Swaminarayan's views are found in the
Vachanamrut (
Vacanāmṛta), the principal theological text of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. As followers believe Swaminarayan to be the manifestation of
Parabrahman, or
Puruṣottama, his views are considered a direct revelation of God. In the Vachanamrut, Swaminarayan describes that the ultimate goal of life is moksha (
mokṣa), a spiritual state of ultimate liberation from the cycle of births and deaths and characterized by eternal bliss and devotion to God.
Background Swaminayaran's
siddhanta ("view," "doctrine") emerged within the Vedanta tradition, particularly the Vaishnava tradition as articulated by Ramanuja, Madhva, Vallabha, and Chaitanya. Swaminarayan's interpretation of the classical Hindu texts has similarities with Ramanuja's
Vishistadvaita, for which he stated his affinity. He also incorporated elements of
Vallabha's
Pushtimarg, which belongs to
Shuddhadvaita, to gain recognition. Yet, there are also metaphysical and philosophical divergences between Swaminarayan's and Ramanuja's teachings, most notably the distinction between Purushottam and Aksharbrahman, referred to by BAPS-swamis as the
Akshar-Purushottam Darshan (philosophy) and used to set apart Swaminarayan's teachings from other Vedanta traditions. While the Vadtal Mandir states that "Swaminarayan propagated a philosophy called Vishistadvaita," in which the
jiva is
liberated from
maya and
saṃsāra (the cycle of births and deaths), and in which the
jiva offers
sādhya bhakti, continuous and pure devotion to God. Whereas identification with Purushottam is impossible,
Brahmarūpa as identification with Akshrabrahman is feasible and encouraged, though the jiva or ishwar remains distinct from Aksharbrahman. To become
Brahmarūp, an individual must overcome the ignorance of maya, which Swaminarayan describes as self-identification with the physical body, personal talents, and material possessions. Swaminarayan explains in the
Vachanamrut that ekantik dharma is a means to earn God's grace and attain liberation. Ekantik dharma (
ekāntik dharma) consists of dharma (
dharma; religious and moral duties), gnan (
jñāna; realization of the atman and Paramatman) vairagya (
vairāgya; dispassion for worldly objects), and bhakti (recognition of Swaminarayan as Purushottam and devotion to him, coupled with the understanding of God's greatness). Various branches of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya differ in their belief of how to attain moksha. The Narnarayan and Laxminarayan Gadis believe moksha is attained by worshipping the sacred images of Swaminarayan installed by acharyas. In the BAPS reading of the Vachanamrut and other scriptures, the jiva becomes
brahmarūp, or like Aksharbrahman, under the guidance of the manifest form of God. The Swaminarayan Gadi (Maninagar) believes that moksha can be attained through the lineage of gurus beginning with Gopalanand Swami.
Ekantik dharma Ekantik dharma (
ekāntik dharma) is an important element of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, and its establishment is one of the reasons why Swaminarayan is believed to have incarnated. Ekantik dharma consists of dharma, gnan, vairagya, and bhakti.
Dharma Dharma consists of religious and moral duties according to one's responsibilities and situation. All Swaminarayan Hindus who are householders maintain five basic vows: abstaining from theft, gambling, adultery, meat, and intoxicants like alcohol. As part of their dharma, swamis additionally endeavor to perfect the five virtues of non-lust (nishkam/
niṣkāma), non-greed (nirlobh/
nirlobha), non-attachment (nissneh/
nissneha), non-taste (niswad/
nissvada), and non-ego (nirman/
nirmāna). Another aspect of the practice of dharma is the Swaminarayan diet, a type of vegetarianism, similar to that practiced generally by Vaishnava sampradayas, that entails abstaining from animal flesh, eggs, onions, and garlic.
Gnan (jnana) Gnan is knowledge of Parabrahman and realizing oneself as the atman. Basic practices of gnan include the daily study of scriptures like the
Vachanamrut and
Shikshapatri and weekly participation in congregational worship services (sabha/
sabhā) at the mandir (temple), in which scriptural discourses geared towards personal and spiritual growth occur. According to the BAPS, in the Vachanamrut Swaminarayan explains that adhering to the Aksharbrahman Guru's commands is commensurate with perfectly embodying gnan—that is, realizing oneself as the atman.
Vairagya Vairagya is dispassion for worldly objects. Swaminarayan Hindus cultivate vairagya through practices like fasting on Ekadashi days, two of which occur every month, and observing extra fasts, during the holy months of Chaturmas (a period of four months between July and October) Vairagya is realized by adhering to the codes of conduct, inclusive of these practices, serving other devotees physically, listening to discourses, and engaging in devotion.
Bhakti Bhakti involves devotion towards God, while understanding God's greatness and identifying one's inner core — atman — with Aksharbrahman. Adherents believe that they can achieve
moksha, or freedom from the cycle of birth and death, by becoming aksharrup (or brahmarup), that is, by attaining qualities similar to Akshar (or Aksharbrahman) and worshipping Purushottam (or Parabrahman; the supreme living entity; God). Important bhakti rituals for Swaminarayan Hindus include puja (
pūjā; personal worship of God),
arti (
ārtī; the ritual waving of lighted wicks around murtis, or images), thal (
thāl; the offering of food to murtis of God), and cheshta (
ceṣtā; the singing of devotional songs that celebrate the divine acts and form of Swaminarayan). During puja, adherents ritually worship Swaminarayan, and for the BAPS and some other denominations, also the lineage of Aksharbrahman Gurus through whom Swaminarayan is believed to be manifest. At the beginning of the puja ritual, men imprint a symbol known as the tilak chandlo on their forehead, and women imprint a chandlo. The tilak which is a U-shaped saffron-colored symbol made of sandalwood represents God's feet. The chandlo is a red symbol made of kumkum to symbolize
Lakshmi, the goddess of fortune and prosperity. Collectively the two symbolize Lakshmi living in the heart of Swaminarayan. The worship of Swamianarayan is an important element of the swaminarayan religion. For the Ahmedabad and Vadtal diocese, Swaminarayan is present in his images and in his sacred scriptures. For the BAPS,
Narayan, who is Purushottam, can only be reached through contact with Purushottam, in the form of the guru, the abode of god. For the BAPS, by associating with and understanding that Aksharbrahman guru, alternatively referred to as the Satpurush, Ekantik Bhakta or Ekantik Sant, spiritual seekers can transcend the influences of maya and attain spiritual perfection. Other bhakti rituals included in Swaminarayan religious practice are abhishek (
abhiśeka), the bathing of a murti of God, mahapuja (
māhāpūjā), a collective worship of God usually performed on auspicious days or festivals, and mansi (
mānsi) puja, worship of God offered mentally. In general, Swaminarayan was positive about "other Vaishnava and Krishnite traditions," and Swaminarayan "adopted three aspects of Vallabhacharya practice," namely "the pattern of temple worship, fasts, and observances of festivals." Shruti Patel argues that such a consistency with existing practices, notably the Pushtimarg, would have aided in "sanctioning [the] novelty" of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya.
Manifestation of God Swaminarayan's view on god was theanthropic, the idea that "the most extalted of the manifestations of god are in a divine form in human shape," teaching that "god's divine form has a human-shaped form." Most followers believe that Swaminarayan was the 'manifest' form of this supreme God. By 'manifest', it is understood that the very same transcendent entity who possesses a divine form in his abode assumes a human form that is still "totally divine," but "accessible" to his human devotees. Three stances regarding the ontological position of Sahajanand Swami, c.q. Swaminarayan, can be found in the tradition and its history: as guru, as an avatar of Krishna, or as a manifestation of God c.q. Purushottam, the highest Godhead, himself. According to Williams, "Some followers hold the position that Sahajanand taught that Krishna was the highest manifestation of
Parabrahman or
Purushottam and that he was the only appropriate object of devotion and meditation." According to Kim, in the original sampradaya "Sahajanand Swami is not necessarily seen to occupy the space of ultimate reality,"
purna purushottam, and the Krishna-iconography in the original temples, as well as the Vachanamritam and the Shikshapatri, reflect a belief in Krishna as Purushottam. According to Williams another, more accepted idea, is that "Sahajanand was a
manifestation of Krishna," an understanding reflected in the Ahmedabad and Vadtal mandirs, where statues of
NarNarayan and
Lakshmi Narayan are enshrined, but where Swaminarayan's uniqueness is also emphasized. Most followers, including the BAPS, take a third stance, that "Swaminarayan is the single, complete manifestation of Purushottam, the supreme god, superior to [...] all other manifestations of god, including Rama and Krishna." He was thus "not a manifestation of Krishna, as some believed," but "the full manifestation of Purushottam, the supreme person himself." These other manifestations of God, of which Rama and Krishna are two examples, are known as avatars, and according to Paramtattvadas Purushottam (or God) is believed to be "metaphysically different" from them and their cause, the avatarin, whom Swaminarayan revealed as himself.
Akshar-Purushottam Darsana The BAPS puts a strong emphasis on the distinction between Akshar and Purushottam, which it sees as a defining difference between Ramanuja's Vishistadvaita and other systems of Vedanta, and Swaminarayan's teachings. While his preference for
Ramanuja's theology is stated in the sacred text, the Shikshapatri (
Śikṣāpatrī), in his discourses collected in the Vachanamrut Swaminarayan gave a somewhat different explanation of the classical Hindu texts. In Ramanuja's understanding, there are three entities: Parabrahman, maya (
māyā), and jiva (
jīva). Throughout the Vachanamrut, Swaminarayan identifies five eternal and distinct entities: Parabrahman, Aksharbrahman (
Akṣarabrahman, also Akshara,
Akṣara, or Brahman), maya, ishwar (
īśvara), and jiva. This distinction between Akshar and Purushottam is referred to by the BAPS as
Akshar-Purushottam Darshan or
Aksarabrahma-Parabrahma-Darsanam, (
darśana, philosophy) and used as an alternate name for
Swaminarayan Darshana, Swaminarayan's views or teachings. This emphasis on the distinction between Akshar and Purushottam is also reflected in its name and the prominent position of Akshar as the living guru. BAPS-theologian and others further elaborate on these five eternal realities: God is
Parabrahman, the all-doer (
kartā, "omniagent"), possessing an eternal and divine form (
sākār,) but transcending all entities (
sarvoparī, ), and forever manifests on Earth to liberate spiritual seekers (
pragat).
Aksharbrahman, from
akshar (अक्षर, "imperishable," "unalterable"), and
Brahman, is the second highest entity and has four forms: 1) Parabrahman's divine abode; 2) the ideal devotee of Parabrahman, eternally residing in that divine abode; 3) the sentient substratum pervading and supporting the cosmos (chidakash,
cidākāśa); and 4) the Aksharbrahman Guru, who serves as the manifest form of God on earth. In the BAPS, the gurus is the ideal devotee and Aksharbrahman Guru through whom God guides aspirants to moksha. This further interpretation of Akshar is one of the features that distinguishes Swaminarayan's theology from others.
Maya refers to the universal material source used by Parabrahman to create the world. Maya has three gunas (
guṇas, qualities) which are found to varying degrees in everything formed of it: serenity (sattva), passion (rajas), and darkness (tamas). Maya also refers to the ignorance which enshrouds both ishwars and jivas, which results in their bondage to the cycle of births and deaths (
transmigration) and subsequently suffering.
Ishwars are sentient beings responsible for the creation, sustenance, and dissolution of the cosmos, at the behest of Parabrahman. While they are metaphysically higher than jivas, they too are bound by maya and must transcend it to attain moksha.
Jivas, also known as atmans, are distinct, eternal entities, composed of consciousness that can reside in bodies, animating them. The jiva is inherently pure and flawless, though under the influence of maya, jivas falsely believe themselves to be the bodies they inhabit and remain bound to the cycle of transmigration. == Mandir tradition ==