a question about Swaminarayan

[Pragatnodas]

Hey does anyone have any input on this swaminarayan faith what is it all about? i recently saw there akshardham in delhi very impressive . i felt as if they brought hinduism to life all of there exhibitions were amazing...so i was just wondering what there faith is all about, and who is swaminarayan bhagwan ?

[gHari]

Saintly personality, Sahajanand Swami, lived a few hundred years ago. He gave his disciples the mantra "Swaminarayan". Reportedly people of all faiths were able to see their most loved form of God in his presence. He wrote a fine book describing appropriate Vaishnava conduct, known as the Shikshapatri. I read it on-line and found it bona fide.

 

The followers have split into two groups (who'd have thought?!), with one group declaring that Sahajanand Swami who is now affectionately called Swaminarayan was an incarnation of God as guru.

 

You will find much discussion (mostly offensive) about this topic by searching this site, but here is a positive picture of this Vaishnava sage: Sahajanand Swami

 

I think it best not to chance offence when discussing this topic.

 

Further objective research:

Guru of Sahajanand Swami

[akshar]

<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on" width="100%"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">He was the incarnation of parmatma and went for a pilgrimiage of india from 11 years old and visited the himalayas at winter time and many other fings. If you wish to find out more go on http://swaminarayan.org</TD></TR><TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on">

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[Guest guest]

I am not a member of Swaminarayan, but just read what they've done thus far on their site:

 

9,090 INTERNATIONAL CENTERS

 

- Across 45 countries.

 

- includes special youth, women and children centers.

 

1,000,000 FOLLOWERS WORLDWIDE

 

- 55,000 youth volunteers.

 

- 12,000,000 annual volunteer-hours in service.

 

27 MORAL & CULTURAL ACTIVITIES

 

- 472,700 annual assemblies.

- 9 international cultural festivals visited by 33.5 million visitors.

 

- 425,000 students have appeared in the international cultural examinations.

 

21 MEDICAL ACTIVITIES

- 10 hospitals and healthcare centers.

- 483,600 patients treated annually.

 

- 62 medico-spiritual conferences have enlightened 15,350 doctors.

 

- 50 schools for 17,500 students rebuilt after natural disasters.

 

23 EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES

 

- 29 permanent educational institutes serve over 8,000 students.

- 5,040 scholarships awarded annually.

 

- 800 education seminars held annually.

 

23 ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES

 

- 1,500,000 trees planted in 2,170 villages.

 

- 5,475 wells recharged in 338 villages.

 

- 497 rain harvesting projects.

 

38 SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

- 29 disaster relief operations successfully managed.

- 50,000 family assemblies begun.

 

- 600,000 people have quit addictions.

 

15 TRIBAL ACTIVITIES

- 35 permanent centers for tribal uplift.

- 10,000 tribal families have quit addictions and superstitions.

 

- 300 remote tribal villages have been socially and morally transformed.

 

15 SPIRITUAL ACTIVITIES

- 600 BAPS mandirs worldwide.

 

- 150,000 pilgrims visit BAPS mandirs daily.

 

- Over 700 sadhus.

[akshar]

<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on" width="100%"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">their are more then 1000 sadhus over the world i expect</TD></TR><TR UNSELECTABLE="on" hb_tag="1"><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 1pt" height=1 UNSELECTABLE="on">

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[Guest guest]

perhaps the info needs to be updated.