Mahant Swami Maharaj

Mahant Swami Maharaj (born Vinu Patel, 13 September 1933;[3] ordained Keshavjivandas Swami) is the present guru and president of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a major branch of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, a Hindu denomination.[4][5][6]:157 BAPS regards him as the sixth spiritual successor of Swaminarayan, following Gunatitanand Swami, Bhagatji Maharaj, Shastriji Maharaj, Yogiji Maharaj, and Pramukh Swami Maharaj.[7][8][9]:60–2 He is believed by his followers to be in constant communion with Bhagwan Swaminarayan, and ontologically, the manifestation of Akshar, the perfect devotee of God.[10]:46–7

Mahant Swami Maharaj
Mahant Swami Maharaj
Personal
Born
Vinu Patel

(1933-09-13) 13 September 1933
Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India
ReligionHinduism
Religious career
GuruYogiji Maharaj,[1] Pramukh Swami Maharaj[2]
Websitewww.baps.org
HonorsSpiritual successor of Pramukh Swami Maharaj

Mahant Swami Maharaj received initiation as a Hindu swami from Yogiji Maharaj in 1961.[11][12] Mahant Swami Maharaj was revealed by Pramukh Swami Maharaj as his future spiritual and administrative successor in 2012,[13] roles he commenced upon Pramukh Swami Maharaj's passing in August 2016.[7][14]

Early life

Childhood and education

Vinubhai Patel was born in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India on 13 September 1933. His parents, Manibhai Naranbhai Patel and Dahiben Patel,[3][15] were both followers of Shastriji Maharaj and the Akshar Purushottam Upasana. Shastriji Maharaj visited the newborn a few days post-birth and named the child Keshav, although his family referred to him by his nickname, Vinu.

Vinu Patel completed his primary and secondary education at an English-medium school within the local township and then completed his 12th grade at the Christ Church Boys Senior Secondary School. He then attended the College of Agriculture in his father's native town of Anand, Gujarat, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in agriculture.[7][11]

Early inspiration for monastic order

During his college years (1951-1952), Vinu Patel first met Yogiji Maharaj, the spiritual successor of Shastriji Maharaj. Impressed by Yogiji Maharaj's life and teachings, Vinu traveled with Yogiji Maharaj during his summer vacations, and was inspired to enter the monastic life over the next few years.[3][11]

Early years as a swami
Mahant Swami Maharaj performs the arti

At age 23, on 2 February 1957, he received novitiate initiation, parshad diksha,[3] and was renamed Vinu Bhagat. During this initial training phase, he accompanied Yogiji Maharaj on his travels, looking after his daily correspondence with devotees. At age 28, on 11 May 1961, Vinu Bhagat was given bhagwati diksha,[3] initiated as a swami, in Gadhada and named Keshavjivandas Swami. He was one of 51 youths receiving initiation into the monastic order that day.[13] This group of 51 was initially placed in Mumbai to study Sanskrit, with Swami Keshavjivandas appointed as their group head or Mahant at the mandir in Dadar, Mumbai. Thus, he became known throughout BAPS as Mahant Swami.[3][11]

Service under Pramukh Swami Maharaj

He initially met Pramukh Swami Maharaj in 1951 and traveled extensively with him. After Guru Yogiji Maharaj's death in 1971, Mahant Swami Maharaj served under Pramukh Swami Maharaj. His austerity, self-control, devotion, humility and service earned him the blessings and joy of Yogiji Maharaj and Pramukh Swami Maharaj. In 1971, after the death of Yogiji Maharaj, he dedicated himself to Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the new guru, as he had to guru Yogiji Maharaj. His exposure to Pramukh Swami Maharaj had begun in 1951, when he first met him. Since 1971, as per the wishes and instructions of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, he has travelled throughout India and abroad to inspire and strengthen satsang in countless devotees. He has also offered his services during the BAPS mega-festivals, in children and youth activities, Akshardham projects, and other satsang activities.[16]

As the leader of BAPS

Presidency

Pramukh Swami Maharaj had known that Mahant Swami would be his successor when the latter received initiation in 1957.[17] On 20 July 2012, in the presence of senior swamis in Ahmedabad, Pramukh Swami Maharaj formally declared that Mahant Swami Maharaj would be his spiritual successor after his death and wrote a letter in his own handwriting to this effect. On 13 August 2016, he became the sixth spiritual successor in Swaminarayan's lineage of Gunatit gurus.[14] In 2020, he wrote Satsang Diksha, a book where he describes a path which he believes will give its followers Moksha.[18]

Honours

In 2017, he was presented with the key to the city by the mayors of various cities, including Toronto, Canada,[19] Lilburn, Georgia,[20] Irving, Texas,[21] and Chicago, Illinois.[22]

Significance in BAPS

Followers of BAPS are told he is a manifestation of ontological entity of Akshar, the form of the eternal abode of God.[23]:191–200 As such, he is said to be in constant communion with God. He is to be considered by devotees as "the perfect servant of God, …totally filled with God and therefore worthy of reverence and worship."[24]:87-95

Theological role
Mahant Swami Maharaj discoursing on the Vachanamrut

BAPS teaches followers that the living guru is considered to be the ideal swami, the perfect devotee, and the principal exemplar for emulation by spiritual aspirants. He is described to followers as a personification of the scriptures[24]:94. He is viewed as "fully brahmanized", or having achieved the ultimate level of spiritual development.

Devotees are to consider him the example of all the ideals of the religion; he is to be viewed as the first disciple, most faithful in his observance of the commandments, most active in propagation of the religion, the best interpreter of the meaning of the scriptures, and the most effective in eradicating the ignorance that separates man from God.[25] His conduct is hence to be considered as that of the "ideal saint" and "perfect bhakta (devotee)", providing a tangible and graspable example for the spiritual aspirant to follow. Devotees are to view his respect for his gurus (Yogiji Maharaj and Pramukh Swami Maharaj) to be the model of devotion to one's guru.[26]

Followers are to believe that by associating with him, they might rid themselves of their vices, baser instincts, and worldly attachments. Earning the grace of the guru, devotees are to believe, enables them to achieve liberation in which they would escape the cycle of births and deaths and attain Akshardham (God's divine abode).[25]

For a devotee of BAPS, he is to be considered the essential spiritual link with God. According to the teachings of Swaminarayan, the Akshar-Purushottam Darshan, devotees consider God (Swaminarayan) to be manifest through Mahant Swami Maharaj, the present form of Akshar on earth.[23]:191–200 Thus, BAPS followers are to believe that by offering devotion to the guru (the form of Akshar), they offer it to Swaminarayan himself.[27]

References
  1. http://www.baps.org/Article/2011/Interviews-2294.aspx
  2. http://www.baps.org/About-BAPS/Mahant-Swami-Maharaj.aspx
  3. "Mahant Swami formally installed as new head of BAPS, here is his first speech". DeshGujarat news from Gujarat. 14 August 2016. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  4. Mamtora, Bhakti. Jacobsen, Knut A.; Basu, Helene; Malinar, Angelika; Narayanan, Vasudha (eds.). "BAPS: Pramukh Swami". Brill’s Encyclopedia of Hinduism Online. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  5. Patel, Aarti (December 2018). "Secular Conflict". Nidān: International Journal for Indian Studies. 3 (2): 55–72.
  6. Gadhia, Smit (1 April 2016), "Akshara and Its Four Forms in Swaminarayan's Doctrine", Swaminarayan Hinduism, Oxford University Press, pp. 156–171, doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199463749.003.0010, ISBN 978-0-19-946374-9
  7. "Mahant Swami Maharaj Sadhu Keshavjivandas succeeds Pramukh Swami as guru and president of BAPS". DeshGujarat News from Gujarat. 13 August 2016. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  8. "Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Hindu guru and Neasden Temple founder – obituary". Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  9. Williams, Raymond Brady (30 September 2018). An Introduction to Swaminarayan Hinduism. Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/9781108332989. ISBN 978-1-108-33298-9.
  10. "BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha Today". Hinduism Today. Himalayan Academy. October–December 2019. Retrieved 22 November 2019.
  11. "His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj" (PDF). BAPS.org. BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. 13 August 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  12. Ludwig Brent, Peter (1973). Godmen of India. Penguin Books Ltd. pp. 12. ISBN 9780140034608.
  13. "HH Mahant Swami Sadhu Keshavjivandas to be spiritual successor of HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj". www.gg2.net. Retrieved 15 August 2016.
  14. "Final darshan and rites of Pramukh Swami Maharaj". BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  15. "Mahant Swami takes charge". www.easterneye.eu. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  16. About Mahant Swami Maharaj on BAPS website
  17. Williams, Raymond Brady (September–October 2016). "A remarkable religious leader". Swaminarayan Bliss. 39 (5): 117.
  18. "Satsang Diksha". BAPS. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  19. "'We're here to stay': Hindu community celebrates 10th anniversary of temple with Trudeau, Tory". CBC News. 23 July 2017. Retrieved 3 February 2020.
  20. "Grand 10th Anniversary Celebration of BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Atlanta Georgia". The Indian Panorama. 14 July 2017. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  21. https://www.baps.org/Data/Sites/1/Media/GalleryImages/14424/WebImages/2017_08_20_Dallas_07_001.jpg
  22. Writer, Staff. "Illinois Governor attends birthday celebrations at BAPS Mandir | News India Times". Retrieved 4 February 2020.
  23. Paramtattvadas, Sadhu (17 August 2017). An introduction to Swaminarayan Hindu theology. Cambridge, United Kingdom. ISBN 978-1-107-15867-2. OCLC 964861190.
  24. Williams, Raymond Brady (2001). An introduction to Swaminarayan Hinduism. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-65422-7.
  25. Williams, Raymond Brady (1985). Waghorne, Joanne Punzo; Cutler, Norman; Narayanan, Vasudha (eds.). The holy man as the abode of God in the Swaminarayan religion. Gods of flesh/gods of stone : the embodiment of divinity in India. Chambersburg, Pennsylvania: Anima. p. 153. ISBN 0890120374. OCLC 11113082.
  26. Kim, Hanna (2001). "Being Swaminarayan: the ontology and significance of belief in the construction of a Gujarati diaspora". PHD Dissertation – via Columbia University.
  27. Brian Hutchinson (1998) The guru-devotee relationship in the experience of the members of the Akshar-Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha.
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