The Sacrament of Universal Sacrifice

To live in the service of the Divine Heart-Master is the Secret of the Way of Truth. His Body Is the Tree of Life. His Feet are Planted in the Heart of every being’s heart—and anything offered at His Feet is Returned in the Form of Radiant Blessings.

—Avatar Adi Da Samraj

Ruchira Avatara Gita, verse 46

In most simple terms, when you participate in the Sacrament of Universal Sacrifice, you will (in a mood of gratitude, love, devotion, and self-surrender) offer a simple gift to Avatar Adi Da (in Person or in the form of His Murti), and receive a Blessed gift, or Prasad, in return. Often Prasad is given to you from a priest or other representative of Avatar Adi Da.

The giving and receiving of tangible gifts enacts your surrender of egoic self to Avatar Adi Da and His eternally Given Gift of the Divine “Brightness” in return.

My devotees approach Me through the formality of the giving and receiving of Gifts, or the Sacrament of Universal Sacrifice, and their lives develop, on that basis, as service to Me. . . .

Satsang with Me is the condition of life in which there is constant and conscious involvement in a total, practical, and mutually sacrificial relationship with Me as the Living Divine. This Satsang is the foundation principle of the Way of Adidam. It is realized in action in more total, perfect, and Spiritually profound ways as the stages of sadhana develop. My devotee realizes this Satsang in the form of the practical or functional devotion of his or her life as service to Me. When sitting with Me, or Contemplating Me in any of the meditation halls of the community of the Way of Adidam, you constantly sacrifice yourself to Me and you constantly receive the Prasad, or Blessed Gift, of My Blessing Influence.

—Avatar Adi Da Samraj

The Sacrament of Universal Sacrifice is enacted:

• whenever you enter Avatar Adi Da’s physical Company
• whenever you enter one of Avatar Adi Da’s Residences, or any Temple or Holy Site at any Retreat Sanctuary, or any Communion Hall
• at any devotional occasion

Types of Gifts to Be Offered:

• a flower or flowers
• an especially beautiful leaf
• money (in small coin amounts, or in larger amounts, even in the form of a check)
• small sweets
• special gifts that have been bought or made (wash cloths for puja, or puja cloths, incense, and so on).