Shree Swaminarayan Sampraday survey

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The Swaminarayan Sampraday is a part of Hinduism and the Hindu Religion.

Contents

[edit] Founder

Sahajanand Swami (Lord Swaminarayan).

[edit] Names

Sahajanand Swami had various names that he was known by -

  • Bhagwan Swaminarayan
  • Ghanshyam Maharaj
  • Shreeji Maharaj
  • Neelkanth Varni
  • Sahajanand Swami
  • Shri Hari
  • Harikrishna Maharaj

[edit] Year & place of founding

In the beginning of 19th Century, Gujarat, India.

[edit] Aims & ideals

  • Inspire one and all towards one and all towards a better way of life through the humanitarian values of service, purity, discipline, love, tolerance, harmony.
  • Engergize its on-going efforts against dowry, smoking, drugs, alcohol and other destructive addictions.
  • Promote harmony and peaceful coexistence among all communities through understanding and co-operation.
  • Develop constructive and creative youth and children's activities to channelise their energy, promoting education and social services.
  • Sustain the roots of Indian Culture and all the good that it stands for.

[edit] Monastic / Non-monastic

Has both monastic and householder followers (called Satsangis).

[edit] General philosophical outlook

The Swaminarayan Sampradaya is a Bhakti (Devotional) Sampradaya which advocates God within the disciplines of Dharma. Lord Swaminarayan has propagated a philosophy where He says that God is Supreme, has a divine form, is the all doer and always present on earth. He simply states that jivas (souls) never merge or dissolve into God and neither are they part of God but always subservient to God. The Jiva, through absolute surrender and attachment toward the Guru, attains the realized state and becomes eligible to offer pure worship to God. Main scriptures followed are:

Other scriptures include:

  • Vedaras
  • Shri Hari Leela Kalpataru
  • Satsangi Jivan
  • Bhaktachintmani
  • Nishkulanand Kavya
  • Shri Hari-Leelamrut

[edit] Spiritual disciplines generally advocated

Swaminarayan devotees begin the day with puja and meditation, work or study honestly and donate regular hours in serving others. No Stealing, no Adultery, no Alcohol, no Meat, no Impurity of body and mind - these are the five principal vows.

[edit] Administrative set-up

Lord Swaminarayan established two gadis (seats) — one in Ahmedabad (Shree Narnarayan Dev Gadi) and one in Vadtal (Shree Laxminarayan Dev Gadi). The administrative division between the two is set forth in minute detail in a document written by Sahajanand Swami(Bhagwan Swaminarayan), called Desh Vibhaag Lekh. [1]

The ISSO and NNDYM come under the Shree Narnarayan Dev gadi.

[edit] Provision for joining

Agreement to follow the five vows: No Stealing, No Adultery, No Alcohol, No Meat, No Impurity of body and mind. Followers wear a double string of tulsi beads around their neck. Male devotees sometimes imprint a 'tilak chandlo' on their forehead. Women imprint a red chandlo on their forehead.

[edit] Present chief of the movement

The Acharya's are the head of the 2 diocese's established by Bhagwan Swaminarayan. Currently Acharya Shree Koshalendraprasadji Maharaj is the head of the Narnarayan Dev gadi while Acharya Shree Rakeshprasadji Maharaj is the head of the Laxminarayan Dev Gadi.

[edit] Activities

  • Moral
  • Cultural
  • Educational
  • Medical
  • Environmental
  • Women's Wing
  • Social Care
  • Relief Work
  • Spiritual Care
  • Tribal Care

[edit] Religion, Spirituality and Temple's

According to writer Raymond Williams, Swaminarayan Mandir's (Temples) exist on five continents and have a total following of over five million and a saint order of well over 3,000. [2]


According to the Indian Express newspaper, followers of the Swaminarayan faith number over 2 crore (or 20 million).[3]

[edit] Social field

Special social campaigns have resulted in mass transformation of communities who have given up smoking, drinking, drugs and antisocial behaviour.

[edit] Cultural field

Promotes a peaceful life, free from crime, aggression and addictions.

[edit] Province of its influence

Prominent in Gujarat and amongst Gujarati community members.

[edit] Noted Saints of the Swaminarayan Sampraday

[edit] Major publications

The Swaminarayan Sampraday Publishes Magazines, Scriptures and Spiritual Books and Audio and Video cassettes and CD's.

[edit] Magazines

[edit] Scriptures and Spiritual Books

[edit] Audio and Video

  • Swaminarayan Hari Hari - Audio Cassette
  • Shreeji na Parchaa - Audio Cassette
  • Chaal Sakhi Vadtale - MP3 CD
  • Lage Vaikunth Thi Rudu Vadtal - MP3 CD
  • Jai Shri Swaminarayan Part 1, 2, 3, 4 - Audio CD
  • Chappaiya Darshan - VCD
  • Shri Nar-Narayan Dev Mahatmiya Katha - VCD
  • Swaminarayan Serial - VCD and DVD
  • Apna Maharajshri - VCD
  • Shashti Purti - VCD

[edit] References

  1. ^ Desh Vibhag Lekh.
  2. ^ Introduction to Swaminarayan Hinduism, Raymond Brady Williams, 2001.
  3. ^ Niche Faiths.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

v • d • e
The Swaminarayan Sampraday established by Bhagwan Swaminarayan
Swaminarayan Temples (Mandirs)
Major Deities
Swaminarayan (also known as Sahajanand Swami, Ghanshyam Maharaj, Nilkanth Varni, HariKrishna Maharaj, Shri Hari, Shreeji Maharaj) · NarNarayan · LaxmiNarayan · RadhaKrishna · Radha Ramana · Revati-Baldevji · Gopinathji Maharaj · Madan Mohan Dev · Hanuman · Ganpati
Noted Saints
Scriptures and other books
Vachanamrut · Shikshapatri  · Janmangal Namavali · Shreemad Satsangi Jeevan  · Swami ni vato
Present Acharyas
Devotional Songs