Pramukh Swami Maharaj

Pramukh Swami Maharaj
Pramukh Swami Maharaj
Preceded by	Yogiji Maharaj
Succeeded by	Mahant Swami Maharaj
Personal
Born	Shantilal Patel 7 December 1921 Chansad, Gujarat, India
Died	13 August 2016(2016-08-13) (aged 94) Sarangpur, Gujarat, India
Religion	Hinduism
Denomination	Swaminarayan Sampradaya, BAPS
Notable work(s)	Global development of BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham (Gandhinagar, New Delhi) 1,125 mandirs built Initiated 1,000 swamis
Monastic name	Narayanswarupdas Swami
Organization
Philosophy	Akshar-Purushottam Darshan
Role(s)	Spiritual head of BAPS (1971–2016) President of BAPS (1950–2016)

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Pramukh Swami Maharaj (born Shantilal Patel; ordained Narayanswarupdas Swami; 7 December 1921 – 13 August 2016) was the guru and Pramukh, or president, of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a major branch of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya, a Hindu denomination. BAPS regards him as the fifth spiritual successor of Swaminarayan, following Gunatitanand Swami, Bhagatji Maharaj, Shastriji Maharaj, and Yogiji Maharaj. He was believed by his followers to be in constant communion with Swaminarayan, and ontologically, the manifestation of Akshar, the eternal abode of Swaminarayan.^[1]

He received initiation as a Hindu Swami in 1940 from Shastriji Maharaj, the founder of BAPS, who later appointed him as President of BAPS in 1950. Yogiji Maharaj declared Pramukh Swami Maharaj to be his spiritual successor and guru of BAPS, a role he commenced in 1971.

As president of BAPS, he had overseen the growth of BAPS from an organization centered in Gujarat, India, to one spread around the world, maintaining many Hindu mandirs and centers outside of India. He built more than 1,100 Hindu temples, including the Swaminarayan Akshardham temples in New Delhi and Gandhinagar, Gujarat.^[2] He had also spearheaded the efforts of BAPS Charities, which is the charitable service organization affiliated with BAPS. He was succeeded as the guru and president of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha by Mahant Swami Maharaj.^[3]