Pramukh Swami Maharaj,gujarat

Pramukh Swami Maharaj (born Shantilal Patel; ordained Shastri Narayanswarupdas; 7 December 1921 – 13 August 2016) was an Indian guru and Pramukh, or president, of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, an internationalHindu socio-spiritual organization. BAPS regards him as the fifth spiritual successor of Swaminarayan, followingGunatitanand Swami, Bhagatji Maharaj, Shastriji Maharaj, and Yogiji Maharaj. He was believed by his followers to be in constant communion with Swaminarayan, and ontologically, the manifestation of Akshar, the eternal abode of Swaminarayan.^[1]

Pramukh Swami Maharaj received initiation as a Hindu Swami in 1940 from Shastriji Maharaj, the founder of BAPS, who later appointed him as President of BAPS in 1950. Yogiji Maharaj declared Pramukh Swami Maharaj to be his spiritual successor and guru of BAPS, a role he commenced in 1971.

As president of BAPS, Pramukh Swami Maharaj had overseen the growth of BAPS from an organization centered inGujarat, India, to one spread around the world, maintaining many Hindu Mandirs and centers outside of India. He built more than 1,100 Hindu temples, including the Swaminarayan Akshardham temples in New Delhi and Gandhinagar, Gujarat.^[2] He had also spearheaded the efforts of BAPS Charities, which is the charitable service organization affiliated with BAPS. Pramukh Swami Maharaj is succeeded as the guru and President of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha byMahant Swami Maharaj.^[3]

"Param Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj's improving health had allowed him to give regular darshan on alternate days but once again his health has weakened due to chest infection. Doctors have advised complete rest. Hence there will be no darshan until his health permits," the BAPS statement said.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj was the fifth spiritual successor in Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s succession of Gunatit gurus.

"For more than seven decades he had been travelling tirelessly, visiting over 17,000 towns and villages in India and abroad. However, for the last two years, because of old age and frail health, he had been residing at the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Sarangpur under the able care of expert doctors," BAPS said in a statement.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj was born on 7 December, 1921 to a farmer’s family in the nondescript village of Chansad, near Vadodara in Gujarat.

"In 1939, he renounced home to become a renunciate and received initiation into the sadhu-fold from his guru, Brahmaswarup Shastriji Maharaj and was named Sadhu Narayanswarupdas," the statement said.

Giving a timeline of the important moments of his life, the statement said, "On completing his Sanskrit studies, he was appointed as the kothari of the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Sarangpur in 1946 at the age of 25 years. Then in 1950, aged 28 years, Shastriji Maharaj selected him as the President (Pramukh) of BAPS in his place. Since then, he had been fondly known as ‘Pramukh Swami’."

Pramukh Swami Maharaj was known for his "untiring efforts in uplifting the tribals, liberating thousands from vices and addictions, providing relief and rehabilitation to innumerable people in times of calamity and catastrophe, and inspiring character and faith in hundreds of thousands of children and youths were some of his many outstanding services to society."

During his lifetime, the spiritual leader created and consecrated 1,100 mandirs and huge cultural complexes like Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi and Gandhinagar to portray the cultural and spiritual heritage of India.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj had also interacted with many heads of states and spiritual leaders.

"These include His Holiness The Dalai Lama, India’s late president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Prince Charles, former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, the late Sheikh Isa bin Salman al Khalifa of Bahrain, and many royals, heads of state and other dignitaries," the statement said.