4.1. Life and Work of Bhagavān Svāminārāyaṇa

[Full title: Bhagavān Svāminārāyaṇa and His Tradition (1): Life and Work of Bhagavān Svāminārāyaṇa]

In this subchapter, we will focus on Bhagavān Svāminārāyaṇa’s life, history, tradition, and contribution to society.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, India began to witness a revival of the Sanātana Dharma (adhyātma) with the emergence of mystics and saint-poets. Despite centuries of oppression by Muslim rulers, these mystics successfully wakened the eternal Hindū spirituality in the people. Among the many saints, Tulasīdāsa, Sūradāsa, Tukārāma, Guru Nānaka and some of the later Sikha Gurus, Rohidāsa, Kabir, Mīrābāī, Narasiṃha Mehta, Jñāneśvara, Ekanātha, and Nāmadeva contributed significantly to this revival. Svāmī Rāmadāsa inspired the renowned Śivājī of Mahārāṣṭra, who then rose against the Mughals for oppressing Hindūs. In 1707, when Auragaṃjeba, the tyrant of Delhi, died, Mugala dominance ended.^[1]

The Rājaputa Mahārājās of Jayapura, Jodhpura, and Udaipura regained their independence and this boosted the Hindu Dharma. Crowing this renaissance, Bhagavān Svāminārāyaṇa incarnated in Chapiyā near Ayodhyā, on Caitra Suda 9, Saṃvata 1837 (3rd April 1781 CE). His childhood name was Ghanaśyāma.^[2]

Besides playing with friends during childhood, Ghanaśyāma also loved to visit mandiras, where He often devotedly listened to the Rāmāyaṇa. His divine disposition was evident from early childhood. Everybody in the region felt radiant divinity and a remarkable Godly personality in Ghanaśyāma. Being precocious, He mastered Sanskrit and studied the Vedic Śāstras by the age of eleven. Around this period, He accompanied His father, a Sanskrit Paṇḍita, to Banārasa, the most sumptuous seat of knowledge in India. Here, Ghanaśyāma gave a brilliant exposition on the Svāminārāyaṇa philosophy on behalf of His father, in a scholarly debate with other Paṇḍitas.^[3] Soon after returning, Ghanaśyāma left home, to begin the task for which He had incarnated. Now known as Nīlakaṇṭha, He visited the important sacred shrines of India, to re-infuse sacredness in them, to personally observe the level of spiritual values and beliefs, and to redeem countless souls. His garb consisted of only a loincloth. He carried a Śāligrāma (Bāla Mukunda), a water gourd, and a small diary written by Him containing the essence of scriptural wisdom. He possessed no map or compass to guide Him. He subsisted on alms or fruit lying on the forest floor.^[4]

In the bleak and desolate areas of the Himālayan ranges, He went without food and sometimes water for days. His longest span without a single morsel of food was during His visit to the earth’s most sacred and enchanting lake, Mānasarovara.^[5] It is located at the height of 14,950 feet in Tibet, now inside China’s border. He took 19

His last meal in the shrine at Badrīnātha after celebrating Divālī in October 1792. He had His second meal, on returning to the shrine from Mānasarovara in the spring of 1793 CE, six months later. Added to this divine feat, He visited the lake during the winter, gladly tolerating snowstorms and sub-zero winds. He also bathed in the freezing water after breaking the surface of the (in all probability) frozen lake. Later in Muktinātha,^[6] He performed severe austerities for about two and a half months, living only on fruits, leaves, and water. Extremely emaciated, He possessed the combined luster of an adept Yogī and a Brahmacārī. In Bhuṭola, Nepāla, King Mahādattā Sen was so captivated with Nīlakaṇṭha and His profound wisdom, that he offered Him his kingdom and two daughters in marriage.^[7] Nīlakaṇṭha declined politely and left. His lifework lay in uplifting those submerged in it by remaining aloof from the material and sensual world.

In the Himalayan forests, Nīlakaṇṭha met Gopāla Yogī, from whom He mastered Aṣṭāṃga-yoga in a record nine months.^[8] It would generally have taken a yogi a lifetime of relentless endeavor. After visiting Kāṭhamaṃḍū, He turned south-east to Bangāla and trudged through the tiger-infested forests of the Suṃdarabana. From Bangāla, His route led southwards to Kanyākumārī on the southern coast of India. During His travels, He encountered Sādhus and heads of various schools of philosophy. From them, He sought details regarding the nature of the five eternal realities, namely; jīva, īśvara, māyā, Brahman and Parabrahman. So far, the answers disappointed Him.^[9]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Jñānāndadāsa Sādhu, Vacanāmṛtanī Viśeṣatāoṃ, Svāmīnarayan Akṣarapiṭha, Jul. 2019, p.4

[2]:

Dave Harṣadarāya, Bhagvan Svāmīnarayan-1, Svāmīnarayan Akṣarapiṭha, 2004, p.22

[3]:

Ibid, p.80

[4]:

Rama Murthy Vārāṇasī and Sādhu Vivekajīvanadāsa, Nilakaṇṭha Varṇī, Svāmīnarayan Akṣarapiṭha, 2005, p.1

[5]:

Ibid., p.42

[6]:

Rama Murthy and Sādhu Vivekajīvanadāsa, Nilakaṇṭha Varṇī, Svāmīnarayan Akṣarapiṭha, 2005, p.61

[7]:

Ibid., p.77

[8]:

Ibid., p.83

[9]:

Dave Harṣadarāya, Ibid., p.235