Tag: Bhagwan Swaminarayan
You Are Not Your Thoughts: Lessons from the Vachanamrut
Have you ever felt trapped in a storm of emotions — regret, anger, anxiety — as if you’re drowning in your own mind? We all have moments when our thoughts seem louder than life itself, when we can’t tell where we end and our feelings begin. But Bhagwan Swaminarayan offers a profound way out of this inner chaos. In Gadhada I-21, He explains that when the mind is disturbed by fluctuating thoughts, one should realize their true self as distinct from the body. This simple yet powerful insight can transform the way we experience life’s emotional waves. You are not [Read More…]
Enjoying God’s Bliss
Acquiring the Virtues of the Satpurush – Reflections from Mahesana Introduction At the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Mahesana, senior Swamis gathered for a special episode of Satsang Conversations. Their focus was a vital question raised in Vachanamrut Gadhada I-67: How can one acquire the virtues of the Satpurush? Through narration and an insightful discussion, the Swamis connected the historic words of Bhagwan Swaminarayan with the living example of His present successor. Shriji Maharaj’s Question On 21 March 1820, Bhagwan Swaminarayan sat in Dada Khachar’s darbār, surrounded by sadhus and devotees. He described the Satpurush: “There is a Satpurush who has [Read More…]
Seeing God in Everyone: Lessons from the Vachanamrut
What If We Saw God in Everyone? What would the world look like if we truly saw God in everyone?Not just in temples or sacred places, but in the everyday faces we encounter—the driver who cuts us off, the colleague who tests our patience, the stranger who asks for help, even the friend who betrayed us. Bhagwan Swaminarayan teaches that Bhagwan resides in all beings, to a greater or lesser degree, as their very cause and as antaryami—the inner controller. God is not confined to shrines or rituals. He is present in people—in their struggles, their stories, their strengths, and [Read More…]
Negative Influence in Satsang; Not Uttering Discouraging Words
In Gadhada Section 1-17, “Negative Influence in Satsang, Not Uttering, Discouraging Words,” even the opening lines of the Vachanamrut carry meaning. What might seem like small details, such as the date, what Maharaj was wearing, or where he was seated, are actually important. They remind us that these were real moments, spoken by Maharaj at a specific time and place. The exact dates and settings show that these are not imagined stories but true and duly-noted experiences. Beyond the history, the title itself points to the main message. It reminds us of the impact that the words carry in satsang. [Read More…]
The fool died while alive…
There’s a kind of death that happens long before the body breathes its last — a spiritual death brought on by a life lived in ignorance and misdirection. The verse “Bhajyo nahi Bhagwan murakh jivata maryo” strikes at this very core, describing the fool who never turned to God and thus died while still alive. Life, when lived without spiritual awareness or purpose, becomes hollow no matter how busy or full it appears on the surface. Driven by greed, many chase wealth and pleasure without a second thought for the consequences. The soul grows numb as one commits sin just [Read More…]
The Power of Courage, Faith, and Choice: Lessons from the Vachanamrut
Have you ever felt stuck in a habit, wondering if you’ll ever truly break free? Maybe it’s the endless scrolling that eats away your time, the bursts of anger you wish you could take back, or the ways you try to numb stress that only lead to more regret. It’s easy to believe that this is just how we are—part of our nature or even our fate. But Bhagwan Swaminarayan offers us a powerful and liberating perspective: addictions and destructive patterns are not the result of destiny, but of habit. And habits, unlike fate, can be changed. With courage, unwavering [Read More…]
Dust thrown with scorn at day’s sunlight, Falls back onto the one with spite…
In the sacred verses penned by Muktanand Swami, we find not just poetry, but a roadmap for spiritual living. His bhajan begins with a gentle yet firm instruction: while singing the divine virtues of Hari (God), let not a single thought of the wicked take root in our hearts. The world may swirl with distractions and negativity, but the true devotee guards their inner sanctuary, allowing only the sacred form of God to dwell there. Every breath, every heartbeat becomes an offering of remembrance—a steady rhythm of devotion. Muktanand then speaks to the irony of the world: those who sincerely [Read More…]
Finding Freedom from Swabhāvs…
The most recent episode of Satsang Conversations whisks us to the Sant Talim Kendra in Sarangpur, Gujarat, where a circle of sādhu-students reflect on Vachanamrut Gadhadā II-7, “A Poor Man.” Though the passage is short, its message is disarmingly practical: our inborn swabhāvs – habits such as anger, stubbornness, jealousy or ego – are the hidden disease that keeps us from tasting lasting peace. The cure, Shriji Maharaj explains, begins with vairāgya (detachment), but for most of us it flowers through one very concrete discipline: atiśay sevā – stepping beyond comfort to serve the Satpurush and his Satsang. The sadhus [Read More…]
The Secret of Success lies in Steady Steps: Lessons from the Vachanamrut
A single drop is easy to overlook. Yet let that drop fall, unhurried and uninterrupted, and soon it becomes a stream, then a pool, then a lake that carves its own landscape. We see the same quiet power in the Great Wall of China: 13,000 miles long, but laid brick by patient brick, day after day, dynasty after dynasty. No one celebrated any single brick; together they formed a wonder visible from space. Life—yours and mine—unfolds in just the same way. Bhagwan Swaminarayan distilled this truth beautifully: consistent, wholehearted effort turns the ordinary into the extraordinary. Imagine giving your body [Read More…]
Inner Richness is Humility, not Pride: Lessons from the Vachanamrut
Ego is perhaps the subtlest barrier on our spiritual journey: it can insinuate itself even into the most noble of virtues—devotion, renunciation, knowledge, or disciplined vows—turning them from ladders into stumbling blocks. The moment we find ourselves thinking, “I am more devoted,” or “I understand better,” pride has taken root and humility slips away. A timeless Sanskrit proverb captures this beautifully: “The branches of a tree laden with fruit bend downward, just as virtuous persons bow humbly, but dry wood and fools never bend.” In this image, the heaviest branches are those most fruitful, bowing under the abundance they bear; [Read More…]
You Are Not Your Thoughts: Lessons from the Vachanamrut