Gopalanand Swami
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Gopalanand Swami (Devnagari: गोपालान्द स्वामी) (Vikram Samvat 1837-1908) was a saint of the Swaminarayan Sampraday and one of Bhagwan Swaminarayan's paramhansas.
[edit] Biography
Khushal Bhatt, the childhood name of Gopalanand Swami, was born in the Tolda Village near Idar, Gujarat. His father was an audichiya brahmin named Motiram Sharma and his mother was Kushaladevi. Gopalanand Swami pursued deep study and showed great interest of grammar, Indian philosophy of Nyaya and Vedanta. Gopalanand Swami soon became a profound scholar.
In Vikram Samvat 1864, Bhagwan Swaminarayan gave diksha (the becoming of a saint in which vows such as celibacy and renunciation of all personal possessions and of all worldly duties, including family ties are taken) to Gopalanand Swami in Vadodara, Gujarat.
Lord Swaminarayan held Gopalanand Swami in very high regard and he was very learned in Ashtang yoga. When the Lord left his mortal body (Vadtal, Vikram Samvat 1886), and returned to Akshardham, he left responsibility of the Swaminarayan Sampraday and the Acharyas in his hands. Further, it is said that Lord Swaminarayan had asked Brahmanand Swami to overlook the completion of the Junagadh Temple because he knew Brahmanand Swami had powers to bring a person back to life after death. The lord knew that before leaving, Brahmanand Swami had got a whiff of things and told Gopalanand Swami to inform him if the lord departed and not to cremate the body till he reached as he had powers to call him back. He therefore instructed Gopalanand Swami not to inform Brahmanand Swami about his departure till after the cremation of his mortal remains.
Gopalanand Swami arranged for an idol of Kastabhanjan Dev Hanumanji to be installed in Sarangpur in which it is said that he invested a large amount of divine power, which is evident till today. Gopalanand Swami died in Vikram Samvat 1908 in Vadtal.
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