Shikshapatri means The Code of Precepts. It is the direct words and teachings of the founder of the tradition of Hinduism known as Swaminarayan Hinduism. Bhagwan Swaminarayan Himself wrote this quintessence of the scriptures, a code of conduct for the devotees, in Vadtal, in 1826. It contains 212 Sanskrit verses in couplets. Bhagwan Swaminarayan has covered an amazing range of

1. Bocāsanvāsī Akṣara Puruṣottama Svāmīnārāyan Sansthā Bocāsanvāsī Akṣara Puruṣottama Sansthā ( BAPS ), is a Hindu denomination within the Svāmīnārāyaṇa Saṁpradāya . It was formed, by Yajñapuruṣdās ( Śāstriji Mahārāj ), on the principle that Svāmīnārāyan was to remain present on earth through a lineage of Gurus dating all the way back to Guṇatitānand Svāmī – one of Svāmīnārāyaṇa ’s

Teenage Yogi: In the Purāṇas, the name Nīlakaṇṭha is associated with Lord Shiva, who drank the world's poison to redeem it. In the process, the poison turned his throat blue; N īla meaning blue, Kaṇṭha , the neck. Ghanshyam's sojourns, through the forests of India, also attributed Him the name Nīlakaṇṭha , for His pilgrimage was to redeem. He first

Divine Leadership: Nīlakaṇṭha met Rāmānanda Swami in June 1800, ten months after the former's arrival in Gujarat. On 20th October 1800, in a village named Piplana, Rāmānanda initiated 19 year old Nīlakaṇṭha as a sadhu, naming Him Swami Sahajānand and Narayan Muni . As a 'disciple' (bhakta) craving for God (Bhagwan), the sixty-two-year- old guru so doted young Sahajānand, that

Uplift of Women In eighteenth century Gujarat, there existed 4 main Sampradāyas: Śaiva, Vaishnava, Jain and Śakta: Of them, the Śakta flourished rapidly. Two factors boosted this spread: ignorance and the hedonistic psyche of the people, who indulged in meat, alcohol and adultery. With its branches of Vāma, Kaula, Cholio and others, the Śakta Sampradāya had also perverted religion by

Disciple: A Christian author, M.C. Parekh has observed: 'Few teachers of religion in the history of the world have been able to inspire in their own lifetime in their followers such loyalty and faithfulness as Swami Sahajānand.’: - Ruthless looters surrendered to Him. - Warring tribes renounced their predatory living for a God-centred life. - Low caste members excelled Brahmins

Ascetics: On accepting the reins of the Fellowship, to aid His work, Bhagwan Swaminarayan began to initiate the highest order of ascetics known as Paramahamsas - the supreme swans. At the age of only 23, He initiated five hundred Paramahamsas in one day. His divinity attracted laymen and sannyasins throughout the land. Some sannyasins were themselves heads of monasteries and

Scriptures: Bhagwan Swaminarayan's principal objective in incarnating was to establish Ekāṅta Dharma, which opened an eternal path to moksha for Jīvas. Yet historians and writers have ascribed the phrase 'Social Reformer' to Him. Not having an in-depth knowledge of the Sampradāya and won over by the revolutionary and thus socially visible work, these writers could not help laud Him as

Mandirs: As an adjunct to the scriptures in establishing Ekāṅta Dharma and consolidating the framework of the Satsang, Bhagwan Swaminarayan constructed magnificent stone Mandirs - buttressing Upāsanā - worshipping God in all His greatness and glory, and bhakti - unalloyed devotion. Towards the end of His second decade of work, He placed a greater emphasis on bhakti over detachment -