Appearance: 1781 A.D
Name Ghanshyam Maharaj. (Known as Nilkanth Varni in Van-Vicharan)
Name After Initiation: Swami Sahajanand
Place of Birth: Chhappaiya (Dist. Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India)
Life Work:

• Initiated Swaminarayan Sect
• Propagated Vishishtadwaita (Dualism) at the age of seven
• Initiated 500 Paramhansas at the age of 21
• Put an end to violent oblation, traditions of sati (to sit on the pyre of the dead husband and burn oneself), child marriage, infanticide
• Gave first prose in binded form in the Gujarati language
• Special worshipping areas for women
• Promulgation of Nishkaam Dharma and Nirman Dharma
• Absolute and total celibacy for saints after initiation

End: 1830 A.D.

Lord Swaminarayan manifested Himself in the year 1781 A.D. 224 years ago in the small hamlet of Chhapaiya near Ayodhya in Northern India. As the proverb goes, 'The qualities of a son are known from his birth.' Similarly, Ghanshyam showed a lot of dexterity in deeds and divinity in action during His tender age. As Bhagavatacharya Sri Markendey prophesied, 'this kid is the manifestation of God. He shall bring absolute happiness and prosperity to one and all whoever will come into His divine contact.' True to the words, He won the scriptural debate among the pandits of India in Kashi at the age of seven years.

He renounced the worldly life at the age of eleven and was known as Nilkanth Varni. During His seven and half years of sojourn in the jungle, He walked the whole span of greater India from the greater Himalayas to the end of the land, Kanyakumari in the South and Assam in the East and Gujarat in the west. At the end of His entire journey which set the path for the benefit of all and triumph over all evil, He settled in the village of Loj in Saurashtra. He accepted Ramanand Swami as a Guru for all humanity:

• Let me suffer million times but do not let my devotee suffer one bit.
• My devotee shall never go hungry even if he is the victim of seven famines.
• I shall take my devotee to the abode of God - Akshardham at the end of his mortal life.
• I shall be present on this Earth eternally through the God-Ordained Saint who has renounced women, wealth, and fame.

He initiated 500 Paramhansas (saints) in one night at the age of 21. He was the mentor of millions of persons who had never visualized the happiness that was to be their domain. Most of them were uneducated warriors and farmers. He conquered sword-wielding warriors not by wielding sword but by immersing them in His divine love.

He resurrected them from the brink of barbarism and elevated them to the level of God-fearing devotees. He was probably the most advanced reformer who worked at the lowest strata of society enriching them to be part of a happy, serene and truthful society. He put an end to the practice of Sati, infanticide, and many other vices that plagued the society of yore. Joban Pagi, Bhaguji, Alaiya Khachar, etc. are examples of His unflinching effort to revive humanity to its' best. He wrote 'Shikshapatri', 212 verses of perennial importance that if followed, would bring ethereal peace and prosperity; in the material world and metaphysical world. He also dictated discourses known as 'Vachanamritam', the first compiled prose in the history of the Gujarati Language.

He left his mortal body at the age of 49 yrs., living an indelible impression on the future. Millions of lives were transformed from human to superlative beings through His divine contact.

He always said, 'The objective of My manifestation in this world is to cultivate Service and Devotion.' Service unto Humanity and Devotion unto God are the two goals that every follower of Lord Swaminarayan followed. In a nutshell, He was the propagator of Nishkam-Dharma, the spirituality of desirelessness.

Appearance: 1785 A.D
Name: Mulji Sharma
Name After Initiation: Sadhu Nirgunanand ; Gunatitand Swami
Place of Birth: Bhadara (Dist. Jamnagar, Gujarat, India)
Life Work:

• Built the temple in Junagadh
• Defined the theory of Sakaar Brahman
• Imbibed the theories of devotion and servitude as preferred by Sahajanand Swami
• Incarnation of Brahm

End: 1867 A.D.

According to Lord Swaminarayan's boon, "I shall grace this planet perpetually through the God-Ordained Saint who is absolutely pious and has renounced the company of women, wealth, and fame", He blessed us with the legacy of saints who were and are the beacon of true faith and empathy in this fractured world.

The first saint in this legacy of welfare promulgated by Lord Swaminarayan was Anadi Mool Akshar Moorti Shri Gunatitanand Swami. He was the incarnation of Brahm and Lord Swaminarayan was the embodiment of Parbhram. He was the absolute sevak (aide) of the Lord. It was said that He moved when the Lord's eyes moved. He was the lexicon of the Lord's wish. Physically, He was born in Bhadara, a tiny village on the banks of the river and on the auspicious day of Sharad-Poornima (autumn solstice Full moon) in the year 1785 A.D.

He was initiated as a saint and was named Nirgunanand - the man unbound by the three physical bodies.

He was also named Gunatitanand Swami - a man beyond the boundaries of the material world and virtues. Essentially, Nirgunanand and Gunatitanand signify the same meaning. He was the embodiment of service and devotion, the crucial points to gratify Lord Swaminarayan. He was not a mythical figure. He was the model for all the devotees who aspired to be the supreme sevak of the Lord. He strode this Earth propagating the divine message of Lord Swaminarayan. He was the first natural successor of Lord Swaminarayan.

Appearance: 1865 A.D
Name: Dungar Bhagat
Name After Initiation: Sadhu Yagnapurushdas
Place of Birth: Mahelav (Dist. Anand, Gujarat, India)
Life Work:

• Propagated dual form of worship - Shri Akshar-Purushottam Yugal Upasana
• Built five pinnacle temples
• Idol installation of Shri Akshar-Purushottam Maharaj in each of the temples

End: 1951 A.D.

He propagated the dual form of worship of Shri Akshar Purushottam, the essence of the Swaminarayan sect; the philosophy which had gone unnoticed among the followers! Akshar Purushottam - dual worship is a faith of devotion to God with His most trusted and preferred devotee, Akshar.

This dual worship helps us to understand the intricacies of the spirituality of pleasing Parbrahm with the help of Akshar. A pupil needs a teacher to accomplish his academic goals. Similarly, any disciple needs Akshar as his guide to realize his spiritual goal.

Born in Mahelav, a small town in Gujarat, India, His personality was effectual. His prowess was evident from His illustrious childhood. His deeds evidenced the devotion and spirituality that was unseen so far. With his servility, He pleased one and all. Anadi Mahamukta Bhagatji Maharaj was very much pleased with Him. That made Him the recipient of the intrinsic knowledge of Lord Swaminarayan and M.A.M. Gunatitanand Swami. He studied hard to complement the knowledge He had received from Anadi Mahamukta Bhagatji Maharaj.

He was initiated as a Sadhu and named Yagnapurushdas. His dexterity was second to none in saintliness and learning. He became Shashtri in Sanskrit Scriptures; the degree that earned Him the nickname, Shashtriji Maharaj.

He experienced contemptuous behavior from society. Undeterred in His persuasion of establishing the worship of dual nature as propounded by Lord Swaminarayan, He built five temples through which he spread this message of devotion to Shri Akshar Purushottam Maharaj.

These five temples are the pinnacles of accomplishments in the history of Shri Akshar Purushottam worship. At the end of His mortal life, He indicated Guruhari Yogiji Maharaj as His successor, the manifestation of Aksharbrahm.

Appearance: 1892 A.D.
Name: Jinabhai
Name After Initiation: Sadhu Gnanjivandas
Place of Birth: Dhari (Dist. Amreli, Saurashtra, India)
Life Work:

• Nurtured service and devotion (Nishkam Dharma and Nirman Dharma)
• Initiated 51 educated youths as sadhus
• Propagated Swaminarayan Sect outside India.

End: 1971 A.D.

Guruhari Yogiji Maharaj was born in Dhari in Saurastra. His name was Jinabhai and true to His name, He remained Jino (a little one) throughout His mortal life. He was the fourth successor of the divine legacy of Lord Swaminarayan.

At a very small age, when a child is not even aware of any rationalism, He used to serve the local temple in Dhari waking up at 4.00 AM in the morning. He started performing the temple routine at the age of seven. He would bathe the idols of the Lord, apply sandalwood paste, and perform Aarti like an experienced pujari. His devotion and servitude were not only exemplary, but it was also supremely saintly. He was the byword of sevakbhav (the model disciple of His spiritual master) and had true unreserved compassion.

He was initiated as a sadhu and named Sadhu Gnanjivandas. He was the ultimate model of devotion and humility. In spite of being the head of the Akshar mandir, Gondal; He was found in Kitchen in the wee hours of the morning, noon or night. Tolerance was the synonym and devotion was intrinsic. For Sadhu Gnanjivandasji, servitude was not the quality to be acquired but the manifestation. Insults were His eulogy and treated one as an offering from the Lord.

Guruhari Shashtriji Maharaj, defining His unison with Yogiji Maharaj, often exclaimed, "Huun te Jogi Ane Jogi te Hun." (I am Yogi and Yogi is Me) He populated the idea of 'Samp, Suhradbhav and Ekta' - the practical ideology of unity and universal brotherhood.

He was an ever-smiling personality, the true replica of a mother without the malice of the substance world. He was the one who promulgated and promoted humility as an asset and modesty as a virtue, the most important for an aspiring devotee. He was one person who put the beliefs in devotion and service in the devotee through His idyllic behavior.

Bharat (India) is the divine land sanctified by the foot-prints of God and his incarnation, the aspirants seeking the ultimate liberator, the Siddhas, the sages- ascetics and the sadhus practicing penance and adorning it still more is its western region which is called Gujarat where all the five incarnations of Bharat stepped in, made it their field of action and transformed it into a holy place of pilgrimage.

'Aasoj' is a very very small village in the tehsil of Savli, located in a corner of the Vaakal region in the Vadodara district of this holy Gujarat. In this village, there lived Gopaldas and Kashiba leading a deeply religious and devout life as it they were the very embodiments of Dharma and Bhakti. In the auspicious morning of Vaishakh Sud 10 V.S. 1990 and Thursday, dated 23-5-1934 a divine male child was born to them. And with the manifestation of this child, the blessing that Brahm Swaroop Shastriji Maharaj bestowed on this village a few years back - "I will return here with a divine soul who will sanctify this village into a holy place of pilgrimage!" was relived today. At the time of the child's birth, the sign of the zodiac was Virgo, He was named "Prabhudas" so that, wherever called by that name. He would remind the caller of the name of God!

As the family followed the Vaishnava tradition, it was from the beginning, engrossed in the devotion of God and in the service of the saints, and therefore, their house was frequently visited by saints, Maha-mandaleshwars and the Shhankaracharyas of the three monasteries. Thus, ever since His childhood, Prabhudasbhai could attain the affection of and knowledge from the saints and the Maha-mandaleshwars. He served them with all his heart and got the utmost advantage of them. On many an occasion, He displayed his fascinating personality and extraordinary wisdom!

Prabhudas had His primary education in Aasoj itself, thereafter he went to live with his sister's husband in Anand where he had his secondary education up to Matriculation at Sharda-Mandir School. He then had his college education up to lnter-Science at N.V. Science College, Vallabh-Vidyanagar.

Along with the studies in school and college, Prabhudas used to visit the Hanumanji temple, Lambhvel every evening to perform the Pradakshina. He had so far studied the Bhagwad Geeta by 24 different authors among which four were the English versions! He also went on a pilgrimage to shri Nathji on foot!

In 1953 A.D. Prabhudas came in union with Yogiji Maharaj for the first time in Revandas's Khadaki at the house of Manilal- His sister's husband. It was as though a river had submerged into an ocean!

Prior to this, when He was 14 years old, the Maha-mandaleshwar of Karnali Ashram had bestowed a divine blessing on Him, "You will come in association with a saint who is Sthitpragna (calm and poised either in joy or in sadness, either in victory or in defeat, either in Profit or in Loss, and what not), who himself is desire less and will make you so, who is free from anger himself and will make you so."

Bramaswaroop Yogiji Maharaj, the reader of each one's mind, caressed Prabhudas's neck affectionately, gave Him a pat on His back, drew His face close to His, and whispered in His ears, "Please, forgive us for the mistakes committed by the Swaminarayan saints so far, Lord Swaminarayan has sent us here on to this earth to realize the blessings that your guru bestowed on you five Years back!"

Although Prabhudas had imbibed the Sanskaras of the Vaishnav culture and had cultivated a strong dislike for the Swaminarayan sect, He was so deeply touched by the culmination of the selfless love, compassion without expectation, and egoless-ness of Yogiji Maharaj that His heart was lowered at his lotus feet in total submission, and from that very moment His satsang in the Swaminarayan Sect began and from that very moment too, to live by the injunctions of Yogiji Maharaj become Prabhudas's inherent life.

In 1955 A.D. He was officially initiated by Yogiji Maharaj into the sect. From that time on, Prabhudas used to stay with Bapa during vacations and during festivals and performed various services like cleaning utensils, sweeping the temple premises, serving meals to devotees, Looking after the facilities of the guests during festivals and shibirs (spiritual seminars), massaging Bapa's back, giving discourses to the youths, etc. and thus He looked after eighteen different departments of the temple.

From 1961 to 1965, Prabhudas served Yogiji Maharaj as his Personal Secretary, during these years, giving replies to the devotees' letters as per Bapa's suggestions, arranged the programs of Yogiji Maharaj and made accommodations for him, making devotees firmly believe how divine and Supreme soul Yogiji Maharaj is, and many more like these were the duties performed by Prabhudas.

Prabhudas always acted upon Yogiji Maharaj's inclination and served him as sincerely and devoutly as Yogiji Maharaj had served Brahmaswaroop Shastriji Maharaj. Bapa was so pleased with Prabhudas's service with absolute devotion that the-following blessings were spontaneously bestowed by him on Prabhudas on different occasions....

- You will become passionless, and thousands will be made so by you.
- Seva (Devotional service) will be rendered to others by you, regarding them as innocent and faultless.
- You have served us as we served Shastriji Maharaj.
- From today the Knowledge of Brahm-Gyann will spring out from your mind and that spring will keep flowing incessantly.
- All the youths that come in association with you will be made to attain the ultimate liberation by Shastriji Maharaj.
- Whatever volition you make will pervade throughout the whole universe.
- The universal religion will be prevalent through you.
- You will shelter and protect thousands of Sadhus.

Yogibapa had made a volition to initiate Prabhudas into sainthood at Lakshmi wadi, Manavadar. He fulfilled his volition on the pious day of Vijaya Dashami, in 1965 A.D. by initiating Him as Parshad (the renouncer in white n' white) at the Aksharderi in Gondal, and on the most pious day of the Sharad Poornima, the day of the manifestation of Mul Akshar Murti Gunatitanandswami, Bapa initiated Prabhudas Bhagat into sainthood, Named Him "Sadhu Hariprasaddas," garlanded Him with the garland consecrated by him, and bestowing a divine blessing on Him that He was going to begin and epoch-making mission, Bapa said....

"Listen, all of you! Gunatitanand swami, the incarnation of Mul Akshar Brahma... Lived a worldly life for 25 Years. Then Maharaj Performed a grand Yagya, invited thousands of the Brahmins to Dinner, and initiated him into sainthood at Dabhan. In the same way, we have also held this festival to initiate Prabhudas into sainthood. and the divine musical tunes played by the musical band. As Shastriji Maharaj initiated Pramukhswami who undertook the responsibility of the whole satsang, we expect Prabhudas to become Like Pramukhswami and shoulder the responsibility of the whole satsang, and initiate 51 new youths into sainthood

Our Mahant Swami the son of Manibhai from Anand, was initiated as a saint and he initiated many into sainthood and is taking utmost come of them, Similarly, Prabhudasbhai, who has now become a saint, will make thousands of youths ekantik. It is a divine blessing from our deri that He will be happy within and make others happy, Many led by Him will attain the Akshardham... that is another divine blessing from our heart...."