The Flourishing Of A SampradãySampradãySect. Fellowship.Tap to open in glossary →
In the SamvatSamvatThe calendar established by Indian emperor Vikramaditya of Ujjain following his victory 56 BCE. It is a lunar calendar based on ancient Hindu tradition. The Vikram Samvat calendar is 56.7 years ahead of the solar Gregorian calendar. The calendar most commonly used is the Kãrtiki Samvat, which begins on the first day of Kãrtik. However, the Vachanãmrut is written using the Ashãdhi Samvat, which begins on the first day of Ãshãdh.Tap to open in glossary → year 1881, on ShrãvanShrãvanSecond month of the Ãshãdhi Samvat year, normally falling between July and August.Tap to open in glossary → sudsudBright half of a Hindu lunar month in which the moon is in its waxing phase. The days between Amãs up to and including Punam. Also called shukla paksh.Tap to open in glossary → 4 [29th July 1824], Swãmi ShreeShree1) Name of Lakshmi. 2) Used before the names of Bhagvãn and devs to signify their high status.Tap to open in glossary → Sahajãnandji Mahãrãj was sitting on a mattress with a large, cylindrical pillow that had been placed on a decorated bedstead on the veranda outside the east-facing rooms of Dãdã KhãcharDãdã KhãcharA devotee in whose residential darbar in Gadhada Swaminarayan Bhagwan stayed for extended periods; the great majority of the Vachanamrut's Gadhada-section discourses (Gadhada I, II, and III) were given there, as the text itself repeatedly records ("in Dada Khachar's darbar in Gadhada").Tap to open in glossary →’s darbãrdarbãrCourt of residence belonging to a king or ruler, traditionally with a central courtyard surrounded by rooms with balconies.Tap to open in glossary → in Gadhadã. He was dressed entirely in white clothes. A sabhãsabhãAssembly. A group of satsangis listening to kathã or singing kirtans.Tap to open in glossary → of munis, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him.
Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj asked, “How do the sampradãys of the great ãchãryas flourish for a long period of time?”
Muktãnand SwãmiMuktãnand SwãmiOne of the five principal paramhansas -- along with Gopalanand Swami, Nityanand Swami, Brahmanand Swami, and Shukanand Swami -- who recorded Swaminarayan Bhagwan's discourses word for word, compiling them into the Vachanamrut. Originally a shishya of Ramanand Swami; Nilkanth Brahmachari first met him at Lojpur.Tap to open in glossary → answered, “Firstly, by the shãstras of the sampradãysampradãySect. Fellowship.Tap to open in glossary →; secondly, by following the dharmadharma1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion,Tap to open in glossary → of a person’s varnavarnaA caste of the ancient Indian social system: brãhman, kshatriya, vaishya, and sudra.Tap to open in glossary → and ãshram as prescribed in the shãstras; and thirdly, by total belief in a person’s ishta-devishta-devThe preferred murti of Bhagvãn that worshiped by a person. Our ishta-dev is Swãminãrãyan Bhagvãn; but, the ishta-dev of Swãminãrãyan Bhagvãn was Shree Krishna.Tap to open in glossary →. A sampradãysampradãySect. Fellowship.Tap to open in glossary → flourishes by these three factors.”
Shreeji Mahãrãj then asked the same question to Brahmãnand SwãmiBrahmãnand SwãmiOne of the five principal paramhansas who recorded Swaminarayan Bhagwan's discourses word for word, compiling them into the Vachanamrut.Tap to open in glossary → and Nityãnand SwãmiNityãnand SwãmiOne of the five principal paramhansas who recorded Swaminarayan Bhagwan's discourses word for word, compiling them into the Vachanamrut.Tap to open in glossary →. They also gave the same reply.
Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “Here, allow me to answer the question. A sampradãysampradãySect. Fellowship.Tap to open in glossary → flourishes by knowing the following: The purpose for which the ishta-devishta-devThe preferred murti of Bhagvãn that worshiped by a person. Our ishta-dev is Swãminãrãyan Bhagvãn; but, the ishta-dev of Swãminãrãyan Bhagvãn was Shree Krishna.Tap to open in glossary → of the sampradãysampradãySect. Fellowship.Tap to open in glossary → took birth on earth; and after taking birth, the various charitras He performed, as well as the ways in which He behaved. Through His behaviour, dharmadharma1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion,Tap to open in glossary → as well as the greatness of that ishta-devishta-devThe preferred murti of Bhagvãn that worshiped by a person. Our ishta-dev is Swãminãrãyan Bhagvãn; but, the ishta-dev of Swãminãrãyan Bhagvãn was Shree Krishna.Tap to open in glossary → is naturally revealed. In this way, a sampradãysampradãySect. Fellowship.Tap to open in glossary → is advanced by the shãstras which narrate the charitras of its ishta-devishta-devThe preferred murti of Bhagvãn that worshiped by a person. Our ishta-dev is Swãminãrãyan Bhagvãn; but, the ishta-dev of Swãminãrãyan Bhagvãn was Shree Krishna.Tap to open in glossary → from His birth up until His passing away. Regardless of whether those shãstras are in Sanskrit or in a different language, only those shãstras will advance the sampradãysampradãySect. Fellowship.Tap to open in glossary →, not others.
“For example, those who worship Rãm BhagvãnBhagvãnGod. Supreme being. Lord of all. Bhagvãn is unparalleled, omnipotent and the all-doer, omniscient, omnipresent, the ocean of all forms of bliss, does not have any attributes of Mãyã, is divine, and is always taking birth on earth for His bhaktas. Resides within the ãtmã. Also called Parbrahm, Paramãtmã, Purushottam, Krishna Nãrãyan, and Swãminãrãyan.Tap to open in glossary → will be inspired only by the Vãlmiki RãmãyanRãmãyanThe story of Rãm. A shãstra narrating the story of Shree Rãm Bhagvãn, which includes His 14-year exile from the throne of Ayodhyã to the forest; Sitã’s abduction by the evil demon Rãvan; Rãm’s ultimate victory over Rãvan and his armies; and the return of Rãm and Sitã to Ayodhyã. It contains principles for society through the characteristics exhibited by Rãm, Sitã, Lakshmanji, and Bharatji.Tap to open in glossary → ; and those who worship ShreeShree1) Name of Lakshmi. 2) Used before the names of Bhagvãn and devs to signify their high status.Tap to open in glossary → KrishnaKrishna1) An avatãr of Bhagvãn. He incarnated in the svarup of a cowherd. This is considered to be a greater avatãr than the others, as Shree Krishna possessed all of the powers of Bhagvãn, whereas other avatãrs possessed less power. Shree Krishna conveyed the message of love and humanity to the world. Also, He recited the epic poem, the Bhagvad Geetã, to Arjun in which He stated: ‘Whenever dharma declines and adharma increases, I shall incarnate myself as a human to save the holy, to destroy the sin of the sinner, and to establish dharma. I come into being from yug to yug’. 2) In the Vachanãmrut, Shreeji Mahãrãj also uses the name “Shree Krishna” to describe Bhagvãn Purushottam Nãrãyan.Tap to open in glossary → BhagvãnBhagvãnGod. Supreme being. Lord of all. Bhagvãn is unparalleled, omnipotent and the all-doer, omniscient, omnipresent, the ocean of all forms of bliss, does not have any attributes of Mãyã, is divine, and is always taking birth on earth for His bhaktas. Resides within the ãtmã. Also called Parbrahm, Paramãtmã, Purushottam, Krishna Nãrãyan, and Swãminãrãyan.Tap to open in glossary → will be inspired only by the tenth and eleventh skandhs of the Shreemad BhãgvatShreemad BhãgvatMost popular of the eighteen Purãns written by Vyãsji. It narrates the life, leelãs, and charitras of various avatãrs of Bhagvãn, particularly Shree Krishna Bhagvãn. One of the eight shãstras accepted as trustworthy by Swãminãrãyan Bhagvãn.Tap to open in glossary →. The Veds will not inspire those who worship Rãm BhagvãnBhagvãnGod. Supreme being. Lord of all. Bhagvãn is unparalleled, omnipotent and the all-doer, omniscient, omnipresent, the ocean of all forms of bliss, does not have any attributes of Mãyã, is divine, and is always taking birth on earth for His bhaktas. Resides within the ãtmã. Also called Parbrahm, Paramãtmã, Purushottam, Krishna Nãrãyan, and Swãminãrãyan.Tap to open in glossary → or ShreeShree1) Name of Lakshmi. 2) Used before the names of Bhagvãn and devs to signify their high status.Tap to open in glossary → KrishnaKrishna1) An avatãr of Bhagvãn. He incarnated in the svarup of a cowherd. This is considered to be a greater avatãr than the others, as Shree Krishna possessed all of the powers of Bhagvãn, whereas other avatãrs possessed less power. Shree Krishna conveyed the message of love and humanity to the world. Also, He recited the epic poem, the Bhagvad Geetã, to Arjun in which He stated: ‘Whenever dharma declines and adharma increases, I shall incarnate myself as a human to save the holy, to destroy the sin of the sinner, and to establish dharma. I come into being from yug to yug’. 2) In the Vachanãmrut, Shreeji Mahãrãj also uses the name “Shree Krishna” to describe Bhagvãn Purushottam Nãrãyan.Tap to open in glossary → BhagvãnBhagvãnGod. Supreme being. Lord of all. Bhagvãn is unparalleled, omnipotent and the all-doer, omniscient, omnipresent, the ocean of all forms of bliss, does not have any attributes of Mãyã, is divine, and is always taking birth on earth for His bhaktas. Resides within the ãtmã. Also called Parbrahm, Paramãtmã, Purushottam, Krishna Nãrãyan, and Swãminãrãyan.Tap to open in glossary →. Ultimately, only the shãstras of a person’s own sampradãysampradãySect. Fellowship.Tap to open in glossary → will advance the sampradãysampradãySect. Fellowship.Tap to open in glossary →.”
Having said this, “Shreeji Mahãrãj then commanded Muktãnand SwãmiMuktãnand SwãmiOne of the five principal paramhansas -- along with Gopalanand Swami, Nityanand Swami, Brahmanand Swami, and Shukanand Swami -- who recorded Swaminarayan Bhagwan's discourses word for word, compiling them into the Vachanamrut. Originally a shishya of Ramanand Swami; Nilkanth Brahmachari first met him at Lojpur.Tap to open in glossary →: “You too should continuously preach and write shãstras related to your sampradãysampradãySect. Fellowship.Tap to open in glossary → and your ishta-devishta-devThe preferred murti of Bhagvãn that worshiped by a person. Our ishta-dev is Swãminãrãyan Bhagvãn; but, the ishta-dev of Swãminãrãyan Bhagvãn was Shree Krishna.Tap to open in glossary → for the rest of your life. This is my ãgnããgnãA command.Tap to open in glossary → to you for as long as you live.”
With great respect for these words of Shreeji Mahãrãj, Muktãnand SwãmiMuktãnand SwãmiOne of the five principal paramhansas -- along with Gopalanand Swami, Nityanand Swami, Brahmanand Swami, and Shukanand Swami -- who recorded Swaminarayan Bhagwan's discourses word for word, compiling them into the Vachanamrut. Originally a shishya of Ramanand Swami; Nilkanth Brahmachari first met him at Lojpur.Tap to open in glossary → promised to devoutly abide by them. Then, folding his hands, he bowed before Shreeji Mahãrãj. || End of VachanãmrutVachanãmrutAmrut in the form of words. A collection of 273 spiritual talks delivered by Swãminãrãyan Bhagvãn, that were carefully noted and collated by His senior sãdhus in His presence, and were authenticated by Him. Central philosophical shãstra of the Swãminãrãyan Sampradãy that summarises the essence of all Hindu shãstras.Tap to open in glossary → Gadhadã II || 58 || 191 ||