Swaminarayan

[akshar]

Alpesh24,

 

Can you help me get some of those pics of bapa as mine won't work.

[alpesh24]

 

Unless you havn't noticed, there are many forums on hinduism on the internet. There is no need to make one for evryone is there? I know you don't care whether the swaminarayan website has a forum or not, your just looking for things to say about us. It's a fact. Don't try and deny it like most of you do.

 

i agree. all faiths try to dig deep into other faiths to create things to say about us[swaminarayans]. however, over the last 5 years at London mandir, i haven't hear any santo discuss anything bad about any other faith there is. the santos all see good in everything, and try to teach us that. if everyone in the world followed Swaminarayan Bhagwan's teachings, the world would be perfect. however there are a few ignorant people who are either jealous, or do not want to see anyone happy. nothing that BAPS teaches is bad, harmful or evil. you just need to have a look at P. Pramukh Swami Maharaj to see that

[Guest guest]

 

You qutod a part of my one, but forgot to mention the regular Gosthi sessions that the BAPS mandirs have. much better than any messaage board

 

what about americans who live far from BAPS mandirs? wouldn't a forum be a way for them to ask questions from BAPS members?

[Guest guest]

 

what about americans who live far from BAPS mandirs? wouldn't a forum be a way for them to ask questions from BAPS members?

 

dont worry, another mandir will be 'popping' up in an area near you!

[Guest guest]

so that proves it, the person called Lord Swaminarayan really was a God and that we should worship Pramukh Swami Maharaj. i hope that the whole world realises this mistake before its too late.

 

Jai Shree Swaminarayan

 

End of topic unless someone thinks that Lord Swaminarayan is not God

[Guest guest]

 

so that proves it, the person called Lord Swaminarayan really was a God and that we should worship Pramukh Swami Maharaj. i hope that the whole world realises this mistake before its too late.

 

before it's too late?? what do you mean by this? if we don't worship Swaminarayan in this lifetime, Swaminarayan will caste us into the Lake of fire to be tortured forever? wait that's what the Christian god, Jehovah, does to his enemies? or is it the Muslim god, Allah, whose love letters to his enemies are scattered throughout the Koran? this "before it's too late" sounds like something a Christian or Muslim would say.

[Guest guest]

The more I hear about Swaminarayans on here telling us we must accept their guru as God, the more I dislike it. I've been to the Swaminarayan temple and none of the monks have this stupid fanatical attitude the devotees here have displayed. They do believe Swaminarayan is God, but they don't force others to do so or tell them they are wrong if they don't.

 

The devotees here are more like muslims.

[Guest guest]

I think thats a bit of a generalisation. Encountering the odd person online who decides their views are better than yours doesn't define a whole section of society.

 

If I formed my opinions of followers of Shri Krishna Bhagwan based purely on the people I've encountered on the internet, I wouldn't be very friendly towards them! As it turns out, most followers of Shri Krishna Bhagwan are very nice people. I'm sure you'll find the same with most Swaminarayan followers!

 

Also, the poster mentioned in a previous post that she was a 'Balika from London Mandir'. The Balika age group goes up to 15 years old max...kids can be a bit over enthusiastic now and then. Give her a break

 

Also, regarding the lack of a Swaminarayan message board, I think its a bit of a moot point. Is having a message board one of the requirements of a religion as laid down in the scriptures? I'm guessing not. It seems like people are looking for small excuses to have a go at the Swaminarayan sect.

 

You're absolutely right, perhaps having a message board would allow people to discuss issues about their religion. As it happens, however, most Swaminarayan followers can ask Pramukh Swami Maharaj about their issues. Failing that, they have Sadhus at their mandirs who are more than happy to answer their questions, and failing that, they speak to other Swaminarayan devotees in person. Most Swaminarayan followers know enough other Swaminarayans to be able to raise a topic with *somebody* without having to discuss things online in an impersonal manner.

 

Thats not a dig at these forums at all! They're really good and very informative, I'm just saying that in my opinion, Swaminarayans don't really have a need for them.

 

I have a feeling that comment is going to cause some trouble, but I hope not because I really didn't mean it in a disrespectful sense at all

[Guest guest]

 

You're absolutely right, perhaps having a message board would allow people to discuss issues about their religion. As it happens, however, most Swaminarayan followers can ask Pramukh Swami Maharaj about their issues. Failing that, they have Sadhus at their mandirs who are more than happy to answer their questions, and failing that, they speak to other Swaminarayan devotees in person. Most Swaminarayan followers know enough other Swaminarayans to be able to raise a topic with *somebody* without having to discuss things online in an impersonal manner.

 

Thats not a dig at these forums at all! They're really good and very informative, I'm just saying that in my opinion, Swaminarayans don't really have a need for them.

 

I have a feeling that comment is going to cause some trouble, but I hope not because I really didn't mean it in a disrespectful sense at all

 

what about people that live in other parts of the world, far from mandirs, that want to convert or just learn more about the faith? and what about having e-satsang? at least they could have online fellowship, even if they live far from a mandir. There's a very practical reason why spiritual forums have come into being. They provide devotees across long distances a chance to meet and fellowship, and learn together.

 

Imagine the person who lives in a Muslim country who converts to the Swaminarayan faith, because he believes it is the true path to enlightenment and God. He'd have zero way to be in physical touch with devotees. The best he could hope for is that he could have some e-connections.

[Guest guest]

I can see your point, but lets think logically:

 

For somebody to have the wish to accept a new faith (say, Swaminarayan Hinduism), they'd usually need to have some sort of contact with somebody representing that faith. The chances of somebody deciding to accept a new faith purely based on something they've read on a website or in a magazine is extremely slim. Conversely, the chances of somebody deciding to accept a new faith having met somebody of that faith, discussed their issues, asked their questions etc is higher.

 

Also, don't forget, that Hinduism isn't based on evangelism. Swaminarayans don't go out purposely to preach and 'convert' people. Therefore we don't have a need to have infrastructures in every conceivable place so that we have a base for preaching. Quite the contrary, bases are formed where Swaminarayans reside to provide them with a place of worship of their own.

 

Therefore, if somebody were to decide to become a Swaminarayan, the chances are he or she has already met a fellow Swaminarayan. There are over 7500 Swaminarayan Mandirs/Sanskardhams/Centres over the world, so those who are likely to need advice or somebody to talk to are never very far.

 

Again, don't get me wrong, your point is very valid. An online forum for Satsangis would be great...but its not really the end of the world and the end of Swaminarayanism if one doesn't exist. God powerful enough to not be limited by a forum (or lack thereof), surely?

 

There is currently an online Satsang Sabha on the Swaminarayan.org website that provides new bhajans, a discourse, and blessings from Pramukh Swami Maharaj every week for those who are unable to attend the weekly sabhas in the Mandirs. There is also a Daily Murti Darshan which provides darshan of Murtis from Swaminarayan Mandirs around the world every day.

[Guest guest]

If it weren't for Hindu missionaries like Vivekananda, Yogananda, Prabhupada, etc.. many seekers in the west would have have never have come to a dharma tradition in this life. The very dharmic teachings which might lead to them obtaining moksha in this lifetime, or at least plant the seeds for spiritual growth/liberation in their next lifetime.

 

While Hinduism is not like the Christian and Islamic religions, with their "turn or burn" preaching; I am very thankful that Gurus have traveled west and helped hungry seekers in the Americas, Europe, Australia, etc.. You do not know how many hungry seekers there are in this part of the world, that are disenfranchised with the exoteric religious dogmas of the Abrahamic orthodoxy and the shallow values of western materalism.

 

I meet westerners everyday on spiritual forums, who are extremely interested in eastern religions like hinduism and buddhism, because of their deep introspective teachings and their claims to hold the path to enlightenment. Many westerners have converted to dharma traditions, whether that be Vaishnavism, Kashmir Shaivism, or a Buddhist tradition.

 

Buddhism has a rich history of spreading the Buddha-Dharma well outside of Indian borders. While Buddhism initially began in India, Buddhism spread all over Asia, because of buddhist monks spreading the dharma. Buddha was not Chinese you know? Buddha made it clear his teachings were given to help all sentient beings suffering in Samsara. And like the Buddha-Dharma, the Sanatana Dharma is not just for a few people who have incarnated in Indian bodies. Not just indians or asians are interested in obtaining moksha or enlightenment. Some of us are in white bodies, black bodies, arab bodies, mexican bodies.

[Bhakta Don Muntean]

 

...end of topic unless someone thinks that Lord Swaminarayan is not God

 

Is that you can become God too?

[Bhakta Don Muntean]

 

...none of the monks have this stupid fanatical attitude the devotees here have displayed. They do believe Swaminarayan is God, but they don't force others to do so or tell them they are wrong if they don't.

 

The devotees here are more like muslims.

 

 

:crying2::crying2: - me a river........

[Bhakta Don Muntean]

 

If it weren't for Hindu missionaries like Vivekananda, Yogananda, Prabhupada, etc.. many seekers in the west would have have never have come to a dharma tradition in this life. The very dharmic teachings which might lead to them obtaining moksha in this lifetime, or at least plant the seeds for spiritual growth/liberation in their next lifetime.

 

While Hinduism is not like the Christian and Islamic religions, with their "turn or burn" preaching; I am very thankful that Gurus have traveled west and helped hungry seekers in the Americas, Europe, Australia, etc.. You do not know how many hungry seekers there are in this part of the world, that are disenfranchised with the exoteric religious dogmas of the Abrahamic orthodoxy and the shallow values of western materalism.

 

I meet westerners everyday on spiritual forums, who are extremely interested in eastern religions like hinduism and buddhism, because of their deep introspective teachings and their claims to hold the path to enlightenment. Many westerners have converted to dharma traditions, whether that be Vaishnavism, Kashmir Shaivism, or a Buddhist tradition.

 

Buddhism has a rich history of spreading the Buddha-Dharma well outside of Indian borders. While Buddhism initially began in India, Buddhism spread all over Asia, because of buddhist monks spreading the dharma. Buddha was not Chinese you know? Buddha made it clear his teachings were given to help all sentient beings suffering in Samsara. And like the Buddha-Dharma, the Sanatana Dharma is not just for a few people who have incarnated in Indian bodies. Not just indians or asians are interested in obtaining moksha or enlightenment. Some of us are in white bodies, black bodies, arab bodies, mexican bodies.

 

....and we are far from the bones of our people...

[Guest guest]

 

I think thats a bit of a generalisation. Encountering the odd person online who decides their views are better than yours doesn't define a whole section of society.

 

If I formed my opinions of followers of Shri Krishna Bhagwan based purely on the people I've encountered on the internet, I wouldn't be very friendly towards them! As it turns out, most followers of Shri Krishna Bhagwan are very nice people. I'm sure you'll find the same with most Swaminarayan followers!

 

Also, the poster mentioned in a previous post that she was a 'Balika from London Mandir'. The Balika age group goes up to 15 years old max...kids can be a bit over enthusiastic now and then. Give her a break

 

Also, regarding the lack of a Swaminarayan message board, I think its a bit of a moot point. Is having a message board one of the requirements of a religion as laid down in the scriptures? I'm guessing not. It seems like people are looking for small excuses to have a go at the Swaminarayan sect.

 

You're absolutely right, perhaps having a message board would allow people to discuss issues about their religion. As it happens, however, most Swaminarayan followers can ask Pramukh Swami Maharaj about their issues. Failing that, they have Sadhus at their mandirs who are more than happy to answer their questions, and failing that, they speak to other Swaminarayan devotees in person. Most Swaminarayan followers know enough other Swaminarayans to be able to raise a topic with *somebody* without having to discuss things online in an impersonal manner.

 

Thats not a dig at these forums at all! They're really good and very informative, I'm just saying that in my opinion, Swaminarayans don't really have a need for them.

 

I have a feeling that comment is going to cause some trouble, but I hope not because I really didn't mean it in a disrespectful sense at all

 

 

Do not be surprised by the title, I am a devout hindu and had an opportunity to get to know the swaminarayan sect from closely, as two of my close acquaitance are swaminarayan.I have been to their satsang sabhas, programme etc.I have a high respect for the enormous amount of Good work which the sect is doing and esepcially pramukh swami maharaj but there are couple of philosophical issue which stops me from "converting" to swaminarayan....

I am presenting it below :

 

1) Swaminarayan sect believes that only their god (Lord swaminarayan) is the only God who can give you moksha.i have seen many people who were worshipping usual hindu gods from generations and after convering the "Swaminarayan" you wont find a single hindu god/goddess picture in their home.Isnt this like following christianity or islam....

 

2) They say that the "Swaminarayan" mantra is the most powerful shloka in the world, even their book about bhajans (Kirtanvaali) mentions somewhere that the mantra is even superior then Gayatri mantra....

Comeon ....

 

3) On one side the swaminarayan devotees take pride in hindu heritage but the practices are such that it seems "Swaminarayan" is a whole together different religion and whenever you ask any follower which religion you follow they will say "We are swaminarayan".

 

4) Swaminaryan saints would only eat if the food is prepared by a "Brahmin"..are you kidding me..which centure are we living in ?.

 

5) I was recently watching the official DVD of Akshardham temple (Its really a wonderful place ) and all through the DVD they have not shown any video/shots of the "Ganpati" or "Radha krishna" murti...only one line of verbal that the temple also has the murti of so and so god....

 

I have many other points also..but later...again..I do not have any negative feelings, I have and would always have high respect for the "swaminarayan" religion but its some of these points which are standing as a HUGE wall in front of me....

btw..I have placed a small picture of Pramukh swami" in our temple and i do pray to him along with other "Hnidu gods"...

[Guest guest]

Is this true?

[Guest guest]

Yes,this is 100% percent true..

[Guest guest]

BAPS also takes a lot of time and effort to spread hinduism to the western world. at the age of 85 pramukh Swami is still doing his world tours. another example - 2 of the saints from the neasden temple have been assigned to spread hinduism in europe. last year alone they travelled 96,000 miles to several european countries in not the best of circumstances. Sometimes even to meet just a collection of 5 hindu families. In fact, if you consider that swaminarayan only came to earth 225 years ago, its quite incredible how much the satsang has spread in such a short space of time!The bonus of a god-realised saint cannot be exxagerated!

jai swaminarayan

[lokyval]

I am new to this site. The reson I came here was to ask a question for a word that I found on a medical site.

The word is " Guru Droh"

It's in referance to vitiligo.

 

lokyval@hotmail.com

 

Thank you

[Guest guest]

 

it not a temple it a amusement park

shameful to associate with real Swaminarayan religion.

 

Baps is fake

 

O please, just becuase BAPS has created so many beautiful temples and the other swaminarayan sects. havent improved from the rubble of holy sand, doesnt give you the right to say something is fake

 

BAPS is the biggest swaminarayan sect.

[Guest guest]

 

what about americans who live far from BAPS mandirs? wouldn't a forum be a way for them to ask questions from BAPS members?

 

 

There are 8 BAPS Hari mandirs under constuction in the northern midwest area, and alot in New Jersey

 

new Jersey has the highest amout of hari mandirs more than any other states

 

Edison

Parsippany

Jersey City

Cherry Hill

Clifton

Atlantic City

Paterson

Trenton

Orange

 

Not to mention Philly and NYC which are very close

[Guest guest]

O please, just becuase BAPS has created so many beautiful temples and the other swaminarayan sects. havent improved from the rubble of holy sand, doesnt give you the right to say something is fake

BAPS is the biggest swaminarayan sect.

 

That rubble of holy sand you speak of are part of the true swaminarayan sect, they are the temples which were built under the instructions of Lord Swaminarayan and where he placed the idols himself - these temples were Amdavad, Bhuj, Vadtal, Junagadh, Dholera and Gadhad. Note in Gadhada he helped with the building work. So akshardham in terms of divinity is nothing compared to those temples as they are divine in their own right as explained above. As for BAPS being biggest Swaminarayan Sect - well this is not fact, and they do not adhere to Lord Swaminarayans words they have started their own sect according to their own ideology so to call themselves swaminarayan sect is foolish

[Guest guest]

They also saw another saint called Gunatitanand swami who is AKSHAR. I cannot explain who akshar is, find out. He made many mandirs such as the one in Amdhavad. He is truly parmatma. He lived till the age of 40 and then a age of gurus carried on.

 

This is the like:

 

Sahajanand Swami Maharaj

Gunatitanand Swami Maharaj

Bhagatji Maharaj

Shastriji Maharaj (he started BAPS after being harrased at Vartal)

Yoghiji Maharaj

Pramukh Swami Maharaj who is the present guru

 

You call Gunatianand Swami Akshar yet you do not know what it means? You people make me laugh. Where does it state in any scripture of the swaminarayan sampradaya that Gunatitanand Swami is Akshar? Can you explain why mandirs such as amdavad created by Lord Swaminarayan are not under control of BAPS?

 

Also this lineage you have come up with, could we have some scriptural reference to when Lord Swaminarayan has stated that Tyagi(saints) will be Spiritual successors. As Shikshapatri, Vachanamrut and Satsangi Jeevan the 3 main Shastras of the Uddhav Sampradaya state Acharyas - Dharmakul to be present day Gurus and Spiritual Successors of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. I am confused should i believe Pramukh Swami(who himself believes in Lord Swaminarayan - that these saints are spiritual successors, yet not mentioned anywhere in scriptures) or should i beleive Lord Swaminarayans words in the scriptures (which advocate Acharyas of Dharmakul to be true spiritual successors)

 

It is a tricky one, NOT!

 

Read scriptures of your own Ishtadev and understand the truth, instead blindly following a flawed teaching without no clear knowledge of it!

 

Follow the Sampradaya set up by your Ishtadev which is UDDHAV SAMPRADAY - Under Shree Narnarayan Dev Amdavad and Shree Laxminarayan Dev Vadtal as this is where truth lies and not with BAPS(who are VIMOOKH)

[jaimal777singh]

 

<TABLE id=HB_Mail_Container height="100%" cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 UNSELECTABLE="on"><TBODY><TR height="100%" width="100%" UNSELECTABLE="on"><TD id=HB_Focus_Element vAlign=top width="100%" background="" height=250 UNSELECTABLE="off">Swaminarayan was a god not a guru in case you have heard that. He lived when he was youg in a village near Ahyodya, called Chappiya. His birth name was ghanyshyam and many times evil demons tried to kill him but hanuman dada came to his rescue. When he was 11 he left home for his yatra of Bharat. He went through badrinath and the himalayas when they were at their worst. He stayed at the nar-narayan ashram for a few months as rishis were awaiting his stay there. His name was nilkanth at the time. He redeemed many souls and destroyed but redeemed many demons. He ended his yatra in a village called Loj in Gujurat. There he heard of ramanand swami who was a very great guru in the region. He complained in mandirs of women and men sitting together because sadhus could easily leave their saintlyhood and become householders with women. So he solved that. Eventually when ramanand swami came he accepted nilkanth as his diciple and name him Sahajanand Swami. Many people felt samadhi at his feet seeing him in heaven being served by evenry avatar and god. They also saw another saint called Gunatitanand swami who is AKSHAR. I cannot explain who akshar is, find out. He made many mandirs such as the one in Amdhavad. He is truly parmatma. He lived till the age of 40 and then a age of gurus carried on.

 

This is the like:

 

Sahajanand Swami Maharaj

Gunatitanand Swami Maharaj

Bhagatji Maharaj

Shastriji Maharaj (he started BAPS after being harrased at Vartal)

Yoghiji Maharaj

Pramukh Swami Maharaj who is the present guru

 

I hope i have helped you learn more

 

Jai Swaminarayan

 

Jai Sachindanand

 

 

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[Guest guest]

reau wonderful