Bhagwan Swaminarayan incarnated on Earth to liberate countless souls from the bondage of maya and to eradicate them of base desires and inner instincts. His spiritual contributions to society were complemented by a variety of social and humanitarian initiatives. He led a societal overhaul to eliminate female infanticide, animal sacrifices, widow-burning practices, and addictions. He encouraged a spiritually charged and morally pure community to tolerate, serve, and prosper together. Bhagwan Swaminarayan reaffirmed the principles of Hindu Sanatan Dharma by strengthening its three pillars: mandirs; shastras, or scriptures; and the sant, or god-realized guru. He reverted to His divine abode after promising to be ever-present through a divine lineage of gunatit gurus, or successors.