Author: S. Balakrishnan
Publication: The Times of India
Date: May 7, 2001
When a quake rocked Kutch, among
the first persons to reach the devastated areas were volunteers of the
Swaminarayan movement. Earlier, when a cyclone hit Orissa Swaminarayan
volunteers rushed relief in large measure. It is this strong social dimension
which has provided depth and reach to the Swaminarayan movement which was
founded by Lord Swaminarayan in the late 18th century.
Through the Bochasanwasi Shree Akshar
Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha the movement is engaged in welfare activities
based on Vedic principles. Under the leadership of the Pramukh Swami, who
is the present head of the movement, the organisation has grown into a
massive international welfare organisation with affiliation to the United
Nations. The Times of India spoke to the Pramukh Swami during his recent
sojourn in the city. Excerpts from an interview:
Q. Lord Swaminarayan was born near
Ayodhya. How come his followers are more in Gujarat than in Uttar Pradesh
itself?
Lord Swaminarayan left his home
at the age of 11 and began a journey of India on foot, through all the
mathas, ashrams and places of pilgrimage all the time asking questions
and observing things closely. Nowhere did he find satisfaction until he
met a humble and celibate saint called Muktanand Swami in Gujarat. This
is where Lord Swaminarayan finally settled and subsequently where the faith
blossomed.
Q. Why is the Swaminarayan movement
also called the Akshar Purushottam faith?
Just as in the Vaishnav faith we
have Radha and Krishna, Ramchandra and Sita, and in the Shaiva faith we
have Shiva and Parvati, similarly in the Swaminarayan faith we have Swami
and Narayan wherein Swami is Akshar - the manifest form of the Lord's indestructible,
divine abode 'Akshardham' - and wherein Narayan is the Purushottam (supreme
lord) himself. However, the name Swaminarayan is frequently used to refer
to Lord Swaminarayan alone as the Purushottam himself
Q. What are the three main characteristics
of the Akshar Purushottam philosophy?
One, Lord Swaminarayan is the Supreme
Personality of Godhead; two, Gunatitanand Swami was the manifest form of
Akshar and was Lord Swaminarayan's most beloved devotee and thirdly, Lord
Swaminarayan remains eternally manifest on this earth through a continuous
succession of spiritual masters.
Q. The Swaminarayan movement follows
the Vaishnavite tradition. Does this mean that it completely rejects the
Shaivite tradition of Hinduism?
Not at all. We have installed images
of Lord Shiva, Lord Ganesh etc. in our temples. These are all great 'devas'
and are worthy of everyone's respect and reverence.
Q. Both the Vaishnavite and Shaivite
traditions derive their inspiration from the Vedas. Then where is the need
for two separate streams of Hinduism?
Every, soul comes with its own
'karmas'. Not every child can be placed in the same class. Students have
different aptitudes and preferences - arts, commerce, science etc. Similarly,
individual souls will be comfortable and could progress only in an environment
conducive to their personality type.
Q. Is it possible to unify both
Vaishnavism and Shaivaism and create a new synergy in Hinduism?
Attempting to unify all the arts,
commerce and science streams of education would probably be a disaster.
You cannot create a 'super-car' by building it from a mixture of parts
taken from Rolls Royces, Mercedes, BMWs and Lincolns! The individual parts
fit properly only into models of their own kind. A hotchpotch car probably
wouldn't even start, let alone move. And if by chance it did, it would
almost certainly be a death trap! Similarly, an admixture of religion would
contradict itself in almost every area and would never be a success.
Q. The Swaminarayan Sampradaya has
often been criticised for not giving equal status to men and women. The
sadhus of your sampradaya do not even look at women. Aren't women also
creations of God? In Hinduism woman is worshipped as Durga, Kali etc.
Women are certainly equal to men.
And in many ways their devotion and dedication to God supersedes that of
men. But this does not change how sadhus should conduct themselves with
relation to females. If even 'gruhasthas' (men leading family lives) should
not be looking at females other than their own wives - then what to say
of sadhus who lead lives of renunciation? This is not hatred towards women.
We have equal affection and care for all. We cast our eyes down because
we respect women. Remember Laxman had great affection for Sita, nevertheless,
he had never cast his gaze upon her during the 14year exile with her and
could not recognise her ornaments when they were shown to him by Lord Ram.
A sadhu's goal is very high. After
renouncing so much - family, career, wealth and status - he has to be careful
to avoid all chances of slipping in the even more precarious area of celibacy.
A person who claims he is strong-minded and will drive and drink alcohol
is nothing but a fool. Similarly, a sadhu who says he will mix freely with
the opposite sex and achieve the Almighty is foolish. Enlightened masters
teach the masses through their personal example. This Vedic principle is
described by Lord Krishna in the Bhagwad Gita [Chapter 3/20-21) and the
Shrimad Bhagawatam (11.17.33).
Q. Under your leadership the Swaminarayan
movement has grown tremendously. What are the three main achievements of
your tenure?
Through the grace of Lord Swaminarayan
and the blessings of my Guru, Yogiji Maharaj, inspiring temples like the
one in London and the Akshardham Cultural Complex at Gandhinagar were built
and they have revived spiritual faith in the people and created 'chaitanya'
temples in their hearts. Many members of the intelligentsia have been drawn
to the eternal principles of the Swaminarayan faith and educated youths
have been drawn into its monastic order to serve God and society with dedication.
Q. Your movement has spent crores
of rupees in temple construction. Some people feel that this money could
have been better spent in building hospitals and schools for the poor.
Please comment.
We already spend a colossal amount
on hospitals, schools, youth hostels, medical camps, environment and disaster
relief work in Orissa and in Gujarat. But a bird cannot fly with a single
wing. It must have two wings. Similarly, social work needs to be strengthened
with a spiritual foundation or else the edifice will get destroyed due
to corruption, ego battles, anger, greed and jealousy. Temples bring about
God consciousness, dedication and devotion. This has given us a task force
of 30,000 volunteers, who work with zero administration cost and every
rupee donated to us reaches the needy.
Temples are also hospitals and universities
for the treatment and education of one's soul. Millions of people find
peace in temples, which they do not find in cinemas, restaurants and discos
- or even in their own homes. Today, 80 per cent of physical afflictions
are psychosomatic. Temples redeem people from these mental afflictions
and addiction to alcohol and tobacco etc. Thus millions of people are saved
from going to hospitals. We must learn to go to the root of society's problems.
