94-709: Swaminarayan Bhagwan , the founder of the Swaminarayan Sampraday , established temples, known as mandirs ( Devnagari : मन्दिर), as part of his philosophy of theism and deity worship. These mandirs are known as Swaminarayan Hindu temples. He constructed nine temples in the following cities; Ahmedabad , Bhuj , Muli , Vadtal , Junagadh , Dholera , Dholka , Gadhpur & Jetalpur . In these temples he installed images of various Hindu gods , such as NarNarayan Dev , LaxmiNarayan Dev , RadhaKrishna Dev , RadhaRaman Dev , Revti-Baldevji, Madan Mohan Dev etc. Each of these nine original temples fall either under
188-604: A temple in Gadhada , also in 1828. By the time of his death, Swaminarayan had also ordered construction of temples in Muli , Dholka and Jetalpur . From early on, ascetics have played a major role in the Swaminarayan sect. They contribute towards growth and development of the movement, encouraging people to follow a pious and religious life. Tradition maintains that Swaminarayan initiated 500 ascetics as paramahamsas in
282-804: A 1965 immigration law, a large number of Indians, including members of the sect. moved there from the 1970s until 2000. The ISSO was formed in 1978 in Chicago under the Nar Narayan Dev Gadi. The temple in Weehawken , New Jersey, was opened in 1987, and was the first in the US. By 2012, the organisation had 20 temples in the US, in cities including Boston , Houston , Chicago , Los Angeles , Tampa, Florida , Detroit and Cleveland, Ohio , Colonia , Parsippany and Cherry Hill . Another organisation, International Swaminarayan Satsang Mandal (ISSM), under
376-469: A book of social laws that his followers should follow. A commentary on the practice and understanding of dharma , it is a small booklet containing 212 Sanskrit verses, outlining the basic tenets that Swaminarayan believed his followers should uphold in order to live a well-disciplined and moral life. The oldest copy of this text is preserved at the Bodleian Library of Oxford University and it
470-532: A book on his life and pastimes. To enable Shatanand Swami to write from His childhood, Swaminarayan had blessed Shatanand Swami with Sanjay Drishti - special power to see the entire past right from His childhood. Once written by Shatanand Swami, this book was verified and authenticated by Swaminarayan. He was much pleased to read the book. Swaminarayan then asked his disciples to do Katha of Satsangi Jeevan. Decades after his death, several divisions occurred with different understandings of succession. This included
564-470: A central altar or a shrine. Human forms are predominant, with the exception of the Hanuman temple at Sarangpur , where Hanuman is the central figure. The temples have accommodation for ascetics built next to them. Stones were quarried in far places and carried to the temple sites. Swaminarayan temples, like other Hindu temples, have walkways around the central shrine to allow worshipers to circumambulate
658-497: A collection of these things, and there is nothing to be attractive. Members of the faith are defensive of the fact that some practices seem to restrict women and make gender equality in leadership impossible. They are only permitted to enter special sections of the temple reserved for women or have to go to separate women's temples. As with practices of niddah in Orthodox Judaism, concepts of pollution associated with
752-461: A correct understanding of Vedanta , Samkhya , Yoga , and Pancaratra . To find such an ashram, Nilkanth Varni asked the following five questions on the basic Vaishnava Vedanta categories: While on his journey, Nilkanth Varni mastered Astanga yoga (eightfold yoga) in a span of nine months under the guidance of an aged yogic master named Gopal Yogi. In Nepal, it is said that he met King Rana Bahadur Shah and cured him of his stomach illness. As
846-478: A direct line of blood descent from his family. The administrative division of his followers into two territorial dioceses is set forth in minute detail in a document written by Swaminarayan called Desh Vibhag Lekh . Swaminarayan stated to all the devotees and saints to obey both the Acharyas and Gopalanand Swami who was considered as the main pillar and chief ascetic for the sampradaya. The current acharya of
940-418: A god concentrated his own life form known as Harikrushna Maharaj. In the temples of the dioceses of Ahmedabad and Vadtal, they are predominantly a central altar or a shrine. Human forms are predominant but for a known exception of a Hanuman temple at Sarangpur , where Hanuman is the central figure. The temples have accommodations for sadhus built next to them. Stones were quarried in far places and carried to
1034-594: A huge temple. Eventually, Balmukund Swami completed new temple in 1875 without disturbing the original installation of idols. Bhagwatprasadji came with Adbhutanand Swami, Pavitranand Swami, Gopalji Maharaj, Nishkamanand Bramhchari, etc. in a Train (then called as Aag-gadi). Thereafter in the year around 1898, Bramchari Chaitanyanandhi, Br. Nirdoshanandji, Krishnanandji, Nishkamanandji on the instruction of Shri Viharilalji Maharaj and with donation from Shri Bhaulal Haridasji Gandhi installed Ghanshyam Maharaj in Sukhshaiya on
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#17327912136401128-671: A line of acharyas or preceptors, as his successors. He established two gadis (seats of leadership). One seat was established at Ahmedabad ( Nar Narayan Dev Gadi ) and the other one at Vadtal ( Laxmi Narayan Dev Gadi ) on 21 November 1825. Swaminarayan appointed an acharya to each of these gadis to pass on his message to others and to preserve his fellowship, the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. These acharyas came from his immediate family after sending representatives to search them out in Uttar Pradesh . He formally adopted
1222-481: A meeting with Reginald Heber , Lord Bishop of Calcutta and a leader of Christians in India at the time. Bishop Heber mentions in his account of the meeting that about two hundred disciples of Swaminarayan accompanied him as his bodyguards mounted on horses and carrying Matchlocks and swords. Bishop Heber himself had about a hundred horse guards accompanying him (fifty horses and fifty muskets) and mentioned that it
1316-471: A new mahant of the temple of Sarangpur. Since, then the Vadtal Gadi has constructed additional improvements and buildings to the temple. Hariprakash Swami is an incumbent trustee. Adjacent to the main temple is a dedicated mandir honoring Swaminarayan, which houses numerous sacred relics associated with his life and teachings. This mandir serves as a place of reverence and reflection for devotees, offering
1410-463: A pious life. Using Hindu texts and rituals to form the base of his organisation, Swaminarayan founded what in later centuries would become a global organisation with strong Gujarati roots. He was particularly strict on the separation of sexes in temples. Swaminarayan was against the consumption of meat, alcohol or drugs, adultery, suicide, animal sacrifices, criminal activities and the appeasement of ghosts and tantric rituals. Alcohol consumption
1504-675: A result, the king freed all the ascetics he had imprisoned. Nilkanth Varni visited the Jagannath Temple in Puri as well as temples in Badrinath , Rameswaram , Nashik , Dwarka , and Pandharpur . In 1799, after a seven-year journey, Nilkanth's travels as a yogi eventually concluded in Loj, a village in the Junagadh district of Gujarat. In Loj, Nilkanth Varni met Muktanand Swami ,
1598-542: A senior disciple of Ramanand Swami . Muktanand Swami, who was 22 years older than Nilkanth, answered the five questions to Nilkanth's satisfaction. Nilkanth decided to stay for the opportunity to meet Ramanand Swami, whom he met a few months after his arrival in Gujarat. He later claimed in the Vachnamrut that during this period, he took up a severe penance to eliminate his mother's flesh and blood from his body so that
1692-445: A single night. Paramahamsa is a title of honour sometimes applied to Hindu spiritual teachers who are regarded as having attained enlightenment. Paramahamsas were the highest order of sannyasi in the sect. Prominent paramahamsas included Muktanand Swami , Gopalanand Swami , Brahmanand Swami , Gunatitanand Swami , Premanand Swami , Nishkulanand Swami , and Nityanand Swami . Prior to his death, Swaminarayan decided to establish
1786-518: A son each from his two brothers and appointed them to the office of acharya. Ayodhyaprasad , the son of Swaminarayan's elder brother Rampratap, and Raghuvira , the son of his younger brother Ichcharam, were appointed acharyas of the Ahmedabad Gadi and the Vadtal ( Kheda district ) Gadi respectively. Swaminarayan decreed that the office should be hereditary so that acharyas would maintain
1880-414: A specified number of prostrations (as decided by themselves). In front of the men's section, there is a small section reserved for ascetics and special guests. There is great variety in form and nature of the central images, in front of which are gold- or silver-plated doors that open during darshan . Today there are over a thousand Swaminarayan temples, spread across five continents , which come under
1974-426: A unique glimpse into Swaminarayan’s legacy through carefully preserved items that are integral to the faith's history. On 6 April 2023, then Indian home minister Amit Shah unveiled 54-feet tall statue made out of metals which weighs 30,000 kg. The statue, visible from 7 km away, was crafted at the cost of ₹11 crore (₹110 million). The image of this temple is said to be so powerful that a mere look at it will drive
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#17327912136402068-793: A younger brother, Ichcharam Pande. He is said to have mastered the scriptures , including the Vedas , the Upanishads , the Puranas , the Ramayana , and the Mahabharata by the age of seven. After the death of his parents, Ghanshyam Pande left his home on 29 June 1792 (Ashadh Sud 10, Samvat 1849) at the age of 11. He took the name Nilkanth Varni while on his journey. Nilkanth Varni travelled across India and parts of Nepal in search of an ashram , or hermitage, that practiced what he considered
2162-593: Is Purushottampriyadasji Maharaj. According to the biographer Raymond Williams, when Swaminarayan died, he had a following of 1.8 million people. In 2001, Swaminarayan centres existed on four continents, and the congregation was recorded to be five million, the majority in the homeland of Gujarat. The newspaper Indian Express estimated members of the Swaminarayan sect of Hinduism to number over 20 million (2 crore) worldwide in 2007. The manifestation belief and Swaminarayan's teachings were criticized by Hindu reformist leader Dayananda Saraswati (1824–1883). He questioned
2256-568: Is Shatri P.P. Swami. By Pankaj G. Shah Location: Primary Deity: Constructed in: Architecture: Notes: Mombasa Swaminarayan 1958 Single-spire Structure This Mandir comes under the NarNarayan Dev Gadi Nakuru – – – This Mandir comes under the Narnarayan dev ghadi Deity: Constructed in: Architecture: Notes: Arusha – – – This Mandir comes under
2350-749: Is also home to Laxmi Vadi. This is the burial place of Swaminarayan's ashes. The site is marked by a shrine consisting of the idols of brother Ichharam, Swaminarayan himself and Raghuvirji Maharaj. Sahajanand Swami also ordered construction of temples at Muli , Dholka and Jetalpur . Although these temples were completed after his death, the Murti pratishtas , idol installation ceremonies, were conducted by Sahajanand Swami. He installed images of various manifestations of God, such as Nar Narayan Dev, Laxmi Narayan Dev, Radha Krishna, Radha Raman and Revti Baldevji. Swaminarayan lived in Gadhpur for about 27 years; he stayed at
2444-565: Is considered the principal theological text within the Swaminarayan Sampradaya . Compiled by four of his senior disciples, Swaminarayan edited and approved the scripture. As followers believe Swaminarayan to be Parabrahman, or God, the Vachanamrut is considered a direct revelation from God and thus the most precise interpretation of the Upanishads , Bhagavad Gita , and other important Hindu scriptures. This scripture
2538-456: Is constructed as per scriptural norms with intricate carving in Burma teak and sculptural art depicting deities' episodes, auspicious symbols and religious icons representing axiomatic religion and Indian culture. The temple is believed to be a valuable cultural heritage in the socio-religious history of Gujarat and India. The installation ceremony of the murti forms in the temple was celebrated in
2632-428: Is great variety in the form and nature of the central images, in front of which are gold- or silver-plated doors that open during darshan . Swaminarayan ordered the construction of the following six mandirs and installed the images of various deities, such as Nara Narayana , Laxminarayan , Radha Krishna , Radha Ramana , Revti Baldevji, himself. Shri Swaminarayan Mandir is the first temple Swaminarayan constructed. It
2726-433: Is in the shape of a lotus , with nine domes in the inner temple. The land for this shrine was donated by Joban Pagi, a dacoit who was later converted into a devotee by Swaminarayan. The temple was constructed under the supervision of Brahmanand Swami , was completed within fifteen months and the idols of Laxmi Narayan was installed by Swaminarayan on 3 November 1824, amidst chants of vedic hymns and devotional fervour of
2820-504: Is one of the very few presented by Sahajanand Swami himself. Acharya Tejendraprasad of Ahmedabad has indicated in a letter that he is not aware of any copy from the hand of Sahajanand older than this text. Swaminarayan in various places of Shikshapatri describes Krishna as the greatest entity. The Vachanamrut (IAST: Vacanāmṛta, lit. "immortalising ambrosia in the form of words") is a sacred Hindu text consisting of 273 religious discourses delivered by Swaminarayan from 1819 to 1829 CE and
2914-543: Is read by followers regularly and discourses are conducted daily in Swaminarayan temples around the world. Satsangi Jeevan is the authorised biography of Swaminarayan. The book contains information on the life and teachings of Swaminarayan. It is written by Shatanand Swami and completed in Vikram Samvat 1885. Swaminarayan decided to make Gadhada his permanent residence on the insistence of Dada Khachar and his sisters. Swaminarayan instructed Shatanand Swami to write
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3008-881: Is the sect's biggest temple in the UK. Temples have been built in other parts of the UK, such as Cardiff , Oldham , Leicester and Brighton and several others in London. The temple in Leicester was opened in 1993 and was the first in Europe under the International Swaminarayan Satsang Organisation (ISSO) and was followed by one in Sweden. A small number of followers migrated to the United States before 1965 as students, and following
3102-828: The Satsangi Jeevan , Swaminarayan's authorized biography, the Muktanand Kavya , the Nishkulanand Kavya and the Bhakta Chintamani . Swaminarayan wrote the Shikshapatri on 11 February 1826. While the original Sanskrit manuscript is not available, it was translated into Gujarati by Nityanand Swami under the direction of Swaminarayan and is revered in the sect. The Gazetteer of the Bombay Presidency summarised it as
3196-807: The NarNarayan Dev Gadi Constructed in: Architecture: Notes: Under NarNarayan Dev Gadi, One of the seven Swaminarayan temples in London Location: Primary Deity: Constructed in: Architecture: Notes: Oldham Swaminarayan 1977 – This Mandir comes under the NarNarayan Dev Gadi Location: Primary Deity: Constructed in: Architecture: Notes: Bolton Swaminarayan 1973 Single-spire Structure This Mandir comes under
3290-636: The NarNarayan Dev Gadi , Ahmedabad or the LaxmiNarayan Dev Gadi , Vadtal depending on their geographical location. One of the most prominent features of the heritage of Swaminarayan Sampradaya is temple architecture. The images in the temples built by Swaminarayan Bhagwan are the evidence of the priority of Swaminarayan Bhagwan . All of the temples constructed during his life show some form of Krishna , and all temples since have such worshipable murtis . In Vadtaldham he as
3384-403: The NarNarayan Dev Gadi . First purpose built Swaminarayan temple in UK. Location: Primary Deity: Constructed in: Architecture: Notes: Crawley HariKrishna Maharaj 2006 – This Mandir comes under the under NarNarayan Dev Gadi (ISSO) Swaminarayan Swaminarayan ( IAST : Svāmīnārāyaṇa ; 3 April 1781 – 1 June 1830), also known as Sahajanand Swami ,
3478-403: The Swaminarayan Sampradaya . In 1899, Kothari Gordhandas of Vadtal appointed Shastriji Maharaj (Shastri Yagnapurushdas), the founder of BAPS , to oversee the temple’s affairs. During his tenure, Shastriji Maharaj renovated the temple, constructed the adjacent bungalow, and acquired additional land to expand the complex, contributing significantly to its present form. Govardhandas then appointed
3572-426: The menstrual cycle lead to the exclusion of women from the temples and daily worship during the affected time. Swaminarayan also directed male devotees not to listen to religious discourses given by women. In the case of widows, Swaminarayan directed those who could not follow the path of chastity to remarry. For those who could, he lay down strict rules which included them being under the control of male members of
3666-583: The Ahmedabad Gadi is Koshalendraprasad Pande and Ajendraprasad Pande, of the Vadtal Gadi. In 1830, Swaminarayan gathered his followers and announced his departure. He later died on 1 June 1830 (Jeth sud 10, Samvat 1886), and it is believed by followers that, at the time of his death, Swaminarayan left Earth for Akshardham , his abode. He was cremated according to Hindu rites at Lakshmi Wadi in Gadhada . Swaminarayan insisted that education
3760-502: The Darbar of Dada Khachar , one of his best-known devotees. At some temples, footprints of Swaminarayan are worshiped by his followers. Swaminarayan entrusted the day-to-day performance of the worship rituals in these mandirs to ascetics. By 2012, there were over a thousand Swaminarayan temples across five continents. In the 1920s, members of the sect began to move out of India to East Africa in search of work and better lives. Among these
3854-451: The Hindu festival of Rama Navami , celebrating the birth of Rama . The ninth lunar day in the fortnight of the waxing moon in the month of Chaitra (March–April), is celebrated as both Rama Navami and Swaminarayan Jayanti by Swaminarayan followers. This celebration also marks the beginning of a ritual calendar for the followers. Swaminarayan had an elder brother, Rampratap Pande, and
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3948-1472: The Laxmi Narayan Dev Gadi, has temples in Chicago, Grand Prairie, Texas , Sunnyvale, California , Downey and Somerset, New Jersey . Also under the Laxmi Narayan Dev Gadi, the Laxminarayan Dev Spiritual Organisation (LDSO) has been set up in San Francisco to promote the faith there. http://www.swaminarayanvadtalgadi.org/temples/temple-international/ The movement also has temples in Australia, Seychelles, Canada, Thailand, Fiji, Mauritius, New Zealand, Oman, UAE and Zambia. http://www.baps.org/ [1] Gujarat Origin Place of Swaminarayan Sampraday Satsang in this religious city of Burahanpur started in 1798 when Swaminarayan sanctified this city on his pilgrimage as Neelkanth Varni. Later, he sent his paramhansas like Kripanand Swami, Gunatitanand Swami, Premanand Swami, Poornanand Swami, Naronarayananad Swami, Nirvikaranand Swami, Anantanand Swami, Adbhutanand Swami, etc. who sowed roots of Satsang in this city. Swaminarayan himself gave Lakshminarayan Dev to Seth Shiva Shah of Burhanpur in 1825–26. Idols of L.N. Dev were then kept at
4042-794: The Swaminarayan tradition, Sahajanand Swami became known as Swaminarayan, and the Uddhava Sampradaya became known as the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, after a gathering in which he taught the Swaminarayan Mantra to his followers. He emphasized "moral, personal, and social betterment," and ahimsa . He is also remembered within the sect for undertaking reforms for women and the poor, and performing large-scale non-violent yajñas (fire sacrifices). During his lifetime, Swaminarayan institutionalized his charisma and beliefs in various ways. He built six mandirs to facilitate devotional worship of God by his followers, and encouraged
4136-564: The above two Gadis (seats) of the Swaminarayan Sampraday. As an adjunct to the scriptures in establishing ultimate redemption and consolidating the framework of the holy fellowship (Satsang), Swaminarayan constructed stone mandirs , buttressing Upasana – worshipping God, and devotion towards the deities. Towards the end of his second decade of work, he placed a greater emphasis on devotion than detachment – vairagya to foster love for God. This emphasis on devotion culminated in
4230-562: The acceptance of Swaminarayan as the Supreme Being and was disapproving towards the idea that visions of Swaminarayan could form a path to attaining perfection. Accused of deviating from the Vedas , his followers were criticised for the illegal collection of wealth and the "practice of frauds and tricks." In the views of Dayananda, published as early as 1875, it was a "historical fact" that Swaminarayan decorated himself as Narayana in order to gain followers. In 1918, Mahatma Gandhi in
4324-543: The building of mandirs, which served as permanent places of worship, centres for religious gathering, instruction, the study of Sanskrit, devotional music and Vedic literature, and as centres of social services where alms, medicines and clothes were available to the poor and needy. In a span of six years, from 1822 till 1828, Swaminarayan sanctioned the construction of nine mandirs in Gujarat : Ahmedabad, Mooli, Bhuj, Vadtal, Jetalpur, Dholera, Dholka, Junagadh and Gadhada. One of
4418-457: The city of Bhuj, including this temple. Members of the Swaminarayan Sampraday, including saints and satsangis of Kutch residing in India and abroad, have resolved to construct a new marble temple a short distance from the site. The new temple, the largest in Gujarat, was opened in May 2010 by the then Chief Minister of Gujarat, Narendra Modi . The temple in Vadtal , also known as Vadtal Swaminarayan,
4512-416: The company government. The company officers gave it a 101 gun salute when it was opened. It was in an 1825 meeting with Reginald Heber that Swaminarayan is said to have intimated that he was a manifestation of Krishna. In 1830, Swaminarayan had a meeting with Sir John Malcolm , Governor of Bombay (1827 to 1830). According to Malcolm, Swaminarayan had helped bring some stability to a lawless region. During
4606-615: The conduct in the Shikshapatri . Swaminarayan propagated general Hindu texts. He held the Bhagavata Purana in high authority. However, there are many texts that were written by Swaminarayan or his followers that are regarded as shastras or scriptures within the Swaminarayan sect. Notable scriptures throughout the sect include the Shikshapatri and the Vachanamrut . Other important works and scriptures include
4700-592: The creation of a scriptural tradition, including the Shikshapatri , which he wrote in 1826. In 1826, through a legal document titled the Lekh , Swaminarayan created two dioceses, the Laxmi Narayan Dev Gadi (Vadtal Gadi) and Nar Narayan Dev Gadi (Ahmedabad Gadi) , with a hereditary leadership of acharyas and their wives from his own extended family, who were authorized to install statues of deities in temples and to initiate ascetics. Swaminarayan
4794-428: The establishment of Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), the founder of which left the Vadtal Gadi in 1905, and Maninagar Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan , the founder of which left the Ahmedabad Gadi in the 1940s. The followers of BAPS hold Gunatitanand Swami as the spiritual successor to Swaminarayan, asserting that on several occasions Swaminarayan revealed to devotees that Gunatitanand Swami
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#17327912136404888-447: The extent to call sati nothing but suicide. Swaminarayan offered parents help with dowry expenses to discourage female infanticide, calling infanticide a sin. For calling a halt to these prevailing practices, Swaminarayan's "contemporaries naturally saw in him a pioneer of a reformed and purified Hinduism, and Swaminarayan Hinduism an 'ingrazi dharma' or British religion." Professor David Harman observed that Swaminarayan "criticized
4982-415: The family. This may seem regressive, however, it gave them "a respected and secure place in the social order" of the time. Swaminarayan restricted widows "to live always under the control of male members of their family and prohibited them from receiving instruction in any science from any man excepting their nearest relations." After assuming the leadership of the sampradaya, Swaminarayan worked to assist
5076-598: The installation ceremony. Swaminarayan also installed his own idol in Vadtal, naming it Harikrishna Maharaj . The walls are decorated with colourful representations from the Ramayana . The temple's walls are decorated with colourful representations from the Ramayana . Dholera is an ancient port-city, 30 kilometres (19 mi) from Dhandhuka in Ahmedabad District . This temple has three domes. Its construction
5170-443: The letter to his nephew, expressed that Swaminarayan's values didn't align perfectly with his interpretation of Vaishnavism and the love taught by Swaminarayana was all about sentimentalism. According to Gandhi, Swaminarayan had not grasped the essence of non-violence. In 1924, Gandhi applauded efforts of Swaminaryan and added that "what was accomplished in Gujarat by one person, Sahajanand [Swaminarayan], could not be accomplished by
5264-439: The lower Rajput and Khati castes but not any lower. He allowed dalits and lower caste people to visit places of worship . However, Dalits - those outside of the caste system - were formally excluded from Swaminarayan temples. Members of a lower caste are prohibited from wearing a full sect mark (tilak chandlo) on their forehead. Even now, however, for the vast majority of Gujarat's lower-caste, Untouchable and tribal population,
5358-518: The meeting with Malcolm, Swaminarayan gave him a copy of the Shikshapatri. This copy of the Shikshapatri is currently housed at the Bodleian Library at University of Oxford . Swaminarayan ordered the construction of several Hindu temples and he had built six huge temples by himself and installed the idols of various deities such as Radha Krishna , Nara-Narayana , Laksmi Narayana , Gopinath , Radha Ramana , and Madanamohana . The images in
5452-402: The most prominent features of the heritage of Swaminarayan is its temple architecture. The images in the temples built by Swaminarayan are the evidence of the priority of Krishna . All of the temples constructed during his life show some form of Krishna, and all temples since have such worshipable figures, or murtis . In the temples of the dioceses of Ahmedabad and Vadtal, these are predominantly
5546-507: The myth that moksha (salvation) was not attainable by everyone. He taught that the soul is neither male nor female, nor yoked to any specific caste. Swaminarayan was against animal sacrifices. To solve this problem, Swaminarayan conducted several large-scale yajnas involving priests from Varanasi . Swaminarayan was successful in reinstating ahimsa through several such large-scale yajnas. Swaminarayan stressed lacto vegetarianism among his followers and forbade meat consumption, codifying
5640-402: The opposite sex." This strict precept was one he likely internalized "after travelling as an ascetic throughout India [when] he was reported to vomit if approached by even the shadow of a woman". To help his male ascetic followers maintain their vow of celibacy, Swaminarayan taught “the woman who attracts attention is made up of bones, blood vessels, spittle, blood, mucus and feces; she is simply
5734-417: The poor by distributing food and drinking water. He undertook several social service projects and opened almshouses for the poor. Swaminarayan organized food and water relief to people during times of drought. Some suggest that Swaminarayan worked towards ending the caste system , allowing everyone into the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. However partaking in the consumption food of lower castes and caste pollution
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#17327912136405828-563: The popular shakta cults and ' gosai ' and ' nath ' ascetics for the contemptuous and instrumental way in which they viewed and treated women. These cults were often responsible for gross sexual abuse of women." Hardiman added that Swaminarayan's view towards women was not in line with this type of misogyny and was rooted in his desire to prevent ill-treatment of women along with promoting celibacy for ascetics. Swaminarayan "forbade all sadhus and sadhvis (that is, male and female ascetics) of his sect from having any contact whatsoever with members of
5922-566: The power of the State". Shri Hanuman Mandir, Sarangpur The Shree Kashtabhanjan Dev Hanumanji Temple, Sarangpur is a Hindu temple located in Sarangpur , Gujarat and is part of the Vadtal Gadi of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya . This temple is among the most prominent sites of worship for Hanuman devotees, honoring him in the powerful form of Kashtabhanjan Dev, meaning the "Crusher of Sorrows." The idol of Shree Kashtabhanjandev
6016-426: The presence of thousands of pilgrims from across India. Nara Narayana . On the request of devotees from Bhuj , Swaminarayan asked Vaishnavananand Swami to go there with a team of saints and build a temple. In 1822, they camped on land adjacent to the temple site and drew plans of the temple complex. within a year they had built a temple abode of Nar Narayan. The Gujarat earthquake on 26 January 2001 destroyed much of
6110-569: The residence of Brahmin Ramchandra who lived at site of present temple. In December 1829 Idols of L.N. Dev were installed in small temple of 1 shikhar by Acharya Shri Raghuvirji Maharaj with Param Chaitanyanand Swami. In Samvat 1907, Raghuveerji Maharaj visited Burhanpur with Narsimhanand Swami and a huge procession was carried out in the city. Later in 1871, Acharya Bhagwatprasadji installed Harikrishna Maharaj adjacent to L.N. Dev and instructed Swami Balmukunddasji guru Gopalanand Swami to build
6204-912: The right of L.N. Dev. Later in 1944 Shri Goverdhandas Gandhi son of Shri Bhaulal Gandhi donated a farm at Titgao for maintenance of Ghanshyam Maharaj. This temple also witnessed satsang under great saints like Br.Mayatitanandji, Br. Atmanandji, Br. Chaitanyanandji, etc. and Purani Dharmswaroopdasji, Shastri Nilkanthdasji, Chaturbhuj Shastri, Shastri Lakshmiprasaddasji, etc. Also well known ekantik haribhakt were Seth Shyamdas Shiva Shah, Seth Onkardas Nanabhai, Seth Narottamdas Lakshmidas, Bhaulal Haridas Gandhi, Seth Tikamdas Bechardas Shah, Seth Ranchoddas Merchant and others. Mayatitanand Bramhchari also initiated daily Abhishek of idols in this temple and also inspired Swami Sevak Mandal to make Hir na Hindola in Samvat 1991 in Burhanpur Temple. Present Kothari of temple
6298-494: The sect consider Swaminarayan a pioneer of education of females in India. According to the author Raymond Brady Williams, "Swaminarayan is an early representative of the practice of advocacy of women's rights without personal involvement with women". To counter the practice of sati (self-immolation by a widow on her husband's funeral pyre), Swaminarayan argued that, as human life was given by God, it could be taken only by God, and that sati had no Vedic sanction. He went to
6392-690: The sect is out of bounds. Reginald Heber , the Lord Bishop of Calcutta, noted that disciples of Swaminarayan cut across all castes, and even included Muslims. He writes "they all pray to one God with no difference of castes. They live as if they were brothers." Furthermore, in a meeting with Swaminarayan, he noted that "[Swaminarayan] did not regard the subject as of much importance, but that he wished not to give offense (to ancient Hindu system); that people might eat separately or together in this world, but that above "oopur" pointing to heaven, those distinctions would cease." Swaminarayan worked thus to dispel
6486-427: The shrine, which is often decorated with designs and inlaid marble. The main shrine area is divided by railings. One side of the railing is reserved for women, as Swaminarayan said that men and women should be separated in temples to allow full concentration on god. Men perform a specified number of prostrations . In front of the men's section, there is normally a small area reserved for ascetics and special guests. There
6580-420: The sign of his physical attachment to family, was completely removed. According to the sect, Nilkanth's understanding of the metaphysical and epistemological concepts of the pancha-tattvas (five eternal elements), together with his mental and physical discipline, inspired senior swamis of Ramanand Swami. Nilkanth Varni received sannyasa initiation from Ramanand Swami on 20 October 1800, and with it
6674-557: The supreme being is not formless and that God always has a divine form. Swaminarayan's philosophy asserts that Parabrahman and Aksharabrahman are two distinct eternal realities. Swaminarayan strived to maintain good relationships with people of other religions, sometimes meeting prominent leaders. His followers cut across religious boundaries, including people of Muslim and Parsi backgrounds. Swaminarayan's personal attendants included Khoja Muslims. In Kathiawad , many Muslims wore kanthi necklaces given by Swaminarayan. He also had
6768-429: The temple sites. Swaminarayan temples, like other Hindu temples, have walkways around the central shrine to allow worshipers to circumambulate the shrine. These are often decorated with designs and inlaid marble. The main shrine area is divided by railings. One side of the railing is reserved for women, as Swaminarayan propagated that men and women should be separated in temples to allow full concentration on god. Men do
6862-433: The temples built by Swaminarayan provide evidence of the priority of Krishna. Disciples of Swaminarayan composed devotional poems which are widely sung by the tradition during festivals. Swaminarayan introduced fasting and devotion among followers. He conducted the festivals of Vasant Panchami , Holi , and Janmashtami with organization of the traditional folk dance raas . The first temple Swaminarayan constructed
6956-520: Was Aksharbrahm manifest. Followers of BAPS believe that the acharyas were given administrative leadership of the sect while Gunatitanand Swami was given spiritual leadership by Swaminarayan. The current spiritual and administrative leader of BAPS is Mahant Swami Maharaj . The followers of the Maninagar Swaminarayan Gadi Sansthan hold Gopalanand Swami as the successor to Swaminarayan. The current leader of this sect
7050-509: Was a yogi and ascetic believed by followers to be a manifestation of Krishna or the highest manifestation of Purushottama , around whom the Swaminarayan Sampradaya developed. In 1800, he was initiated into the Uddhava sampradaya by his guru, Swami Ramanand , and was given the name Sahajanand Swami. Despite opposition, in 1802, Ramanand handed over the leadership of the Uddhava Sampradaya to him before his death. According to
7144-967: Was a large number of Kutchis of the Leva Patel/Patidar community, who remained to the Bhuj temple under the Nar Nararayan Dev Gadi. All the temples built in Africa come under the temple in Bhuj. The first Swaminarayan temple in Africa was built in Nairobi in 1945, and temples were built in Mombasa and other Kenyan towns in the following years. Temples were also built in Tanzania and Uganda. The Swaminarayan temple in Karachi , Pakistan,
7238-459: Was an incarnation of Krishna . The images and stories of Swaminarayan and Krishna have coincided in the liturgy of the sect. The story of the birth of Swaminarayan parallels that of Krishna's birth from the scripture Bhagavata Purana . Most of his followers believe that Swaminarayan is the complete manifestation of Narayana or Purushottama Narayana - the Supreme Being and superior to other avatars. The belief of many followers that their founder
7332-618: Was born on 3 April 1781 ( Chaitra Sud 9, Samvat 1837) in Chhapaiya , a village near Ayodhya , then under the Nawab of Oudh , in present-day Indian state of Uttar Pradesh . Born into the Brahmin or priestly caste of Sarvariya, Swaminarayan was named Ghanshyam Pande by his parents, Hariprasad Pande (father, also known as Dharmadev) and Premvati Pande (mother, also known as Bhaktimata and Murtidevi). The birth of Swaminarayan coincided with
7426-711: Was built in 1868 when Karachi was part of the Indian Union . After the Second World War, members of the movement in East Africa began migrating to the United Kingdom; the number of migrants rose significantly in the 1960s and 1970s. The first Swaminarayan temple in the UK was built in Bolton in 1973. This was followed by a temple in the London suburb of Willesden , which was consecrated in 1975 and
7520-536: Was built in Ahmedabad in 1822, and presents images of Nara Narayana , who occupies the principal seat of the temple, and forms of Arjuna and Krishna at the central altar. The left altar has murtis of Radha Krishna . The land for construction of the temple was donated by the East India Company government of the day. The task of constructing it was entrusted by Swaminarayan to Ananandand Swami. The temple
7614-721: Was considered by him his own ishtadevata . In contrast with the Vaishnava sect known as the Radha-vallabha Sampradaya , he had a more puritanical approach, rather than the theological views of Krishna that are strongly capricious in character and imagery. While being a worshipper of Krishna, Swaminarayan rejected licentious elements in Krishnology in favor of worship in the mood of majesty, alike to earlier Vaishnava teachers, Ramanuja and Yamunacharya . According to Swaminarayan-tradition, Sahajanand Swami
7708-500: Was donated by the court of Dada Khachar in Gadhada. Darbar Dada Khachar and his family were devotees of Swaminarayan. The temple was made built the courtyard of his own residence. This shrine has two stories and three domes and is adorned with carvings. Swaminarayan assisted in the construction of the temple by lifting stones and mortar, and he installed the figures of Gopinath , Radhika and Harikrishna on 9 October 1828. Gadhada
7802-473: Was forbidden by him even for medicinal purposes. Many of his followers took vows before becoming his disciple. He stated that four elements need to be conquered for ultimate salvation: dharma, bhakti (devotion), gnana (knowledge) and vairagya (detachment). Doctrinally, Swaminarayan was close to eleventh century philosopher Ramanuja and was critical of Adi Shankara 's concept of Advaita , or monistic non-dualism . Swaminarayan's ontology maintained that
7896-502: Was granted the names Sahajanand Swami and Narayan Muni to signify his new status. At the age of 21, Sahajanand Swami was appointed successor to Ramanand Swami as the leader of the Uddhava Sampradaya by Ramanand Swami , prior to his death. The Uddhava Sampradaya henceforth came to be known as the Swaminarayan Sampradaya . According to sources he proclaimed the worship of one sole deity, Krishna or Narayana. Krishna
7990-464: Was humiliating for him to see two religious leaders meeting at the head of two small armies, his being the smaller contingent. As a result of the meeting, both leaders gained mutual respect for one another. Swaminarayan enjoyed a good relationship with the government of the ruling East India Company . The first temple he built, in Ahmedabad , was built on 5,000 acres (20 km ) of land given by
8084-523: Was in Ahmedabad in 1822, with the land for construction given by the Company Government. Following a request of devotees from Bhuj , Swaminarayan asked his follower Vaishnavananand to build a temple there. Construction commenced in 1822, and the temple was built within a year. A temple in Vadtal followed in 1824, a temple in Dholera in 1826, a temple in Junagadh in 1828 and
8178-514: Was installed by Gopalanand Swami (a prominent paramhansa of Swaminarayan). Gopalanand Swami touched the murti with a rod and the murti came alive and moved. This story has become a charter for the healing ritual performed at this temple. The idol of Hanuman here is a stout figure with a handlebar moustache, with Shani Dev in his feminine form under his foot and baring his teeth, standing among sculpted foliage full of fruit bearing monkey attendants. The overall temple renovations were done many times by
8272-525: Was later known as Swaminarayan after the mantra he taught at a gathering, in Faneni, a fortnight after the death of Ramanand Swami. He gave his followers a new mantra, known as the Swaminarayan mantra , to repeat in their rituals: Swaminarayan . When chanting this mantra, some devotees went into samadhi , and claimed that they could see their personal gods. As early as 1804, Swaminarayan, who
8366-444: Was not supported by him. A political officer in Gujarat, Mr. Williamson reported to Bishop Herber that Swaminarayan had "destroyed the yoke of caste." He instructed his paramahamsas to collect alms from all sections of society and appointed people from the lower strata of society as his personal attendants. Members of the lower castes were attracted to the movement as it improved their social status. Swaminarayan would eat along with
8460-590: Was reported to have performed miracles, was described as a manifestation of God in the first work written by a disciple and paramahamsa, Nishkulanand Swami . This work, the Yama Danda , was the first piece of literature written within the Swaminarayan sect. Swaminarayan himself is said to have intimated that he was a manifestation of God in a meeting with Reginald Heber , the Lord Bishop of Calcutta , in 1825. Some of Swaminarayan's followers believe he
8554-475: Was supervised and planned by Nishkulanand Swami , Bhai Atmanand Swami, Akshardanand Swami and Dharmprasad Swami. The land for the temple was donated by Darbar Punjabhai. On 19 May 1826, Swaminarayan installed the idols of Madan Mohan and his own form Harikrishna , at the principal seat of the temple and invoked Gods amidst Vedic hymns. This temple, in the city of Junagadh on Mount Girnar , has five domes and external decoration with sculptures. Its construction
8648-405: Was supervised by Brahmanand Swami; it was built on land donated by king Hemantsinh of Jinabhai, Darbar of Panchala. On 1 May 1828, Swaminarayan installed the murtis of Ranchhodrai and Trikamrai on the principal altar of the temple, which is 278-foot (85 m) in circumference. The life of Swaminarayan is crafted in stone on the dome of the sanctum. The land for the temple in Gadhada (or Gadhpur)
8742-519: Was the incarnation of the Supreme God has also drawn criticism. According to Professor Raymond B. Williams, Swaminarayan was criticized because he received large gifts from his followers and dressed and traveled as a Maharaja even though he had taken the vows of renunciation of the world. Swaminarayan responded that he accepts gifts for the emancipation of his followers. Swaminarayan encouraged his followers to combine devotion and dharma to lead
8836-527: Was the inherent right of all people, including women, despite considerable criticism from those in his own contemporary society who "loathed the uplift of lower caste women". At that time, influential and wealthy individuals educated their girls through private and personal tuition. Male followers of Swaminarayan made arrangements to educate their female family members. The literacy rate among females began to increase during Swaminarayan's time, and they were able to give discourses on spiritual subjects. Members of
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