Muktanand Swami
Muktanand Swami (1758-1830) was a sadhu and paramahansa of the Swaminarayan Sampraday.[1][2]
Biography
He was born Mukund Das to Anandram and Radhabai in Amrapur village (Dist-Amreli), Gujarat in 1758.[3]
When children of his age group were indulging in sports, and games Mukund sat quietly in seclusion with the closed eyes. Mukund Das learnt Vedas, scriptures and music from two teachers - Jaduram and Hathiram, both of whom were scholars in literature and fine arts.[3]
Muktanand Swami was also regarded as the incarnation of Naradji.
Muktanand Swami was considered the principal disciple of Ramanand Swami. He mastered the eight folded yogic state.[4]
Swaminarayan and Muktanand Swami
In Loj, Sadhu Sukhanand a fellow saint and devotee residing at the hermitage found a young saint with divine aura bathing by a well near the village. Impressed by the sight of the divinehb yb the young brahmchari to hermitage and introduced him to Muktanand Swami. Muktanand Swami found himself drawn towards the divine presence of the youthful saint and coming forward offered pranams. On a mutual introduction, Muktanand Swami gathered that the visitor was the son of DharmaDev and BhaktiDevi, and had spent seven years in the seclusion of the mountains and forests. His present name was Varniraj (forestdweller) Nilkanth Varni (Swaminarayan). Nilkanth Varni stayed on in Loj to meet Ramanand Swami who was in Bhuj at that time.[5]
Satsang gives great importance to Muktanand Swami, because the foundation of this great sect was laid by him by closing interactive window between hermitage and neighbour, and separated women from the gents in Satsang Sabha on instance from Nilkanth Varni.[6]
He, though in age was senior to Nilkanth Varni (Renamed Sahajanand Swami by Ramanand Swami), but in succession to Ramanand Swami he proposed Sahajanand Swami as the successive preceptor and head of the sect. Thus Muktanand Swami lived under the auspices of Sahajanand Swami who always respected him like a Guru.[7]
Works
Muktanand Swami was instrumentalist and vocalist besides being a saint. He was equally at ease in dancing. Swaminarayan called him 'The mother of Satsang' because of his motherly love, tolerance and smooth interaction. He chose Muktanand Swami to represent the Swaminarayan Sampraday at the Gathering of Vadodara, where the latter was victorious.
Muktanand Swami has written a lot of poetry. He composed poems spontaneously. 'Mukund Bavani' is a collection of his devotional poetry. 'Muktanand Kavya' is the collection of his works. The Aarti that is sung in all Shri Swaminarayan Temple's, Jay Sadguru Swami was written by Muktanand Swami in praise of Shri Hari or Swaminarayan.[8] He has also written books on several subjects.
List of Muktanand Kavya ( Collection of 22 small Sastras)
1.Dharmabayanam
2. Panchratna
3.Vivek Chintamani
4.Udhav Gita
5.Satsangh Shiromani
6.Sati Gita
7.Shiksapatri Basha
8.Shreevasudevavtarchintamani
9.Mukundbhavli
10. Dhamvarnanchaturi
11. Aavdhutgitam
12.Guruchivishi
13.Krushnaprasad
14.ShreeNarayancharitra
15.Narayankavacham
16.Vaikunthdhamdarsan
17. ShreeMadBhagwatGitaBhasyaTika
18.Kapil Gita
19.Gunvibhag
20.Shree Narayan Gita
21. Raaslila
22. Rukmani Vivah
Notes
- ^ Behramji Merwanji Malabari; Krishnalal M. Jhaveri; Malabari M. B (1997), Gujarat and the Gujaratis, Asian Educational Services, ISBN 81-206-0651-5, retrieved May 7, 2009 Page 263 - 269
- ^ Williams 2001, pp. 189
- ^ a b Muktanand Swami, the mother of comunion
- ^ Williams 2001, pp. 75–77
- ^ Williams 2001, pp. 16
- ^ Williams 2001, pp. 15
- ^ Williams 2001, pp. 17
- ^ Williams 2001, pp. 76, 189
References
- Williams, Raymond (2001), Introduction to Swaminarayan Hinduism, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 978-0-521-65422-7
External links
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