Swaminarayan, also known as Neelkanth Varni and Sahajanand Swami, was a spiritual leader believed by his followers to be a manifestation of Krishna. Born in 1781, he became a yogi and ascetic.
Who is Nilkanth Varni in Hinduism or Hindu mythology?
Under the guidance of his guru, Swami Ramanand, he was initiated into the Uddhava sampradaya in 1800.
Despite opposition, he assumed leadership in 1802. He later became known as Swaminarayan, and his followers formed the Swaminarayan Sampradaya.
Swaminarayan focused on moral and social improvement, emphasizing non-violence and initiating reforms for women and the poor.
During his life, he built temples, created scriptures like the Shikshapatri, and established two dioceses with hereditary leadership.
Biography
Childhood of Neelkanth varni as Ghanshyam
Travels for Sadhna as Nilkanth Varni
After Ghanshyam Pande’s parents passed away, he left his home on June 29, 1792, when he was just 11 years old. During his travels, he took on the name Nilkanth Varni.
Nilkanth Varni journeyed extensively across India and parts of Nepal in search of a hermitage that followed what he believed was a correct understanding of Vedanta, Samkhya, Yoga, and Pancaratra. To find such a place, Nilkanth Varni asked five basic questions related to Vaishnava Vedanta:
- What is Jiva?
- What is Ishvara?
- What is Maya?
- What is Brahman?
- What is Parabrahman?
During his travels, Nilkanth Varni spent nine months mastering Astanga yoga under the guidance of an aged yogic master named Gopal Yogi.
It’s said that he visited significant temples, including the Jagannath Temple in Puri, as well as places like Badrinath, Rameswaram, Nashik, Dwarka, and Pandharpur.
In 1799, after seven years of wandering, Nilkanth’s yogi journey led him to Loj, a village in Gujarat.
There, he met Muktanand Swami, a senior disciple of Ramanand Swami, who satisfactorily answered Nilkanth’s five questions. Impressed, Nilkanth decided to stay in Loj to meet Ramanand Swami, whom he encountered a few months later.
Nilkanth later shared in the Vachnamrut that during this time, he underwent severe penance to eliminate any attachment to his family.
Leadership as Sahajanand Swami
Dharma
Swaminarayan encouraged his followers to live a righteous life by combining devotion and dharma. He established a global organization rooted in Gujarati traditions, using Hindu texts and rituals as its foundation. Swaminarayan was strict about maintaining gender segregation in temples.
He advocated against practices such as meat consumption, alcohol, drugs, adultery, suicide, animal sacrifices, criminal activities, and appeasement of ghosts and tantric rituals. Even for medicinal purposes, he prohibited the consumption of alcohol.
Many followers took vows before becoming disciples. According to Swaminarayan, conquering four elements—dharma, bhakti (devotion), gnana (knowledge), and vairagya (detachment)—is crucial for ultimate salvation.
Doctrinally, Swaminarayan aligned with the eleventh-century philosopher Ramanuja and disagreed with Adi Shankara’s concept of Advaita, asserting that the supreme being is not formless and that God always has a divine form.
Relations with other religions and the British Government
Death
In 1830, Swaminarayan told his followers that he would be leaving. On June 1, 1830, he passed away, and his followers believe that he went to Akshardham, his heavenly home, after his death. Swaminarayan was cremated following Hindu rituals at Lakshmi Wadi in Gadhada.
Social views
Women
Swaminarayan believed in the right to education for everyone, including women, despite facing criticism from those who opposed the empowerment of lower-caste women. During his time, affluent families privately educated their girls, but male followers of Swaminarayan arranged for the education of their female relatives.
This led to an increase in female literacy, and women could discuss spiritual topics. Swaminarayan opposed harmful practices like sati, considering it a form of suicide. He also discouraged female infanticide by offering help with dowry expenses.
While some practices within the sect may seem restrictive to women, Swaminarayan’s efforts were seen as pioneering reforms in Hinduism during his time. He advocated for women’s rights without direct personal involvement and criticized cults that mistreated women.
Swaminarayan emphasized celibacy for ascetics and discouraged any contact between male and female ascetics.
The restrictions on women entering certain temple areas and participating in daily worship were attributed to concepts related to the menstrual cycle.
Widows were directed to remarry if they couldn’t follow the path of chastity, and those who could had specific rules to follow, including living under the control of male family members.
Despite some practices perceived as restrictive, Swaminarayan’s efforts aimed to provide women with a respected and secure place in society at that time.