Nishkulanand Swami

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Nishkulanand Swami (1766–1848) was a saint of the Swaminarayan Sampraday and one of Swaminarayan's paramhansas.[1][2]

Biography

Nishkulanand Swami was born on 15 January 1766 to a Suthar family residing in a small village called Shekhpat, near Jamnagar in present day Gujarat, India.[3] His parents were Rambhai and Amritbai and was named Lalji on birth.[4] He grew up to be an expert at carpentry.[1]

He became a follower of Swaminarayan after the passing away of his Guru-preceptor Ramanand Swami.[5]

It is said that when Swaminarayan wished to leave this world, he informed Nishkulanand Swami 3 days in advance and asked to prepare a palanquin for his bier. Nishkulanand Swami prepared it during night only. When the Lord left the human body, all the other saints asked him to prepare a palanquin. He said, "It is ready" and brought it. Everyone asked him, "When Lord was alive, how did you prepare it?" He replied, "I am a heavy hearted obedient servant. Any damn or any hard order may be, I must obey it."[6]

In Swaminarayan Hinduism, Nishkulanand Swami is regarded as an ideal example of vairagya, or non-attachment to worldly objects.[7] He died at the age of 82 while residing in Dholera.[8]

Works

Nishkulanand Swami composed a scripture named Bhaktachintamani, which describes the life of Swaminarayan along with his sermons and his activities.[9] He has also composed twenty two other scriptures on various subjects (Purshottam Prakash, Yamdanda, Dhirajakhyan, Chosathpadi, among others) which are complied as Nishkulanand Kavya.[1][10] He was also a poet and composed many kirtans, or devotional songs.[11]

The swing with the twelve doors in the Vadtal Temple and the carved wooden doors in the inner temple of the Dholera Temple are a few of his works of art. In Gadhpur he used to display his artistic skills during Diwali celebrations by presenting decorative plants and trees adorned with kindling lights and lighted canopy to cover the seat of Swaminarayan.[12]

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Sujit Mukherjee (1998), A Dictionary of Indian Literature: Beginnings-1850, Orient Blackswan, ISBN 81-250-1453-5, retrieved May 7, 2009  Page 265
  2. ↑ Williams 2001, pp. 189
  3. ↑ Sadhu Ishwarcharandas (2009). Satsang Reader Part III. Ahmedabad: Swaminarayan Aksharpith. p. 37. ISBN 81-7526-293-1. 
  4. ↑ Sadhu Ishwarcharandas (2009). Satsang Reader Part III. Ahmedabad: Swaminarayan Aksharpith. pp. 37–38. ISBN 81-7526-293-1. 
  5. ↑ "Vairagyamurti Shri Nishkulanand Swami". Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Rajkot. Retrieved 22 May 2013. 
  6. ↑ Nishkulanand Swami - An ideal non-attachment 
  7. ↑ "Vairagyamurti Shri Nishkulanand Swami". Shree Swaminarayan Gurukul Rajkot. Retrieved 22 May 2013. 
  8. ↑ Sadhu Ishwarcharandas (2009). Satsang Reader Part III. Ahmedabad: Swaminarayan Aksharpith. p. 47. ISBN 81-7526-293-1. 
  9. ↑ Deshpande, Arvind (1997). Western India: History, Society, and Culture. Itihas Shikshak Mahamandal. p. 47. 
  10. ↑ Sadhu Ishwarcharandas (2009). Satsang Reader Part III. Ahmedabad: Swaminarayan Aksharpith. p. 47. ISBN 81-7526-293-1. 
  11. ↑ Sadhu Ishwarcharandas (2009). Satsang Reader Part III. Ahmedabad: Swaminarayan Aksharpith. pp. 47–49. ISBN 81-7526-293-1. 
  12. ↑ "Nishkulanand Swami". Shree NarNarayan Dev Gadi. Retrieved 22 May 2013. 

References

Swaminarayan Temples
(Mandirs)
Establishments
Major Deities
Noted Saints
Scriptures and
other books
Present Heads
  • Acharya Shree Koshalendraprasadji Maharaj (Ahmedabad)
  • Acharya Shree Rakeshraprasadji Maharaj (Vadtal)
Devotional Songs
Organisations
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike; additional terms may apply for the media files.