We read in Ghanshyam Charitra about Shirji Maharaj’s divine and miraculous childhood sports. After that Ghanshyam Maharaj renounced the world and sojourned in the forests. He was then known as Nilkanth Varni. He traveled to various pilgrim places in India for seven years. He undertook severe austerities. Finally he met Ramanand Swami who initiated him into the sadhu order and renamed him Sahajanand and appointed him as his spiritual heir. The account of the extraordinary life of the Lord narrated in Nilkanth charitra is based on the established scriptures of the Swaminarayan fellowship. For the convenience of readers a map indicating Nilkanth’s travels has also been incorporated.
Many interesting anecdotes found in the various accounts of Nilkanth’s life which may awaken the varied interests of youths and inspire them to higher spiritual endeavor are narrated here.
The present publication is a translation with slight modifications to suit the medium of the Gujarati book Nilkanth Charitra.
The book has been so designed as to serve part of the examination curriculum for youths. More specifically it is offered as a textbook for the second of the examination Satsang Pravesh in the series.
It is our earnest prayer that children youths and aspirants of knowledge will study these book carefully and pass the examination with flying colors and above all derive immense spiritual benefit and please Bhagwan Swaminarayan and our beloved Guru Pramukh Swami Maharaj.
1 | Tell my people I am safe | 1 |
2 | The Attributes of a Tyagi | 2 |
3 | Gives Darshan to Veniram and Revives Raghunandan | 3 |
4 | Redemption of Ascetics | 7 |
5 | On the Way to Badrinath | 10 |
6 | Spurns Mahantship | 11 |
7 | Visits Badrinath and Manas Sarovar | 14 |
8 | Discourse to Maharaja Ranjit Singh | 15 |
9 | Compassionate Nilkanth | 16 |
10 | Nilkanth in Vanshipur | 18 |
11 | Enters a Dense forest | 21 |
12 | Destruction of Ghosts and deliverance of Yogis | 21 |
13 | Meeting with Himalaya | 24 |
14 | Severe Austerities at Pulhashram | 25 |
15 | Mohandas meets Nilkanth | 28 |
16 | At the Palace of king Mahadatt | 29 |
17 | Meeting Gopal Yogi | 31 |
18 | Blesses the king of Nepal | 33 |
19 | Redeems the Telangi Brahmin | 35 |
20 | Defeat the Pibek | 36 |
21 | Uplift of 900,000 Yogis | 40 |
22 | Religious Preaching | 43 |
23 | Nilkanth at the house of Jairamdas | 46 |
24 | Redemption of Jambuvan | 47 |
25 | Nilkanth Leaves Jairam’s House | 50 |
26 | Reunion with Nilkanth | 51 |
27 | Nilkanth in Jagannathuri | 51 |
28 | Destruction of Asuras in Manaspur | 54 |
29 | Redemption of Rata Bashiya | 56 |
30 | Ungrateful Sevakram | 59 |
31 | Bhagwandas Has Darshan of sacred foot marks | 61 |
32 | Shiv Parvati come for Darshan of Nilkanth | 67 |
33 | Nilkanth in Totadri | 69 |
34 | Northwards from kanyakumari | 70 |
35 | Nilkanth in Gujarat | 72 |
36 | Nilkanth at Bochasan | 74 |
37 | Leather touched water is impure | 76 |
38 | Who gave the right to kill? | 78 |
39 | Revealing his divinity | 80 |
40 | Nilkanth at the house of lakhu Charan | 83 |
41 | The story of Ramanand Swami | 84 |
42 | Darshan to Narsinh Mehta | 88 |
43 | Nilkanth in Loj | 92 |
44 | Significance of Nilkanth’s travels | 95 |
45 | Darshan in two forms | 98 |
46 | Separate assemblies for men and women | 98 |
47 | Plugged the hole in the wall | 100 |
48 | cling to the pillar | 102 |
49 | Miracles galore | 103 |
50 | Letter to Ramanand Swami | 107 |
51 | The glory of Nilkanth | 110 |
52 | Meeting Ramanand Swami | 111 |
53 | The Police chief Experience Samadhi | 114 |
54 | Receives Vasihnavi Diksha | 116 |
55 | Appointed as head of fellowship | 117 |
56 | The passing away of Ramanand Swami | 122 |
Glossary | 124 |
We read in Ghanshyam Charitra about Shirji Maharaj’s divine and miraculous childhood sports. After that Ghanshyam Maharaj renounced the world and sojourned in the forests. He was then known as Nilkanth Varni. He traveled to various pilgrim places in India for seven years. He undertook severe austerities. Finally he met Ramanand Swami who initiated him into the sadhu order and renamed him Sahajanand and appointed him as his spiritual heir. The account of the extraordinary life of the Lord narrated in Nilkanth charitra is based on the established scriptures of the Swaminarayan fellowship. For the convenience of readers a map indicating Nilkanth’s travels has also been incorporated.
Many interesting anecdotes found in the various accounts of Nilkanth’s life which may awaken the varied interests of youths and inspire them to higher spiritual endeavor are narrated here.
The present publication is a translation with slight modifications to suit the medium of the Gujarati book Nilkanth Charitra.
The book has been so designed as to serve part of the examination curriculum for youths. More specifically it is offered as a textbook for the second of the examination Satsang Pravesh in the series.
It is our earnest prayer that children youths and aspirants of knowledge will study these book carefully and pass the examination with flying colors and above all derive immense spiritual benefit and please Bhagwan Swaminarayan and our beloved Guru Pramukh Swami Maharaj.
1 | Tell my people I am safe | 1 |
2 | The Attributes of a Tyagi | 2 |
3 | Gives Darshan to Veniram and Revives Raghunandan | 3 |
4 | Redemption of Ascetics | 7 |
5 | On the Way to Badrinath | 10 |
6 | Spurns Mahantship | 11 |
7 | Visits Badrinath and Manas Sarovar | 14 |
8 | Discourse to Maharaja Ranjit Singh | 15 |
9 | Compassionate Nilkanth | 16 |
10 | Nilkanth in Vanshipur | 18 |
11 | Enters a Dense forest | 21 |
12 | Destruction of Ghosts and deliverance of Yogis | 21 |
13 | Meeting with Himalaya | 24 |
14 | Severe Austerities at Pulhashram | 25 |
15 | Mohandas meets Nilkanth | 28 |
16 | At the Palace of king Mahadatt | 29 |
17 | Meeting Gopal Yogi | 31 |
18 | Blesses the king of Nepal | 33 |
19 | Redeems the Telangi Brahmin | 35 |
20 | Defeat the Pibek | 36 |
21 | Uplift of 900,000 Yogis | 40 |
22 | Religious Preaching | 43 |
23 | Nilkanth at the house of Jairamdas | 46 |
24 | Redemption of Jambuvan | 47 |
25 | Nilkanth Leaves Jairam’s House | 50 |
26 | Reunion with Nilkanth | 51 |
27 | Nilkanth in Jagannathuri | 51 |
28 | Destruction of Asuras in Manaspur | 54 |
29 | Redemption of Rata Bashiya | 56 |
30 | Ungrateful Sevakram | 59 |
31 | Bhagwandas Has Darshan of sacred foot marks | 61 |
32 | Shiv Parvati come for Darshan of Nilkanth | 67 |
33 | Nilkanth in Totadri | 69 |
34 | Northwards from kanyakumari | 70 |
35 | Nilkanth in Gujarat | 72 |
36 | Nilkanth at Bochasan | 74 |
37 | Leather touched water is impure | 76 |
38 | Who gave the right to kill? | 78 |
39 | Revealing his divinity | 80 |
40 | Nilkanth at the house of lakhu Charan | 83 |
41 | The story of Ramanand Swami | 84 |
42 | Darshan to Narsinh Mehta | 88 |
43 | Nilkanth in Loj | 92 |
44 | Significance of Nilkanth’s travels | 95 |
45 | Darshan in two forms | 98 |
46 | Separate assemblies for men and women | 98 |
47 | Plugged the hole in the wall | 100 |
48 | cling to the pillar | 102 |
49 | Miracles galore | 103 |
50 | Letter to Ramanand Swami | 107 |
51 | The glory of Nilkanth | 110 |
52 | Meeting Ramanand Swami | 111 |
53 | The Police chief Experience Samadhi | 114 |
54 | Receives Vasihnavi Diksha | 116 |
55 | Appointed as head of fellowship | 117 |
56 | The passing away of Ramanand Swami | 122 |
Glossary | 124 |