Talk:Swaminarayan/proposal

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Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan in his Vibhav Roop(Incarnate Form)

Bhagwan Swaminarayan (April 2, 1781 - 1830) is the central figure of the Swaminarayan sect of Hinduism.

Bhagwan Swaminarayan was born Ghanshyam Pande in Uttar Pradesh (North India) in 1781 AD, renounced his home at the age of 11, performed austerities in the Himalayas and traveled through India for the next seven years across 8,000 miles, before settling in an ashram in Gujarat (Western India). He then preached his doctrine of love, peace, purity and non-violence until his death in 1830. Followers believe that he lives on beyond his mortal form.

Life

Bhagwan Swaminarayan (April 3, 1781 - 1830) was born Ghanshyam Pande to a Brahmin family in the village of Chhapaiya, Uttar Pradesh, India. His father's name was Hariprasad Pande (also known as Dharmadev) and his mother's name was Premvati (also known as Bhaktimata). He had two brothers, Rampratapji Pande, the older brother, and Icharamji Pande, the younger brother. After serving his parents, he left home at the age of 11 to travel over 8,000 miles throughout India on a holy pilgrimage for 7 years, 1 month, and 11 days. During his travels, Ghanshyam was given the name Neelkanth, another name for Lord Shiva, for the intensive tapas, meditation, and yoga he performed. In many instances, yogis, rishis and sadhus were attracted to his figure in awe, for they had never before seen such a young renunciant who is so advanced in the art of meditation.

To dispel what he saw as the misinterpretation and malpractice that had befallen upon Hindu practice in the 19th century, he travelled across the length and breadth of India in search of an Ashram or sampradaya (following) that practiced what he considered a correct understanding of Vedanta, Samkhya, Yoga, and Pancaratra -- the four primary schools of Hinduism. He would measure the various yogis' understanding of the scriptures by asking the following five questions and assessing their responses: "What is the nature of Jiva? What is the nature of Ishwar? What is the nature of Maya? What is the nature of Brahman? What is the nature of Parabrahman?" His journey as a profound yogi eventually concluded in Gujarat, where Swami Muktananda, a senior monk-disciple of a highly respected Vaishnav guru Swami Ramananda, answered the five questions satisfactorily.

Neelkanth was pleased to see his understanding of a pure understanding of the essence of Hindu thought and practice as well as an Ashrama that was strict in abiding by the laws of Dharma, and so he decided to stay to get an opportunity to meet and become a disciple of Swami Ramananda.

Neelkanth's profound understanding of the metaphysical and epistemological concepts of the Pancha-Tattvas (five eternal entities as outlined above) combined with the level of his mental and physical discipline are said to have inspired even the senior sadhus of Swami Ramananda. At age 21, he was given the headship of the religious sect known as Uddhav Sampraday (later known as Swaminarayan Sampradaya), with the blessings of his Guru Sadguru Ramanand Swami. He later became known as Bhagwan Swaminarayan after the mantra he taught. Although the name that was given by his Guru Swami Ramananda at the time of initiation into the monk order was Swami Sahajananda, he become commonly known as Bhagwan Swaminarayan, or Shreeji Maharaj or Shri Hari.

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The teachings of Bhagwan Swaminarayan transformed a significant portion of Gujarat, Saurashtra, and even parts of Rajasthan into people of all castes, creeds, and ashramas developing "a pure understanding of spirituality" and shedding what followers believe to be false conceptions of the scriptures that had led to a long-standing practice of superstitions, violence, and killing of animals in Vedic yagnas. Lord Swaminarayan, as a hallmark of his philosophy of temple theism and idol worship, constructed nine magnificent mandirs in: Ahmedabad, Bhuj, Muli, Vadtal, Junagadh, Dholera, Dholka, Gadhpur & Jetalpur – installing images of various manifestations of God, such as NarNarayan Dev, LaxmiNarayan Dev, Radha Krishna, Radha Raman, Revti Baldevji, etc. Lord Swaminarayan made Gadhpur his home, in recognition of the devoted love from Dada Khachar, one of his most devoted disciples.

Lord Swaminarayan's philosophical, social, and practical teachings are contained in the Vachanamrut, a collection of 273 dialogues which were recorded with precision by five of his disciples verbatim to his spoken words. As a result, the Vachanamrut is shared by the entire Swaminarayan Sampradaya to be the most central scripture to attain a comprehensive knowledge of dharma (moral conduct), jnan (understanding of the nature of the atman), vairagya (mental and physical detachment from material pleasure or maya), and bhakti (pure, selfless devotion to God) -- the four essentialities for a jiva to attain the state of Brahman and become a perfect disciple of God. As a commentary to the practice and understanding of Dharma, Lord Swaminarayan composed the Shikshapatri, a small booklet containing 212 Sanskrit hymns that outline the basic tenets of Dharma that all disciples should follow to live a well-disciplined and moral life.

Today, the Swaminarayan Sampradaya is a global movement with leadership distributed among many different groups. Although there are many sects of Swaminarayan Hinduism, all are united in their faith in God, ideals of devotion, and importance they attribute to the divine manifestation of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Swaminarayan mandirs exist throughout four continents and have a total following of nearly five million and a saint order of well over 3,000.

Philosophy and claims of Godhood

The advent of almighty God in the form of Swaminarayan Bhagwan is claimed to have been forecast in ancient Vedic scriptures by followers. Many doubts are raised as to how Swaminarayan Bhagwan can be considered Bhagwan or God.

The world's first Swaminarayan Temple was built in Ahmedabad by the instructions of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.

Bhagwan Swaminarayan was a Narayan and Krishna bhakta considered by his followers to be Narayan himself, Rama, Krishna, etc. being his avataras. Swaminarayan sampraday stems from the Ramanuja sampraday, which holds Lord Narayan to be supreme and Krishna to be an avatar.

In his main work called Shikshapatri (108) he writes:

"Sa Sri Krshnaha Param Brahma Bhagvaan Purushotamaha Upasya Ishtadevo Naha Sarvaavirbhaav Kaaranam"

That ishvara is Shi Krishna who is PraBrahma Bhagwan Purushottam and our most cherished deity (istadev). He is worthy of being worshipped by us all (upasya). He is the cause of all manifestations and incarnations.

As an elaboration to this shlok, Sadguru Shree Shatanand Muni writes in Artha Dipika (Shikshapatri Bhashya)

"Yaha Saakshaat Bhagvaan Ksharakhara Paraha Krshnaha Sa Eva Svayam Bhaktau Dharmat Aas, Bhoori Krupaya Sri Svaminarayanaha Maanushyam Bhuvi Naatayannijjan Acharyatvadharme Sthitaha Krshnam Praha Parokshavann Tu Tatonyaha Sosti Yatsa Svayam"

"That live (saakshat) God (bhagvan) Krishna who is above kshar and akshar, appeared from Bhakti through Dharma as Swaminarayan; assumed a human body on the earth like a dramatist (natta). That Krishna whilst observing the (human) dharmas of an Acharya speaks in third person (parokshavann) but that Krishna is none other than Himself."

This verse is used to prove his claim of Godhood:

43

Dharmadeva tada murtau, narnarayanatmana

Pravrte-pi kalau Brahman! Bhutvaham samago dvijaha

44

Munishapannrutam praptam, sarshim janakaatmanaha

Tato-vita gurubhyoham saddharmam sthapayannaja

with this translation: When the asuras who were killed by myself and Arjuna begin to spread wickedness on earth, I will be born in a Brahmin family to Dharmadev and Murti from NarNarayana. I, with many other rishis, will receive a shaap (curse) from a Muni to come on the earth to a Samved Brahmin family to protect the religion from evil gurus and rulers.” (Vasudeva Mahatmya 18.43-44 of Skanda Purana, Vishnu Khanda)

43

dharma-devaat tadaa bhaktaad

aham naaraayano munih

janisye kosale dese

bhuumau hi saamago dvijah

44

muni-saapaan nrtaam praaptaan

rsiims taata tathoddhavam

tato 'vitaasurebhyo 'ham

sad-dharmam sthaapayann aja

The complete reference in the Venkatesvara edition of Skanda Purana is 2.9.18.43-44 (2.9 is Vasudeva Mahatmya).

It is mentioned that he will establish sad-dharma; but there is no name of a mother (if her name was "Bhakti", then the word bhaktaad cannot refer to her, because this is the ablative singular ending of a masculine noun; for bhakti it would have to be bhaktyaah or bhakteh). Kali_Yuga is not mentioned.

43 "From Dharma-deva, then, from the devotee, I, Narayan-muni, shall take birth on this earth, in the land of Kosala, indeed, as a brahma, a singer of the Sama Veda."

44 "O Brahma, when cursed by a muni, some rsis take birth as human beings, I will protect them from the demons and I will establish the principles of religion."

Fundamentals of the Swaminarayan philosophy

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Shree Hari is Shree NarNarayan Dev Himself

Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan

• Dharma (Religion): Virtuous conduct as defined in the 'Shrities' and 'Smrities' (Holy Scriptures) be known as the Dharma.
• Bhakti (Devotion): Supreme fervour of the soul combined with the consciousness of the Glories of the Supreme be known as ' Bhakti'. Nothing other then Gods devotion can guide the enlighten vision of God to great deliverance.
• Jnāna (Enlightenment): Correct awareness about the forms of the Soul, illusion, and God be known as 'Jnyana'.
• Vairagya (Renunciation): Detachment of the affection for all material possessions and be absolutely attached towards the love for the Eternal God is known as Vairagya.
• Māyā (Illusion): It is considered 'Tri-Gunatmika' i.e. deceptive illusion prevails in all the three qualities of minds viz. Satva, Rajas and Tamas; To be possessed by Maya is to be caught in darkness; God is the Lord of maya who acts as the power of God; It breeds ego in one for his body and for the relatives of the body too.
• Mukti - Moksha (Great Deliverances): To worship God in knowing he is the Supreme Deity and reaching ultimate salvation.
• Ātman (Self): The innate physiology of the subtle Self that is imperceptible by the human senses. Recognition of the ātman, after which one experiences a transcendental bliss, is achieved through bhakti-yoga as outlined in the Bhagavad Gitā, according to the teachings of Lord Swaminarayan. It is the source of energy and is the real knower; It pervades the entire body and is the essence that differentiates matter and life; in character it is inseparable, impenetrable, indestructible and immortal.
• Paramātman (The Supreme Soul): It is omnipresent within the souls, just as soul is present in the body; it is independent and is the one whom rewards the Fala (fruits) to the souls. It is the source of infinite material universes and the First Cause. It has no prior causes, and is the inherent cause of all effects (i.e. law of causality or the Hindu concept of karma). S. Radhakrishnan, a renowned Hindu scholar, writes "The Supreme is described as a kavi, a poet, an artist, a maker or creator, not a mere imitator...even as art reveals man's wealth of life, so does the world reveal the immensity of God's life," (p. 86, The Principal Upanishads). That Paramātman is believed by followers of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya to have manifested as Lord Swaminarayan.

Succession

Nearly two hundred years later, Bhagwan Swaminarayan and His philosophy are still propagated. Some of the major groups within the Swaminarayan faith are listed below:

• Swaminarayan Sampraday