Swaminarayan (April 3, 1781 – June 1, 1830), also known as Sahajanand Swami, is a yogi, and an ascetic whose life and teachings bring a revival of central Hindu practices of dharma, ahimsa, and brahmacharya.
He is believed by followers as a manifestation of God.
Swaminarayan was born Ghanshyam Pande in Chhapaiya, Uttar Pradesh, India in 1781.
In 1792, he begins a seven-year pilgrimage across India at the age of eleven years, adopting the name Nilkanth Varni.
During this journey, he does welfare activities and after nine years and eleven months he settles in the state of Gujarat around 1799
In 1800, he is initiated into the Uddhav sampradaya by his guru, Swami Ramanand, and is given the name Sahajanand Swami.
In 1802, his guru hands over the leadership of the Uddhav Sampraday to him before his death.
Sahajanand Swami holsd a gathering and teaches the Swaminarayan Mantra.
From this point onward, he is known as Swaminarayan.
The Uddhav Sampraday becomes known as the Swaminarayan Sampraday.
Swaminarayan develops a good relationship with the British Raj.
He has followers not only from Hindu denominations but also from Islam and Zoroastrianism.
He builds six temples in his lifetime and appoints five hundre paramahamsas to spread his philosophy.[
In 1826, Swaminarayan writes the Shikshapatri, a book of social principles.
He dies on June 1, 1830, and is cremated according to Hindu rites in Gadhada, Gujarat.
Before his death, Swaminarayan had appointed his adopted nephews as acharyas to head the two dioceses of Swaminarayan Sampraday.
Swaminarayan is also remembered within the sect for undertaking reforms for women and the poor, and performing non-violent yajñas (fire sacrifices) on a large scale.
