In the Vachanamrut, the most important shastra of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, Bhagwan Swaminarayan has revealed the Vedic Akshar-Purushottam Darshan – the underlying core understanding with which devotees of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya should offer devotion to attain moksha.
Bhagwan Swaminarayan has described that Akshar or Aksharbrahma is the ideal devotee of Purushottam or Parabrahma, and that both are eternally divine and beyond the influence of maya. Jivas and ishwars take birth on earth and strive to transcend maya to attain Purushottam. To assist them across this barrier, Bhagwan Swaminarayan has stated that the Gunatit/spiritually enlightened/God-realized sadhu/guru serves as a bridge.
This exemplary Gunatit Guru epitomizes the virtues an aspirant must develop to become eligible for moksha. To attain these virtues an aspirant must associate profoundly with Akshar, whose life and teachings guide him on the spiritual path. This association is the bridge that enables an aspirant to traverse the barrier of maya and reach the divine abode – Akshardham – where he forever enjoys the darshan and seva/service of Purushottam.
Thus, it is through such guru bhakti towards the Gunatit Guru that moksha is attained. And the Gunatit Guru is again the ideal example of such guru bhakti. Each Gunatit Guru excels in devotion to his gurus and serves as the template for all devotees to emulate. Mahant Swami Maharaj has shown us through his life and teachings just how we should offer guru bhakti. Even his apparently subtle actions reflect his deep and constant guru bhakti. The following demonstrate how we, too, should offer guru bhakti to our gurus.
5 MAY 2016, NADIAD
Swamishri was on his way to Yogi Farm in Jigneshbhai Panchal’s car.
Jigneshbhai said, “I am building a new house. Please give me permission to name it ‘Keshav Palace’.
Swamishri refused and said, “Keep Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s name.”
Jigneshbhai said, “Up to now all my building sites have been based on Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s name. Now please give permission to use your name.”
Swamishri said, “Everything is included in his name.”
27 MAY 2018, RAJKOT
After puja, Swamishri was taking his medicine, when Brahmavatsal Swami asked, “Swami, when you go for darshan of the gurus, you always climb two steps. Is it to get a closer darshan or because you like to climb steps?”
Swamishri said, “To get closer darshan” Brahmavatsal Swami said, “We do not have such shraddha.”
Swamishri instantly remembered Yogiji Maharaj and said, “I have seen Yogiji Maharaj’s shraddha. It was the month of Vaishakh and very hot. Yogi Bapa was leaving Sarangpur to go to Jamrala, so he went for Thakorji’s darshan. Then, he went to use the bathroom. After this, before leaving, he again went for Thakorji’s darshan in the main mandir. So, Sant Swami said, ‘This is the way of the Satpurush.’ Only a few minutes earlier he had been for darshan but he went again.”
For Mahant Swami Maharaj, his guru is his ideal.
29 MAY 2021, NENPUR
During a video recording for a question-answer session to be shown during the kishore-kishori shibirs in North America, the following questions were asked.
Q: What is the true definition of guru bhakti?
Swamishri: Affection for the guru and to do and live as per his instructions. Also, divyabhav towards the guru. This is guru bhakti.
Q: With what thought do you continuously offer guru bhakti? How do you view Yogiji Maharaj and Pramukh Swami Maharaj that you continue to offer them guru bhakti?
Swamishri: Everything is included in the guru. I constantly think that I am Aksharrup and have to offer upasana to Purushottam. If you contemplate on this prapti and mahima that is guru Bhakti.
Q: What joy did you experience in the presence of your gurus?
Swamishri: First, they are like God – through them we have actually attained God. So, that gives so much happiness. This prapti (attainment) gives limitless joy.
Q: If the param ekantik sant is recognized, then how is guru bhakti offered?
Swamishri: Just as Bhagatji Maharaj offered bhakti (to Gunatitanand Swami) Shastriji Maharaj offered bhakti (to Bhagatji Maharaj), Yogi Bapa offered bhakti to (Shastriji Maharaj) and Pramukh Swami Maharaj offered bhakti (to Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj), we should offer bhakti. Since everything is true; there is not even a trace of untruth. We have attained a pure gold coin.
Q: How can we cultivate mahima for our gurus like you have?
Swamishri: First, everything is attained by knowledge and understanding, otherwise everything remains superficial and fleeting. But with resolute mahima and nishtha in Maharaj and Swami we experience unending joy.
The steps to understanding the guru’s mahima are shravan, manan, nididhyas and shakshatkar.
Shravan is to listen and adopt what is useful. Then, do manan. Repeatedly recall the talks we have accepted and like. Only then will they become ingrained. Even worldly knowledge has to be repeatedly remembered. And this is spiritual wisdom, it is eternal. It is forever true. Then, nididhyas is that it is embedded in one’s jiva and is never lost. Doing such shravan, manan and nididhyas leads to shakshatkar.
Mahant Swami Maharaj’s words on innumerable occasions reveals his guru bhakti:
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Pramukh Swami Maharaj has done everything. He has left nothing undone.
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Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s wishes are my wishes.
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You have Swami Bapa’s blessings, and my prayers.
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Yogi Bapa likes the thal of samp, suhradbhav and dasbhav, so I also like them.
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Yogi Bapa and Pramukh Swami Maharaj are the forms of God.
Once, Vinu Bhagat was with Yogi Bapa in Nadiad. From here, they were go to their next destination by train. Due to the crowds in train, the possibility of having to fast (if touched by a woman) was high. So, they would have to have a heavy breakfast. On the breakfast menu were pattarveliya, which Vinu Bhagat liked a lot. But when the server approached him to give him some, Yogi Bapa said, “No , no. He does not like pattarveliya. He likes mamra (puffed rice).” Vinu Bhagat took this one statement from Yogi Bapa to heart and for six decades he did not eat pattarveliya at all. And in memory to this occasion, he begins breakfast by eating mamra.
In 1956, Vinubhai (Mahant Swami Maharaj before he had taken diksha) was with Yogiji Maharaj in Bhadran. One day, Vinubhai suffered from severe stomach pains. So, Yogiji Maharaj treated him with a traditional, tried-and-tested, remedy. As part of the method, Yogiji Maharaj clasped Vinubhai’s hands lifted him up to a sitting position. Then he told Vinubhai to grasp the big toes of his feet, while he fetched some balls of ginger, gur and ghee (soothni goli). For 45 minutes, Vinubhai sat patiently in this posture waiting for Yogiji Maharaj to return and followed his instructions to the letter.
After Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s return to Akshardham, Mahant Swami Maharaj continued to visit satsang centres everywhere. In one centre, the youths continually hailed ‘Mahant Swami Maharaj ni jai’. Expressing his disapproval, Swamishri told them. “First proclaim ‘Pramukh Swami Maharaj ni jai’. He must always be remembered first. I am his sevak.” Then, further revealing his anguish, Swamishri said, “When you do all this without hailing Pramukh Swami Maharaj, I feel such pain as if both my arms are being cut off!”
Once, he also said, “Without proclaiming ‘Pramukh Swami Maharaj ni jai’ everything is meaningless.”
Such is Mahanat Swami Maharaj’s guru bhakti. He always respects and keeps his gurus at the forefront.
30 SEPTEMBER 2021, SARANGPUR
During a question-answer session, Swamishri was asked, “As soon as your final college exams finished, you went directly to Yogiji Maharaj. Did you not wish to go home first?”
Swamishri replied, “Yogi Bapa’s attraction was so powerful that I left everything and went to him.”
11 DECEMBER 2021, ATLADARA
Today marked guru Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s 100th birthday. As a tribute to him, Mahant Swami Maharaj spent 80 minutes preparing a special card to mark the centenary and express his sentiments.