84-682: The Nar Narayan Dev Gadi (Naranarāyan Dēv Gadī), named after the two forms of supreme lord Nara-Narayana , is one of the two Gadis (seats) that together form the Swaminarayan Sampradaya . Its headquarter is at the Swaminarayan Temple, Ahmedabad and controls the Uttar Vibhag (North division). The current acharya (spiritual leader) of the Gadi is Koshalendraprasad . In 1826 at Vadtal, Swaminarayan established
168-616: A blade of grass from the earth, which became an axe, and discharged it towards the destroyer deity. Shiva is described to have broken this axe. In Shaiva tradition, the sage Narayana performed great penances at the holy spot of Badarikāśrama, propitiating Shiva, and becoming invincible. According to the Bhagavata Purana , "There in Badrikashram ( Badrinath ) the Personality of Godhead ( Vishnu ), in his incarnation as
252-495: A close association between Mulji and Swaminarayan , who was born four years before Mulji. One such incident details how a thin line of milk appeared on the lips of a murti of "Thakorji", a small metal idol of Swaminarayan , while Mulji was himself drinking a glass of milk. In response to his mother's surprise at this, Mulji had explained, "Mother! Thakorji is always present in my heart. When I eat, Thakorji eats with me". As Mulji approached adolescence, his sacred thread ceremony
336-612: A disciple of Gunatitanand Swami, later built a shrine at the spot of his final rites that is known as Akshar Deri . On 23 May 1934, despite severe financial difficulties, Shastriji Maharaj consecrated the murtis of Swaminarayan and Gunatitanand Swami in the central shrine of a new, three-shikar mandir built above the Akshar Deri, Multitudes of people from around the world visit Akshar Mandir each year and circumambulate Akshar Deri (perform pradakshina ) seeking peace of mind and fulfillment of their auspicious desires, making it one of
420-492: A flower and placed it on his thigh. Immediately, there sprung from it a beautiful nymph, whose charms far excelled those of the apsaras, and made them return to heaven , filled with shame and vexation. Narayana sent this nymph to Indra with them, and since she been produced from the thigh (Ūru in Sanskrit ) of the sage, she was called Urvashi . Having sent back the apsaras, the divine sages continued to meditate. According to
504-505: A hitherto unheard of practice, he installed Bhagatji Maharaj , a common householder of a so-called lower caste, as his spiritual successor and transcended the caste system that was prevalent during that time in India. Inspired by the teachings of Swaminarayan and Gunatitanand Swami, Shastriji Maharaj reluctantly left the Vadtal diocese due to differences in philosophy to form BAPS as
588-568: A means of putting the theory of the discourses into practice and insisted that everyone, regardless of social standing, engage in service. For many decades, even into his old age, Gunatitanand Swami would perform the menial task of sweeping the mandir courtyard himself despite being the head of the temple. Gunatitanand Swami served as the Mahant of Junagadh mandir for 40 years. It was during this time that Gunatitanand Swami met Pragji Bhakta, or Bhagatji Maharaj as he became known, regarded by
672-580: A period, they would meet every evening at a small shrine to Shiva on a stepwell in the village of Kiri between their respective villages and discuss various religious matters. Mulji’s first meeting with Swaminarayan Bhagwan occurred in the village of Piplana. Ramanand Swami invited Mulji and Lalji Suthar amongst others to the Bhagvati Diksha ceremony of Neelkanth Varni ( Swaminarayan ) to be held on 28 October 1800. Upon seeing Mulji, Neelkanth Varni had remarked, "This Mulji (Gunatitanand Swami)
756-722: A personal and impersonal form, and an incarnation on earth, was specified by Swaminarayan in Vachanamruts Gadhada I-21 and Gadhada I-71, but it was not accepted by certain sections of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya . It was this principle that would lead to the eventual formation of the BAPS branch of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya . Similar to Swaminarayan before him, Gunatitanand Swami also instituted various social projects, from building wells and educating villagers to establishing guidelines for social behavior and preventing practices such as sati and infanticide. In
840-657: A prominent role in its construction, served as the mahant for forty years and provided a template for the administrative development of future religious establishments in the Swaminarayan Sampradaya . According to the BAPS, Gunatitanand Swami had a central role in propagating the tenets of the Akshar Purushottam Upasana , which included the identification of Swaminarayan as Purushottam firstly through various discourses and spiritual teachings and secondly through his identification of Bhagatji Maharaj as
924-671: A religious festival at the behest of Madhavji Dave, the town administrator. Gunatitanand Swami visited Navlakha Palace where the Maharaja of Gondal donated a piece of land to the Swaminarayan mandir. Gunatitanand Swami returned to Swaminarayan Mandir in Gondal at 9pm and died at 12:45am on 11 October 1867. His obsequies were performed the next day on the banks of the River Gondali Abhaysinh Darbar of Ganod,
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#17327980737021008-460: A separate entity and was later expelled by the Vadtal diocese after a hastily called meeting of temple trustees. Gunatitanand Swami's murti is always seen in the central shrine alongside Swaminarayan in all BAPS mandirs, as they embody the central principle of Akshar and Purushottam. On 16 September 1867, Gunatitanand Swami paid homage to the murti of Swaminarayan in Junagadh mandir for
1092-509: A separate entity from the Vadtal and Ahmedabad dioceses of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya . Shastriji Maharaj, a devotee of Gunatitanand Swami and revered as a manifestation of Akshar, explained that Swaminarayan's teaching in the Vachanamrut and other scriptures showed that there exists at all times a perfect devotee, Akshar Brahman, through whom Swaminarayan manifests on earth. He identified Gunatitanand Swami and Bhagatji Maharaj as
1176-538: A serious religious education. Mulji began visiting prominent religious personalities and learnt from them the various religious and social nuances associated with each sect. By the time he was in his early teens, he had grasped the principles of Shuddhadvaita from Acharya Gosai Narsinhlalji of the Vaishnav Sampradaya and learnt about the Pranami sect . Ramanand Swami's Bhagvat Dharma appealed to him
1260-419: A slew of prominent devotees including Vashrambhai, Dosabhai and Ratnabhai. While speaking about how Mulji had once predicted that Swaminarayan would come to eat at Sakarba's house, Swaminarayan remarked to Sakarba, "Mother you may not be able to understand, but your son Mulji is my divine abode, Akshardham ." By 1809, Mulji had been in contact with Swaminarayan for many years yet his goal of becoming
1344-536: A strict life, refraining from worldly pleasures and devoting their lives to the service of the holy fellowship. They preach the philosophy and lifetimes of Swaminarayan and encourage people to follow a pious and religious life. Swaminarayan has stated in the Vachanamrut that the association of Satpurush (true saints/devotees) opens the path to salvation. In 1999, the Ahmedabad Gadi had 765 male ascetics and
1428-527: A swami still remained unfulfilled. Mulji continued working on his farm in the hope that he would be initiated into the swami fold at the earliest. On 21 November 1809, Mulji had a vision that Swaminarayan wanted to meet him. Once while he was digging channels in his sugar cane fields he had a vision of Swaminarayan. Swaminarayan asked him, "what have you come to do and what are you doing?" thus asking him to visit Gadhada Mulji immediately left for Gadhada and learnt of Swaminarayan 's desire to initiate him as
1512-411: A swami. On 20 January 1810, at a grand yagna in the village of Dabhan, Swaminarayan initiated Mulji as a swami and named him Gunatitanand Swami. On this occasion, Swaminarayan again publicly confirmed that Gunatitanand Swami was the incarnation of Akshar, declaring, "Today, I am extremely happy to initiate Mulji Jani. He is my divine abode – Akshardham, which is infinite and endless". Over
1596-602: A thousand years. The Bhagavata Purana narrates Urvashi 's birth from the sages Nara-Narayana. Once, the sages Nara-Narayana were meditating in the holy shrine of Badrinath situated in the Himalayas . Their penances and austerities alarmed the devas, and so Indra , the King of the devas , sent Kamadeva , Rati , Vasanta (spring), and various apsaras (nymphs) such as Menaka and Rambha to inspire them with erotic passion, and disturb their devotions. The sage Narayana took
1680-435: Is a Hindu duo of sage-brothers. Generally regarded to be the partial-incarnation (aṃśa-avatara) of the preserver deity, Vishnu , on earth, Nara-Narayana are described to be the sons of Dharma and Ahimsa . The Hindu scripture Mahabharata identifies the prince Arjuna with Nara, and the deity Krishna with Narayana. The legend of Nara-Narayana is also told in the scripture Bhagavata Purana . Hindus believe that
1764-572: Is at the head of Laxmi Narayan Dev Gadi , while Acharya Maharajshri Koshalendraprasadji Maharaj is at the head of the Nar Narayan Dev Gadi at Ahmedabad. Swaminarayan thought that as he had established the temples and the Swaminarayan Sampraday, he wanted to keep his sadhus free from the affairs dealing with wealth, power and other worldly affairs. He decided to create leaders who would subsequently be responsible for
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#17327980737021848-545: Is compromised and whoever turns elsewhere (rejecting the Acharyas) will find that they will never find sukh (happiness) in this world or the worlds beyond and will experience immense distress ... ― Desh Vibhag Lekh The Acharyas of the Sampraday are administrative heads, spiritual leaders and the gurus of their followers. Since the acharyas are supposed to refrain from contact with the opposite sex, except close relations,
1932-569: Is impersonal, known as "Brahmamahol" or Akshardham , and "in its other form, that Akshar remains in the service of Purushottam Nãrãyan". The personal form of Akshar is understood to serve Purushottam within his divine abode and also when God incarnates on earth. Swaminarayan clarifies this in Vachanamrut Gadhada I-71 stating that "when God incarnates on earth … he is always accompanied by his Akshardham." Pointing to these and many other statements by Swaminarayan in
2016-411: Is miserable". The Vadtal and Ahmedabad dioceses believe this Akshar to be the divine abode of the supreme entity Purushottam. The BAPS denomination concurs that Akshar is the divine abode of Purushottam, but they further understand Akshar as "an eternally existing spiritual reality having two forms, the impersonal and the personal". The impersonal form is the divine abode of Purushottam while
2100-604: Is my divine abode – Akshardham, which is infinite and endless". The first Acharya of the Vadtal diocese, Raghuvirji Maharaj, recorded this declaration in the Harililakalpataru (7.17.49-50), a scripture that he had composed. His second successor as the Acharya of the Vadtal diocese, Shri Acharya Viharilalji Maharaj, composed a series of verses in a text titled Shri Kirtan Kaustubhamala where he states, "Aksharmurti Gunatitanand Swami initiated me and guided me to practice
2184-480: Is the incarnation of Akshar Brahman, my abode, and will in the future profusely display by his talk and discourses the greatness of my form." On subsequent visits to Bhadra (Gunatitanand Swami's hometown) and throughout his association with Gunatitanand Swami, Swaminarayan had alluded to the former's standing as Akshar in the theology of the sect. One such revelation was made to Gunatitanand Swami's mother, Sakarba. Swaminarayan arrived at Mulji's house along with
2268-648: Is to be portrayed as dark-complexioned. The duo were born as the sages Nara-Narayana to the god Dharma . They helped defeat the demons in the Churning of the Milky Ocean and Nara was given the elixir for safeguarding by Indra . According to the Vamana Purana , the twins were sons of dharma , the son of Brahma and his wife Murti (daughter of Daksha ), or Ahimsa. They lived in Badrinath for
2352-476: The Akshar Purushottam Upasana became apparent to all. Furthermore his renunciation of worldly desires and strong adherence to the principles of ekantik dharma were a pivotal component of his relationship with Gunatitanand Swami who referred to him as "someone who has profound faith and spiritual zeal". According to the BAPS, Gunatitanand Swami would eventually install Bhagatji Maharaj as his successor and would often tell devotees that "I have now handed over
2436-402: The BAPS denomination of Swaminarayan Hinduism is based. Proponents of this philosophy believe that of the five eternal entities (Jiva, Ishwar, Maya, Brahman and Parabrahman), Akshar (Brahman) and Purushottam (Parabrahman) eternally transcend the illusion of maya. While both BAPS and certain sections of the dioceses of Ahmedabad and Vadtal accept Purushottam as God and the cause of all
2520-568: The Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). Born into a religious family in the small farming community of Bhadra in Gujarat , India , he first received religious education under his father's guru, Ramanand Swami , before encountering Swaminarayan and becoming a swami under him at the age of 25. He was revered for his spiritual discourses and divine service. For
2604-537: The Devi Bhagavata Purana . According to Bhandarkar, the deities of Nara-Narayana must have been very popular at the time of the composition of the Mahabharata , since in the opening stanzas of various parvas (constituent books) of the epic, obeisance is made to these two devas. In Vana Parva (12. 46, 47), Krishna says to Arjuna, "O invincible one, you are Nara and I am Hari Narayana, and we,
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2688-711: The Gadiwala , or wife of the Acharya. They stay within the temple, follow ascetic rules strictly, wear dark red clothing and stay in the temple Haveli. They take care of the images in women's temples and conduct discourses for women. In 1999, the Ahmedabad Gadi had 440 female ascetics and the Vadtal Gadi had 115 female ascetics. The following table lists all the Acharyas of the Ahmedabad Gadi till date. In 1978,
2772-529: The Laxmi Narayan Dev Gadi headquartered at Vadtal respectively. He installed them as the Acharyas for all followers, including householders and ascetics. Swaminarayan gave sole authority to these two individuals to install murtis in temples and to initiate sadhus and householders into the Sampraday. He did this using a legal document known as " Desh Vibhag no Lekh ", which he dictated and
2856-465: The Mahabharata , Shiva's trishula , after laying waste to Daksha's yajna , travelled to the Badarikāśrama , where it pierced the breast of Narayana, who had been engaged in a penance. By the force of the utterance of the sound 'Hum', produced by Narayana, the trident was subsequently ejected from his breast and returned to Shiva, who was then determined to slay the sages. Nara is stated to have plucked
2940-399: The Swaminarayan Sampradaya do not subscribe to this theory. Gunatitanand Swami held various administrative roles, most notably as the mahant of Junagadh mandir , a position he held for forty years. In addition, he was a prominent speaker and was held in high regard as an authority on religious matters in general. A collection of his most important teachings on dharma , knowledge of
3024-641: The Vachanamrut , the BAPS denomination of Swaminarayan Hinduism supports the Akshar doctrine within the Akshar Purushottam Upasana . To explain their understanding that this Akshar first incarnated on earth as Gunatitanand Swami, they point to evidence from other scriptures and authoritative sources in which Swaminarayan and others revealed Gunatitanand Swami as Akshar. In addition to sources within their oral tradition, followers of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, point to several references of Gunatitanand Swami as Akshar occurring in scriptures and texts published by
3108-541: The Vadtal Gadi 1468 male ascetics. The first rule of becoming an ascetic ( sanyasi ) of the sect is never to come in contact with the opposite sex, or money. Ascetics are not allowed to leave the temple alone; they have to move out in pairs. Even in the temple, while using the toilet, they must do so in pairs to ensure they keep their vows. The food they eat must be mixed up so that they may not taste it. Female ascetics, known as Samkhya yoginis, receive initiation from
3192-487: The atman , detachment, bhakti , and various other matters has been published under the name Swamini Vato . Gunatitanand Swami died in 1867, and a famous shrine known as the Akshar Deri was built upon the spot his cremation rites were performed. Gunatitanand Swami was born on 28 September 1784 (Aso Sud Punam, Ashadhi Vikram Samvat 1841) to Bholanath and Sakarba Jani in the village of Bhadra, situated near
3276-525: The rishis assured the king that none in the three worlds could conquer them in a duel. Prahlada rose to the challenge. Nara fired arrows upon the king with his Ajagava, but the latter was able to defeat him with his own gold-plated arrows. Prahlada employed the divine Brahmastra against Nara's Narayanastra. Seeing them neutralised in a mid-air collision, Prahlada wielded his mace against Narayana. His mace broke, and Prahlada found himself growing helpless, and sought Vishnu's assistance. Vishnu told his devotee that
3360-589: The Acharya) gets a divine Bhram-state body by God's wish." It is seen as imperative to be a humble, loyal follower of the Dharmavanshi Acharya once receiving the diksha (guru mantra) in order to achieve a bhram form. In Swamini Vato , Swaminarayan was quoted, "Even Gunatitanand Swami , one of the main sadhus of Swaminarayan states, 'He who insults the temples, Acharyas, sadhus and satsangis will find his roots being destroyed and will inevitably fall from
3444-482: The BAPS as his successor, . While Bhagatji Maharaj had initially served under Gopalanand Swami , he accepted Gunatitanand Swami as his guru after Gopalanand Swami told him that true liberation would only be possible through the Jogi of Junagadh (a reference to Gunatitanand Swami). Over a period of time, Bhagatji Maharaj 's nuanced understanding and absolute realization of Gunatitanand Swami’s teachings, in particular
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3528-402: The BAPS, Gunatitanand Swami's most important contributions were in the propagation of the spiritual metaphysics revealed by Swaminarayan . Williams explains that BAPS followers believe that "Gunatitanand Swami established a line of spiritual authorities…who have continued in a line of succession from Gunatitanand Swami" himself. According to the BAPS, this identification of Akshar as having both
3612-646: The BAPS, he embodies an essential element of the doctrine of Akshar and Purushottam . They believe, based on interpretation, from the Vachanamrut that "Akshar is an eternally-existing spiritual reality having two forms, the impersonal and the personal". Furthermore, BAPS claims that Gunatitanand Swami was believed to be the first personal manifestation of Akshar in the Guru Parampara : an unbroken line of "perfect devotees" who provide "authentication of office through Gunatitanand Swami and back to Swaminarayan himself". The Vadtal and Ahmedabad dioceses of
3696-504: The Nar Narayan Dev Gadi ( Ahmedabad ) & Laxmi Narayan Dev Gadi ( Vadtal ) to practice their religious duties in harmony. This achieved, the efforts of all the followers of the Sampraday can be polarised, allowing for joint activities to be undertaken. In turn, this will enabling followers to meet the challenges that they are faced with today in giving their youth a religious experience that they can understand and practice themselves. In 2001, ISSO Seva , an independently run charity under
3780-496: The Nara-Narayana brothers were invincible, as they were the sons of Yama , and could only be conquered in devotion rather than combat. The king left the regency to Andhaka , and erected an ashrama to propitiate Nara-Narayana, and apologised for his folly. Arjuna and Krishna are often referred to as Nara-Narayana in the Mahabharata , and are also considered reincarnations of Nara and Narayana respectively, according to
3864-411: The Swaminarayan Sampraday was established to help mankind, the homeless and needy and promote awareness about modern day diseases and infections. It provides relief after natural disasters worldwide. The charity is run by professionals and volunteers of the Swaminarayan temples and centres. Narnarayan Dev Yuvak Mandal (NNDYM) is a youth organisation which was founded by Koshalendraprasad before becoming
3948-525: The Swaminarayan Sampraday. This led to his decision to appoint his nephews as Acharyas. The constitution of the Sampraday is laid out in Desh Vibhag Lekh which describes in detail the functions of the Acharyas. ... it is my command to all sadhus, bhamcharis and all satsangies, that for the purpose of your kalyaan (emancipation) you must obey and follow the two Acharyas of Dharmavansh, and obey their commands by thought, action and speech. If this
4032-536: The Vadtal and Ahmedabad dioceses maintain that the Swaminarayan mantra only represents Purushottam rather than two separate entities. However, both denominations chant the name Swaminarayan with each understanding it according to their respective theological adherence. Literally meaning "Swami’s talks", the Swamini Vato are selected excerpts of the numerous discourses given by Gunatitanand Swami over
4116-550: The acharya in 1994. Its headquarters are at the Swaminarayan Mandir in Ahmedabad; it was created to help young people to confront the challenges of human life. This organisation has various initiatives to build a foundation of young people across the globe. It propagates duty, devotion, knowledge ( gnaan ) and detachment from illusion ( maya ). Swaminarayan Museum in Ahmedabad, which houses more than 5000 artifacts,
4200-418: The acharyas of the Vadtal or Ahmedabad dioceses. One revelation of Gunatitanand Swami as Akshar occurred in 1810 at the conclusion of the grand yagna of Dabhan where Swaminarayan initiated Gunatitanand Swami as a swami. On this occasion, Swaminarayan is believed to have publicly confirmed that Gunatitanand Swami was the incarnation of Akshar, declaring, "Today, I am extremely happy to initiate Mulji Jani. He
4284-525: The acharyas' wives are the gurus for female members of the sect, and must avoid contact with unfamiliar men. The acharyas wear a red turban, and carry a golden staff and umbrella, the symbols of their authority In the scripture Purushottam Prakash (Nishkulanand Kavya) , the writer Nishkulanand Swami describes Swaminarayan's establishment of the Dharmavanshi Acharyas. The Acharyas are responsible for: These responsibilities are prescribed in
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#17327980737024368-481: The avatars, the concept of Akshar has led to much debate and is one of the primary causes of the schism between the denominations. Yājñavalkya Smṛti was authorized as a sacred text by Swaminarayan and it contains the following proof-text of Akshar, explaining that, "If one does not know Akshar, then one’s oblations, sacrifices and austerities for many thousands of years in this world will come to an end; and when one departs from this world without knowing Akshar, one
4452-547: The banks of river Sabarmati in Ahmedabad . Therefore, their images were installed by Swaminarayan at the first Swaminarayan temple, Swaminarayan Mandir, Ahmedabad ( India ). Members of this group interpret the events that took place at Badarikashram , the abode of Nara-Narayana, that led to the incarnation of Swaminarayan. They believe that Narayana took birth as Swaminarayan due to a curse of sage Durvasa which he accepted at his own will. The curse led to Narayana taking
4536-522: The beginning, ascetics have played a major role in the Swaminarayan Sampraday. They contribute towards growth and development of the movement and towards the salvation of its members. Sadhus, initiated by either Dharmavanshi Acharya, also form an integral part of the organisation and wear only orange robes. The Brahmachari ascetics, who are Brahmins, have a special responsibility of taking care of images in temples. These ascetics wear white robes on their waist and an orange cloth over their shoulder. Ascetics lead
4620-420: The course of his life. "The importance of Swadharma, Atmagnana , futility of sensual pleasures and detachment and devotion with the knowledge of the glory of God" form an integral part of this scripture. It has also been referred to as a "comprehensive commentary" on the Vachanamrut . The Swamini Vato used by the Vadtal and Ahmedabad dioceses contains five chapters that were recorded by Balmukunddas Swami,
4704-417: The dual Acharyaship in Dharmavanshi Acharyas, whom he intended as his successor. "Dharmavanshi" means "belonging to the lineage of Dharmadev" – the father of Swaminarayan. Swaminarayan enthroned his two adopted sons, Ayodhyaprasad Pande and Raghuvir Pande , who were the sons of his brothers Rampratapji and Ichcharamji, as the spiritual leaders of the Nar Narayan Dev Gadi headquartered at Ahmedabad and
4788-553: The first personal manifestation of Akshar in the Guru Parampara, an unbroken line of "perfect devotees" who provide "authentication of office through Gunatitanand Swami and back to Swaminarayan himself." As a consequence, the prefix Aksharbrahma is often added to his name. The Swaminarayan mantra itself, according to advocates of the Akshar Purushottam Upasana , succinctly expounds this doctrine in that 'Swami' represents Akshar and 'Narayan' represents Purushottam. Members of
4872-425: The first two embodiments of Akshar. Furthermore, he explained that those who wish to come close to Purushottam should imbibe the qualities of his ideal devotee, that is, Akshar, in order to achieve liberation. Thus according to Swaminarayan 's statements in the Vachanamrut , there is an Akshar present on earth with Purushottam and as described previously, Gunatitanand Swami is believed by BAPS followers to be
4956-427: The form of an avatar on Earth to destroy evil and establish ekantik- dharma , religion based on morality, knowledge, detachment, and devotion. Gunatitanand Swami Gunatitanand Swami (28 September 1784 – 11 October 1867), born Mulji Jani, was a prominent paramhansa of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya who was ordained by Swaminarayan and is accepted as the first spiritual successor of Swaminarayan by
5040-459: The holy tirtha of Naimiṣa, where he hoped to see a vision of Vishnu. They went hunting along the banks of the Sarasvati river . Prahlada observed two ascetics with matted hair, bearing the bows of Sharanga and Ajagava . The asura king asked them why they held weapons while performing a penance, and the two ascetics responded that all those who held power were righteous in their conduct. One of
5124-444: The holy texts Shikshapatri , Satsangi Jeevan and Desh Vibhag Lekh , according to which no person other than the Dharmavanshi Acharyas may carry out these duties. In one of the most authoritative scriptures, the Vachanamrut , Swaminarayan states one of the prerequisites for attaining Akshardham. He wrote, "The devotee who is aashrit of Dharmakul (i.e. he who has received initiation from Dharmavanshi Acharya and remains loyal to
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#17327980737025208-442: The initiates hands, gives him a Sanskrit shloka , Shri Krishna twam gatirmama , meaning Shri Krishna thou art my refuge . The initiate then offers at least half a rupee to the acharya, who adorns a kanthi thread around the initiate's neck. The initiate is then required to apply the tilak chandlo to his forehead (chandan U and red kum kum dot in the middle). Ladies only apply the red kum kum dot. There are eight important things in
5292-416: The key to Akshardham to Bhagatji Maharaj .” Gunatitanand Swami was instrumental in the early administration of the Swaminarayan fellowship after the death of Swaminarayan . Devotees and swamis alike looked up to him for leadership and direction. He encouraged Raghuvirji Maharaj to give up the pomp and splendor of his position and nurtured both his spiritual and administrative traits. According to
5376-598: The last time and departed for a tour of neighboring towns and villages having served as the mahant for 40 years 4 months and 4 days. As he was leaving, he declared, "I will now reside in Mahuva", assumed by BAPS followers to means as his passing of the spiritual torch to Bhagatji Maharaj who lived in Mahuva and not a reference to his physical destination. He traveled through the villages of Ganod, Upleta, Bhayavadar and Vanthali before finally arriving at Gondal to celebrate
5460-872: The life of a Satsangi; these are Kanthi – a thread worn around the neck, the Tilak Chandlo – a holy mark, the Mala – a thread with 108 beads, Nitya Pooja – daily prayers, the Temple, Darshan – a form of worship, Aarti – a ceremony, and Vandu Pad and Chesta Pad – verses recited in the temples daily. A Satsangi must show reverence for God, the Shastras, the Acharya of the Gadi the Satsangi comes under ( NarNarayan Dev Gadi or LaxmiNarayan Dev Gadi ), festivals, elders and be of overall good conduct. Upon initiation, Satsangi make 11 vows, called Niyams (Rules): From
5544-443: The most due to its teachings and practices and he accepted him as his first guru. Mulji would often travel to the village of Shekhpat to visit Ramanand Swami and listen to his religious discourses. He formed a lasting friendship with Lalji Suthar, a native of Shekhpat who shared Mulji's zeal for Ramanand Swami 's philosophies and who would later become Nishkulanand Swami , one of Swaminarayan 's prominent swami disciples. For
5628-407: The most visited places of pilgrimage in the region. Considerable dissent exists among various Swaminarayan groups regarding Gunatitanand Swami's status as Akshar, with BAPS being one of the foremost, though not only, groups propagating this principle as a foundation of their Akshar Purushottam philosophy , or Upasana. The Akshar Purushottam Upasana is the central theological tenet upon which
5712-423: The next few years, Gunatitanand Swami continued serving under Swaminarayan and became a core member of the 500 Paramhansas, a group of swamis respected for their spiritual enlightenment and renunciation of worldly pleasures. He further gained renown as a preacher and a summary of his teachings would later be published under the title Swamini Vato . One of his legacies was the famous temple at Junagadh . He played
5796-481: The next personal form of Akshar. In line with his understanding of the Akshar Purushottam Upasana , Gunatitanand Swami continued discoursing around Gujarat and along with his primary spiritual mission, helped initiate various social reforms throughout the region. In 1826, along with other prominent paramhansas, he laid the foundation stone of the Junagadh mandir. As one of the earliest Swaminarayan mandirs in
5880-407: The orator, and destroying demonic possessions, and conquering the conscience, one should recite the epic Mahabharata. In the Swaminarayan sect, Nara and Narayana, are called Nara-Narayana Deva . They are believed to reside at Badarikashram and to be the prime controllers of the destiny of all beings, depending on their karma . Nara-Narayana Deva are believed to have manifested at Narayana Ghat on
5964-435: The pair dwells at Badrinath , where their most important temple stands. The name "Nara-Narayana" can be broken into two Sanskrit terms, Nara and Narayana . Nara means 'male being', and Narayana refers to the name of the deity Vishnu. Monier-Williams dictionary says Nara is "the primeval Man or eternal Spirit pervading the universe always associated with Narayana, "son of the primeval man". In epic poetry, they are
6048-474: The personal form is described as the perfect devotee of Purushottam through whom this ultimate reality can be reached. Members of the BAPS branch support the ontology of Akshar through various accounts from Swaminarayan's time by pointing to the words of Swaminarayan in the Vachanamrut , specifically in the chapters of Gadhada I-21, Gadhada I-71, Gadhada III-26, Vadtal 5 and others. In Vachanamrut Gadhada I-21, Swaminarayan states that "Akshar has two forms"; one
6132-602: The region, the mandir at Junagadh would go on to become a prominent center of learning and spiritual pilgrimage. Taking into account the socio-religious landscape of Junagadh, Swaminarayan decided to appoint Gunatitanand Swami as the mahant (religious and administrative head) due to his leadership abilities and experience. Gunatitanand Swami played a significant role in shaping the administration of Junagadh Mandir. His emphasis on listening to spiritual discourses and attaining spiritual knowledge became de rigueur for all aspirants. Furthermore, he encouraged devotional service as
6216-573: The religious vows". Although certain leaders of the Vadtal diocese historically understood Gunatitanand Swami to be Akshar, over time their position on the issue has been reversed and currently they do not accept Gunatitanand Swami as Akshar. However, while the leadership of the Vadtal and Ahmedabad dioceses currently repudiate Gunatitanand Swami as Akshar, various groups within the Vadtal and Ahmedabad dioceses continue to understand Gunatitanand Swami to be Akshar. So, while this doctrinal understanding of Gunatitanand Swami as Akshar had been present from
6300-425: The river Und in what is now Gujarat, India. His father's guru, Ramanand Swami , named him Mulji. Even from a young age, it was evident that Mulji had a "disinclination towards material objects" and would exhibit a perspicacity that was rare for a child of his age, often claiming while playing with his younger brother Sundarji that he would become a swami and inspire Sundarji to become one. Various accounts indicate
6384-547: The sages Nara and Narayana, had been undergoing great penance since time immemorial for the welfare of all living entities." (3.4.22). It is mentioned in the Mahabharata and Puranas that Nara-Narayana performed austerities on Mount Gandhamadana, in Badrinath. In Badrinath Temple 's sanctorum, Nara and Narayana are next to Badri-Narayana. Prahlada , the king of the asuras, once commanded his forces to accompany him to
6468-421: The sages Nara-Narayana, have come to this world at the proper time.." In the same Parva, chapter 40 (verse 1); Shiva says to Arjuna — "In former birth you were Nara and with Narayana as your companion, performed austerities for thousands of years at Badari". The Mahabharata suggests that by saluting Krishna (the omniscient Narayana), his friend and the highest of all male beings Arjuna, Saraswati , and Vyasa ,
6552-519: The satsang.' " Male satsangis are initiated by the acharya of the gadi he comes under. Female satsangis are initiated by the wife of the acharya, who is the leader of women in the Swaminarayan Sampraday. In the absence of the acharya, ascetics perform this initiation, which is then confirmed by the acharya on his next visit. The ceremony involves the taking of five vows (panch vartaman): not to commit adultery or robbery, not to consume intoxicants or meat and not to lie. The initiator then pours water over
6636-414: The sons of Dharma by Murti or Ahimsa, and emanations of Vishnu , Arjuna being identified with Nara, and Krishna with Narayana. Nara-Narayana are depicted jointly or separately in images. When depicted separately, Nara is portrayed with two hands and wearing deer skin, while Narayana is shown on the right in the usual form of Vishnu. Nara is supposed to be depicted as fair-complexioned, while Narayana
6720-649: The then Acharya of the Ahmedabad gadi, Tejendraprasad , founded the International Swaminarayan Satsang Organisation (ISSO) in the United States on the occasion of Vijaya Dasami . The prime objective of I.S.S.O. is "To advance the Sanatan Dharma, in accordance with the principles and teachings of the Swaminarayan Sampraday, founded and ordained by Sahajanand Swami", enabling Swaminarayan's devotees from both
6804-515: The time of Swaminarayan , and it was explained as such by Gunatitanand Swami and later Bhagatji Maharaj , it was not until the time of Shastriji Maharaj that an institutional separation mirroring these two different schools of thought occurred. Matters came to a head when a majority of the swami in Vadtal opposed Shastriji Maharaj's propagation of this teaching, and after numerous attempts on his life had failed, eventually forced him to leave. Shastriji Maharaj subsequently established BAPS as
6888-534: Was opened in March 2011. The museum holds items such as Swaminarayan's writing scripts, day to day garments and ornaments. This is the first project in the Swaminarayan Sampraday that aims to acquire all of Swaminarayan's Prasadi items from temples across the world. This museum is a dream of the retired acharya of Ahmedabad, Tejendraprasad. Nara-Narayana Naranarayana ( Sanskrit : नरनारायण , romanized : Naranārāyaṇa ), also rendered Nara-Narayana ,
6972-459: Was performed on 13 June 1793 in anticipation of his pursuit of a religious education. After this event, Mulji immersed himself in learning about the various religious beliefs that were prevalent in Gujarat at the time. He openly told others that Narayan (God) would eventually visit his village and hence he had no reason to travel to Kashi , as was traditionally done for one who wished to pursue
7056-523: Was written by Shukanand Swami. Learned saints and elder satsangis witnessed this document. Copies were presented to the inaugural Acharyas, Ayodhyaprasad Pande and Raghuvir Pande – these are currently in the possession of the current Acharyas. The document was accepted by the Bombay High Court as the authoritative document regarding the apportionment of the two dioceses, so it has legal standing. Presently, Acharya Maharajshri Rakeshprasadji Maharaj
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