21st March 2021 @ 5pm NZ time
As we know Maitri Divas is the annual Springtime celebration of the great heavenly Gurus who had come to Earth to undertake practice for their spiritual transcendence. Maha Maitri Marga Gyawi was born on the 21st March and is the reason the Maitri Divas puja celebration is so joyfully celebrated on this day.
This year, in the interest of enabling worldwide Maitri Sangha members to celebrate Maitri Divas and accumulate precious Dharma Punya from home, BSDS New Zealand have offered to host the online Maitri Divas Puja Programme on Sunday 21st March, in their newly created Maitri Altar Room. They have received the permission and blessing of Guru’s Central Office and will follow a format similar to that of the Sindhuli Maitri Centre. On March 21, 2021 you are welcome to join the small online celebration (https://youtu.be/LS47keEIEEY) hosted by BSDS New Zealand, and participate in the Maitri puja from your home, chanting prayers, mantras, etc.
The Maitri Divas online event is scheduled for 5 PM NZ time and is due to finish at around 11pm NZ time, noting that these times have been carefully selected to allow the rest of the world to tune into this live event during 21st March. All are lovingly invited to join the Maitri Divas in real time or alternatively, if you are not able to tune in for the live event during these times, you can still access the live stream feed at any time of the day or night, even after the event is finished.
Broadcasting schedule
Puja Session 1
17:00 – 17:15 [15 mins] – Prostrations, followed by offerings (water, flowers, fruit, lights & incense)
17:15 – 18:15 [60 mins] – Chanting prayers: Opening Invocation Prayer, 21 Realms Prayers (Svarga Lok), Blessing Prayer, Offering Prayers, Paramatma Guru Prayers (from Maha Maitri Marga Gyawi to Nomyun Gyawi)
18:15 – 20:00 [105 mins] – Chanting prayers (Maha Maitri Marga Gyawi x 4)
1. Maha Maitri Marga Gyawi Prayer (20 mins)
2. Maha Maitri Marga Gyawi Prayer (20 mins
3. Maha Maitri Marga Gyawi Prayer (20 mins)
4. Maha Maitri Marga Gyawi Prayer with mala mantra recitation:
— Lines 1 – 86 (10 mins)
— Silent mala-jap of Maha Maitri Marga Gyawi Mantra in silence: Sonwa Nehi Nigma Gyawi Gyate Gyawi Yendig Nyende Nigma (25 mins)
— Lines 92 – 212 (10 mins)
** Note that Maitri Divas celebrates the birthday of Maha Maitri Marga Gyawi and it is for this reason that we are dedicating extra prayers to this specific Paramatma Guru.
Break
20:00 – 21:30 [90 mins]
** Note that the live stream will continue and dharma music will be played during the break.
Puja Session 2
21:30 – 21:35 [5 mins] – Prostrations
** Note that the second puja session is a continuation of the first session and this is why no new offerings are made at the start of this session. This is also why the ordering of prayers is slightly different during this session.
21:35 – 23:00 [85 mins] – Chanting prayers (Maha Maitri Marga Gyawi x 3, Paramatma Guru Prayers, Blessing Prayer, Closing Prayer)
1. Maha Maitri Marga Gyawi Prayer (20 mins)
2. Maha Maitri Marga Gyawi Prayer (20 mins)
3. Maha Maitri Marga Gyawi Prayer (20 mins)
4. Paramatma Guru Prayers: from Sei Seinyig Marga Gyawi to Nomyun Gyawi (15 mins)
5. Blessing Prayer (~1min)
6. Closing Prayer (~1 min)
23:00 – 23:30 [30 mins] – After this chanting of prayers has finished, the Maitri Divas puja is complete. As is customary at the completion of a puja, dharma music will be played for around 30 minutes or so.
