Spiritual guru and head of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha, Pramukh Swami Maharaj passed away at Sarangpur, Gujarat, at the age of 95. A close associate of Swami said, "He was a heart patient and was being treated for a lung infection. His last rites will be conducted on August 17."
Announcing his passing away, BAPS released a statement saying, "His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, spiritual head and president of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, inspirer of countless and a great servant of society, passed away today, 13 Aug 2016, at 6 pm in Sarangpur. We deeply mourn the departure of our revered guruji.” The breaking of the news was followed by pouring in of thousands of devotees from various cities and towns, all mourning the death of their beloved Guru. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was amongst the first to express his condolences on Twitter, saying, "HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj was a mentor to me. I will never forget my interactions with him. Will miss his presence." He also tweeted, "HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj, a stalwart among humans who embodied compassion and humility. His service to society will always be remembered."
Maharaj was the fifth spiritual successor in Bhagwan Swaminarayan's succession of Gunatit gurus. BAPS, in its statement, said, "For more than seven decades he had been travelling tirelessly, visiting over 17,000 towns and villages in India and abroad. However, for the last two years, because of old age and frail health, he had been residing at the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Sarangpur under the able care of expert doctors."
Born to farmer's family in 1921 as Shantilal Patel, Pramukh Swami Maharaj belonged to Chansad village near Vadodara in Gujarat. He is known to be strongly associated with spirituality from a young age. Swami received a letter from his guru Shastriji Maharaj at the age of 17 years, and with the permission of his parents, left home to join Shastriji Maharaj and his sadhu. "In 1939, he renounced home to become a renunciate and received initiation into the sadhu-fold from his guru, Brahmaswarup Shastriji Maharaj and was named Sadhu Narayanswarupsad," the BAPS statement read. It said, "On completing his Sanskrit studies, he was appointed as the kothari of the BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir in Sarangpur in 1946 at the age of 25 years. Then in 1950, aged 28 years, Shastriji Maharaj selected him as the President of BAPS in his place. Since then, he had been fondly known as Pramukh Maharaj."
In his lifetime, Maharaj created around 1,100 mandirs and major cultural complexes like Swaminarayan Akshardham in Gandhinagar and New Delhi. He was known for his "untiring efforts in uplifting the tribals, liberating thousands from vices and addictions, providing relief and rehabilitation to innumerable people in times of calamity and catastrophe, and inspiring character and faith in hundreds of thousands of children and youths were some of his many outstanding services to society."
He has also been called upon by national and international dignitaries including His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Prince Charles, late Sheikh Isa bin Salman al Khalifa of Bahrain, and late Dr APJ Abdul Kalam.
After completing his Independence Day address, PM Modi flew to Sarangpur, Gujarat, to pay his last respects to Pramukh Swami. Saying that he has lost a "father figure", Modi was overcome by emotions during his 20-minute long speech at the temple where Swami's mortal remains were kept. "Many of you might have lost a guru, but I have lost a father," Modi said. Calling him a "combination of grandeur and divinity", NaMo said he knew Swami from the time when he was not a public figure. He recalled a few instances with the guru, saying Swami once asked him to address a gathering of saints in Ahmedabad, to which he expressed his surprise. When asked what the saints will gain from him, Swami said "the saints should know about the social reality as they have to work to take the society in the right direction."
Modi also recalled Swami's guru Yogiji Maharaj. "We have known Pramukh Swami as a guru. But looking at him, one also understands how a disciple should be," he said. "Long back, while strolling on Yamuna river bank, Yogiji expressed desire to Pramukh Swami to have a temple constructed on Yamuna bank. It was a desire informally expressed. After he passed away, as a disciple, Pramukh Swami constructed Akshardham to fulfil his desire."
India's former President, the late Dr APJ Abdul Kalam wrote a book about his association with Swami. In his 'Transcendence: My Spiritual Experiences with Pramukh Swamiji', Kalam said he felt peace in Swamiji's presence. "He truly loves people unconditionally. That is why he is able to counsel and take part in their difficulties and problems. Their problems become his problems. I can see it in him," Kalam had written.
Grieving the loss, Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said, "The lifetime of HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj was the advent of virtues, righteousness, noble thoughts and deeds, free from addictions, in the service of religion and culture as they would continue to guide the people forever." BJP president Amit Shah in his message said, "Pramukh Swami Maharaj was a true source of inspiration. I was fortunate to have received his blessings." Former chief minister Anandiben tweeted, "Deeply saddened by the demise of HH Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Interactions with him were true source of inspiration and wisdom."
