Biography of Lord Swaminarayan

The Purpose Of His Avatar

Swaminarayan Bhagwan incarnated on earth, along with His dham and some of His muktas, to establish ekantik dharma, and grant kalyan to those who became His bhaktas. He incarnated at Dharma-Dev’s house in Chhapaiya in Kaushal-Desh, to save Bhakti-Mata and Dharma-Dev from harassment by demons. He also incarnated to take mumukshu bhaktas to Akshardham, by imparting knowledge of His svarup, dharma, vairagya, and bhakti.
While on earth, He established ekantik dharma, which had been destroyed many years ago, and He destroyed adharma. He initiated over 2000 sadhus, of which 500 were initiated as paramhans. Also, He built mandirs, and installed murtis, which will always remain on earth. In this way, Bhagwan forever resides on this earth through His sadhus and His murtis. Swaminarayan Bhagwan also wrote and narrated shastras, authenticated ancient shastras, and instructed His sadhus to write shastras.
Birth Name:

• Ghanshyam (given by Bhakti-Mata)
• Other Names: Hari, Krishna, Hari-Krishna, Nilkanth (given by Markandey Rushi in Chhapaiya)
• Sahajanand Swami, Narayan Muni (given by Ramanand Swami in Piplana)
• Swaminarayan (given by Himself in Faneni)
• Shreeji Maharaj (given by His bhaktas)

Birth Date: Chaitra sud 9, VS 1837 (2nd April 1781) - Ramnavmi
Birthplace: Chhapaiya, near Ayodhya in Kaushal-Desh (later moved to Ayodhya)
Father’s Name: Dharma-Dev (Dev-Sharma) (son of Bal-Sharma and Bhagyavati)
Father’s Birth Date: Kartik sud 11, VS 1796
Father’s Birthplace: Itar
Mother’s Name: Bhakti-Mata (Bala, Premvati) (daughter of Krishna-Sharma and Bhavani)
Mother’s Birth Date: Kartik sud 15, VS 1798
Mother’s Birthplace: Chhapaiya
Brothers: Rampratapji (married to Suvasini-Bai), Ichharamji (married to Variyari-Bai)
Varna: Sarvariya Brahman
Family Ved: Sam Ved, Kauthmi Shakha
Guru: Ramanand Swami

Van-Vicharan

Start date: Ashadh sud 10, VS 1849 – the day he left Ayodhya
Age at start: 11 years, 3 months, and 1 day
Place: Ayodhya
Length of van-vicharan: 7 years, 1 month, and 11 days
End date: Shravan vad 6, VS 1856
Age at end: 18 years, 4 months, and 12 days
Place: Loj

Bhagvati Diksha

Age: 19 years, 7 months, and 2 days
Date: Kartik sud 11, VS 1857
Place: Piplana

Head Of The Sampraday

Age: 20 years, 7 months, and 2 days
Date: Kartik sud 11, VS 1858
Place: Jetpur

Satsang

Years in satsang: 30 years, 9 months, and 19 days
Time on earth: 49 years, 2 months, and 1 day
Date He left earth: Jyeshth sud 10, VS 1886

Accomplishments On Earth

• Established ekantik dharma, and destroyed adharma
• Initiated over 2000 sadhus, of which 500 were initiated as paramhans - He remains on earth through these sadhus
• Built mandirs, and installed murtis for bhaktas to always have the darshan of Bhagvan’s murti
• Established two seats of leadership (gadi), and two acharyas to protect and promote the sampraday
• Revealed the philosophy of the Veds in simple words
• Wrote shastras, and authenticated ancient shastras, and shastras written by His sadhus
• Summarised the essence of all the shastras in the Shikshapatri
• Opened charity-houses for the poor
• Organised food and water aid for people during times of drought
• Stopped the practice of sati, as it was suicide/murder (some were forced) – human life is only given and taken by Bhagvan
• Stopped female infanticide (killing of baby girls)
• Encouraged the bhaktas to educate females, which meant they were able to give talks about Bhagvan
• Stopped the sacrifice of animals in yagnas 
• Allowed members from all varnas (castes) into the Swaminarayan Sampraday; He instructed His paramhans to collect alms from all sections of society and appointed people from the lower varnas of society as His personal attendants; He ate along with members of lower varnas. However, taking food from members of lower varnas was not supported by Him. 
• Dispelled the myth that moksh was not attainable by everyone. He taught mumukshu bhaktas that the jeev is neither male nor female and that everyone is equal in the eyes of Bhagvan
• Had good relationships with the British Imperial Government, so they gifted Him with land to build a mandir in Amdavad
• Maintained good relationships with people of other religions; had followers from other religions; even though some of His attendants were Muslims, they wore a kanthi and followed the panch-vartman
• Gave the Governor of Bombay, Sir john Malcolm, a copy of the Shikshapatri (is kept in Bodleian Library in Oxford UK)