Divisions
84-567: Sama vedic Yajur vedic Atharva vedic Vaishnava puranas Shaiva puranas Shakta puranas The Vachanamrut (IAST: Vacanāmṛta, lit. "immortalising ambrosia in the form of words") is a sacred text consisting of 273 religious discourses delivered by Swaminarayan from 1819 to 1829 CE and is considered the principal theological text within the Swaminarayan Sampradaya of Hinduism . Compiled by five of his senior disciples, Swaminarayan edited and approved
168-399: A corpus of religious texts from the "canonical" literature. At its root, this differentiation reflects the sects and conflicts that developed and branched off over time, the competitive "acceptance" of a common minimum over time and the "rejection" of interpretations, beliefs, rules or practices by one group of another related socio-religious group. The earliest reference to the term "canon" in
252-513: A definitive canon". While the term scripture is derived from the Latin scriptura , meaning "writing", most sacred scriptures of the world's major religions were originally a part of their oral tradition , and were "passed down through memorization from generation to generation until they were finally committed to writing", according to Encyclopaedia Britannica . In Islam , the Sunnah are
336-442: A detailed account of Swaminarayan’s activities, his interactions with devotees, and his appearance. Individual discourses are numbered, chronologically arranged, and categorized based on the location where they were delivered. The discourses took place across various towns and villages of Gujarat, India, specifically Gadhada, Sarangpur, Kariyani, Loya, Panchala, Vartal, Amdavad, Ashlali, and Jetalpur. An additional section, accepted by
420-612: 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
504-461: 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 the river Und in what is now Gujarat, India. His father's guru, Ramanand Swami , named him Mulji. Even from a young age, it
588-528: A fifth editor. The compilers' scholarly aptitude, literary and poetic expertise, and transparency contribute to the merits of the Vachanamrut. The compilers wrote the text in Gujarati, the vernacular of the region in which Swaminarayan delivered his discourses. Although Swaminarayan was from a Hindi-speaking region of present-day Uttar-Pradesh , he adopted the Gujarati language for his followers. In 1859,
672-530: A front-ranking Gujarati monthly quoted specimens from the Vachanamrut showing how Swaminarayan raised the standard of Gujarati prose. The Vachanamrut has also been translated from Gujarati to other languages, like English, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, and Marathi. Brahmanand Swami translated the Vachanamrut to the Vraj language. The Shri Harivakyasudhasindhu (Śrī Harivākyasudhāsindhu) is the Vachanamrut's Sanskrit adaptation by Shatanand Muni (Śatānanda Muni). The compilers of
756-505: 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
840-568: 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
924-722: 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
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#17327795505771008-657: 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
1092-471: A religious community. The terms sacred text and religious text are not necessarily interchangeable in that some religious texts are believed to be sacred because of the belief in some theistic religions such as the Abrahamic religions that the text is divinely or supernaturally revealed or divinely inspired , or in non-theistic religions such as some Indian religions they are considered to be
1176-502: 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 a serious religious education. Mulji began visiting prominent religious personalities and learnt from them
1260-671: 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,
1344-467: A religious text, has origins as early as 2150 BCE, and stands as one of the earliest literary works that includes various mythological figures and themes of interaction with the divine. The Rigveda , a scripture of Hinduism , is dated 1500 BCE. It is one of the oldest known complete religious texts that has survived into the modern age. There are many possible dates given to the first writings which can be connected to Talmudic and Biblical traditions,
1428-460: 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
1512-509: 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
1596-419: 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
1680-527: 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
1764-419: A swami under him at the age of 25. He was revered for his spiritual discourses and divine service. For 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
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#17327795505771848-411: 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
1932-696: A text accepted to contain the "sacred writings of a religion", while The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions states it refers to a text "having [religious] authority and often collected into an accepted canon". In modern times, this equation of the written word with religious texts is particular to the English language , and is not retained in most other languages, which usually add an adjective like " sacred " to denote religious texts. Some religious texts are categorized as canonical, some non-canonical, and others extracanonical, semi-canonical, deutero-canonical, pre-canonical or post-canonical. The term "canon"
2016-440: 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 was performed on 13 June 1793 in anticipation of his pursuit of
2100-516: Is attained by worshiping the sacred images of Swaminarayan installed by acharyas. Baps believes the jiva needs the guidance of the Aksharbrahman Guru to transcend maya and become brahmarup to reside in the service of Parabrahman. Devotees regularly read the Vachanamrut with the intention of understanding and implementing Swaminarayan’s teachings, which form the foundation of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya . Regular lectures and discussions on
2184-651: Is attained by worshiping the sacred images of Swaminarayan installed by acharyas. In BAPS , followers emphasize the role of God manifesting through the Aksharbrahman guru to attain moksha. This scripture is read by followers regularly and discourses are conducted daily in Swaminarayan temples around the world. The name given to the collection of Swaminarayan’s sermons is “Vachanamrut,” a compound word derived from two Gujarati words: vachan ( vacan ), meaning “words,” and amrut ( amṛta ), meaning “immortalising nectar.” Thus, Vachanamrut translates to “immortalising ambrosia in
2268-554: Is derived from the Greek word " κανών ", "a cane used as a measuring instrument". It connotes the sense of "measure, standard, norm, rule". In the modern usage, a religious canon refers to a "catalogue of sacred scriptures" that is broadly accepted to "contain and agree with the rule or canon of a particular faith", states Juan Widow. The related terms such as "non-canonical", "extracanonical", "deuterocanonical" and others presume and are derived from "canon". These derived terms differentiate
2352-463: Is derived from the ratification, enforcement , and its use across generations. Some religious texts are accepted or categorized as canonical , some non-canonical, and others extracanonical, semi-canonical, deutero-canonical, pre-canonical or post-canonical. "Scripture" (or "scriptures") is a subset of religious texts considered to be "especially authoritative", revered and "holy writ", "sacred, canonical", or of "supreme authority, special status" to
2436-569: 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
2520-411: 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
2604-633: Is moksha, the release from the ignorance borne of maya and the cycle of births and deaths to attain infinite bliss through endless devotion to God. Different denominations within the faith have varying interpretations of attaining moksha.. In Gadhada III-39, Swaminarayan describes maya as self-identification with the physical body, which also encompasses material possessions and personal talents. To overcome this ignorance, Swaminarayan explains in Gadhada II-20 that an individual must become brahmarup ( brahmarūp ), an elevated state attained after developing
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2688-604: 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
2772-480: 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
2856-476: 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
2940-402: 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
3024-636: The Gitā or the Śrimad-Bhāgavata from a person who does not have faith in God coupled with the knowledge of his greatness.” Interpretations by the Baps denomination, teaches that the Aksharbrahman Guru is the most qualified person to provide interpretations of the text. Because it is only he, who is Aksharbrahman (Brahman), fully established in Parabrahman ( niṣtḥa ), and possessing the direct and absolute realization of
3108-451: The Quran (the book of Islam ) are the divine revelation ( wahy ) delivered through Muhammad that make up the primary sources of Islamic law and belief/theology . However sects of Islam differ on which hadiths (if any) should be accepted as canonical (see Criticism of hadith ). Gunatitanand Swami Gunatitanand Swami (28 September 1784 – 11 October 1867), born Mulji Jani,
3192-641: 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
3276-416: 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 the atman , detachment, bhakti , and various other matters has been published under the name Swamini Vato . Gunatitanand Swami died in 1867, and
3360-527: The Ahmedabad diocese, includes discourses from Amdavad, Ashlali, and Jetalpur. While individual discourses were untitled in early manuscripts, with individual Vachanamruts referred to only by their section and number, Gunatitanand Swami and the swamis of the Junagadh mandir created titles for individual discourses to serve as mnemonic tools. The BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha uses these titles in its version of
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
3612-408: The Vachanamrut began documenting and editing Swaminarayan’s discourses in 1819 CE and collected about 2,000 sermons over ten years. At Swaminarayan’s instruction, to keep the text at a manageable size without excessive repetition, they selected a total of 262 sermons. An additional 11 are accepted as canonical by the Ahmedabad diocese, totaling 273. The first discourse occurred on 21 November 1819, and
3696-445: The Vachanamrut in Swaminarayan mandirs foster spiritual development. The Vachanamrut is also used for recitation and exegesis in daily and weekly spiritual assemblies in Swaminarayan temples. Douglas Brear described a discussion of the Vachanamrut as a forum in which the presenter would use examples from everyday life to explain difficult concepts but also encourage others to participate with questions or personal examples. To accommodate
3780-536: 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
3864-418: 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
3948-882: The assemblies and all actively participated in the dialogue. In the Vachanamrut, Swaminarayan outlines his theology and its ultimate goal, moksha ( mokṣa ), a spiritual state characterized by eternal bliss and devotion to God. Swaminarayan states in Gadhada II-28 and Gadhada III-10 that his teachings reflect the fundamentals he identified from various authoritative Hindu scriptures, like the Vedas , Upanishads , Shrimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad Gita . In Vachanamarut Gadhada I-7, Swaminarayan explains that there are five eternal existential entities: jiva ( jīva ), ishwar ( iśvara ), maya ( māyā ), Aksharbrahman ( Akṣarabrahman , also Akshara, Akṣara , or Brahman), Parabrahman ( Parabrahman , or Purushottam, Puruṣottama ). A critical aspect of
4032-656: The atman), vairagya ( vairāgya ; detachment from worldly pleasure), and bhakti ( bhakti ; devotion coupled with the understanding of God’s greatness). Ekantik dharma is perfected through associating with an ekantik sant, which Swaminarayan explains as following the sants commands (in Gadhada I-78 and Gadhada II-51), reflecting upon his virtues (in Gadhada I-58), and offering worship to him (in Vartal 5 and Sarangpur 3). The Narnarayan and Laxminarayan Gadis believe moksha
4116-442: The audience seated. Furthermore, Swaminarayan himself is described with intricate detail with mention to the colour and style of his clothes and adornments. Occasionally, the seat upon which Swaminarayan is seated and the direction in which he is facing is detailed. Regarding the details and precise dating present in the introductory paragraphs of each Vachanamrut, John Carmen, Professor of Comparative Religion at Harvard , notes that
4200-481: 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
4284-461: The central tenets of their eternal Dharma . In contrast to sacred texts, many religious texts are simply narratives or discussions pertaining to the general themes, interpretations, practices, or important figures of the specific religion. In some religions (e.g. Christianity ), the canonical texts include a particular text ( Bible ) but is "an unsettled question", according to Eugene Nida . In others ( Hinduism , Buddhism ), there "has never been
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#17327795505774368-601: The context of "a collection of sacred Scripture" is traceable to the 4th-century CE. The early references, such as the Synod of Laodicea , mention both the terms "canonical" and "non-canonical" in the context of religious texts. One of the oldest known religious texts is the Kesh Temple Hymn of ancient Sumer , a set of inscribed clay tablets which scholars typically date around 2600 BCE. The Epic of Gilgamesh from Sumer , although only considered by some scholars as
4452-606: The core teachings and principles that their followers strive to uphold. According to Peter Beal, the term scripture – derived from " scriptura " (Latin) – meant "writings [manuscripts] in general" prior to the medieval era, then became "reserved to denote the texts of the Old and New Testaments of the Bible". Beyond Christianity, according to the Oxford World Encyclopedia , the term "scripture" has referred to
4536-420: 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,
4620-548: The earliest of which is found in scribal documentation of the 8th century BCE, followed by administrative documentation from temples of the 5th and 6th centuries BCE, with another common date being the 2nd century BCE. High rates of mass production and distribution of religious texts did not begin until the invention of the printing press in 1440, before which all religious texts were hand written copies, of which there were relatively limited quantities in circulation. The relative authority of religious texts develops over time and
4704-553: 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
4788-425: 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
4872-411: The form of words,” as it is believed that Swaminarayan's teaching in this scripture deliver eternal liberation An individual discourse within the collection is also called a Vachanamrut. The Vachanamrut is a chronological anthology of 273 religious discourses delivered by Swaminarayan towards the end of his life, between 1819 and 1829 CE. Although the Vachanamrut is received in text form, it is revered in
4956-571: The growing audience, the Vachanamrut has been translated from Gujarati to English, Hindi, Telugu, Tamil and Marathi. Additionally, the Vachanamrut is available in a cross-platform digital application format with extensive annotations and study aids. Swaminarayan himself states in the discourse Loya 11, “One should only hear the sacred scriptures from the Satpurush ( Satpuruṣa ), but never from an unholy person.” Again, in Vadtal 12, Swaminarayan states, “...no one can ever attain liberation by listening to
5040-572: The inclusion of such information in a scriptural text nullifies a common Western misunderstanding that religious India lacks a sense of history. The style of discourse is highly dialogical and didactic, with most in the form of a question-and-answer session similar to the Upanishadic tradition of guru-disciple dialogue in which dialogues occur between the guru and pupils. These sermons were not restricted to any social group or gender as monks, scholars, peasants, craftsmen, and women were all present in
5124-416: 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
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#17327795505775208-492: The last discourse occurred on 25 July 1829 – both in Gadhada . In Loya 7, the 115th discourse which took place on 8 December 1820, Nityanand Swami presents Swaminarayan with the text for his review and approval. It states that Swaminarayan was "extremely pleased" with the manuscript. This documentation of approval further supports its authenticity. The Vachanamrut begins with a preface, termed, partharo ( parthāro ), that provides
5292-598: 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
5376-407: 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
5460-423: 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
5544-425: 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
5628-403: The ontological entities presented by Swaminarayan is the interpretation and description of Akshar. Shankara, Ramanuja, and others shift the meaning of Akshar to either Supreme Being (God), jada-prakrut i, or mukta atma . In contrast, Swaminarayan explains Akshar is a distinct reality with four different forms, including Parabrahman’s abode, the personal servant of Parabrahman in that divine abode,
5712-474: 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
5796-465: The qualities of Aksharbrahman. The distinction between the jiva (i.e. individual) and Aksharbrahman is not lost in this higher state. While an individual can persevere for this state, only through God’s grace can it be attained. In Sarangpur 11, Swaminarayan defines ekantik dharma ( ekāntik dharma ), the four-fold practice requisite to receive this grace. Ekantik dharma consists of dharma ( dharma ; adherence to codes of conduct), gnan ( jñāna ; knowledge of
5880-602: 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
5964-573: 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
6048-537: 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 scripture . Various branches of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya differ in their belief of how to attain moksha. The Narnarayan and Laxminarayan Gadis believe moksha
6132-589: The scriptures ( śrotriyam ). Religious text Religious texts , including scripture , are texts which various religions consider to be of central importance to their religious tradition. They often feature a compilation or discussion of beliefs, ritual practices, moral commandments and laws , ethical conduct, spiritual aspirations, and admonitions for fostering a religious community. Within each religion, these sacred texts are revered as authoritative sources of guidance, wisdom, and divine revelation . They are often regarded as sacred or holy, representing
6216-410: The sentient substratum pervading and supporting creation (chidakash, cidākāśa ) and the Aksharbrahman Guru present on earth. In Gadhada I-63, Swaminarayan describes the prominence and vastness of Akshar relative to other entities to emphasize the need to understand Akshar first before one can understand God (Parabrahman) perfectly and completely. Swaminarayan explains the ultimate goal of his theology
6300-472: The text, which is an exact printed version of the Vachanamrut text published in 1928 under the auspices of Acharya Shripatiprasad of the Vartal diocese . One of the compilers, Muktanand Swami , was instructed by Swaminarayan to include the precise date of each discourse and names of who asked questions in the assembly. The introductory paragraph also notes the setting and atmosphere of the assembly and describes
6384-515: 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
6468-467: The tradition because of Swaminarayan's spoken words captured within it. Five of Swaminarayan's senior disciples, Gopalanand Swami ( Gopālānanda Svāmī ), Muktanand Swami ( Muktānanda Svāmī ), Nityanand Swami ( Nityānanda Svāmī ) , Shukanand Swami ( Śukānanda Svāmī ) and Brahmanand Swami (Brahmānanda Svāmī), transcribed and compiled the discourses. The Ahmedabad diocese within the Swaminarayan Sampradaya accepts Brahmanand Swami ( Brahmānanda Svāmī ) as
6552-567: The traditions and practices of the Islamic prophet Muhammad that constitute a model for Muslims to follow. The sunnah is what all the Muslims of Muhammad's time evidently saw and followed and passed on to the next generations. According to classical Islamic theories, the sunnah are documented by hadith (the verbally transmitted record of the teachings, deeds and sayings, silent permissions or disapprovals attributed to Muhammad ), and alongside
6636-543: 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 the most due to its teachings and practices and he accepted him as his first guru. Mulji would often travel to
6720-496: 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)
6804-412: 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 a period, they would meet every evening at a small shrine to Shiva on a stepwell in
6888-633: Was a prominent paramhansa of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya who was ordained by Swaminarayan and is accepted as the first spiritual successor of Swaminarayan by 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
6972-472: 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 the Swaminarayan Sampradaya do not subscribe to this theory. Gunatitanand Swami held various administrative roles, most notably as
7056-419: 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 a close association between Mulji and Swaminarayan , who was born four years before Mulji. One such incident details how
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