the
demonic elements from the human mind; not to liberate man
temporarily from the poverty and pain of this life but to
emancipate him forever from the transmigratory cycle which
lies at the root of all pains and poverty”
This formula became known as the Akshar Purushottam
Upasana.
Yogiji Maharaj was the fourth
generation of this lineage. He was a
profound visionary who believed that
while religion should remain intact, the
manner in which it is practiced must be
progressive and in keeping with the times.
By recognizing God within each individual
Yogiji Maharaj taught that to serve humanity
was to serve God.
Based on virtuous living, selfless
service, and love and devotion for
the Lord, its essence reveals that
one can attain God through
steadfast association with a
‘Gunatit Saint’.
Yogiji Maharaj therefore developed a new, more
contemporary order in which sadhus could live and work
within society. He inspired Guruvarya Saheb and eight others to
become sadhus and placed the natural leadership under Saheb, the
fifth in the lineage of Gunatit Saints. With Yogiji Maharaj’s
blessings, Saheb was to pioneer this new Swaminarayan order.
Bhagwan Swaminarayan stated
He would remain forever manifest
on earth through the God-realized
‘Gunatit’ Saint. The Gunatit Saint
is his eternal abode and the first
in this lineage was
Gunatitanand Swami (1785 –
Anadi Mul Akshar Murti
Shri Gunatitanand Swami
1867 AD).
Thus Anoopam Mission was born…
- Lord Swaminarayan
Lord Swaminarayan served to eternally liberate humankind
from all suffering and elevate them to the divine. For this,
he presented a simple formula which reflected the essence
of Hindu philosophy and scripture.
Parabrahman Purushottam
Shri Sahajanand Swami
(Swaminarayan Bhagwan)
Gunatitanand Swami was the earthly
abode of Lord Swaminarayan and
through him God was manifest. After
him, the lineage of pure and selfless
God-realised Saints continued to work
tirelessly to spread the essence of the
Akshar-Purushottam Upasana,
cultivating loving unity, harmony and
mutual respect.
(‘The Lord’s Abode’)
By following the guidance and
instruction of such a Saint, one learns to recognize the
Divine within each individual. With this realization, one’s
negative qualities: anger, greed, jealousy etc.effortlessly
drop away and one is able to love and serve others as one
would serve God Himself.
Anadi Mahamukta
Shri Gopalanand Swami
(‘The Lord’s Ideal Devotee’)
By association with such a Saint, one is thoroughly purified,
leading to ultimate association with God.
Anoopam Mission’s Founder Members’
Sadhus with a Saffron Soul
The Anoopam Mission sadhu is known as a
“Vratdhari Sadhak” and is the equivalent of
a modern-day monk. Unconventionally
dressed in plain clothes – a uniform
consisting of sky-blue colored shirt and
beige colored trousers – these renunciants
live and work within society.
Guruvarya Param Pujya Saheb is the founder
and inspirer of Anoopam Mission. Known for
His accessibility and simple and progressive
approach, Saheb has touched the lives of
countless people worldwide.
From His days as a charismatic youth leader
under the direction of His guru Yogiji Maharaj,
Saheb has worked ceaselessly to cultivate
within all who come to him, the profound
message of Lord Swaminarayan.
Saheb continually expounds the virtues and
tremendous power of positive action and positive
thinking. He has shown that the path to
permanent peace and joy lies in living a Godcentered as opposed to a self-centered life.
The Sadhaks follow the paths of karma
yoga (selfless service) and bhakti yoga
(devotion), practicing renunciation from
within.
Providing a synthesis of advanced education,
modern science and spiritual understanding,
Saheb has pioneered a refreshingly practical
path to enable humankind attain the Divine.
Their collective income is earned through
employment in schools and industries. This
complete self-sufficiency means they are
not dependent on donations for their
personal upkeep and that 100% of every
donation to Anoopam Mission is used for
its intended charitable cause.
Saheb’s unique vision and work manifests itself
through Anoopam Mission’s ‘Shree
Swaminarayan Spiritual & Cultural Centres’
worldwide and their activities.
Anoopam Mission India
Anoopam Mission
Worldwide
Community & Charitable Activities
Anoopam Mission India serves as the organization’s worldwide
headquarters and is located in Mogri, a village in Gujarat
state, bordering the university town of Vallabh Vidyanagar
Educational Activities
Providing educational excellence to
those who need it the most
Spiritual Activities
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Daily Aarti
Daily Mahapuja
Daily Scriptural Readings & Discourses
Kirtans
Periodic & Annual Spiritual Camps
Yoga Camps
Celebrations of Major Religious Festivals
Padramani, Mahapuja &
Prayer Sessions at Devotees Homes
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Establishment of Countrywide Centres
for Prayer & Sabha Discourses
Anand Balwadi, Sharda Mandir &
Gnanyagna Vidyalaya
Providing affordable value-based
education from kindergarten to
secondary school in rural areas
Mitra Rehabilitation Centre
One of India’s leading and most
innovative institutes for mentally
challenged children and children with
special needs
Disha Counselling Centre
Child Guidance and Counselling Centre.
Yogiji Maharaj Maharaj
Mahavidyalaya
A Commerce and Arts college for girls
in a rural area of Saurashtra which
previously had no higher education
facilities for girls.
Kamuba Mahila Adhyapan Mandir
Teacher’s training centre to prepare
primary level school teachers for remote
village schools
Aksharpurushottam Technical
Institute (APTI)
Computer Aided Civil and Architectural
Drafting Courses
Information Technology Centre (ITC)
Providing excellent IT-based training and
ranked India’s top IT institute in 1996,
1999 & 2003
Healthcare Activities
Providing accessible & affordable
healthcare to the needy
Smit Dental Care Centre
Providing basic dental care and
subsidized dental surgery to the needy
Health Camps, Eye Camps, Blood
Donation Camps, Yoga Camps And
Cancer Awareness Campaigns
Conducting a wide range of healthrelated camps and awareness campaigns
in rural areas which have little or no
access to basic healthcare services
Narmada Arogya Abhiyan
A full time mobile clinic providing
medical care and preventative education
to dozens of remote villages in the
Narmada Valley which have no other
access to healthcare.
Youth Camps
Promoting awareness of India’s rich
cultural heritage and promoting valuebased living for today’s youth
Book Bank, Toy Library And
Educational Scholarships
Books, toys and educational funds
provided to needy children and youth
Environmental And Water
Conservation Programs
Protecting and preserving precious
resources
Disaster Relief
Extensive immediate aid in the form of
food, water, clothing and shelter
provided in times of natural disaster,
for example, in wake of catastrophic
earthquake in 2001 and devastating
floods in 2005/06 in Gujarat, India
Long term rehabilitation solutions
include, for example, the rebuilding of
hundreds of homes and a self-sufficient
complex constructed as a permanent
measure for widows and orphans of the
earthquake.
Cattle Camps
Provision of aid to farmers in times of
severe drought
Nature Cure Centre
Resident hospital providing natural
remedies for a large range of medical
conditions
Community Welfare
Activities
Charitable work in times of need
Children Of The Mother Soil And
Meals For Children
Education and economic support
sponsorship programs for
underprivileged children
If you would like to support Anoopam Mission India’s charitable work, donations can be
sent to the main India centre address on the back of this booklet.
Donations to Anoopam Mission India are tax-exempted under section 80G(5) of the Income Tax Act, 1961Anoopam Mission is a Charitable Trust, registered under The Bombay Public Trust Act, (Old) Registration No. Kheda
E 2422 dated 13-8-76 and (New) Registration No. E/1390/Anand dated 3-9-01
• Registration with the Income Tax Department under Section 12A of the Income Tax Act, 1961
• Registration under Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 1976: Registration No. 042040035
• Registration with the Director of Voluntary Agencies Gujarat State as an approved agency for carrying out
relief activities in earthquake affected areas of Gujarat (Certificate No. DVA dated 10-7-01)
Anoopam Mission UK
Anoopam Mission USA
Community & Charitable Activities
Community & Charitable Activities
Anoopam Mission UK coordinates the organization’s
activities in the UK, Europe and Africa and is located just
west of the city of London.
Containers For Peace
Shipment of surplus clothing from the
UK to India for distribution to the poor
and needy
Gujarati Classes
Weekly language classes conducted by
Anoopam Mission volunteers
Yoga Classes
Weekly instruction in yoga conducted
by Anoopam Mission volunteers
Support Of Charitable Causes
Actively mobilizing support for
charitable causes such as child
sponsorship and relief projects
Summer Youth Camps
Promoting spiritual and cultural values
among youth and families
Anoopam Mission USA coordinates the organization’s
activities in the USA and Canada and is located near
Allentown, Pennsylvania.
Yogi Youth Camp
Promoting spiritual and cultural values
among youth
Gnan Shibirs
Spiritual camps for adults consisting of
teachings of spiritual and harmonious
living in all aspects of life
Yoga & Pranayam Camps
Periodic camps and seminars to teach
yoga and pranayam through learned
instructors
Health Camps
Free medical screenings, consultations
and flu shots provided to community
members without health insurance
Disaster Relief
Actively raising funds for initiatives in
both India & USA such as Gujarat
Earthquake and Hurricane Katrina
Anoopam
Mission
Worldwide Regional Headquarters
Anoopam Mission INDIA
Brahmajyoti
Yogiji Marg
Mogri 388 345
Dist: Anand
Gujarat India
Tel: +91 26 92 230544/230483
Fax: +91 26 92 235660
Email: [email protected]
Anoopam Mission UK
Brahmajyoti
Shree Swaminarayan
Spiritual & Cultural Centre
The Lea, Western Ave
Denham
Uxbridge Middx
UB9 4NA UK
Tel: +44 (0)1895 832709
Fax: +44 (0)1895 834338
Email: [email protected]
Anoopam Mission USA
Brahmajyoti
Shree Swaminarayan
Spiritual & Cultural Center
2120 Clearview Road
Coplay PA 18037
USA
Tel: +1 610 502 1100
Fax: +1 610 502 1200
Email: [email protected]
www.anoopam-mission.org
“To Serve Humanity Is To Serve God”
Guruvarya Param Pujya Saheb