Shree Sahajanand Swami was born on Ramnavmi, the birthday of Lord Shree Rama, on the ninth night of the lunar month Chaitra of Vikram 1837, i.e. The English year 1781. In Accordance with Indian custom on the sixth day after birth he was given the name Ghanshyam. Ghanshyam’s parents were Dharmadev and Bhaktimata. They lived in a village called Chhapaiya, which is near Ayodhya. At the age of eight, Ghanshyam started studying the Vedas and within less than two years, he mastered all the four Vedas with all their branches.

Ghanshyam's mother, Bhaktimata died when he was 10 years and 7 months old and his father, Dharmadev died seven months later. As Ghanshyam had no love for worldly things, he left home on the early morning or 10th of bright half of Ashash, Samvat year 1849. His age at the time was eleven years three months and one day. He took no spare clothes or footware with him. He had a spare dhoti, a kamandal, a mala (rosary) and the Shaligram with him.

Nilkanth Varni

Ghanshyam was now known as Nilkanth Varni. Varni means Bramchari. On his way to the Himalayas he met a number of saints. Ghanshyam was not concerned about walking bare footed on stony, hot or cold paths. He was not afraid of snakes or wild animals such as tigers. At times he had nothing to eat and even passed several days without drinking water. In the Himalayas one of the amazements that Nilkanth Varni caused was that at a particular moment 900,000 Yogis got his darshan.

In his travels Nilkanth Varni met a number of yogis. However, when he met a great yogi called Gopal Yogi he stayed with him for one year. The Yogi taught him Astang Yoga. Nilkanth achieved in one year what others would take twelve years to learn. Gopal Yogi was so pleased with Nilkanth’s learning that he stated that his life’s achievement was fulfilled.

After the death of Gopal Yogi, Nilkanth Varni headed towards the east and in a village near Kamakshidevi in Assam he met a Mantracharya named Pibak. Pibak was known for his black magic. As Pibak had heard of Nilkanth’s great adventures, he tried his utmost to intimidate and subdue him by means of various kinds of Abhicharprayoga i.e. invoking evil spirits. Having showed his powers he ordered Nilkanth Varni to be his disciple and threatened to destroy him if he disobeyed. Nevertheless Nilkanth Varni instead of being afraid challenged him. Nilkanth Varni proved his superiority and eventually freed Pibak from the bonds of magical rituals. Nilkanth Varni initiated him to the path of bhakti. Nilkanth Varni then proceeded to Jagannath Puri. From there he entered Gujarat via Pandharpur, Pune and Nasik. After visiting places of pilgrimage at the banks of Narmada and Tapi rivers he came to Dakor. He then entered Saurashtra and proceeded to Dwarika.

Ramanand Swami

At the age of 18 years and 4 months, Nilkanth arrived at Shree Ramanand Swami’s Ashram in Lojpur a village near Junagadh. However at the time Ramanand Swami was in Kutch, so the chief disciple Muktanand Swami received him and requested him to stay at the Ashram. Nilkanth Varni said ‘Alright but on condition you first satisfactorily answer my five questions.

   Question 1. What is life?
   Question 2. What is God?
   Question 3. What is Maya?
   Question 4. What is Brahma?
   Question 5. What is Para Brahma?


Muktanand Swami answered the questions satisfactorily, so much that in seven years of Ghanshyam's travelling no other saint had been able in answering them that well. Nilkanth Varni stayed at the Ashram and cherished a keen desire to meet Ramanand Swami. Adjoining the Ashram lived a family and there was hole in the wall from which sometimes the sadhus borrowed lighted coal to light their fire. Nilkanth Varni did not like this. He demanded that the hole be closed immediately and that the sadhus must avoid any contact with women. The demand was respected.

After several months stay in Kutch, Ramanand Swami arrived in Piplana, a village in Saurashtra. Nilkanth Varni went to meet him there with Muktananad Swami. Later when Ramanand Swami returned to Lojpur. Nilkanth Varni stayed with him during which time he obtained Vaishnavi Diksha. He was now honored with the name of Sahajanand Swami alias Narayan Muni. A year later, on the 11th day of bright half of Kartik of Samvat year 1858, Ramanand Swami installed Sahajanand Swami in his place as Acharya and Guru of the Sampraday at Jetpur, a village in the Junagadh District. After the installation ceremony, Sahajanand Swami begged Ramanand Swami for two requests.

They were, ‘Protect the members of the fellowship of Swaminarayan faith from any miseries. If there has to be misery, inflict it upon me many times over in order that members of the faith are saved. May the followers of the faith never suffer from want of food and clothing’. Ramanand Swami said, ‘May your desire be fulfilled’. Within a month after this, Ramanand Swami withdrew himself into oblivion.

Samadhi

People of all castes and creeds attended the religious meetings of Shree Sahajanand Swami. Some were even Muslims who believed in Allah. While listening to Maharaj they were sent into deep trance (samadhi) where they saw visions of their own Gods. Some saw Rama, some Ganesh, some Krishna, some Shiva, and some Allah. When they awoke some said they had been to Akshar Dham, i.e. heaven, where they saw the same Sahajanand Swami in great glory. Some saw other Gods as participants in meetings in heaven.

Shikharbandh Temples

During the last decade of His DharmaShasan Lord Swaminarayan established beautiful, big temples at six places. First at Ahmedabad in Samvat year 1878, then at Bhuj in Samvat year 1879, then at Vadtal in Samvat year 1881, then at Dholera in Samvat year 1882, then at Junagadh in Samvat year 1884, then at Gadhada in Samvat year 1885.

In establishing the temples, Lord Swaminarayan practically demonstrated His unique theory of Ekeshwarvad i.e. Monotheism. He emphatically said that an Idol may be named and known as Shri NarNarayan, Shri Laxmi-Narayan, Shri RadhaKrishna but they are all the forms of God Supreme, Lord Shri Swaminarayan. One, therefore, should not draw a line of distinction between them. He, therefore, established the idols of NarNarayan Dev in Ahmedabad and Bhuj and of Shri LaxmiNarayan Dev in Vadtal and of Shri MadanMohan Dev in Dholera, of Shri RadhaRaman Dev in Junagadh and of Shri Gopinath Dev in Gadhada. To further illustrate His doctrine of Ekeshwarvad, He also installed the idols or Shiv and Parvati at Junagadh and at Gadhada, the idol of Sun, along with the other idols. In all other small temples i.e. Hari Mandirs, ChitraPratima i.e. paintings of Lord Swaminarayan Himself or together with that of Shri Dharmadev and Shri Bhaktidevi are installed.

Religious Scriptures

Maharaj has not only built temples but also encouraged the study of religious scriptures. Commentaries were written on Gita, Upanishads and Bhagwad. Great many poems (Kirtans) were composed by poets like Nishkulanand Swami, Bhramanand Swami, Premanand Swami, Muktanand Swami and Devanand Swami. Great many books (shastras) were written by saints like Satanand Swami, Nityanand Swami etc.

Shikshapatri

Maharaj himself wrote a small book called Shikshapatri and told satsangis to act according to the 212 rules in the Shikshapatri. Some of the commandments in the Shikshapatri are as follows:

· No one should kill any living creature, not even in the name of yagna.
· No one should commit suicide.
· No one should eat meat or drink alcoholic drinks.
· No one should steal, even for benevolent purposes.
· No one should gamble.
· No one should commit adultery.
· No one should take bribe.
· A guest should always be welcomed and should be entertained.

British Governor

On February 20th, 1830 Maharaj went to visit the British Governor, Sir Malcolm, in Rajkot. He was received with a guard of honor by the infantry and the cavalry. The Governor himself received Maharaj and offered him a royal chair. Then he presented him with a shawl. Maharaj presented the Governor with a Shikshapatri. While departing the Governor asked for his blessings and Maharaj said, 'God will surely bless those who aspire to do good even to the enemies.'

Maharaj’s Eternal Departure

On the 10th day of bright half of Jeth of Samvat year 1856 (Jeth is the last i.e. 12th month of the year 1886) Lord Swaminarayan gathered all the leading Tyagis and Gruhasthas before him at Gadhada. With a very calm and serene tone said to them, "I have fully realized my mission i.e. avatar Karya and have established a royal path by following which one can easily reach Akshar Dham, the abode of God supreme. I, now with to depart from this world. I promise you all that hence forward I will meet you all through my idols established in the temples." So saying he closed his eyes.

Today there are millions of followers of the Swaminarayan faith in all countries of the world. Sahjanand Swami's blessings that no follower will ever be short of food or clothes still hold true.