Philosophy of Bhagwan Swaminarayan

Introduction
The doctrine that Bhagwan Swaminarayan expounded has come out of His deep and vital personal experience, and is unique both as a philosophy and a theology.
During His tour around India, He used to ask five questions to the heads of muths and other preceptors:

1. What is jiva?
2. What is ishwar?
3. What is maya?
4. Describe Brahma
5. Describe Parabrahma

 

Bhagwan Swaminarayan has accepted five eternally existing metaphysical entities viz, jiva, ishwar, maya, Brahma (Akshar) and Parabrahma (Purushottam).
He desired to find out whether there was any correct understanding of the philosophical knowledge. He had a purpose, to find out the source of the spiritual light from which He could kindle the fire of spiritual regeneration. At last He came across a Vaishnav ashram in Loj, Saurashtra, where He found a correct understanding of the philosophy. So He settled there and propounded His philosophy of Vishishtadvait. The Vishishtadvait of Bhagwan Swaminarayan is conspicuously based on the relationship between Akshar (Brahma), ishwars and the jivas, and finally on the relationship between Akshar (Brahma) and Purushottam (Parabrahma).

The Basic Differences between Vishishtadvait of Shri Ramanujacharya and that of Bhagwan Swaminarayan
We shall refer only to the essential points of metaphysical difference:

1. According to Shri Ramanujacharya, matter (achit), soul (chit) and God (ishwar) are the three metaphysical real entities, whereas Bhagwan Swaminarayan has accepted five eternally existing metaphysical realities viz., jiva, ishwar, maya, Brahma (Akshar) and Parabrahma (Purushottam).
2. According to Bhagwan Swaminarayan, the jivas, ishwars and maya constitute the sharir (body) of Brahma (Akshar), and Akshar is their shariri (sustainer). And since Akshar (Brahma) is:
   1. pervaded by God (Parabrahma),
   2. absolutely dependent for his functioning upon God (Parabrahma), and
   3. incapable of doing anything except through the shakti (power) of God (Parabrahma).
   Akshar is held to be the sharir of Purushottam (Parabrahma), and Purushottam is Akshar’s shariri. However, God (Parabrahma) according to Bhagwan Swaminarayan does not directly support the finite realities for any purpose of His own. He rather enables these realities to realise their own purposes.
   No doubt, Shri Ramanujacharya also accepts the sharir-shariri relation between other lesser realities and God respectively, but his definition of sharir implies that it is completely controlled and supported by shariri for His own ends.
3. According to Shri Ramanujacharya the motive which prompts God to create the world comprising of all kinds of sentient and non-sentient beings dependent on His volition, is nothing but divine sport, play.
   According to Bhagwan Swaminarayan the creation by God is for the benefit of the jivas only. The universe is by no means a playground for God, but a platform from which the jivas can endeavor to get their release. Thus it indicated the purely redemptive activities of God in the process of creation, sustenance and dissolution.
4. Shri Ramanujacharya has propounded only videha mukti (liberation after leaving the corporeal body). But Bhagwan Swaminarayan has propounded the jivan mukti concept (i.e. liberation within this life). The holding of a physical body is not incompatible with the release of the soul from maya or the shackles of karma.

Some Salient Features of the Philosophy of Bhagwan Swaminarayan
1. Ishwar
Ishwars are many but the whole category is described as ishwar. Ishwars are cosmic gods. Their bodies are composed of panch mahabhuts (five great elements). Jiva is alpagna, i.e. little-knowing, and ishwar is sarvagna, i. e. omniscient. Ishwar has three bodies, viz., virat, sutratma and avyakruta and is involved in the creation, sustenance and destruction of the universe. Ishwar is also bound by maya, since he is attached to the activities of cosmic creation.
2. Akshar (Brahma)
Akshar has been held as the sustainer and all-supporter of the millions of macrocosms. Akshar owes his greatness to Purushottam (Parabrahma), as Akshar is controlled by Parabrahma as its shariri. Akshar as the Atma of all the atmas (the Soul of all the souls), possesses unitive consciousness with Parabrahma, yet is conscious of his dependence upon Purushottam (Parabrahma).
Bhagwan Swaminarayan upheld Akshar (Brahma) and Purushottam (Parabrahma) as separate entities, and defined their relationship as: Akshar (Brahma) is related to Purushottam (Parabrahma) as drashya-drashta, sharir-shariri and niyamya-niyamak. Parabrahma pervades, controls and subdues Akshar.
Akshar (Brahma) is the divine abode of God (Parabrahma), serving God in two ways. As the divine abode, Akshar supports Purushottam and the infinite number of released souls; and as His choicest devotee, Akshar serves Purushottam (God) in revealing His infinite greatness and glory. Akshar is beyond maya or prakruti and is savayav i.e. having a divine body.
One desiring ultimate redemption should identify himself with Brahma (Akshar) and worship Parabrahma (Purushottam) as his God, upholding the ideal of swami-sevak bhav (master-servitor relation).

Concept of Mukti (Ultimate Redemption)
The core of the doctrine of this Sampraday is the belief in the living personal God, who is known as Purushottam. According to Bhagwan Swaminarayan Parabrahma (God) manifests Himself, out of His infinite mercy, along with other released souls, to redeem His beloved devotees who have faith in Him and who have taken refuge and who have surrendered totally at His lotus feet. He brings grace and salvation unto them.
God always manifests Himself on the earth either in His own divine form or when He returns to His divine abode, He manifests in His full splendor through a brahmanised (God-realised) Sadhu. The meditational worship of Brahma or a brahmanised Guru through whom God is worshipped and the observance of five fundamental tenets which forbid indulgence in passion, covetousness, taste, attachment and egoism, are the cardinal requirements for a total deliverance as enunciated by Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
Thus Aksharbrahma plays an essential role in the scheme of redemption of jivas by removing the ignorance of maya attached to them. When the empirical self (jiva) knows Akshar through wisdom, service and devotion, shedding the ego, the jivas attain identification with Akshar. One desiring liberation should so identify himself with Akshar (Brahma). Then just as ice, which is frozen water, resumes its liquid form through heat, so through the spiritual alchemy of Akshar, the jivas attain the state of atmavalokan, of gnan or full knowledge. He becomes brahmanised, enjoys the grace of Parabrahma (Purushottam) and attains ultimate redemption. Thus ultimate redemption, or brahmic consciousness, is not attained by sadhanas but by grace only. Hence, one desiring ultimate redemption should identify himself with Brahma (Akshar) and worship Parabrahma as his God, upholding the ideal of swami-sevak bhav (master-servitor relation).
In the state of liberation, the released soul does not remain still or dormant but has spiritual activism, with which he sings the praises of God in His full splendor. The awareness of the transcendence of God is always before the released souls, which in turn keeps them always subservient to God.
It is therefore believed in the Fellowship that Bhagwan Swaminarayan is Himself Parabrahma, and that the final mukti is attained by only those who dedicate themselves totally at His lotus feet (i.e. through prapatti).

Vishishtabrahmadvaitatvam
In the state of final emancipation (atyantik kalyan), every released soul enjoys God’s bliss. It is a state of identification with God, but not of assimilation, rather like the relationship between body and soul. In this state of release, which is also a state of ultimate knowledge, the differences of jiva, ishwar and maya which were real in the empirical state are eliminated. In the state of total bliss, Brahma remains absolutely engulfed, losing all consciousness of separateness from Parabrahma. In the final state, Parabrahma alone remains, with the qualified adjunct of Akshar (Brahma). Thus Shri Krishnavallabhacharya, an eminent scholar on the philosophy of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, terms this as ‘Vishishtadvaita api vishishtabrahmadvaitatvam,’ which means that Purushottam (Parabrahma; God), the one and unparalleled (advait), is qualified only by Akshar (Brahma) – an unexcelled doctrine, not only in the school of Vishishtadvait but in the whole world of Vedantic Philosophy.

Conclusion
Bhagwan Swaminarayan emphasized the necessity of reconciling reason and intuition in order to attain knowledge of the Ultimate Reality – God. He evolved a unique philosophy of universal appeal, which satisfied the needs of worship and devotion and could also meet the claims of reason.
The succession of brahmanised sadhus and teachers right upto the present day is according to Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s divine promise to remain manifest constantly on the earth for the salvation of devotees and spiritual aspirants. His divine message is perennial as is His divine hierarchy through brahmanised (God-realised) souls whose life and teachings are in absolute consonance with the spiritual, ethical and theological precepts of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
Bhagwan Swaminarayan was succeeded by Shri Gunatitanand Swami, who was the very incarnation of Akshar (Brahma). He inspired his foremost disciple Shri Pragji Bhakta who was his spiritual successor, who in turn was succeeded by Swamishri Yagnapurushdasji. Then his spiritual successor Swamishri Gnanjivandasji brought divine knowledge to many different parts of the world, and the torch of brahmic consciousness is today borne by Swamishri Narayanswarupdasji, popularly called Pramukh Swami Maharaj.

Know Thyself Before You Can Know Life

Scientists say the physical universe has no objective centre because the universe itself is expanding in all directions ... ,

Scientists say the physical universe has no objective centre because the universe itself is expanding in all directions as a four dimensional space-time continuum. Space-time itself is in the process of expansion! Therefore, there can be no fixed reference coordinate system to chart the ballooning cosmos and extrapolate even a hypothetical central point of origin.

Such may be the case from a technical point of view, but from a more pragmatic perspective, each and every living person is the centre of the universe, since for each person the universe exists only because he or she is there to observe it! This concept is so profound that even diehard scientists have conceded to two versions of it called the Strong Anthropic Principle [SAP] and the Participatory Anthropic Principle [PAP]. The telescopes turn away from the receding cosmos and the arrows of all time passed and all futurity to come, train themselves upon you, the observer! The spokes of the great cosmic cartwheel emerge from you and merge back into you. You are the centre - wherever you are, wherever you go.

But what are we at our very core? We are obviously much more than just our physical hands and legs, for if a person's limbs are amputated, his or her thinking ability will still remain whole. Above all his other activities, which are also common to other animals - sleeping, eating and mating - man is a thinking animal. And what a thinker! "The most powerful computer," say scientists John Barrow and Frank Tipler, "has a storage capacity and information processing rate between 10 and 1000 times less than that of a human being." Even the dimmest of human beings possess an information processing capacity 10 times greater than that of a Cray 2 computer. The IBM computer Deep Blue which defeated Gary Kasporov, regarded as probably the greatest chess player of all time, could perform an amazing 300 million computations a second. It's obvious that Mr. Kasparov was not using his whole brain! If even the dimmest human being was to use all his or her information processing capacity Deep Blue would be a long way from defeating him or her and light years from defeating the brightest of human beings. And even then, two milestone theorems - Godel's Theorem and Searle's 'Chinese Room' - prove that mere information processing is not enough to divine knowledge. Self-awareness or consciousness is a pre-requisite.

So where does this leave us? For purely survival and propagation purposes, not only are human beings over-endowed with information processing capacity, they also possesses consciousness. Why are we humans so over-endowed with intelligence? What is the purpose? The answer is clear and inevitable. The purpose of human life is the search for Truth. The Truth. The Ultimate Truth.

If we were to measure our success and prowess in terms of furthering our offspring, then animals and bacteria are far more successful than humans are. Then we would have to conclude that the human species is an inferior species compared to bacteria or that the goal of human life is different from that of animal life. The true purpose behind human life is not sensuality but spirituality. If we do not utilize this special and massive ability to contemplate and understand the Ultimate Truth, it means we have lived lives parallel to that of the other animals in the galaxy - oblivious of everything but the here and now. In his Vachanamrut sermons, Bhagwan Swaminarayan states that the human soul perpetually peers outwards towards objects of the senses, but the soul never looks inwards to see itself. Such souls are the most wretched of all.

Those who know this truth do not hanker after money nor do they drool over materialistic objects. Socrates was once in a market asking questions about various goods on sale. "I'm surprised to find you here," said a friend. "Have you turned into a materialist?" "I have not the least desire to buy anything," replied Socrates. "I'm just amazed to see how many things I don't need in life."

Now to Eternity...

Placing his right foot in the car, and bowing slightly, Swamishri was just about to get in, when abruptly he called out, "Where's it gone?", as if something precious had been lost.
The mail usually kept on the gear box was not there today.
Dharmacharan Swami had already sat in the car ahead. Swamishri pulled at Narayancharan Swami, "Quick, get the letters before the car leaves." Only after the mail arrived, did Swamishri's left foot, which had been planted patiently on the ground, moved into the car. Swamishri began reading the first letter before the car could even set off....
That which untiringly marches on is time. It's journey is always in one direction. Its destination? The End! The sands of time that stealthily trickle away cannot be pulled back up. "Time and tide wait for none."
In the Mahabharat, when Yaksh asks: "What is the scarcest commodity of today's day and age?" We would unanimously agree with Yudhishthir's answer, "Time." (Time deficiency seems to be an eternal affliction - this question was asked over 5,000 years ago!)
Franklin D. Roosevelt has painted our era's portrait perfectly: "Never before have we had too little time to do so much." "I've got no time" has become a common cry for young and old alike-regardless of whether you have a cellular phone or not!
But may be this is just a facade, a diplomatic cover-up for our procrastination - the simple art of keeping up with yesterday. By a mile 'Tomorrow' beats any computer, fax, dishwasher or pager as our greatest and most ingenious labour-saving device.
The Nagar Brahmins of Junagadh had also fallen prey to this cosy stance. They would say, "We'll go later. What's the rush? Swami is here everyday, isn't he?" To that Gunatitanand Swami remarked, "... your jobs will still be here long after you've gone. But is this Swami going to stay forever?"
As a satirist puts it, "The child says 'when I grow up', the youth says 'when I get married', the married says 'after I retire'...." But, when in the December of life he looks back upon the withered away days of yesteryear, its already too late. He has become a fugitive of time.
It makes you wonder, when we are out to 'kill' time, who is left more injured - Time or Us?
Swamishri's life teaches us the value of every fleeting and fragile second that our brief existence is made up of.
True it is: Eternity is nothing but the summation of our lifetimes; each lifetime merely each year end to end; each year is of course, nothing more than one day after another; and each day is indeed, little more than a collection of seconds. Verily, Eternity is the aggregate of each passing moment. Take care of each individual moment, and the days and years will look after themselves.
As helpless prisoners of time, if each elusive instant is adorned with meaning and purpose, vistas as wide as space and as long as time can unfold before us. Florence Fare reveals, "This passing moment is as good as any I shall ever know." And isn't 'Now' also a part of eternity? 'Now' - too immature to be the future, too instantaneous to be the present, and not quite ripe enough to be the past. Now is 'Now'. Now is 'Here'. Now is ours.
To regurgitate the digested moments of the past is as fruitless as a baby trying to suckle milk from a dead mother. To take off on fantastical and romantic expeditions of the future is as foolish as digging one's own grave. True wisdom lies in living in Now. Swamishri many a time emphasises, "To render this moment's work onto another moment, is nothing short of laziness." That's probably why, tomorrow is the day on which the laziest have the most to do!
No wonder Swamishri could not afford even the 10 minute journey from Vidyanagar to Mehlav to go unlaboured.

Written By
Sadhu Paramtattvadas  

happiness      =      objects obtained 

                            desires

if desires = 0, then happiness = 

if desires = , then happiness = 0

objects obtained = your life's work

learn and earn to serve the society through BAPS, for BAPS

A Tribute

Philosophy of Bhagwan Swaminarayan

Bhagwan Swaminarayan's philosophy comprises the five eternal elements of jiva, ishwar, maya, Brahma and Parabrahma. The concept of moksha is explained succinctly. ,

Introduction
The doctrine that Bhagwan Swaminarayan expounded has come out of His deep and vital personal experience, and is unique both as a philosophy and a theology.
During His tour around India, He used to ask five questions to the heads of muths and other preceptors:

1. What is jiva?
2. What is ishwar?
3. What is maya?
4. Describe Brahma
5. Describe Parabrahma

Bhagwan Swaminarayan has accepted five eternally existing metaphysical entities viz, jiva, ishwar, maya, Brahma (Akshar) and Parabrahma (Purushottam).
He desired to find out whether there was any correct understanding of the philosophical knowledge. He had a purpose, to find out the source of the spiritual light from which He could kindle the fire of spiritual regeneration. At last He came across a Vaishnav ashram in Loj, Saurashtra, where He found a correct understanding of the philosophy. So He settled there and propounded His philosophy of Vishishtadvait. The Vishishtadvait of Bhagwan Swaminarayan is conspicuously based on the relationship between Akshar (Brahma), ishwars and the jivas, and finally on the relationship between Akshar (Brahma) and Purushottam (Parabrahma).

The Basic Differences between Vishishtadvait of Shri Ramanujacharya and that of Bhagwan Swaminarayan
We shall refer only to the essential points of metaphysical difference:

1. According to Shri Ramanujacharya, matter (achit), soul (chit) and God (ishwar) are the three metaphysical real entities, whereas Bhagwan Swaminarayan has accepted five eternally existing metaphysical realities viz., jiva, ishwar, maya, Brahma (Akshar) and Parabrahma (Purushottam).
2. According to Bhagwan Swaminarayan, the jivas, ishwars and maya constitute the sharir (body) of Brahma (Akshar), and Akshar is their shariri (sustainer). And since Akshar (Brahma) is:
   1. pervaded by God (Parabrahma),
   2. absolutely dependent for his functioning upon God (Parabrahma), and
   3. incapable of doing anything except through the shakti (power) of God (Parabrahma).
   Akshar is held to be the sharir of Purushottam (Parabrahma), and Purushottam is Akshar’s shariri. However, God (Parabrahma) according to Bhagwan Swaminarayan does not directly support the finite realities for any purpose of His own. He rather enables these realities to realise their own purposes.
   No doubt, Shri Ramanujacharya also accepts the sharir-shariri relation between other lesser realities and God respectively, but his definition of sharir implies that it is completely controlled and supported by shariri for His own ends.
3. According to Shri Ramanujacharya the motive which prompts God to create the world comprising of all kinds of sentient and non-sentient beings dependent on His volition, is nothing but divine sport, play.
   According to Bhagwan Swaminarayan the creation by God is for the benefit of the jivas only. The universe is by no means a playground for God, but a platform from which the jivas can endeavor to get their release. Thus it indicated the purely redemptive activities of God in the process of creation, sustenance and dissolution.
4. Shri Ramanujacharya has propounded only videha mukti (liberation after leaving the corporeal body). But Bhagwan Swaminarayan has propounded the jivan mukti concept (i.e. liberation within this life). The holding of a physical body is not incompatible with the release of the soul from maya or the shackles of karma.

Some Salient Features of the Philosophy of Bhagwan Swaminarayan
1. Ishwar
Ishwars are many but the whole category is described as ishwar. Ishwars are cosmic gods. Their bodies are composed of panch mahabhuts (five great elements). Jiva is alpagna, i.e. little-knowing, and ishwar is sarvagna, i. e. omniscient. Ishwar has three bodies, viz., virat, sutratma and avyakruta and is involved in the creation, sustenance and destruction of the universe. Ishwar is also bound by maya, since he is attached to the activities of cosmic creation.
2. Akshar (Brahma)
Akshar has been held as the sustainer and all-supporter of the millions of macrocosms. Akshar owes his greatness to Purushottam (Parabrahma), as Akshar is controlled by Parabrahma as its shariri. Akshar as the Atma of all the atmas (the Soul of all the souls), possesses unitive consciousness with Parabrahma, yet is conscious of his dependence upon Purushottam (Parabrahma).
Bhagwan Swaminarayan upheld Akshar (Brahma) and Purushottam (Parabrahma) as separate entities, and defined their relationship as: Akshar (Brahma) is related to Purushottam (Parabrahma) as drashya-drashta, sharir-shariri and niyamya-niyamak. Parabrahma pervades, controls and subdues Akshar.
Akshar (Brahma) is the divine abode of God (Parabrahma), serving God in two ways. As the divine abode, Akshar supports Purushottam and the infinite number of released souls; and as His choicest devotee, Akshar serves Purushottam (God) in revealing His infinite greatness and glory. Akshar is beyond maya or prakruti and is savayav i.e. having a divine body.
One desiring ultimate redemption should identify himself with Brahma (Akshar) and worship Parabrahma (Purushottam) as his God, upholding the ideal of swami-sevak bhav (master-servitor relation).

Concept of Mukti (Ultimate Redemption)
The core of the doctrine of this Sampraday is the belief in the living personal God, who is known as Purushottam. According to Bhagwan Swaminarayan Parabrahma (God) manifests Himself, out of His infinite mercy, along with other released souls, to redeem His beloved devotees who have faith in Him and who have taken refuge and who have surrendered totally at His lotus feet. He brings grace and salvation unto them.
God always manifests Himself on the earth either in His own divine form or when He returns to His divine abode, He manifests in His full splendor through a brahmanised (God-realised) Sadhu. The meditational worship of Brahma or a brahmanised Guru through whom God is worshipped and the observance of five fundamental tenets which forbid indulgence in passion, covetousness, taste, attachment and egoism, are the cardinal requirements for a total deliverance as enunciated by Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
Thus Aksharbrahma plays an essential role in the scheme of redemption of jivas by removing the ignorance of maya attached to them. When the empirical self (jiva) knows Akshar through wisdom, service and devotion, shedding the ego, the jivas attain identification with Akshar. One desiring liberation should so identify himself with Akshar (Brahma). Then just as ice, which is frozen water, resumes its liquid form through heat, so through the spiritual alchemy of Akshar, the jivas attain the state of atmavalokan, of gnan or full knowledge. He becomes brahmanised, enjoys the grace of Parabrahma (Purushottam) and attains ultimate redemption. Thus ultimate redemption, or brahmic consciousness, is not attained by sadhanas but by grace only. Hence, one desiring ultimate redemption should identify himself with Brahma (Akshar) and worship Parabrahma as his God, upholding the ideal of swami-sevak bhav (master-servitor relation).
In the state of liberation, the released soul does not remain still or dormant but has spiritual activism, with which he sings the praises of God in His full splendor. The awareness of the transcendence of God is always before the released souls, which in turn keeps them always subservient to God.
It is therefore believed in the Fellowship that Bhagwan Swaminarayan is Himself Parabrahma, and that the final mukti is attained by only those who dedicate themselves totally at His lotus feet (i.e. through prapatti).

Vishishtabrahmadvaitatvam
In the state of final emancipation (atyantik kalyan), every released soul enjoys God’s bliss. It is a state of identification with God, but not of assimilation, rather like the relationship between body and soul. In this state of release, which is also a state of ultimate knowledge, the differences of jiva, ishwar and maya which were real in the empirical state are eliminated. In the state of total bliss, Brahma remains absolutely engulfed, losing all consciousness of separateness from Parabrahma. In the final state, Parabrahma alone remains, with the qualified adjunct of Akshar (Brahma). Thus Shri Krishnavallabhacharya, an eminent scholar on the philosophy of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, terms this as ‘Vishishtadvaita api vishishtabrahmadvaitatvam,’ which means that Purushottam (Parabrahma; God), the one and unparalleled (advait), is qualified only by Akshar (Brahma) – an unexcelled doctrine, not only in the school of Vishishtadvait but in the whole world of Vedantic Philosophy.

Conclusion
Bhagwan Swaminarayan emphasized the necessity of reconciling reason and intuition in order to attain knowledge of the Ultimate Reality – God. He evolved a unique philosophy of universal appeal, which satisfied the needs of worship and devotion and could also meet the claims of reason.
The succession of brahmanised sadhus and teachers right upto the present day is according to Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s divine promise to remain manifest constantly on the earth for the salvation of devotees and spiritual aspirants. His divine message is perennial as is His divine hierarchy through brahmanised (God-realised) souls whose life and teachings are in absolute consonance with the spiritual, ethical and theological precepts of Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
Bhagwan Swaminarayan was succeeded by Shri Gunatitanand Swami, who was the very incarnation of Akshar (Brahma). He inspired his foremost disciple Shri Pragji Bhakta who was his spiritual successor, who in turn was succeeded by Swamishri Yagnapurushdasji. Then his spiritual successor Swamishri Gnanjivandasji brought divine knowledge to many different parts of the world, and the torch of brahmic consciousness is today borne by Swamishri Narayanswarupdasji, popularly called Pramukh Swami Maharaj.

Written By
Sadhu Atmaswarupdas  

Every Man’s Work is a Portrait of Himself…

As Satsangis we, too, can be works of Swami’s ‘art’. He puts in countless hours to shaping each and every one of us, and the spiritual development that we undergo is a direct result of his effort, time, prayers and selfless care.

Every man’s work…is a portrait of himself…”     -Samuel Butler

A sadhu once sent an artistic letter to Swamishri requesting that he also draw some sort of picture in his reply. Swamishri wrote, “I don’t know how to draw, but these sadhus and these devotees ¬- they are all my ‘pictures’.”
Each individual life that Swamishri has transformed is an artfully constructed masterpiece, in and of itself. During the course of his life, Swamishri has painted millions of such pictures. While these living portraits reflect the purity of his life and life message, Swami has no wish to display his work in a showroom or art gallery to receive praise. His only wish is to enable those around him to experience the same spiritual happiness that he experiences day in and day out. It is in the pursuit of this mission that he selflessly contributes for the betterment of humanity.
As Satsangis we, too, can be works of Swami’s ‘art’. He puts in countless hours to shaping each and every one of us, and the spiritual development that we undergo is a direct result of his effort, time, prayers and selfless care. The question that we must ask ourselves is, “Have I chosen to truly be a reflection of Swami’s work? Do I represent Swami in the best manner possible? Do the things I think, say and do truly represent his teachings, wishes and life?” At times our lives may feel like a reflection of him, and at times they may not. The truth is, we are usually an ‘in-process’ reflection of his work. To what extent we fully represent him lies in our hands. It is a question of ‘want.’ Swami has toiled day and night to guide us and mold us, yet the type of painting we want to become plays a direct role in the quality of that final image.
Our perspective can sometimes be the biggest barriers to this process. We want to believe that we are already perfect and that any setbacks we experience are a result of external factors. We seldom ask ourselves, “Where can I improve?” Yes, we are a reflection of Swami’s work, but without constant introspection and wanting to improve, we will inevitably be too contented with the mediocrity of an ‘in-process’ picture  to become the masterpiece that Swamishri has envisioned.  A Chinese philosopher said it best: 

“If you treat people with love and are subjected to enmity, search within;
If you selflessly help people and are greeted with non-cooperation, search within;
If you treat people with respect and are subjected to hostility, search within;
In fact, in any activity which does not bring the desired results, search within.”

What is our desired result? Is it to truly become a reflection of Swami? Is to become someone really great? Remember, “Every man’s work is a portrait of himself.” The lives Swamishri has transformed speak volumes about the greatness of Pramukh Swami Maharaj, himself. Let us, too, choose to lead our lives in a manner that we become a masterful portrait of Swami’s work. Let the work we do, the words we speak, the thoughts we have become a reflection of the greatness of he who is guiding us to be - of our true identity.