The basic five Vows of house-holders
The followers were increased in a large number. Only devotion
and worship is not enough for salvation. The virtuous moral
and devotional human life is absolutely necessary. So He (Lord
Swaminarayan) preached the five basic Vows compulsory for
all.
- NOT to drink wine, liquor or any intoxicating drug of
any sort in any form in any case, NOT even as a medicine.
- NOT to eat meat in any form in any case. NOT even as the
offerings of evil deities or sacrifice or as a medicine
to save one's own life.
- To abstain from adultery. NOT to look at a lady passionately.
NOT to keep close contact with ladies except the nearest
relatives.
- NOT to steal even a smallest thing. Even the worthless
flowers should NOT be taken for offerings to deities without
the permission of the owner.
- NOT to take food and drinks from improper persons and
by improper sources.
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Whosoever wants to become the follower of Lord Swaminarayan
has to take an oath in presence of a great Saint keeping water
in his right hand to abstain from these five. If anybody transgresses
any of these five is not called a follower of Swaminarayan.
He is excommunicated. These are the five basic Vows for house-holders.
These are known as Panch Vartman.
The five Vows of Saints (Sadhus)
Saints of Swaminarayan have to observe strictly their special
five vows listed below as well as the five basic vows listed
above. They are given them at the time of their initiation
as Saints. They are initiated by either Vadtal or Ahmedabad
gadi's Acharya.
- Lustless: Desireless:- He has to observe Naishthik Brahmacharya
i.e. eight-fold celibacy strictly. He has to observe a fast
if he has seen a face of a lady. Not to expect any remuneration
even of his good deeds or must not have any desire of anything.
- Greedless:- He should not be attached at all to the worldly
objects. He should keep clothes and things only permitted
to him. He should not accept, touch or possess even any
sort of currency of his own.
- Tasteless:- He should not be allured or tempted at all
to any taste. Not to eat anything which is not offered to
God, that also mixed togather with water.
- Prideless:- He should not have any sort of pride of renouncement,
penance, knowledge, efficiency religious austerity, devotion,
etc. If anybody beats him, abuses him or insults him, he
should endure patiently, not to be angry at all, should
forgive, not to oppose, not to keep any grudge or any ill
feelings for him, but to wish good for him and to pity for
his ignorance.
- Affectionless:- He should not have any affection at all
towards his body, his relatives, his disciples or anything
except Almighty God Supreme.
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There are 11 Niyams that each Satsangi
of Shree Swaminarayan Sampraday has to follow
- Hinsa na karvi (Be non-violentby any means)
- Parstri no sang na karvo (Do not have any kind
of relationship with other woman other than your wife)
- Mansh na khavu (Do not eat meat, i.e. including
seafood, poultry products, eggs)
- Daru na pivo (Do not drink products that contain
alcohol, i.e. wine, beer, medicine that contains alcohol)
- Vidhva stri no sparsh na karvo (Never touch widow
woman whom you do not know)
- Atmaghat na karvo (Never commit a suicide in any
circumstances)
- Chori na karvi (Do not steal things that belong
to others)
- Koi ne kalank na devu (Never blame others for something
that you may not know about)
- Devo ni ninda na karvi (Never bad mouth about God,
Goddesses, or any religion)
- Jenu na khaptu hoy tenu na khavu (Never eat someone's
food who does not follow these eleven rules established
by Lord Shree Swaminarayan in Shikshapatri)
- Bhagwan thi vimukh hoy tena thaki katha na sabhalavi (Never listen holy stories from a person who does not believe
in the existence of God, i.e. a person who is an atheist)
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Questions and Answers based
on "Shikshapatri" Sloks
What should a devotee ask to Bhagwan
- Hey Maharaj! Hey Swami! Hey Krupasindhu! Hey Sharnagat
Pratipalak! Ohh Lord! please save me from Kusangi (bad people). There are 4 types of bad people: (I) Kundapanthi - People who won't let you follow the Niyams of Satsangi,
(II) Shakti Panthi - People who would force you to
eat meat and to drink beer, wine, etc., (III) Shushka
Panthi - People who would not let you perform Bhakti,
etc., (IV) Nastik - People who do not believe in
existence of God
- Hey Maharaj! Kaam, Krodh, Lobh, Moh, Ahankar, Irshya,
Dehabhiman aa je antahsatru thanki maari raksha karjo.
- Hey Maharaj! Nitya tamara bhakt no samagam dejyo. (Please
give me an opportunity to meet your satsangi everyday)
Reference: "Vachanamrut", Gadhada Pratham - 48
Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan also told
his devotee to do one extra Dandvat Pranam everyday
after the Puja and prey Him "Hey Bhagwan! mara thi jan ta
ajanta mun, vachan ane dehe kari ne aapna bhakt no dhroh thayo
hoy to mane maaf karjo." This way Bhagwan will forgive you
in case if you hurt a Bhagwan's Bhakt with or without any
purpose. ("Vachanamrut", Gadhada Madhya - 40) |