Vasant Panchami, observed on Maha sud 5, heralds the arrival of spring. The term 'Vasant' signifies spring. Vasant Panchami marks the birth of Brahmaswarup Shastriji Maharaj, the founder of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. The birth of Shastriji Maharaj marked a major turning point in the history of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. Born in Mahelav near Anand, on Maha sud 5, Samvat 1921 (1865 CE), he was blessed by Gunatitanand Swami at the age of one. Spiritually precocious, he vowed to become a sadhu from childhood. In Samvat 1939 (1883 CE) Acharya Viharilalji Maharaj of Vartal arranged a special yagna to initiate him as a sadhu, naming him Yagnapurushdasji.
He then studied Sanskrit. During this period his saintliness impressed everyone in the sect, including Kothari Gordhandas, the head of the Vartal Mandir. The Kothari even declared, "Amongst the 2000 ascetics in Vartal, there is nobody so staunch in his vows of brahmacharya and sainthood as Shastri Yagnapurushdas".
Swami accepted Bhagatji Maharaj, a householder and the foremost disciple of Gunatitanand Swami, as guru. From him he imbibed the subtle wisdom of sainthood and profound meanings of the Vachanamrut. The momentous occasion in his life occurred when Bhagatji Maharaj gave an exegesis on the philosophy of Akshar and Purushottam, in which he extolled the glory of Gunatitanand Swami as Aksharbrahma. Since this presented a new realm for Shastriji Maharaj, to confirm it, he approached other eminent sadhus and householders still living, who had heard of this principle from Bhagwan Swaminarayan Himself. After obtaining their testimonies, he too zealously propagated the philosophy of Akshar and Purushottam, of worshipping Purushottam with Aksharbrahma Gunatitanand Swami, His choicest devotee. Hitherto, only Bhagwan Swaminarayan was offered worship. This principle of 'Bhakta-Bhagwan' worship has been eternal in the Hindu Dharma, exemplified by: Uma-Mahesh(Shiva-Parvati), Sita-Ram, Radha-Krishna and Nar-Narayan.
Towards this end, Shastriji Maharaj even managed to have the murtis of Akshar and Purushottam consecrated in the Wadhwan mandir. This disturbed some elements in the sampraday, who began to harass and persecute him. Swami tolerated everything silently.
Finally after several attempts on his life, he left Vartal on Kartik vad 1, Samvat 1962 (13th Nov.1905), with only 5 sadhus and about 150 devotees. He then founded BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS). Within a year he built a mandir in Bochasan and consecrated the murtis of Akshar and Purushottam in the central shrine in June 1907. This fulfilled Bhagwan Swaminarayan's prophecy to Kashidas of Bochasan, as Nilkanth, that He would reside here with His choicest devotee.
In the next 45 years, with a scarcity of man, money and stone, he amazingly constructed four more mandirs in Sarangpur, Gondal, Atladra and Gadhada, in which he consecrated the murtis of Akshar and Purushottam in the central shrines. The mandir in Gadhada crowned his mission, for it was constructed solely of gleaming white marble on top of a hill.
During his tenure, a saintly sadhu named Sadhu Jnanjivandas (Yogiji Maharaj) joined him from the old sect's mandir in Junagadh, Swami appointed him the mahant of the Gondal mandir. In 1950, he appointed a saintly 28-year-old sadhu named Shastri Narayanswarupdas as the Head of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha. One year later Shastriji Maharaj departed for Akshardham, leaving the spiritual successorship to Yogiji Maharaj.
Vasant Panchami also honors the birth anniversaries of Nishkulanand Swami, Brahmanand Swami, and the historic revelation of the Shikshapatri by Bhagwan Swaminarayan, making it a day of profound spiritual significance for the Swaminarayan Sampradaya.
- Lenin Joshi
BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha
