Bhagwan Swaminarayan : An Introduction - Hardcover

Sadhu Mukundcharandas

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 8175261323 ISBN 13: 9788175261327

Publisher: Swaminarayan Aksharpith, 1999

Synopsis

Bhagwan Swaminarayan was a remarkable figure in nineteenth-century India. A social reformer who campaigned against female infanticide and sati (the burning of widows along with their husbands); a child prodigy, who, at the age of eight, debated and defeated some of India's greatest scholars; and a divine figure revered by millions as the Supreme Lord; Bhagwan Swaminarayan has left an indelible imprint on Indian history and world religion. Even Mahatma Gandhi has said, "The work which Swaminarayan could do in Gujarat [a state of India], the rulers by their might could not do and would not be able to do."

A contemporary of the British presence in India, Bhagwan Swaminarayan is a well-documented historical figure, best known for his spiritual ministry. Bhagwan Swaminarayan's miraculous life, which includes a seven-year journey deep into the Himalayas as a teenage yogi, attracted nearly two million followers during his lifetime. Preaching the importance of pure devotion to God, Bhagwan Swaminarayan revitalized Hinduism in nineteenth-century India. He established a religious movement which has today become one of the world's most dynamic Hindu denominations.

Sadhu Mukundcharandas does an excellent job of presenting representative highlights from Bhagwan Swaminarayan's life in this well-researched and meticulously documented history. Interspersed between historical facts and timelines are insightful stories from Bhagwan Swaminarayan's life. For an introductory overview of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and the religious movement he founded, Bhagwan Swaminarayan: An Introduction is an ideal companion.

About this title

About the Author

Sadhu Mukundcharandas grew up in the United Kingdom, where he studied pharmacy before ultimately deciding to dedicate his life to religious pursuits. A monk for the last thirty years, he has seen Hinduism through the eyes of a Westerner, embraced it wholeheartedly as a practitioner, and studied it rigorously as a scholar. Indeed, he was a star student at the Swaminarayan School of Philosophy in Gujarat, India. One of his greatest passions is sharing his learning: he has authored eight books on various facets of Hinduism.

Edition details

• Publisher: Swaminarayan Aksharpith
• Publication date: 1999
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 8175261323
• ISBN 13: 9788175261327
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1