Swaminarayan sect is a recent tradition in the Vaishnava denomination of Hinduism. It is also called as Swaminarayan faith or the Swaminarayan sect. it consists of an amalgamation of followers or disciples who offer their devotion and worship Swaminarayan. The Swaminarayan faith has a large percentage of Gujarati Hindus who are followers of Swaminarayan.
Ideologies of Swaminarayan Sect
The Swaminarayan sect led by Swaminarayan has been notable in upholding the basic Gujarati culture and its traditions. The disciples of Swaminarayan bear a belief that their Guru Swaminarayan was an incarnation of Narayana and descended from Badarikashram, the abode of Nara Narayana. According to legend Narayana was cursed by sage Durvasa which he had willingly accepted and thus incarnated as saint Swaminarayan. It is believed that Swaminarayan descended on this earth to obliterate all evil and institute ekantik-dharma, religion based on morality, knowledge, detachment and devotion.
Swaminarayan had dedicated his life for the upliftment of the common masses and also rendered social service. His disciples are instructed to chant the mantra of `Sri Krishna Smarnam Mama and wear Urdhva Pundra Tilak markings on their forehead. They are also instructed to worship Lord Krishna in the temple. The disciples also abide by the philosophies of the sect that has been laid by Swaminarayan himself.
Vishishtadvaita, Philosophy of Swaminarayan Sect
The teachings of Swaminaryan are considered as qualified non-dualism or vishishtadvaita. According to it the one and infinite Brahmin or the supreme Godhead has many attributes and qualities. He is the supreme tattva who has the ability to manifest himself into five fundamental realities, or modes which stands as real as a Brahmin himself. The five fundamental realities or modes of Brahman are:
1. Parabrahman: According to Swaminaryan a Brahmin is the transcendental supreme, the highest reality, the supreme Godhead, the Purusa or Sriman who has everything in himself.
2. Aksharabrahman: According to Swaminaryan one who rises from the waters is the manifested immanent Brahman. A Brahman is Narayana or Lord Vishnu himself who stands as the supporter of all. He also incarnates from time to time to set things right. His indispensable nature is infinite bliss and infinite knowledge.
3. Iswara: Swaminaryan says that a Brahmin is considered as the cosmic soul or Paramatma on whom resta all sentient beings (bhoktas) and non-sentient objects (bhogyam). His important attribute is Truth or satyam, Knowledge or jnanam, infinity also known as anantam, bliss known as anandam and purity also known as amalatvam. He is without blemish and full of auspicious qualities.
4. Jiva: Swaminaryan says it is the individual soul which is described as a dynamic principle (chetana tattva) whose essential nature is self-consciousness (jnanasvarupa) and bliss (anandasvarupa). The souls are of three types, the bonded souls (baddha), the freed souls (mukta) and forever free souls (nitya).
5. Maya or Prakriti: According to Swaminaryan it is the Mother Nature or primeval substance. It has three basic qualities imbibed in it sattva, rajas and tamas. It is constantly subject to modifications. At the end of the creation it becomes unmanifest (avyakta) and at the beginning it remains manifested (vyakta). In its first manifested form it has 23 tattvas or principles of which the first is mahat and the last earth prithvi.
Swaminarayan has also highlighted the value of nurturing of virtues, practice of dharma, pure devotion to God, image worship, meditation upon the name and forms of God, visits to temple, celibacy, control of the mind and senses, service to people in the liberation of individual souls.
