Swaminarayan | Philosophy

Philosophy:

Bhagwan Swaminarayan's philosophy, known as Navya Viśiṣṭādvaita (Neo-qualified non-dualism), upholds the existence of the 5 eternal realities, namely: Jīva, Īśvara, Māyā, Brahman and Parabrahman.

Jīva (Soul) is sentient (chaitanya), subtle and is the knower (jñatva) and enjoyer (Bhoktā) of things. He is immutable, unpierceable, indivisible and eternal.

Jīvas are infinite in number and bound by vāsanās (impressions and desires from past births and present birth) according to their karmas.

Īśvaras transcend Jīva. Each Īśvara is a conscious spiritual being, possessing excellence involved in the creation, sustenance and destruction of the universe.

They also are infinite in number and bound by Māyā.

Parabrahman is the inner Ruler and Controller (Antaryāmin) of both Jīva and Īśvara.

Just as the gross, subtle and causal are the three bodies of Jīva, similarly, Virāṭ, Sūtrātmā and Avyākṛta are the three bodies of Īśvara.

Māyā or Prakṛti is triguṇatmika - consisting of the 3 guṇas - sattva, rajas and tamas.

Its nature is of ignorance and darkness, and is also the instrument - Śakti of Parabrahman. It is non-sentient primordial matter out of which the whole universe is evolved. Difficult to transcend, it is the cause of attachment of the Jīvas and Īśvaras to their bodies and bodily relations.

Brahman, also known as Akṣara, is the highest eternal reality beyond which stands only Puruṣottama or Parabrahman. Akṣara as - personal is the choicest devotee, eternally in the service of Lord Puruṣottama, in the highest abode.

This same Akṣara also serves Lord Puruṣottama as His infinitely effulgent abode (Dham), wherein Lord Puruṣottama and innumerable released souls reside.

It is the same Akṣara who, as infinite, homogeneous, all-pervading, sentient - space (Cidākāśa) pervades within and without an infinite number of universes and every element thereof.

And, it is the same Akṣara, who in the form of the Param Ekāṅta Sadhu, perennially manifests on earth to redeem the seekers of moksha. Akṣara is also the medium who embodies Lord Puruṣottama fully in his person.

Parabrahman or Puruṣottama is the Supreme Reality. He possesses an infinite number of kalyankari (redemptive) attributes:

He transcends Jīva, Īśvara, Māyā and Brahman, and is immanent in them, they being absolutely dependent on Him. He is the cause, controller, sustainer, redeemer, the support of all and dispenser of the fruits of all karmas. He alone is independent.

He is also the indwelling spirit, Antaryāmin, of the other four realities. He is eternally full of divine bliss and has eternally a divine form, shaped like a human being.

Nothing transcends Parabrahman. He is the goal for meditational worship - of upāsanā, by all, including Akṣarbrahman.

He is one and unparalleled and is commonly known as Paramātma, Param-Puruṣa, Parameśvara, Purṇa Puruṣottama and Nārāyaṇa.

Concept of Moksha

Bhagwan Swaminarayan elaborates moksha or final emancipation, known as Atyantik Mukti in the Sampradāya, in the following manner:

Jīva is bound by avidya-karma (Māyā). This is ignorance, a delusion of the Jīva. Therefore, in order to be rid of this ignorance, the Jīva has to develop Ātmaniṣṭha - the knowledge that he is not the body, but Ātmā.

But to transcend Māyā, this type of mere (samānya) Ātmaniṣṭha is not enough. A higher (viśeṣa) Ātmaniṣṭha needs to be realised - in which the Ātmā identifies itself with Akṣarbrahman to become Akṣara-rūpa - like Akṣara. This is known as true jñāna and true Ātmaniṣṭha.

The liberated soul, Akṣara mukta, then becomes eligible to worship Parabrahman - the Lord Puruṣottama, in Akṣardham.

This is in consonance with the Taittirīya Upanishad:

Brahmavid apnoti Param.
i.e. One who knows Brahman attains Parabrahman.

'Attaining' Parabrahman does not mean merging in Him, as water merges with water, or light into light. The servitor - Master relationship - Swami-Sevaka bhava, always prevails. The individuality of the Sevaka - the mukta always remains.

To become Akṣara-rūpa, the Jīva has to associate with the Sat-puruṣa who is the manifest form of Akṣarbrahman, the living embodiment of Ekāṅta Dharma, known also as Bhāgavata Dharma in the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Only then does the gateway of moksha open for the Jīva when he associates with the Sat-puruṣa.

In the Swaminarayan Sampradāya, its founder, Bhagwan Swaminarayan is worshipped as Parabrahman (Puruṣottama), the Supreme Reality, while Gunatitanand Swami, His ideal Bhakta, is worshipped as Akṣarbrahman.

Akṣarbrahman occupies the same place which Shri Lakṣmī and Rādhā occupy in the Vaiṣṇava schools of Vedanta. Therefore in spite of being a form of pure Vaishnavism, it is popularly known as Akṣara Puruṣottama Swaminarayan Sampradāya, and its philosophy is best described as Neo-Viśiṣṭādvaita.

After incarnating on earth, Parabrahman Bhagwan Swaminarayan, manifests continuously through the Gunatit Guru, the Param Ekāṅta Sadhu, the living embodiment of Akṣarbrahman.

Today, His Divine Holiness Pramukh Swami Mahārāja is the current manifest form of Akṣarbrahman.