Swaminarayan: Bhagwan Swaminarayan was named Ghanshyam

Bhagwan Swaminarayan was named Ghanshyam Pande at his birth in Chhapiya, Northern India, in 1781. He soon mastered the Hindu scriptures, traveled across the Himalayas and India, led millions away from superstition and towards a devotional faith replete w Swaminarayan (IAST: Svāmīnārāyaṇa; 3 April 1781 – 1 June 1830), also known as Sahajanand Swami, was a yogi and ascetic believed by followers to be a manifestation of Krishna [3][4][5] or the highest manifestation of Purushottama, [6][7] around whom the Swaminarayan Sampradaya developed. In 1800, he was initiated into the Uddhava sampradaya by his guru, Swami Ramanand, and was given the name Sahajanand Swami. Despite opposition, in 1802, Ramanand handed over the leadership of the ... Learn about the life, achievements, and teachings of Swaminarayan Bhagwan, the founder of the Swaminarayan Sampraday. He incarnated in 1781 to establish ekantik dharma, initiate sadhus, build mandirs, and write shastras. During such wanderings he met Ramanand Swami who admitted him into his ascetic order known as Uddhav Sampraday and gave him a spiritual name Sahajanand Swami. When Ramanand Swami died in 1802, he became the leader of the sect. His charismatic appeal, inner purity, personal touch and wisdom drew many new followers to the sect. They considered him as God himself in human form and addressed him as Bhagawan Swaminarayan and the ascetic order he was heading as Swaminarayan sect. The sect drew ...