BAPS Murti Information

Bhagwan Swaminarayan (1781-1830)
 

• Bhagwan Swaminarayan manifested in northern India in 1781 CE to grant eternal liberation to countless souls, remove misguided religious practices, and dispel misinterpretations that had crept into Hinduism.
   
• Heading a socio-spiritual awakening, he established the Swaminarayan Sampradaya at the age of 20, introducing social reforms, serving the poor and needy, and preaching against superstitions, addictions and violence.
   
• He initiated 3,000 sadhus (ordained monks) and was recognised and worshipped as Bhagwan (God) during his lifetime by countless individuals.
   
• To continue his work of moral and spiritual regeneration, he promised to remain ever-present on this earth through an unbroken succession of enlightened, God-realised gurus.
   
• To learn more about Bhagwan Swaminarayan, please click here.
   

Gunatitanand Swami (1785-1867)
 

• Gunatitanand Swami was the first spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
   
• He lived a life of an ideal sadhu, dedicated to the devotion of God, service of others, and sharing of profound wisdom.
   
• He was revealed by Bhagwan Swaminarayan to be Akshar (or Aksharbrahman), the perfectly enlightened devotee and the closest entity to God extolled in the Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita.
   
• As Akshar, he remains manifest on earth as the enlightened guru, helping aspirants attain God-realisation.
   

Gopalanand Swami (1781-1852)
 

• Gopalanand Swami was a senior sadhu-disciple of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
   
• As a child, he mastered Ashtanga Yoga, the crowning glory of Yoga.
   
• He was an outstanding scholar and devoted himself to propagating the teachings of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
   
• As a liberated soul, he is an inspiration to other devotees to follow in his exemplary devotion to and service of God.
   

Ghanshyam Maharaj
 

• Bhagwan Swaminarayan was known by the name of Ghanshyam in his childhood.
   
• Ghanshyam renounced home at the age of 11 to embark on a 7-year, 7,000-mile spiritual journey across the length and breadth of India. Walking alone, barefoot, and with almost no possessions, he sanctified places of pilgrimage and inspired thousands to lead a life rooted in morality and spirituality.
   
• Ending his trek in the state of Gujarat, he built six majestic mandirs and inspired the creation of scores of scriptural texts by his sadhus.
   
• Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s spiritual teachings were recorded in the Vachanamrut – a collection of his discourses encapsulating Vedic wisdom and methods for implementing it in daily life.
   

Sukh Shayya:
Bhagwan Swaminarayan with Gunatitanand Swami
 

• This depiction of Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s last days on earth shows him giving Gunatitanand Swami final instructions about leading the Swaminarayan Sampradaya.
   
• Those same instructions and empowerments have been passed down to each of the enlightened gurus in an unbroken spiritual lineage for almost two hundred years.
   

Harikrishna Maharaj
 

• Harikrishna Maharaj was another name of Bhagwan Swaminarayan during his childhood.
   
• This murti (sacred image) is made from five pure metals: gold, silver, copper, iron and lead.
   
• As this mandir is dedicated to Bhagwan Swaminarayan, his murtis have been consecrated in various shrines under different names.
   

Shri Radha-Krishna
 

• Shri Krishna, one of the avatars of Vishnu, graced the world approximately 5,000 years ago.
   
• Though born into royalty, he was brought up as a cowherd. Thus, he is frequently seen pictured with cows and gopis (female devotees of the cowherd community).
   
• Playing the flute, he won the hearts and souls of devotees.
   
• His closest and dearest devotee is Shri Radha, who exemplifies unflinching love, total dedication and acceptance of the Divine Will.
   
• The teachings of Shri Krishna are documented within the Bhagavad Gita, in which he outlines the basic tenets of true spirituality and encourages Arjun to fight for the greater good by defending righteousness.
   

Shri Sita-Rama
 

• Shri Rama is another of Vishnu’s avatars.
   
• His life teaches truth, justice, valour, compassion, and other virtues of an ideal ruler, citizen, husband, and son.
   
• Shri Sita, queen and devotee of Rama, exemplifies fidelity, true love, maternal perfection, faith, and other virtues of an ideal wife and devotee.
   
• Banished to the forest for 14 years, Rama was accompanied by Sita and younger brother Lakshman.
   
• Sita was abducted by the evil king Ravan. Rama heroically rescued Sita with the help of Lakshman and an army led by Hanuman. This is vividly chronicled in the Ramayan epic.
   

Shri Uma-Maheshwar
 

• Maheshwar, or Shiva, is the Destroyer aspect of the universe’s three stages; Brahma is the Creator; Vishnu, the Sustainer.
   
• Shiva is in the form of a yogi, adorned with the symbols of simplicity and asceticism.
   
• Ganga (the sacred River Ganges) is believed to have made her abode in Shiva’s matted locks and is depicted as flowing from there down to earth.
   
• Shiva also ingested the poison that emerged from the epic churning of the ocean; hence his bluish hue.
   
• Shri Uma, also known as Parvati or Shakti (the feminine power of Shiva), is represented as his inseparable and dedicated devotee.
   

Shri Ganesh
 

• Ganesh, who has found much adoration in Hinduism, is the son of Shiva and Parvati.
   
• He is a vital aspect of Shiva’s divinity as the remover of obstacles and the bestower of good fortune; seekers look to him for wisdom.
   
• He cares for all beings, even the most insignificant mouse.
   
• Devotees see virtues symbolised in his features:
  • His large ears portray him as an excellent listener.
  • His small eyes show his attention to detail and power of discernment.
  • His round belly reveals his ability to stomach the confessed weaknesses of devotees.
     

Shivaling
 

• The rounded black stone is a Shivaling, a worshipped representation of Shiva. It represents Infinity and Eternity.
   

Nandi
 

• A devoted servant of Shiva, Nandi the bull symbolizes limitless effort and tolerance required for self-realisation.
   

• Nandi forever faces Shiva, praying for strength and guidance from him only.
   

Kach
 

• Another devout servant of Shiva, Kach the tortoise symbolises patience and perseverance.
   

• Its retracted head and four limbs urge introspection and the withdrawal of the five senses from materialism in order to control them and to focus them on worshipping God.
   

• Kach also faces Shiva, inspiring devotees to focus the senses on the divine rather than this transient world.
   

Shri Hanuman
 

• Hanuman and his army helped Rama to defeat Ravana and rescue Sita.
   
• His virtues of inner strength, alertness, loyalty, humility, patience, and other qualities of an ideal devotee-servant are an inspiration to all devotees.
   
• He inspires heroism and valour in fighting for righteousness.
   
• Seekers look to him for guidance and strength to overcome adversities; devotees pray to him asking for protection against evil forces.
   

Bhagatji Maharaj (1829-1897)
 

• Bhagatji Maharaj was the second spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
   
• Often shunned and insulted by the ignorant, his intense desire to worship God endeared him to many.
   
• He lived a life of tremendous endeavour and unfailing faith according to the wishes of his guru Gunatitanand Swami.
   
• His ideal moral and spiritual enlightenment singled him out as successor to Gunatitanand Swami despite his not being a saffron-clad ascetic and his lower social status.
   

Shastriji Maharaj (1865-1951)
 

• Shastriji Maharaj was the third spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
   
• A profound scholar of Sanskrit and the Hindu scriptures, he was also an effective orator responsible for elucidating the importance of the worship of Akshar and Purushottam. (The foundational theology of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya is the worship of Akshar and Purushottam – Bhagwan Swaminarayan along with his ideal devotee, Gunatitanand Swami. This supports the traditional Hindu doctrine of the worship of God with his ideal devotee, as in Krishna with Radha, Ram with Sita, and Shiva with Parvati).
   
• Dynamic and resolute, he overcame insurmountable odds to build five grand mandirs, consecrating within them the images of Gunatitanand Swami (Akshar) and Bhagwan Swaminarayan (Purushottam).
   
• In 1907, he formally established Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS).
   

Yogiji Maharaj (1892-1971)
 

• Yogiji Maharaj was the fourth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
   
• He inspired spiritual activities beyond the borders of India, helping Hindus in England, America and parts of Africa to preserve their faith and values.
   
• He initiated children’s and youth activities, promoting personal spirituality and service to society.
   
• In 1970, in Islington, he consecrated one of London’s first Hindu mandirs, prophesising the building of this present traditional stone mandir.
   
• His life was one of endless service, inspiring sermons, and the sharing of his profound spiritual love.
   

Pramukh Swami Maharaj (b. 1921)
 

• Pramukh Swami Maharaj is the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and the present guru of BAPS.
   
• This mandir is the fruit of his vision and blessings. It was consecrated by him on 20 August 1995.
   
• Under his leadership, BAPS has grown into a dynamic socio-spiritual organisation with over 3,300 centres worldwide.
   
• Despite his increasing age and ailments, he continues to dedicate his life to the well-being of others, travelling throughout the world to foster love, peace, harmony, righteousness, faith in God, and service to humanity.
   
• With his genuine care and compassion, he remains a “people’s guru” reaching out to all members of society irrespective of colour, class, creed or age.
   
• He is recognised and respected among Hinduism’s great spiritual teachers.
   
• He lives by and promotes the principle: “In the joy of others, lies our own.”