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FAQs
- Related to BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha
General
- Is the Swaminarayan Sampraday
a part of Hinduism?
- What are the unique aspects
of the Swaminarayan Sampraday?
- What are the basic practices
of the followers of the Swaminarayan Sampraday?
- How does a person join
the Swaminarayan Sampraday?
- When and by whom was the
BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha established?
- Why the name Bochasanwasi
Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS)?
- What are the main aims
and objectives of BAPS?
- What is the basic philosophy
of BAPS?
- What is the relationship
between BAPS and the Swaminarayan Sampraday?
- How many followers does
the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha have?
- Is BAPS a social organization?
- What does BAPS Swaminarayan
Sanstha do to promote family values?
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Q.1 Is the Swaminarayan
Sampraday a part of Hinduism?
A. Yes, the Swaminarayan
Sampraday is most definitely a part of Hinduism. The doctrine
given by Bhagwan Swaminarayan is firmly rooted in the traditional
Hindu scriptures.
Hinduism is a religion that encompasses many beliefs and deities,
and allows for diversity of thought. Nevertheless, there are
certain universal principles that bind all of the various branches
of Hinduism. The Swaminarayan Sampraday, a branch of Hinduism,
firmly adheres to these universal principles. Bhagwan Swaminarayan
has advocated the common aspects, namely:
Parabrahma: |
Belief in one
Supreme, all-powerful God. He is the creator and has a divine
form. He is immanent, transcendent and the giver of moksha
(see below). |
Avtarvad: |
The manifestation
of God on earth. God Himself incarnates on earth in various
forms to revive dharma and grant moksha. |
Karmavad: |
The law of action.
The soul reaps fruits, good or bad, according to its past
and present actions; these fruits are experienced either
in this life or in future lives. God is the giver of the
fruits of everyone's actions. |
Punarjanma: |
Reincarnation.
The immortal soul is continuously born and reborn in any
one of 8,400,000 species until it attains moksha. |
Moksha: |
Ultimate
liberation. This is the goal of human life. Moksha is the
liberation of the soul from the cycle of births and deaths;
thereafter, it remains eternally in the service of God in
His abode. |
Guru-Shishya
relationship: |
Master-disciple
relationship. The guidance and grace of a spiritually perfect
master, revered as the embodiment of God, is essential for
an aspirant seeking moksha. |
Dharma: |
That which sustains
the universe. An all-encompassing term representing: divine
law, law of being, path of righteousness, religion, duty,
responsibility, virtue, justice, goodness and truth. |
Ved
praman: |
The scriptural
authority of the Vedas. All Hindu Sampradays are based on
the teachings of the Vedas. |
Murti-puja: |
Idol worship.
Consecrated images, which represent the presence of God,
are worshipped. The image is a medium to help devotees offer
their devotion to God. |
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Q.2
What are the unique aspects
of the Swaminarayan Sampraday?
A. Hinduism is
a fellowship of sampradays and religious organizations and
a federation of philosophies. It allows freedom of reflection
for the different types of thinkers and philosophers all over
the world. What appeals to one may not appeal to another,
hence the need for different perspectives. All philosophies
of Hinduism are points of view; they are true in their own
way; they take the aspirant step by step, stage by stage,
till he reaches the pinnacle of spiritual glory. The different
branches of Hinduism have their respective mandirs, leaders,
holy places, holy days and holy books, yet are all united
with each other (see "Is
the Swaminarayan Sampraday a part of Hinduism?").
Unity in diversity is one of the distinctive facets of Hinduism,
allowing each aspirant to choose his own path for the same
goal, moksha (ultimate liberation).
The Swaminarayan Sampraday's doctrine is firmly rooted in
the ancient Hindu scriptures. There are many principles in
the Hindu scriptures to which the Swaminarayan Sampraday gives
special importance.
Although all Hindus believe in one God, each branch worships
God through different names and incarnations. In the Swaminarayan
Sampraday that supreme Godhead is Bhagwan Swaminarayan Himself.
There are a few main schools of thought in Hinduism (e.g.
Dvait, Vishishtadvait, Advait
) all based on the Vedas
and other scriptures. Bhagwan Swaminarayan established the
Navya-Vishishtadvait school of thought. The main principle
of Navya-Vishishtadvait is that there are five eternal entities:
jiva, ishwar, maya, Brahma and Parabrahma (see
"What is the basic philosophy of
the Swaminarayan Sampraday?")
Followers of the Swaminarayan Sampraday, like all Hindus,
bow down to all deities, but offer their worship and prayers
to Bhagwan Swaminarayan - the principal deity. Similarly,
in most Swaminarayan mandirs you will find murtis of Radha-Krishna,
Sita-Ram, Shiv-Parvati, Hanuman and Ganapati, but in the central
shrine of the mandir you will always find the murtis of Bhagwan
Swaminarayan accompanied by His ideal devotee, Aksharbrahma
Gunatitanand Swami.
Although the Swaminarayan Sampraday shares the same scriptures,
festivals, places of pilgrimage and vows as most Hindus, it
also gives special significance to those related to Bhagwan
Swaminarayan:
- Although the Vedas, Upanishads
and other Hindu scriptures are significant in the Swaminarayan
Sampraday, the scriptures that are read and practiced are
1) The Vachanamrut: A written record of selected
discourses given by Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
2) The Shikshapatri: A code of conduct written by
Bhagwan Swaminarayan Himself.
- Like most Hindus, the followers
of the Swaminarayan Sampraday celebrate Diwali, Ramnavmi,
Janmashtmi and other Hindu festivals. Besides these, the
birth of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and His spiritual successors
are also celebrated.
- Although the main Hindu places
of pilgrimage, such as Badrinath, Somnath, Ayodhya, Vrundavan,
the Ganga river, etc., are revered, there is also great
significance given to the places sanctified by Bhagwan Swaminarayan
during His lifetime, as well as the Swaminarayan mandirs
in India and abroad.
- Also in the Swaminarayan Sampraday
you will find special emphasis on codes of conduct for both
householders and sadhus. These codes of conduct are not
new, and are commonly practiced by most Hindus (e.g. Ahimsa
- not killing or harming, murti puja); but they have been
given special significance by Bhagwan Swaminarayan (e.g.
perfect celibacy, also known as eight-fold celibacy, and
renunciation of wealth for the sadhus).
In the Swaminarayan Sampraday,
a person is not a devotee simply because he has a certain
set of beliefs, but rather, along with those beliefs, the
devotee is actively engaged in spiritual rituals, i.e.,
the daily worship of God, going to the mandir to pay homage
and attending spiritual discourses, etc. The Swaminarayan
Sampraday is also very active in the fields of moral, social,
cultural, ecological and educational care through its relief
work, mandirs, schools, anti-addiction campaigns, etc. The
followers also voluntarily help in such activities.
Thus the Swaminarayan is very much a part of Hinduism but
the main difference is that Bhagwan Swaminarayan is worshipped
as the supreme Godhead. As a result, more significance is
given to the scriptures, festivals, places of pilgrimage
and vows given by Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
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Q.3
What are the basic practices of
the followers of the Swaminarayan Sampraday?
A. Summary
The five most basic practices of the followers are practices that
express the Hindu ideals of satya (truth), daya (compassion),
ahimsa (non-violence), brahmacharya (celibacy) and asteya (non-stealing).
Followers do not consume alcohol or meat. They do not steal or
engage in sex outside of marriage. Followers also maintain purity
of conduct and practice customs that express the higher ideals
of dharma (righteous conduct as prescribed by the scriptures),
gnan (knowledge of God and one's true self), vairagya (detachment
from worldly pleasures), and bhakti (devotion to God).
Detailed Answer
Every religion has its own set of fundamental ideals. The followers
of the religion strive to attain those ideals by imbibing a variety
of practices into their daily living. As the Swaminarayan Sampraday
is a branch of Hinduism, the basic practices of its followers
have their roots in the fundamental principles of Hinduism.
Hindu Ideals
Hindus believe that a person is no different from an animal until
he imbibes the four basic ideals of satya (truth), daya (compassion),
ahimsa (non-violence), and brahmacharya (celibacy). Only then
does he truly become human. Furthermore, in Hinduism, an ordinary
human being becomes a devotee of God as he or she strives to imbibe
the four higher ideals of dharma (righteous conduct as prescribed
by the scriptures), gnan (knowledge of God and one's true self),
vairagya (detachment from worldly pleasures), and bhakti (devotion
to God). The basic practices of the Swaminarayan Sampraday are
based on these fundamental ideals of Hinduism.
Practices that express these ideals
The five most basic practices of the followers of the Swaminarayan
Sampraday are practices that express the Hindu ideals of satya,
daya, ahimsa, brahmacharya and asteya. These practices, which
are said to elevate a person to the level of a human being, are
as follows: Followers do not
(1) consume alcohol
(2) eat meat
(3) steal
(4) engage in sex outside of marriage
(5) and they maintain purity of conduct.
In order to progress spiritually, the devotees also practice spiritual
endeavours that express the higher ideals of dharma, gnan, vairagya
and bhakti.
Basic practices which express dharma
- Followers maintain a purity
of diet. In addition to a vegetarian diet, followers do
not consume onions or garlic since these substances induce
the rajas and tamas gunas, which are known to lead to spiritual
regress.
- Followers refrain from addiction
to nicotine, tobacco, marijuana, and other drugs and intoxicating
substances.
- Followers maintain a sense
of respect for their parents and elders.
- Followers donate one-tenth
or one-twentieth of their earnings to the organization.
Basic practices
that express gnan
- Followers read the scriptures
of the Swaminarayan Sampraday daily. It is by regular reading
and contemplation that they acquire a greater understanding
of scriptural concepts.
- Followers regularly attend
weekly spiritual discourses and assemblies at BAPS mandirs
or centres. Through these assemblies, they gain a deeper
insight and knowledge of the Swaminarayan Sampraday. As
followers listen, contemplate, and imbibe these discourses
into their own lives, they move closer to attaining true
knowledge.
Basic practices
that express vairagya
- Followers fast on the day
of Ekadashi. Ekadashi is the eleventh day of each half of
each lunar month. The degree and type of fast observed depends
on the staunchness and health of the individual.
- Followers strive to develop
attachment only to God and not to material things.
Basic practices
that express bhakti
- Followers personally perform
puja every morning. This is a devotional ritual of prayer
and worship which all followers perform every morning after
having a bath and before eating or drinking anything.
- Followers attend daily arti
in the mandir or perform it at home.
- Followers offer thal to God
daily. Thal is the devotional offering of food items to
God before one consumes them.
- Followers chant the Swaminarayan
mantra daily.
- Followers perform mansi puja
daily. Mansi puja is mental worship of God and the guru.
In mansi puja, the follower devotionally serves God and
the guru through visualization. The fruits of such devotion
are similar to the fruits of actually serving God and the
guru in person.
- Followers sing kirtans regularly;
kirtans are devotional songs which have been composed by
various poets of the Swaminarayan Sampraday and other Hindu
Sampradays.
- Followers regularly go to
the nearby mandir for darshan of the deities. To have darshan
is to see the deities with intense devotion and glory.
Other common practices
of the Swaminarayan Sampraday include:
- Followers perform seva regularly.
Seva is a wide array of voluntary services that the followers
take part in. Seva can be said to be any voluntary service
performed in the realm of the organization with the intent
to please and serve God and the guru. Typical types of seva
include tasks as diverse as housekeeping, maintenance, preparing
food, serving food, washing utensils, decoration, public
relations and correspondence.
- Followers perform ghar sabha
daily. Ghar sabha is a family assembly wherein all the family
members daily sit together for approximately half an hour
to pray to God, engage in scriptural reading, discuss their
day and understand each other.
- Followers take part in the
celebration of samaiyos. Samaiyos are sacred festival days
in the Hindu calendar. They range from the sanctified birthdates
of God, His avatars and His Sadhus, to the celebrations
of Diwali, Annakut, Rath Yatra ,etc.
A more comprehensive list of the basic
practices of Swaminarayan followers is found within the 212 shlokas
of the Shikshapatri, a scripture written by Bhagwan Swaminarayan
as a code of conduct for His followers.
Practices in the context of sadhana
In accordance with the basic philosophy of the Swaminarayan Sampraday,
the core of all sadhanas (spiritual endeavors) to one's salvation
is striving to please and receive the grace of the guru. Only
by the grace of the guru can one attain salvation. Therefore,
all of the aforementioned basic practices and all of the advanced
practices of the followers of the Swaminarayan Sampraday are done
with the intention of receiving the grace of the guru.
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Q.4
How does a person join the Swaminarayan
Sampraday?
A. Summary
A person joins the Swaminarayan Sampraday through a simple ritual
called 'vartman'. In this ritual, one receives a 'kanthi' (a double
string of special wooden beads) which one wears around the neck,
and one pledges a willingness to obey the commands of the guru
and Bhagwan Swaminarayan. One can undergo the vartman ritual and
obtain a kanthi by going to any local BAPS center and meeting
the local sadhus or senior devotees.
Detailed Answer
A person joins the Swaminarayan Sampraday through a simple ritual
called 'vartman'. In this ritual, one receives a kanthi which
one wears continuously around the neck, and one expresses a willingness
to obey the commands of the guru and Bhagwan Swaminarayan. One
can undergo the vartman ritual at any local BAPS center and obtain
a kanthi at the hands of a sadhu or senior devotee. Women may
receive the vartman from the senior women followers of the local
center.
Vartman
Any aspirant wishing to become a follower is initiated into the
Swaminarayan Sampraday through the vartman ritual. In this ritual,
a few drops of sanctified water are held in the right palm. A
mantra is then spoken by the initiator, usually a sadhu. The mantra
is then repeated by the new aspirant. The mantra spoken is:
Kal maya pap karma yam-doot bhayadaham,
Swaminarayan-sharanam prapannosmi sa patu mam.
(I take refuge of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. May He deliver me from
the fear of kal, maya, sin, karma, and evil. May He protect me.)
The water is then poured away and the kanthi is adorned.
The principle underlying vartman involves purification of the
soul before accepting the refuge of God. To be purified in mind,
speech and action, water is held in the right palm. Water itself
has the attribute of spiritual cleansing. Also, holding water
in the right palm follows the tradition of always taking an oath
or a vow with Varundev, the deity of water, as a witness in the
ceremony.
Kanthi
A kanthi consists of two strings of small wooden beads and is
continuously worn by followers around their neck. It represents
a devotee's surrender to God. The kanthi induces awareness that
the follower has surrendered himself to God.
Commitment to the Sampraday
Having accepted the refuge of God, one is freed from the sins
of all previous births. With this understanding, the new devotee
becomes free from the fear of superstitious elements, evil spirits,
and omens. The new devotee is freed of karmas of the past as he
places his destiny in the hands of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. The new
devotee vows to live according to the commands of his guru and
Bhagwan Swaminarayan. These commands include freedom from addictions,
daily morning puja, attendance of weekly spiritual assemblies,
renouncing the consumption of meat and alcohol, renouncing adultery
and theft, and maintaining purity of conduct.
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Q.5 When
and by whom was the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha established?
A. The Swaminarayan
Sampraday came into existence with the incarnation of Bhagwan
Swaminarayan on Earth on April 2, 1781 (Chaitra sud 9, Samvat
1837). Throughout His life, Bhagwan Swaminarayan initiated aspirants
into the fold and inspired them to live moral and pious lives.
He created a legion of sadhus (renunciants) who worked selflessly
for God and society. He also promised to remain ever-present on
Earth through a continuous lineage of spiritual successors. After
Bhagwan Swaminarayan reverted to His eternal abode, Gunatitanand
Swami became the head of Satsang (synonymous with the Swaminarayan
Sampraday), followed by Pragji Bhakta and then by Shastri Yagnapurushdas
(better known as Shastriji Maharaj). Shastriji Maharaj formalised
the organisation by registering it and establishing five mandirs
(Hindu mandirs) in his time, the first being in Bochasan, a small
town near Anand in the state of Gujarat in India. The inauguration
of the Bochasan mandir took place on June 5, 1907 (Vaishakh vad
10, Samvat 1963). This day marked the formal establishment of
the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha
(BAPS).
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Q.6
Why the name Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar
Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS)?
A. The first mandir
of the organization was inaugurated in Bochasan, a small town
near Anand in the state of Gujarat in India, hence the word 'Bochasanwasi',
meaning 'based in Bochasan'. The words 'Akshar Purushottam' signify
the Hindu doctrine of worshipping God, Purushottam, along with
His ideal devotee, Akshar, just like the worship of Radha along
with Krishna, Laxmi along with Narayan, Sita along with Ram, and
Parvati along with Shiv. 'Shri' is an adjective used as a prefix
to a name to give respect, such as 'Shri Mohandas Gandhi'. Bhagwan
Swaminarayan is the God (Purushottam) worshipped by BAPS followers,
and His name is part of the organization's name - in fact, the
organization is also known as the Swaminarayan Sampraday. 'Sanstha'
is the Sanskrit word for 'organization'. Thus the name Bochasanwasi
Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS Swaminarayan
Sanstha).
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Q.7
What are the main aims and objectives
of BAPS today?
A. |
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Inspire: |
one
and all towards a better way of life through the humanitarian
values of service, purity, discipline, love, tolerance,
harmony and the realization of oneself as atma and experience
the eternal joy of God. |
Energize: |
the on-going efforts
against dowry, smoking, drugs, alcohol and other destructive
addictions. |
Promote: |
harmony and peaceful
coexistence among all communities through understanding
and co-operation. |
Develop: |
constructive and
creative youth and children's activities to channel their
energy, promoting education and social services. |
Sustain: |
the
roots of Indian and Hindu culture and all the good that
it represents. |
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Q.8 What is the basic philosophy
of BAPS?
A. Summary
Within the Hindu religion, the Swaminarayan Sampraday is a Navya-Vishishtadvait
Bhakti Sampraday which advocates the worship of God within the
disciplines of dharma. The Swaminarayan Sampraday believes that
there are five entities which are eternal - they have never been
created nor can they ever be destroyed. The entities are jiva,
ishwar, maya, Brahma, and Parabrahma. In the philosophy propagated
by Bhagwan Swaminarayan, Parabrahma, the Supreme God, has a divine
form, is the all-doer and is always present on earth in person
or through the God-realised sadhu (the Satpurush), the manifestation
of Aksharbrahma. The soul, the jiva, never merges or dissolves
into God, nor is it a part of God, but it is always subservient
to God. The jiva, through absolute surrender and attachment to
the Satpurush, attains the realised state and becomes eligible
to offer pure worship to God.
Detailed Answer
As BAPS is a Hindu organization, the most basic tenets of its
philosophy are consonant with the fundamental beliefs universal
to all Hindus. For a review of these basic beliefs see the question:
Is the Swaminarayan Sampraday a part of Hinduism? [Hyperlink
the text in bold to the question Is the Swaminarayan Sampraday
a part of Hinduism?]
Within the Hindu religion, the Swaminarayan Sampraday is a Navya-Vishishtadvait
Bhakti Sampraday which advocates the worship of God within the
disciplines of dharma. In the philosophy propagated by Bhagwan
Swaminarayan, God is Supreme, has a divine form, is the all-doer
and is always present on earth. He states that the soul, the
jiva, never merges or dissolves into God, nor is it a part of
God, but it is always subservient to God. The jiva, through
absolute surrender and attachment to the Satpurush, the manifestation
of Aksharbrahma, attains the realised state and becomes eligible
to offer pure worship to God.
One attains redemption through the realization of Ekantik Dharma,
which comprises dharma (righteousness), gnan (spiritual understanding),
vairagya (detachment) and bhakti (devotion to God). The goal
of redemption is to be pursued and attained under the guidance
of the Ekantik Sadhu (the Satpurush), the manifest form of Aksharbrahma,
who is in constant rapport with God. The divine experience of
this highest state is possible, here and now, in one's embodied
state of worldly existence (jivan mukti).
The Swaminarayan Sampraday believes that there are five entities
which are eternal - they have never been created nor can they
ever be destroyed. The entities are jiva, ishwar, maya, Brahma,
and Parabrahma. A detailed description of each follows.
Jiva:
Jiva, or soul, is the individual self, conscious spirit, knower,
enjoyer and doer of actions. The jiva is eternal, not created
at anytime, by anybody. They are innumerable, each distinct
from the other. Each jiva pervades the whole organism, and is
different from the three bodies - gross, subtle and causal.
Weapons cannot cut it, nor can fire burn it; water cannot wet
it, nor can wind dry it. Yet, it is bound by worldly desires
that are formed according to its karma. Though conditioned by
maya, jivas can be eternally released by the grace of a God-realised
guru or God.
Ishwar:
Ishwar is the cosmic self, a conscious, spiritual being conditioned
by the adjuncts of mahamaya (greater maya). There are innumerable
ishwars, each of which is assigned the duty of taking care of
a universe, or at least a particular aspect of it. Brahma, Vishnu,
Shiv and all entities greater then them upwards to Prakriti
Purush, are considered ishwars.
Maya:
Maya or Prakriti is the inert primordial matter from which the
universe of names and forms comes into being. Maya is trigunatmik,
constituted of three gunas - sattvagun, rajogun and tamogun,
and is the cause of bondage for the jiva and ishwar. It is difficult
to transgress and is the cause of identification of the jivas
and ishwars with their bodies and relations thereof. But with
the grace of the God-realised guru or God, one can attain atyantik
moksha - ultimate liberation from maya and remain in the eternal
service of God.
Brahma:
Brahma or Aksharbrahma or Akshardham is transcendent to the
jivas, ishwars and maya, but subservient to Parabrahma. He is
effulgent, all-pervading and divine. He serves the supreme Lord
in a two-fold manner. In his personal aspect, he serves the
God or Parabrahma both in His abode and wherever He incarnates
Himself. Aksharbrahma is thus the ideal devotee and the most
appropriate mediator for the aspirant striving to reach the
supreme God. On the other hand, in his impersonal aspect, he
serves the God by being His divine abode which is effulgent,
infinite and all-pervading and in which innumerable redeemed
jivas serve Parabrahma. He is also the substratum of all that
is subservient to him. That Aksharbrahma incarnated on Earth
in the form of Gunatitanand Swami to serve Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
Through a lineage of God-realised sadhus, Aksharbrahma remains
incarnated on the earth. At present His Divine Holiness Pramukh
Swami Maharaj is the manifest form of Aksharbrahma.
Parabrahma:
Parabrahma or Purushottam is the highest reality, the supreme
Godhead, one and unique. He is, at once, transcendent to everything
and immanent in everything. He is the concrete, flawless Reality
with a divine form who is the controller and supporter of everything.
Bhagwan Swaminarayan Himself is Parabrahma or Purushottam. Even
after Bhagwan Swaminarayan left his mortal body, He has remained
continually present on Earth through a lineage of God-realised
sadhus who are the incarnations of Aksharbrahma. Today, Bhagwan
Swaminarayan is present through His Divine Holiness Pramukh
Swami Maharaj, the present incarnation of Aksharbrahma.
In summary, the philosophy of the
Swaminarayan Sampraday states that the jiva is entangled in the
web of ignorance, maya. However, through the guidance and grace
of Brahma and Parabrahma, the jiva transcends maya to dwell forever
in the divine abode of God, Akshardham. The jiva is able to attain
the grace of Brahma and Parabrahma by continually endeavoring
to follow their agna or holy commands. This philosophy is put
into practice by the followers of BAPS by actively participating
in various socio-spiritual activities of BAPS. All of these activities
are performed with the objective of receiving the grace of God
and the guru, or Parabrahma and Brahma, respectively.
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Q.9 What is the relationship
between BAPS and the Swaminarayan Sampraday?
A. Just
as there are different branches in most religions, Bochasanwasi
Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) is an active
socio-religious organization and the fastest growing branch of
the Swaminarayan Sampraday.
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Q10 How many followers does the BAPS
Swaminarayan Sanstha have?
A. BAPS
Swaminarayan Sanstha has over one million followers, and over 800 trained
sadhus. Out of these devotees, more than 55,000 are registered
as active volunteers. Generally, though, anyone that attends the
weekly assemblies or daily arti at the nearest mandir and follows
the precepts and codes of conduct prescribed by Bhagwan Swaminarayan
is considered to be a follower of BAPS.
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Q.11
Is BAPS a social organization?
A. BAPS is a socio-religious
organization, with its efforts ultimately directed towards activities
aimed at uplifting families and individuals. BAPS believes that
if each individual is at peace with himself or herself, the world
will be at peace. BAPS works to achieve this by inspiring a strong
belief in peace, humanitarian
service and a healthy respect for all religions and people,
irrespective of class, creed, color or country. BAPS is also involved
in social activities,
such as providing relief
in times of disasters as well as constructing and managing educational
institutions, hospitals
and medical camps. However, this is only a part of the whole.
The Sanstha, under the leadership of His Divine Holiness Pramukh
Swami Maharaj, conducts weekly spiritual
assemblies as well as personality development camps for men, women
and children. BAPS celebrates religious and cultural
festivals in India and abroad on a large scale, and also shows
its concern for the environment through tree-planting programs.
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Q.12
What does BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha
do to promote family values?
A. Summary
The ideal family is one that cherishes the values that strengthen
family bonds and keep the family happy and united. BAPS conducts
Parent Forums, Family Seminars, Child-Rearing Seminars, Marriage
Counseling, Character-Building Forums, Anti-Addiction Drives,
Morality Seminars, Weekly Assemblies, Summer Camps, Children
and Youth Forums, Career and Vocational Seminars, Educational
Seminars, Newsletters, Magazines, Books, Brochures, other publications,
and a myriad of other humanitarian activities. The message of
family values pervades all of these activities. All who come
to or come in contact with BAPS are inspired to imbibe them.
Detailed Answer
Hinduism and Family values
One may be curious as to why a Hindu organization, which should
be primarily concerned with the salvation of the soul, cares
to promote family values? But the emphasis on the family has
long been a core value of Hinduism. From ancient times, Hindu
scriptures have outlined four objectives of a person's life:
dharma, artha, kam, and moksha.
Moksha, liberation from the cycle of births and deaths, is the
ultimate objective of human existence. However, for one who
is not a renunciant, moksha is to be attained while abiding
by social conventions of marriage and family life. Therefore,
one who is to live in society must pursue a livelihood for sustenance;
this being the principle of artha. To fulfill one's desires,
the objective of kam, Hinduism has prescribed the framework
of the family. Both the accumulation of wealth, artha, and the
fulfillment of one's desires, kam, are to be done according
to the injunctions of dharma, the codes of conduct sanctioned
by the scriptures.
In order to sustain happiness in one's life and one's life hereafter,
one must maintain a balance among each of these four objectives.
Thus, according to Hinduism, a healthy, productive, and vital
family life is a necessary ingredient of this balance. It is
this principle that motivates BAPS to undertake a sustained
and far-reaching campaign to strengthen family values in society.
Family values
The ideal family is one that cherishes the values that strengthen
family bonds and keep the family happy and together. An ideal
family is one in which each member understands the perspectives
and hardships of the other and strives to meet each other's
social, physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. This mutual
understanding creates a much needed bridge across the gap of
genders and generations. In this ideal family, the parents fulfill
their role as caregivers, breadwinners, and role models while
the children fulfill their various roles such as acquiring an
adept education, offering assistance in the affairs of the family,
as well as respecting their elders and caring for them in their
old age. The ideal family understands that the bond of marriage
and the gift of progeny are sacred. The ideal family realizes
that the sustained cultivation of mutual understanding, acceptance,
respect, and love will prevent or resolve any difficulties between
partners.
BAPS and family values
BAPS promotes all of the aforementioned values which shape the
ideal family.
At home, followers are encouraged to perform ghar sabha daily.
Ghar sabha is a family assembly, inspired by Pramukh swami Maharaj,
wherein all of the family members daily sit together for approximately
half an hour to pray to God, engage in scriptural reading, discuss
their day and understand each other. Through this daily ritual
they develop a better understanding of each other's social,
physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Just as BAPS promotes
these values in the home, it also promotes these values through
its various activities.
Through Parent Forums, Family Seminars and Child-Rearing Seminars
followers gain a clearer idea of how to successfully fulfill
their roles as parents. Through these events, they gain valuable
insight and inspiration from other families. They share experiences
and exchange insight regarding the challenges of balancing their
career lives with their family lives, as well as other parental
issues. As parents, they discuss how to overcome pitfalls on
the path to becoming successful caregivers, breadwinners, and
role models.
Through Marriage Counseling, Character-Building Forums, Anti-Addiction
Drives and Morality Seminars, parents also learn the value of
the bond of marriage and the gift of progeny. They are inspired
to cultivate mutual understanding, acceptance, respect and love
for each other and develop a stable relationship as parental
partners.
Likewise, through various activities, the youth followers also
gain valuable insight on how to fulfill their roles in the family
unit. The youth following is divided into three main age groups:
children, teenagers, and young adults.
For Children
Through Weekly Assemblies, Summer Camps, and Children's Forums,
the children learn the importance of education, respecting their
elders, and assisting in domestic chores from a very young age.
As these values are deeply rooted from a young age, they help
children in helping their families become stronger.
For Teenagers
Through Weekly Assemblies, Summer Camps, Teenage Forums, Career
and Vocational Seminars and Educational Seminars, teenagers
are inspired and guided towards academic excellence. Through
sharing experiences and exchanging insight with their own age
group, they are able to cope with family tension and peer pressure.
Through Anti-Addiction Campaigns, Morality Forums and Discourses
they receive guidance that helps them live a purer life, thus,
preventing or easing tensions within their respective families.
As a result they are better able to fulfill their roles in the
family unit.
For Young Adults
Through Weekly Assemblies, Vocational & Career seminars
and Anti-Addiction Drives, young adults learn to successfully
fulfill their roles in their respective families. While allowing
them to share experiences and learn from their own age group,
these activities provide guidance on effectively integrating
new spouses into the family and on learning to become future
parents while also inspiring them to care for their parents
in their old age.
Through the medium of international festivals and celebrations,
BAPS extends the message of family values and ideals to its
followers as well as to mass audiences in the form of Discourses,
Exhibitions and Cultural Programs.
Through Newsletters, Magazines, Books, Brochures and its Website,
BAPS promotes family values.
The message of family values pervades all of these activities.
All who come to or come in contact with BAPS are inspired to
imbibe them.
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