Mahant Swami Maharaj

Mahant Swami Maharaj
Mahant Swami Maharaj, ordained Sadhu Keshavjivandas
Religion Hinduism
Personal
Born Vinu Patel
(1933-09-13) 13 September 1933
Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, British India
Guru

Yogiji Maharaj[1],

Pramukh Swami Maharaj[2]
Honors Spiritual Successor of Pramukh Swami Maharaj
Website www.baps.org

Mahant Swami Maharaj (born Vinu Patel, 13 September 1933;[3] ordained Sadhu Keshavjivandas) is the present guru and president of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, an international Hindu socio-spiritual organization. BAPS regards him as the sixth spiritual successor of Swaminarayan, following Gunatitanand Swami, Bhagatji Maharaj, Shastriji Maharaj, Yogiji Maharaj, and Pramukh Swami Maharaj.[4][5][6] He is believed by his followers to be in constant communion with Swaminarayan, and ontologically, the manifestation of Akshar, the perfect devotee of God.[4]

Mahant Swami Maharaj received initiation as a Hindu swami from Yogiji Maharaj in 1961.[7][8] Mahant Swami Maharaj was revealed by Pramukh Swami Maharaj as his future spiritual and administrative successor in 2012,[9] roles he commenced upon Pramukh Swami Maharaj's passing in August 2016.[5][10]

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][11] 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.[5][7]

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][7]

Early Years as a Sadhu

At age 24, 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 Yogiji Maharaj’s 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 Sadhu Keshavjivandas. He was one of 51 youths receiving initiation into the monastic order that day.[9] This group of 51 was initially placed in Mumbai to study Sanskrit, with Swami Keshavjivandas appointed as their group head or Mahant at the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir, Dadar, Mumbai. Thus, he became known throughout BAPS as Mahant Swami.[3][7]

Service Under Pramukh Swami Maharaj

Mahant Swami Maharaj initially met Pramukh Swami Maharaj in 1951 and traveled extensively with him. After Yogiji Maharaj’s death in 1971, Mahant Swami Maharaj served under Pramukh Swami Maharaj. His outstanding virtues of austerity, self-control, devotion, humility and service earned him the blessings and joy of Yogiji Maharaj and Pramukh Swami Maharaj. In 1971, after the earthly departure of Yogiji Maharaj, he totally dedicated himself to Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the new guru, with the same devotion and allegiance he had for guru Yogiji Maharaj. His exposure to Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s pure saintliness and spiritual loftiness had begun in 1951, when he first met him. Since 1971, as per the wishes and instructions of HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj, he has relentlessly travelled throughout India and abroad to inspire and strengthen satsang in countless devotees. He has also offered his services during the Sanstha’s mega-festivals, in children and youth activities, the Akshardham projects, and other satsang activities. About Mahant Swami Maharaj on BAPS website

As President and Guru of BAPS

Appointment as President

Pramukh Swami Maharaj had known that Mahant Swami would be his successor when the latter received initiation in 1957.[12] On 20 July 2012, in the presence of senior sadhus in Ahmedabad, Pramukh Swami Maharaj formally declared that Mahant Swami Maharaj would be his spiritual successor upon his own passing and wrote a letter in his own handwriting to this effect. On 13 August 2016, Mahant Swami Maharaj became the sixth spiritual successor in Swaminarayan's lineage of Gunatit gurus.[10]

Honors

On 22 July 2017, he was presented with a Key to the City of Toronto by Mayor John Tory at the 10th anniversary celebration of the opening of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, located in Etobicoke.[13]

On 1 July 2017, he was presented with a Key to the City of Lilburn by Mayor Johnny Crist at the 10th anniversary celebrations of the opening of the BAPS Shri Swaminarayn Mandir, located in Lilburn. Mayor Johnny also declared 1 July 2017 as "The Mahant Swami Maharaj Day" in the City of Lilburn and commended its citizens to its observance.

On 13 August 2017, he was presented with a Key to the City of Missouri City by Mayor Allen Owen. On 14 August 2017, he was presented with the Key to the City of Stafford by Mayor Leonard Scarcella. On 20 August 2017, he was presented with a Key to the City of Irving by Mayor Rick Stopfer.

Significance in BAPS

Followers of BAPS believe him to be a manifestation of Akshar, the form of the eternal abode of God. As Akshar he was also in constant communion with God. Accordingly, he was considered by devotees to be "the perfect servant of God, …totally filled with God and therefore worthy of reverence and worship."[14]:87-95

Theological Role

The living guru is considered by followers of BAPS to be the ideal sadhu, the perfect devotee, and the principal target for emulation by all spiritual aspirants. He is often described by followers as a personification of the sacred scriptures[14]:94. He is viewed as "fully brahmanized", or having achieved the ultimate level of spiritual development.

Devotees consider him to exemplify all the ideals of the religion; he is 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.[15] His conduct is hence considered to be that of the "ideal saint" and "perfect bhakta (devotee)", providing a tangible and graspable example for the spiritual aspirant to follow. Devotees view his staunch respect for Yogiji Maharaj and Pramukh Swami Maharaj as the model of devotion to one’s guru.[16]

Followers 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 believe, enables them to achieve liberation in which they would escape the cycle of births and deaths and attain Akshardham (God’s divine abode).[15]

For a devotee of BAPS, he is considered the essential spiritual link with God. According to the teachings of Swaminarayan, devotees consider God (Swaminarayan) to be manifest through Mahant Swami Maharaj. Thus, his followers believed that by offering devotion to Mahant Swami, they offer it to Swaminarayan himself.[17]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.baps.org/Article/2011/Interviews-2294.aspx
  2. ↑ http://www.baps.org/About-BAPS/Mahant-Swami-Maharaj.aspx
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Mahant Swami formally installed as new head of BAPS, here is his first speech". DeshGujarat News from Gujarat. 2016-08-14. Retrieved 2016-08-15.
  4. 1 2 Pandya, Samta (January 2016). "The Case of Bochasanwasi Shree Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha" (PDF). Sect Culture and Social Service.
  5. 1 2 3 "Mahant Swami Maharaj Sadhu Keshavjivandas succeeds Pramukh Swami as Guru and President of BAPS". DeshGujarat News from Gujarat. 2016-08-13. Retrieved 2016-08-14.
  6. ↑ "Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Hindu guru and Neasden Temple founder – obituary". Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  7. 1 2 3 4 "His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj" (PDF). BAPS.org. BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. 13 August 2016. Retrieved 13 August 2016.
  8. ↑ Ludwig Brent, Peter (1973). Godmen of India. Penguin Books Ltd. p. 12. ISBN 9780140034608.
  9. 1 2 "HH Mahant Swami Sadhu Keshavjivandas to be spiritual successor of HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj". www.gg2.net. Retrieved 2016-08-15.
  10. 1 2 "Final Darshan and Rites of Pramukh Swami Maharaj". BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. Retrieved 2016-08-13.
  11. ↑ "Mahant Swami takes charge". www.easterneye.eu. Retrieved 2016-08-19.
  12. ↑ Williams, Raymond Brady (September–October 2016). "A Remarkable Religious Leader". Swaminarayan Bliss. 39 No. 5: 117.
  13. ↑ "'We're here to stay': Hindu community celebrates 10th anniversary of temple with Trudeau, Tory". CBC News. 22 July 2017.
  14. 1 2 Williams, Raymond Brady (2001). An Introduction to Swaminarayan Hinduism. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-65422-7.
  15. 1 2 Williams, Raymond Brady (1985). "The Holy Man as the Abode of God in the Swaminarayan Religion." Gods of flesh/gods of stone : the embodiment of divinity in India. Waghorne, Joanne Punzo., Cutler, Norman, 1949-2002., Narayanan, Vasudha. Chambersburg, PA: Anima. p. 153. ISBN 0890120374. OCLC 11113082.
  16. ↑ Kim, Hanna (2001). "Being Swaminarayan: The Ontology and Significance of Belief in the Construction of a Gujarati Diaspora". PhD Dissertation – via Columbia University.
  17. ↑ Brian Hutchinson (1998) The Guru-Devotee Relationship in the Experience of the Members of the Akshar-Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha.
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