Pramukh Swami Maharaj

Infobox Hindu leader
name= Pramukh Swami Maharaj


birth-date= birth date |1921|12|7
birth-place= Chansad, Vadodara, India
birth-name=Shantilal Patel
death-date=
death-place=
guru= Shastri Yagnapurushdas, Sadhu Gnãnjivandas
honors= Shastri (Scholar)
quote= "In the joy of others, lies our own"
footnotes=|

Shastri Nārāyanswarupdās (December 7, 1921), commonly known as Pramukh Swāmi Maharaj, is a Hindu monk (sadhu), Indian social worker, and spiritual Guru of an international Hindu organization known as the BAPS Swāminārāyan Sansthā (Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha). His life work primarily revolves around teaching principles of bhakti yoga, self-realization, and service to society as taught by Bhagwan Swaminarayan.

The followers of Pramukh Swami Maharaj believe that he is the fifth spiritual successor of the Bochanwasi Akshar Purushottam Sanstha. Presently, Pramukh Swami is the leader of Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Sanstha.

Profile

*Birth: 7 December 1921; Magshar Sud 8, VS 1978.
*Birthplace: Chansad, Gujarat.
*Initiation: 10 January 1940; Posh Sud 1, VS 1996.
*Guru: Brahmaswarup Shastriji Maharaj
*Spiritual Head Since: 23 January 1971; Posh Vad 11, VS 2027.
*Villages Visited: Over 15,500.
*Countries Visited: Over 50.
*Homes Sanctified: Over 250,000.
*Letters Read & Replied: Over 500,000.
*Personally Counseled & Comforted: Over 810,000 people.
*Discourses Delivered: Over 20,000.
*Mandirs Built & Consecrated: 713.
*Sadhu Disciples: Over 800.

*"Guinness Book of World Record holder": Largest Hindu Temple in the World called Akshardham [http://www.akshardham.com]
*"Guinness Book of World Records holder": Only Person in the World to consecrate 713 Temples in 5 Continents between April 1971 to November 2007

"See Awards below to see the Guinness World Records"

Life

The present spiritual leader of the Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Sanstha (BAPS), Pramukh Swami Maharaj, represents a succession of spirituality that began a little over 100 years ago around 1907.

Prior to his death, Yogiji Maharaj gave leadership to Pramukh Swami Maharaj in 1971. Over the last 24 years, under his able leadership and guidance, the BAPS faith has spread throughout India and internationally. What was, 85 years ago, a relatively small institution with only several thousand devotees and a handful of sadhus, is now a dynamic worldwide organisation with over 350 temples, over 5600 Satsang centres, more than 500 sadhus and a million followers spread over five continents.

Inspired by Pramukh Swami Maharaj, the Sanstha has enjoyed success in international festivals celebrated in 1981 (Bicentenary Celebrations of Lord Swaminarayan), 1985 (Bicentenary Celebrations of Gunatitanand Swami) and 1992 (Centenary Celebrations of Yogiji Maharaj), as well as the spectacular ‘Cultural Festivals of India’ held in London, 1985 and in New Jersey, 1991.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj has embarked on no less than 15 preaching tours, covering 43 countries in 5 continents over the last 25 years. Temples and Satsang Centres have been established in USA, Canada, Europe (UK, France, Portugal, Holland, Belgium), Africa (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Malawi, Mauritius), South Africa, The Middle East (Bahrain, UAE), The Far East (Japan, Fiji, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong), Australia and New Zealand.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj has been recognised by the United Nations for his efforts in religious harmony, and his message of peace and goodwill, having been asked to deliver a message to all at the World Peace Summit of 2000.cite web |url=http://www.expressindia.com/news/ie/daily/20000911/iin11007.html |title=Pramukh Swami at the UN |accessdate=2008-01-15 |author= |last= |first= |date=2000-09-11 |publisher=IndianExpress.com ]

Projects

Pramukh Swami Maharaj is credited as being the inspirer of the Swaminarayan Akshardham cultural complexes in New Delhi and Gandhinagar, Gujarat and also numerous traditionally built stone temples across the world, such as the BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandirs in London, Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Toronto and Nairobi.

He has contributed to projects in social (famine relief, cattle camps, earthquake relief work), educational (literacy campaigns, youth hostels), ecological (tree planting, well recharging, recycling projects), medical (diagnostic camps, blood donation), moral (anti-addiction drives), cultural (child and youth development), and spiritual areas.

Awards

*In July 2000, Pramukh Swami Maharaj was awarded a place in the Guinness World Records as one of the 20 most influential people in the world. [cite web | url=http://www.swaminarayan.org/news/2001/11/guinnessbook/index.htm | title=Guinness World Record Certificate for temple consectrations, listed under the 'Influential People' section] .
*Also in July 2000, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir London, a temple inspired by Pramukh Swami Maharaj, was awarded a Guinness World Record for being the Largest Hindu Temple outside India [cite web | url=http://www.swaminarayan.org/news/2000/07/guinnessbook/index.htm | title=Guinness World Record Certificate for Largest Temple]
*In November 2000, BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London was awarded a Guinness World Record for the "Most Different Dishes on Display" where 1247 different vegetarian dishes were displayed. The dishes were on display as part of the Annakut festival, celebrating the North Indian Hindu New Year. [cite web | url=http://www.swaminarayan.org/news/2000/11/guinnessbook/index.htm | title=Guinness World Record Certificate for Annakut]
*On 17 December 2007, Pramukh Swami Maharaj was awarded a Guinness World Record for "Consecrating Most Hindu Mandirs (Temples) by a Single Person" for creating and consecrating, in accordance with Hindu rituals, 713 mandirs in five contintents between April 1971 and November 2007. In addition, BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in New Delhi, India, was awarded a Guinness World Record for being the "World's Largest Comprehensive Hindu Temple".

The first three records appeared in the 2000 and 2002 editions of the Guinness World Records whilst the others will appear in the 2009 edition.

References

Books
* This Is Hinduism by Dave Symmons, Nelson Thornes
* Living with Siva: Hinduism's Contemporary Culture by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, Himalayan Academy

Websites
* [http://www.baps.org/pramukhswami/index.htm Pramukh Swami Maharaj]
* [http://www.swaminarayan.org BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha]
* [http://www.bapscare.org BAPS Care International]
* [http://www.akshardham.com Swaminarayan Akshardham]
* [http://www.mandir.org BAPS Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, London]

News Articles
* [http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/00july02/inter.htm Article re: Guinness World Records]
* [http://www.expressindia.com/ie/daily/20000911/iin11007.html Pramukh Swami Maharaj at the UN]

External links

* [http://www.baps.org/introduction/achievements/index.htm BAPS achievements under leadership of Pramukh Swami Maharaj]
* [http://www.baps.org/activities/index.htm Social work conducted under guidance and leadership of Pramukh Swami Maharaj]
* [http://www.mandir.org/pramukhswamimaharaj/index.htm The Inspirer and Present Guru of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha]