His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj

His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj is the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and the present guru of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. He is the vision and inspiration behind BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, and under his leadership, BAPS has grown into a dynamic spiritual organisation with over 3,300 centres worldwide.
Despite his increasing age and ailments, Pramukh Swami Maharaj continues to dedicate his life for the well-being of others, travelling throughout the world to foster love, peace, harmony, righteousness, faith in God, and community service. His compassion for humanity, deep concern for its problems, and conscious efforts to alleviate them have inspired international moral, social, educational, cultural and spiritual projects. His striking humility, wisdom and spirituality have touched many world religious and national leaders, and inspired millions to lead a God-centred, moral life guided by Hindu principles. Driven by his quiet, undisturbed love for God, and with his genuine care and compassion, he remains a “people’s guru” reaching out to all, irrespective of age, class, colour or creed.
Pramukh Swami Maharaj is recognised and respected as one of Hinduism’s great spiritual teachers.
He lives by and preaches the message: “In the joy of others, lies our own.”

Profile

• Birth: 7 December 1921; Magshar Sud 8, VS 1978
• Birthplace: Chansad, Gujarat
• Initiation: 10 January 1940; Posh Sud 1, VS 1996
• Guru: Brahmaswarup Shastriji Maharaj
• Spiritual Head since: 23 January 1971; Posh Vad 11, VS 2027
• Villages visited: Over 15,500
• Countries visited: Over 50
• Homes sanctified: Over 250,000
• Letters read and replied: Over 500,000
• Personally counselled and comforted: Over 810,000 people
• Discourses delivered: Over 20,000
• Mandirs built and consecrated: Over 1,070
• Sadhu disciples: Over 890

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Pramukh Swami Maharaj

The Inspirer and Present Guru of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha He has a heart wherein the whole world can live Content: Birth Diksha Put My Mind At Peace Yogiji Maharaj Has Not Left Us Sadhus Are My Heart Guru Bhakti Neither Night, Nor Day It's Me, Pramukh Swami! Panch Vartman After You, My Lord My Satsangi Laugh And Make Play Follow The Leader Bettering People, Bettering Society A Friend In Need Spiritual Teachings Made Simple With Blessings Wings of Gold Interviews Through The Eyes of Other The present spiritual leader of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Sanstha (BAPS), Pramukh Swami Maharaj, represents a succession of spirituality that began a little over 200 years ago in 1781. The year marked the birth of the founder of the Swaminarayan Faith, Lord Swaminarayan (1781-1830). Born in the village of Chhapaiya, near Ayodhya, in North India, Lord Swaminarayan renounced home at the age of 11 to embark on a pilgrimage on foot that took him across the length and breadth of India. He received initiation from a Vaishnav Guru, Ramanand Swami, and eventually settled in Western India. He spent the next 30 years of His life in Gujarat and Kathiawad, spearheading a socio-spiritual revolution. With a faithful following of 2000 sadhus, He established the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. He introduced innovative social reforms and undertook charitable work to help the poor and needy. In the tradition of the Bhakti Sampradaya He constructed six grand temples. His work concentrated on promoting personal morality and moulding spiritual character. In His own lifetime, He was worshipped as God by some two million devotees. By the time He passed away at the age of 49 He had earned a reputation as a great socio-religious reformer. The movement He founded emerged as one of the purest forms of Hinduism. Through His spiritual presence, Lord Swaminarayan continues to provide energy and experience through a succession of God-realised spiritual masters. The first guru in the succession was His choicest devotee, Gunatitanand Swami (1785-1867), the manifestation of Aksharbrahman. He in turn was followed by Bhagatji Maharaj (1829-1897). After him, Shastriji Maharaj (1865-1951) furthered the teachings by establishing the philosophy of Akshar and Purushottam. In consonance with the teachings of Lord Swaminarayan, Shastriji Maharaj propagated the worship of Lord Swaminarayan as Purushottam and Gunatitanand Swami as Aksharbrahman. He built five glorious temples and established the dual worship of God along with His choicest devotee. He founded the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Sanstha (BAPS) - a socio-spiritual organization in 1907. The fourth spiritual master was Yogiji Maharaj (1892-1971), whose work spread the message of Lord Swaminarayan overseas to East Africa and England, also planting seeds in the USA. He passed away after placing the oars of the Faith in the hands of Pramukh Swami Maharaj in 1971. Under his able leadership and guidance, BAPS has continued to contribute to the peace and harmony of society. Inspired by Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the Sanstha has enjoyed remarkable success in international festivals celebrated in 1981 (Bicentenary Celebrations of Lord Swaminarayan), 1985 (Bicentenary Celebrations of Gunatitanand Swami) and 1992 (Centenary Celebrations of Yogiji Maharaj). The spectacular ‘Cultural Festivals of India’ held in London, 1985 and in New Jersey, 1991 were overwhelmingly successful in conveying the timeless messages from the rich heritage and culture of India. A whole array of educational, enviromental, medical, social, moral, cultural, spiritual and other humanitarian activities flourish under Swamishri's guidance. Swamishri himself leads an austere life, without personal gains or comforts. Possessing nothing, wanting nothing, he goes around giving his all. Despite his age, he untiringly travels from tiny tribal huts to modern metropolitan cities all over the world, promoting a virtuous life full of moral and spiritual power. At his tender word, thousands have shed addictions and walked the path of God. His striking humility, profound wisdom and simplicity have touched many. His love for mankind and respect for all religions is weaving a fabric of cultural unity, interfaith harmony and universal peace. The sole reason behind his unique success is a deep and fluent communion with God.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Inspirer & Masterbuilder, London

Pramukh Swami Maharaj- Inspirer & Masterbuilder

PRAMUKH Swamishri's Puja Darshan

14 November 2012 - HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj's Vicharan, Ahmedabad

New Year Celebrations with Pramukh Swami Maharaj in Ahmedabad, India

The day after Diwali, as per the Hindu ‘Vikram’ calendar, marks the start of a new year. It is celebrated in BAPS Swaminarayan Mandirs around the world with an ‘Annakut’, an offering of various varieties of food specially prepared for the occasion.
This year, Shri Harikrishna Maharaj (Thakorji) and HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj graced the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Ahmedabad with their presence on this auspicious day.
The first arti of the year at the Ahmedabad mandir was the Mangla Arti at 5:30am, followed by the abhishek of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. A grand mahapuja was conducted by senior sadhus with the participation of devotees. Pujya Viveksagar Swami and Pujya Doctor Swami blessed the audience with their addresses.
Sadhus and volunteers had worked for the past few days to prepare the food and decorations, which were arranged artistically in the mandir. The food items ranged from traditional vegetable preparations and curries from all regions of India; snacks such as chaat and namkeens from North India and farsan from Western India; some vegetarian items from other countries such as Mexico and China; desserts such as ice creams and puddings with soups and fresh juices; sweets and savouries such as shrikhand, jalebi and basundi; bakery items such as biscuits and breads; decoratively carved fresh fruits and freshly prepared salads, and many other items, all prepared as per Swaminarayan vegetarian principles with cleanliness and hygiene. A total of 1,252 different varieties of such items was served in the mandir to the deities.
Swamishri performed the Annakut Arti in the mandir to the Deities and the murti of Nilkanth Varni installed in the center of all the food items. He then visited the sabha hall to grace the New Year Assembly, where all the thousands of gathered devotees sang the prayer, ‘Mahabalvant maya tamari…’ in unison.
The Annakut – literally, ‘mountain of food’ – is a devout offering of the first meal of the New Year as a symbol of gratitude to God and to seek His blessings. Swamishri and the sadhus prayed for all devotees to be able to progress spiritually in the new year, with greater bhakti towards Bhagwan Swaminarayan.