Laxmi Narayan Dev Gadi

Ghanshyam Maharaj in the Akshar Bhuvan at the LaxmiNarayan Dev Gadi headquarters

The Laxmi Narayan Dev Gadi  

लक्षिमिनारायन देव गदी 

 is one of the twogadis (thrones) that together form the Swaminarayan Sampraday. It is headquartered at the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Vadtal and controls the Dakshin Vibhag.

The current Acharya of this gadi is styled Acharya Shree Rakeshprasadji Maharaj.

Nar Narayan Dev Gadi

The Naranarāyan Dēv Gadī ( नरनरायन देव गदी), named after NarNarayan Dev, is one of the two Gadis (seats) that together form the Swaminarayan Sampraday. It is headquartered at the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, Ahmedabad and controls the Uttar Vibhag.

The current Acharya of the Gadi is Acharya Shree Koshalendraprasadji Maharaj. 

Ghanshyam Maharaj Information

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.

Shree Ghanshyam Maharaj-Rajkot

BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir-Junagadh

Swaminarayan With Peacock clothes

Ghanshyam maharaj in new clothes

Ghanshyam Maharaj in white & green clothes

ghanshyam maharaj in yellow Clothes

ghanshyam maharaj in red Clothes

ghanshyam maharaj in pink Clothes

Murtidarshan in toronto

Ghanshyam Maharaj in Blue Clothes

ghanshyam maharaj

ghanshyam maharaj

Harikrishna Maharaj

Closeup images of Hari Krishna Maharaj at BAPS London Temple.

OBSERVANCE OF NIYAMS - Gems

Observance of niyams means obeying moral and spiritual commands. 

OBSERVACNE OF NIYAMS – Gem 1 

“Whethere or not one has vairagya, if one diligently observes the niyams prescribed by God, then the desires for the panchvishays can be conquered.”(Vachanamrut: Gadhada II-16) 

OBSERVANCE OF NIYAMS – Gem 2

“… One should indulge in the vishays only as prescribed in the scriptures; but one should never indulge in them by transgressing the regulations that are described in the scriptures.” (Vachanamrut: Gadhada I-8)

OBSERVANCE OF NIYAMS – Gem 3

“If Brahma and all the other demigods follow God’s commands, than how can I not follow His injunctions? Bearing this in mind, he always abides by the niyams prescribed by God.” (Vachanamrut: Vartal-3) 

OBSERVANCE OF NIYAMS – Gem 4

“Like a village that has a fort, life too has forts in the form of five-cardinal vows. And in that, like the sentry point, we have niyams. Just as the sentry point protects the fort, the niyams protect the vows. So know the laxity in niyams as breaches in life.” (Swmini Vato: 5.100)

OBSERVANCE OF NIYAMS – Gem 5

“The bonds of dharma do not bind, but are the means to liberation.” –Pramukh Swami Maharaj

OBSERVANCE OF NIYAMS - Prasang 1

 Shining Character

Sagram Vaghri of Limli village was a genuine devotee of Shriji Maharaj. Though he was low-born, by character he was noble and towering. The severe famine of VC 1869 (1813 CE) had spread its tentacles of suffering and death on the land of Kathiawad. Many migrated to souther Gujarat to survive and eke out a livelihood.

Sagram Vaghri and his wife, too, were heading optimistically towards the town of Surat. On the way Sagram’s eyes fell on a shiny ornament. It was an expensive silver anklet that someone had lost. Despite his poverty, Sagram had no desire to take it. But he thought of his wife who was a few furlongs behind him. Being a woman she would be enticed to take it, and it would amount to a transgression of Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s words. So thinking, Sagram covered the anklet with mud.

After a while when his wife caught up with him, she asked, “What were you doing sitting down a little while back?” Sagram revealed to her about the silver anklet and added, “To prevent you from seeing it, I covered it with mud.”

“why did you cover mud upon mud? I see another’s possession as mud!” Sagram’s wife nobly responded. Sagram was surprised and fascinated by his wife’s resolve.

Even in spite of hard times, Sagram remained steadfast to Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s instruction of not talking a thing lying on the wayside. And his wife perceived another’s belonging as mud!

The strength of one’s character is reflected in hard times.