New Delhi, Oct 26 (IANS): A Sant Diksha ceremony for the initiation of 37 educated youths was held at BAPS Akshar Mandir in Gujarat's Gondal. The ceremony was led by Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan (BAPS) president Mahant Swami Maharaj.

A statement noted that recently, over 20 youths including two doctors, 4 postgraduates, 11 engineers, 7 science graduates and 4 other graduates were given Diksha, while on Friday, 37 educated youths from which 1 doctor, 1 PhD, 4 with master's degrees, 12 engineers, 18 graduates, and 1 other took a Bhagwati Sant Diksha at BAPS Akshar Mandir in Gondal, led by Mahant Swami Maharaj. In total, there are 66 dikshas, of which 29 are white and 37 are saffron dikshas.

"Of the 37 youths initiated today, among them 19 are from overseas, including 11 from the US, 2 from Canada, 2 from the UK, 3 from Africa, and 1 from Australia. Notably, Mahant Swami Maharaj has initiated a total of 322 swamis, and the BAPS organization presently has 1,220 active swamis in its monastic order," the statement read.

"A special Maha Puja ceremony was held at 8 a.m. to inaugurate the initiation proceedings. The parents and families of these 37 youths receiving initiation were present, celebrating the occasion. Many devotees were also present to witness this ceremony. Following the rituals, senior BAPS swamis addressed the assembly.

Then Mahant Swami Maharaj completed the initiation rituals and blessed each new swami with a new name," it read.

The release further noted that at the main assembly of the initiation festival, the fathers of the new initiates were honoured by senior swamis, while the mothers were celebrated by senior women devotees.

In his blessings to the assembly, Mahant Swami Maharaj said: "I thank the parents of these renunciants; they educated them well and then offered them for service. The path of a sadhu is not easy; it involves penance, vows, service, devotion, and mastery over the mind. This is only possible with the guidance of a true guru. Through the Satpurush (enlightened guru), the path becomes clear. Strengthening our saintly vows and cultivating endurance is the essence of saintliness."

Senior swamis then offered flower garlands to Mahant Swami Maharaj as a gesture of reverence."

According to the statement, the educational curriculum at the 'Sant Talim Kendra', BAPS Sarangpur Mandir includes a deep study of Swaminarayan Hindu theology, history and literature as well as of the Ramayana, Mahabharat, Bhagavad Gita, Upanishads and other Hindu scriptures. It also includes a study of languages such as Sanskrit, Hindi, Gujarati and English, and world religions.