In Love, At Ease Everyday Spirituality with Pramukh Swami

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The Swaminarayan Sampradaya was founded by Bhagwan Swaminarayan or Sahajanand Swami at the turn of the nineteenth century. He was born in 1781 in Chhapaiya, a small village near Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh. He left home at the age of eleven and travelled across the subcontinent for seven years to engage with diverse people and religious communities. In Gujarat, he started a spiritual and social reform movement that eventually shaped modern Hindu religiosity and broader Indic spirituality in India and the diaspora. Of the many worthy lines of succession, one of the more prominent ones is through a lineage of spiritual gurus (spiritual masters). Gunatitanand Swami was the first, followed by Bhagatji Maharaj, Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj. Pramukh Swami Maharaj was the fifth and arguably the most significant spiritual successor in this lineage. Mahant Swami Maharaj is the sixth spiritual successor and current guru.

The objective of this publication is to make the life of Pramukh Swami Maharaj accessible without presuming much familiarity with Swaminarayan and Hindu terminology, and Gujarati vocabulary on the reader's part. I have therefore tried to use English translations wherever possible. This is tricky since his stories are embedded in a particular cultural and geographical context. Gujarat and Gujarati are central to experience, especially for understanding theology, ritual and customs. I therefore occasionally use the original Indic terms. Since I chose not to include a glossary in this book, listed below are words that appear frequently in the text. When I use an Indic word, I provide an English translation in parenthesis and italicize it the first time it appears. When necessary, I have given a more detailed explanation or description of an Indic term or tradition in a footnote for the reader's reference.

Pramukh Swami Maharaj guided like an ideal spiritual master. He comforted like a loving mother this is why he is cherished by millions today. He is truly unforgettable.

What can be said of my guru? Speaking of his life and endless qualities seems like a fairy-tale to those who did not have his darshan. Did such a spiritual master truly exist during our lifetime? Look at how he lived modestly amidst praise. Look at how he loved without partiality Look at how he endured for others. Look at how he united people. Look at how be served his gurus with boundless dedication. Look at how he remained in constant union with God. He gave to humanity until his last breath.

I had the fortune to learn and grow in my guru's presence for six decades. I continue to learn from him today. Pramukh Swami Maharaj's humility taught me that one never stops being a student. In order to attain moksha, daily spiritual reflection is necessary. I reflect on my interactions with him daily. How fortunate are we to have had a living example in Pramukh Swami Maharaj of an ideal bhakta? Through these loving interactions, the guru made spirituality easy to understand.

In this book, Yogi Trivedi reflects on spirituality based on interactions with Pramukh Swami. It is a valiant effort to swim in the ocean that is Pramukh Swami. Yogi travelled with Pramukh Swami for many years and later with me. This gave him the opportunity to closely observe and learn. His Holiness showered him with love. He also disciplined him. I have seen Yogi walk on the spiritual path, and even stumble. He looked to His Holiness for the strength to walk again. Faith in God and guru is the root of that strength. We are not alone. They are with us. In their divine company. We will remain fearless and enjoy our journey to moksha.

Gurus live on through their lessons of spirituality. We continue to feel their presence by relishing in these interactions. I invite all to reflect on this book with an open mind. It is an educational reader for everyday spirituality. It is also a devotional reader for those who heartily take note of Pramukh Swami's bhakti, seva, and effortless purity. The beautiful and honest descriptions of the interactions place the reader in the guru's presence over the last one hundred years. It is as if Iearning from His Holiness directly. May the readers find what they seek on the spiritual path in Pramukh Swami's eternal presence.

Building Bridges

It is extremely difficult to write about someone who is one's whole world. Nothing one writes is good enough; everything one writes is too good to remove. The constant guilt of omitting hundreds of shared interactions looms over one's mind, and a steady stream of tears flows from one's eyes while trying to find words befitting of one's beloved. Add to that a diverse audience's expectations of one's depiction of His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj's life, and one can begin to appreciate the various layers of this publication. These reservations, that would have otherwise hindered taking on such a difficult task, fall away when the intent is to share stories of love and spirituality that one has experienced. Most of what has been written about His Holiness has been from a sectarian perspective for his disciples. This volume is an attempt to speak to the community's younger English readership and those at the periphery and outside of the community who are curious about this influential spiritual master's life and lessons.

I have benefited greatly from growing in the guru's presence. One of the greatest advantages of serving in various capacities under Pramukh Swami Maharaj's auspices, travelling with him around the world, and preparing food for him with his personal attendants, was that I actually found myself being served by him or his personal attendants. Within weeks, this became my family acceptance without judgement, without refined ability and without prerequisites. He also taught me the precursors to faith and religion-humanity, empathy, social skills and ambition, balanced with kindness. Some of my earliest opportunities to perform as a vocalist and to speak in front of thousands and with community leaders came under his direction. His instruction about the world beyond the community-a world that was also created and inspired by the Divine-conveyed the importance of learning from it, engaging with it, and weaving it together with my community. This one lesson shaped not only my professional life as a journalist and academic, but also as a spiritual aspirant and a citizen of the world. This book is an effort to articulate this core lesson from his life-to build a bridge between the different worlds through which we trek.