Shikshapatri Only Gujarati

In the second half of the 18th century our country was passing through a very difficult time. The political, social and religious phases of public life were facing upheavals and chaos. The life was unsafe and the people were immensely suffering and groaning under the terrorism of thieves, outlaws, thugs, stranglers and robbers. The ignorance and superstitions were wide spread. The scriptures were being misinterpreted by the wicked people to justify their sinful acts. As there was no ray of hope anywhere, all the saintly people were praying for the incarnation of God for their liberation.

The God of the Gods and the source of all incarnations BhagwanSwaminarayan living inHis heavenly abode "Akshardham", heard the prayers of the afflicted people and took birth in a small village named Chhapaiya near Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh on a pious day of Ramnavmi of VikramSamvat 1837 (i.e. 02-04-1781).

By the age of seven years only, He learnt all the scriptures and at the age of eleven years He left home for pilgrimage and penance. After travelling in the dense forests of Himalayas and in Nepal, He visited almost all the main places of pilgrimage in north, east, south and west of our country. In the last phase of His tour He came to Saurashtra region of Gujarat in the western India popularly known as the land of saints. After having been satisfied Himself with the knowledge and saintliness of Shri Muktanand Swami and other fellow saints, disciples of Ramanand Swami, He stayed with them in village Loj. Shri RamanandSwami who was one of the greatest saints of that time, initiated Him into the ideology of 'Vishishtadvait'and enthroned Him as his successor and gave Him the name of Shri Sahajanand Swami.

After the departure of Shri Ramanand Swami for Akshardham, Shri Sahajanand Swami (i.e. Bhagwan Shri Swaminarayan) started His mission of purifying the religion by uprooting the wrong practices, ignorance, superstitions and violence. He lighted a divine lamp of the true and pure religion (i.e. BhagwatDharm) based on Dharm (Duty and righteousness), Gyan (Knowledge), Vairagya (Detachment) and Bhakti (Devotion), which liberated the people from the darkness of 'Adharm' and showed them the path of righteousness leading to 'Akshardham'. Since then the divine light of this true religion has spread throughout the world.

With a view to maintain the order in the sect and to keep the followers on the right track of BhagwatDharm, He made four-fold arrangement by establishing the Acharyas, the temples, the saints and the holy scriptures.

To show the right path of true religion and righteousness, Bhagwan Shri Swaminarayan, out of sheer compassion, has presented to the mankind, the nectar of all the holy scriptures in the form of Shikshapatri. It is a pinnacle of all the holy scriptures of Hindu religion (SanatanDharm). This little scripture (Shikshapatri) comprises the code of conducts to be followed by various classes of His followers. Anyone following it in its true letter and spirit can surely get happiness in this world and in the world after death also. This assurance is given by BhagwanShri Swaminarayan in the Shikshapatri itself. He has also enjoined upon all His followers to vigilantly act according to the Shikshapatri and not to act according to their own whims. He has clearly mentioned that Shikshapatri is a personified form of His own divine self to be read and worshipped daily by all His followers.

Since the spread of Swaminarayan sect far and wide in our country and in several other countries, it had become quite essential to translate and to publish the Shikshapatri in English. With the inspirations of Mahant Shri Devkrishnadasji Swami,the head of Rajkot Gurukul and its sixteen branches, Shri R. B. Ganatra a staunch follower of this sect has taken keen interest and devoted much of his time in translating the Shikshapatri in English. Our saint Shri Laxminarayandasji Swami has helped him with good suggestions.

We are pleased to publish this English version of Shikshapatri as a part of our untiring and constant efforts to serve our sect in a better way. We hope this publication will surely be useful to the followers of Swaminarayan sect living in our country and in abroad as well.