SPIRITUAL DISSEMINATION

The authority of Swamiji as a Master and Guide had been established and Swamiji spared no time or effort to resend to invitations to expound the essence and purpose of religion and philosophy. Not only had he gained divine illumination through visiting shrines and places of religious and cultural significance, having darshans of spiritual personages, he also contributed to the dissemination of spiritual knowledge. From 9 to 12 December, 1965 Swamiji attended the World Hindu Convection held at New Delhi as a Malaysian delegate, and presented a paler entitled "Message of Hinduism to the Modern World'' which is reproduced in full in this Souvenir. After the Convention, Swamiji visited the Headquarters of the Divine Life Society at Rishikesh and thereafter a number of holy places in South India. He also attended the Saiva Siddhanta Conference-held at Chidambaram. Then he proceeded to Sri Lanka where a very crowed programme awaited him m various places but he had to limit it and return to Kuala Lumpur in view of the impending maiden visit of H.H. Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj to Malaysia.

That Swamiji is an adept in communicating the ideals of spirituality and is able to infuse the spiritual current to flow through the hearts of the audience is evident from the numerous letters Swamiji receives from devotees all over the world. One such is reproduced below: "We are very grateful to your Holiness for attending the Satsang and giving us your advice through a remarkable speech. Your dynamic approach to the problems of life is indeed praiseworthy and with your advice, which has left deep impressions on us, it would be our endeavor to do our best. Please let us have your Inspiring presence whenever Your Holiness comes this side.

CONSECRATION OF THE STATUE OF GURUDEY AT SIVANANDASHRAM, BATU CAVES

H.H. Sri Swami Chidanandaji Maharaj arrived in Malaysia in April, 1966 mainly for the purpose of consecrating the Marble Statue of Gurudev Sri Swami Sivananda and opening of the Main Ashram Building at Sivanandashram, Batu Caves, That was indeed a unique event in the history of the Divine Life Movement ,in Malaysia. Sri Swami Pranavananda accompanied Sri Swami Chidanandaji to all public receptions, lectures and prayer meetings, both in the Capital and outstation, inroduced him to the audience and rendered the speeches of His Holiness in Tamil, wherever it was necessary.

DIVINE MESSENGER

In keeping with Gurudev's spirit of dissemination of spiritual knowledge, apart from lectures, study groups, and discoursers an official organ was considered necessary. Swamiji secured the support of members for publishing a quarterly magazine entitled "Divine Messenger'' in English and Tamil, carrying not only the message of Gurudev but also the perennial wisdom as revealed and reinterpreted down the ages by the various Saints and Sages and prophets throughout the world. The first issue of "Divine Messenger'' appeared in 1968. In blessing it, H.H. Sri Swami Chidanandaji wrote : "Gurudev's was not a life-negating message, but it was a life fulfilling message, the message of Divine Life. That same Divine Life radiates through the Divine Messenger today. The Revered Sri Swami Pranavanandaji Maharaj, the dynamic and dedicated disciple of Satgurudev has brought the Divine Messenger to the very door of every seeker and spiritual aspirant of Malaysia''.

BHAJANANJALI

Another love-offering made by Swamiji to the devotional spiritual literature is the compilation of the book of common prayer entitled "Bhajananjali'' for the use pf the Branches of the Divine Life Society in Malaysia, the first edition of which was published in September, 1967 in commemoration of Guru Bhagavan's Birthday. It has since been much enlarged by additional transliterations, meanings, translations, devotional songs and other items. With the fifth edition which was out of the press in July, 1978. 10,500 copies have been printed. It may be added that this prayer book is equally popular outside D.L.S. circles.