Early life Gunatitanand Swami

baps shri swaminarayan mandir, bhadra, gujarat.

gunatitanand swami born on 17 october 1785 (aso sud punam, vikram samvat 1841) bholanath , sakarba jani in village of bhadra, situated near river und in gujarat, india. father’s guru, ramanand swami, named him mulji. young age, evident mulji had “disinclination towards material objects” , exhibit perspicacity rare child of age, claiming while playing younger brother sundarji become sadhu , inspire sundarji become one. various accounts indicate close association between mulji , swaminarayan, born 4 years before mulji. 1 such incident details how thin line of milk appeared on lips of murti of “thakorji,” small metal idol of swaminarayan, while mulji himself drinking glass of milk. in response mother’s surprise @ this, mulji had explained, “mother! thakorji present in heart. when eat, thakorji eats me.”

as mulji approached adolescence, sacred thread ceremony performed on 13 june 1793 in anticipation of pursuit of religious education. after event, mulji immersed himself in learning various religious beliefs prevalent in gujarat @ time. openly told others narayan (god) visit village , hence had no reason travel kashi, traditionally done 1 wished pursue serious religious education. mulji began visiting prominent religious personalities , learnt them various religious , social nuances associated each sect. time in teens, had grasped principles of shuddhadvaita acharya gosai narsinhlalji of vaishnav sampraday , learnt pr

anami sect. ramanand swami’s bhagvat dharma appealed him due teachings , practices , accepted him first guru.

mulji travel village of shekhpat visit ramanand swami , listen religious discourses. formed lasting friendship lalji suthar, native of shekhpat shared mulji’s zeal ramanand swami’s philosophies , later become nishkulanand swami, 1 of swaminarayan’s prominent sadhu disciples. period, meet every evening @ small shrine shiva on stepwell in village of kiri between respective villages , discuss various religious matters.