About SMVS | SMVS Newark

SMVS: An Introduction

The Swaminarayan Sampraday, founded by Purn Purushottam Bhagwan Shri Swaminarayan in 1802 AD, is a Hindu denomination that combines spiritual and social work for societal upliftment. SMVS (Swaminarayan Mandir Vasna Sanstha) was established on February 22, 1987, by Gurudev HDH Bapji, the sixth spiritual successor, to continue this work. The present head of SMVS organization is HDH Guruji (Satyasankalpdasji Swamishri). The organization emphasizes that all work is done by Bhagwan Swaminarayan.

SMVS focuses on:

Guiding individuals toward spiritual liberation (moksha) through Bhagwan Swaminarayan's worship.
Inspiring an ideal life by encouraging five vows: giving up addiction, non-vegetarian food, maintaining honesty, giving up adultery, and firmness in religious principles.
Nurturing individuals, families, and society spiritually and socially.
Addressing contemporary challenges through spiritual activities like chanting, devotional singing, worship, meditation, and spiritual assemblies.
Promoting compassion, love, kindness, and helpfulness for social service.

Vision and Mission

Our Mission: To attain absolute liberation (Atyantik Moksha) by understanding and living according to Bhagwan Swaminarayan's principles, and spreading this knowledge. To achieve the ultimate happiness of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and inspire others to do the same. To create a divine society with unity in speech, thought, and action, as envisioned by Guruvarya P.P. Bapji and P.P. Swamishri. To propagate the ideals of the Swaminarayan Sampraday and Hinduism globally, preserving Indian culture and fostering family unity. To uplift society by cultivating virtues and transforming individuals. To inspire collective progress with the spirit of 'Not Me, but Us,' led by P.P. Swamishri.
Support: The organization is supported by 100 Saints and Parshads, 83 Women Saints, and over 10,000 volunteers, serving in education, medicine, tribal upliftment, and disaster relief with the sentiment that 'Service is the service of God.'

Our Beliefs

SMVS adheres to the eternal principles of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and the core beliefs in the Vachanamrut and Shikshapatri.

Core Principles:
1. Gods are distinct; Swaminarayan is the one Supreme God, and exclusive devotion to Him leads to Absolute Liberation.
2. The soul's duty is to enjoy the happiness of the Supreme God. Realizing the soul as distinct from the body and meditating on Shriji Maharaj leads to the state of the Anadimukta (eternally liberated).
3. A Satpurush (God-realized Saint) is essential as a guide to attain oneness with the Supreme God. The Satpurush never becomes God.
4. Worship (Upasana), knowledge of one's soul-form, and character are essential. Pleasing God through actions aligned with His commands earns His grace (Rajipo).
Primary Beliefs Propagated by Bhagwan Swaminarayan:
1. Idol Worship (Murti Puja): Emphasized as a more authentic form of worship, with Bhagwan Swaminarayan residing in the Murti.
2. Temple (Mandir): Holy places where God resides in the Murti, essential for spiritual guidance and societal benefits.
3. God's Manifestation in the Form of the Murti: Belief that God is present in the Murti, leading to devotional services.
4. Worship/Understanding (Upasana): Knowledge-based, determined understanding of one's chosen deity, with firm faith in Swaminarayan Bhagwan as the Supreme.
5. Absolute Liberation (Atyantik Moksha-Kalyan): The highest state of liberation, experiencing the bliss of God, achieved through firm faith in Swaminarayan Bhagwan or association with a Satpurush.
6. Fulfillment/Redemption (Krutarthpanu): The understanding that liberation can be attained while still in the body, considering redemption complete upon achieving firm faith in Swaminarayan Bhagwan.
7. Devotion with Love (Premalakshana Bhakti): Serving and worshipping God's Murti with extreme love and immersion.
8. Guru-Satpurush: A spiritual guide who leads from ignorance to knowledge and unites the soul with the Supreme God. The Satpurush is from God's abode and never becomes God.
9. Grace-Pleasure (Krupa-Rajipo): The easy and short path to overcome faults and attain God's bliss, as opposed to the long path of effort.
10. God as the Sole Doer (Bhagwan's Kartapanu): Firm belief that Swaminarayan Bhagwan is the only doer in infinite universes, freeing one from the burden of other gods and ego.
11. Divine View/Perspective (Divya Drashti): Having a divine perspective towards objects, places, and people associated with God, especially Saints and devotees, to attain continuous bliss.

Our Ideals

SMVS promotes 11 ideals for spiritual and social values, inspiring individuals to enrich their speech, conduct, thoughts, and qualities.

Boundaries between Men and Women (Stri-Purush Maryada): Maintaining purity of character through the vow of non-adultery.
Life free from addictions (Nirvyasani Jivan).
Purity in diet (Ahar Shuddhi).
Honesty and integrity (Pramanikta ane Nitimatta).
Transparent life.
Contented life (Santoshi Jivan).
Pure and pious conduct.
Following the truth.
Selfless social service.
Firmness in following rules (Niyam Palan).
Compassion, love, and kindness towards all living beings.

Spiritual Activities

Mandir (Temple): Temples are places to attain peace, happiness, good conduct, purity, and values. SMVS has built over 80 temples in India and acquired over 100 plots for future construction, establishing pure worship of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and His Muktas.
Children's Activities (Baal – Balika Pravrutti): Started in 1987, these activities focus on the all-round development of children aged 7-14 through Satsang, values, art-skills, and studies, operating in over 633 locations and benefiting over 15,000 children weekly.
Youth Activities (Yuva-Yuvati Pravrutti): Established in 1987, these groups cultivate divine qualities like honesty, character, and worship in youth, with over 226 groups in India and 30 abroad, benefiting over 10,000 members weekly. Projects like 'Adarsh Yuva Project' (AYP) and 'Adarsh Vadil Project' (AVP) also promote ideal behavior among youth and elders.
Women's Activities (Mahila Pravrutti): The 'Bhakti Niwas' unit, established in 2001, provides a path for women to renounce worldly life and devote themselves to God. 83 revered renounced women-Muktas serve through this unit, observing strict vows. A 'Dedicated Training Center' nurtures young women seeking renunciation.
Saints (Santo): SMVS has 100 Saints-Parshads who sacrifice their lives for spiritual progress and societal upliftment, spreading the message of God and values, and guiding individuals towards liberation.
Dedicated Training Center (STK): Inaugurated in 2011, STK provides spiritual and practical training for youths to become dedicated servants, spiritual aspirants, Parshads, and Saints, with a semester system and 42 trainees in 8 years.

Cultural Preservation

Overseas Activities (Videsh Pravrutti): Since 1995, SMVS has spread Satsang globally, constructing 8 temples and acquiring 12 plots in countries like the US, UK, Canada, and Dubai. Activities focus on instilling values, Satsang knowledge, and traditional practices through weekly assemblies and camps for all age groups, including Gujarati language classes for children.
Celebration of Festivals (Utsavo ni Ujavani): SMVS organizes grand festivals, continuing Bhagwan Swaminarayan's tradition of offering Absolute Liberation through Darshan, Seva-Samagam, and Prasad. Notable festivals include the Bhagwan Swaminarayan Bi-Centenary Festival and the SMVS Silver Jubilee Festival.
Conventions and Conferences (Sammelan tatha Parishad): Since 1995, SMVS has organized various conventions (e.g., Elderly, Blind-Physically Challenged, Teacher's, Youth Awareness) to uplift society through knowledge, education, and spiritual guidance, benefiting lakhs of people.
Saint Tours (Sant Vicharan): Saints travel extensively in India and 11 other countries, delivering Bhagwan Swaminarayan's message, values, and spiritual qualities, organizing over 16,000 Satsang Sabhas and 35,000 home visits annually, leading to de-addiction and the removal of superstitions.

Serving Society

Satsang Nurturing Activities (Satsang Poshak Pravrutti): The organization runs camps, weekly assemblies, and events like the Intimacy Campaign and Tolerance Festival to foster spiritual growth, intimacy, and family unity, aiming for Bhagwan Swaminarayan's pleasure.
Pure Wedding Festival and Matchmaking Meet (Sattvik Lagnotsav ane Pasandgi Melo): To counter high wedding costs and promote equality, SMVS organizes simple, affordable wedding festivals twice a year, providing essential materials. They also run a Pure Matchmaking Meet twice a year to help individuals find partners with similar values and qualifications.
Volunteer Corps (Swayamsevak Dal): Over 10,000 SMVS volunteers, from diverse backgrounds, selflessly serve in public relief work and major festivals, enduring hardships without discrimination. Their services include de-addiction, dowry-free initiatives, upliftment of various groups, and health campaigns.
Children's Prayer Week (Baal Prarthana Saptah): Child volunteers visit hospitals, offering prayers for the recovery of patients, promoting well-being for the disease-afflicted community.
Jail Satsang: Started in 1995, this program guides inmates towards a righteous path through Satsang assemblies and spiritual literature.
Old Age Home Visits (Vruddhashram Mulakat): P.P. Swamishri organizes visits to old age homes, providing comfort, spiritual discourse, and spiritual literature to neglected elders.
Prayer for Peace of Soul (Atmashanti Prarthana): Organized during disasters, this program involves prayers and continuous chanting for the liberation and peace of souls affected by global or national calamities.

Educational Activities

Educational Aid Services: SMVS provides over 25 lakh rupees in scholarships, textbooks, and other support annually to needy students from primary to engineering levels. An award distribution program encourages academic success, honoring bright students and providing mementos to all.
Schools: SMVS operates three educational complexes (Divine Life School, Swaminarayan Dham International School, Divine Life International School) in Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar, offering modern education from Nursery to Higher Secondary in English and Gujarati mediums, with a focus on Swaminarayan Sampraday values.
Gurukul: Established in 2002, Swaminarayan Dham Gurukul provides education, values, and Satsang to children, nurturing them with virtues and a life dedicated to God. It includes spiritual and co-curricular activities, parent awareness programs, and arts and skills training.
Girls Gurukul: Started in 2011 in Gandhinagar, this Gurukul exclusively for girls focuses on high education, career development, and instilling values like discipline, humility, and ethics, aiming to create ideal women.
Student Hostel (Chhatralay): Operational since 2016 at Swaminarayan Dham, the SMVS Hostel accommodates around 80 students, providing a conducive environment for education and all-round development through spiritual assemblies, trainings, and individual attention from Saints.

Health Care

De-addiction: Since 1992, SMVS has run continuous de-addiction campaigns through seminars, video shows, rallies, and exhibitions, helping millions become addiction-free.
Blood Donation: SMVS organizes blood donation drives during festivals, with thousands of devotees donating blood, contributing over 1,00,000 cc of blood to society.
Medical Centers: The 'Shreeji-Bapa Medical Center,' opened in 1996 in Vasna, Ahmedabad, and its 5 branches, provide affordable medical services by expert doctors for various diseases, including laboratory services.
SMVS Swaminarayan Hospital: Inaugurated on Guruvarya P.P. Bapji's 87th birth anniversary, this 125-bed multi-speciality hospital offers modern facilities like Digital X-ray, Sonography, ECG, CT Scan, and MRI, with charges 60% less than prevailing rates.
Health Awareness: SMVS organizes free health camps (e.g., All Disease Diagnosis, Ayurvedic, Eye, Dental, Pediatric) benefiting over 1,50,000 patients. They also distribute free fruit to patients and organize Children's Prayer Week in hospitals.
Medical Aid: Since 2009, the 'Medical Aid' project provides financial assistance (from one thousand to millions of rupees) for medical treatment to financially struggling individuals, helping thousands attain health.

Environmental Efforts

Cleanliness Campaign (Swachhata Abhiyan): In 2014, SMVS launched a 'Cleanliness Campaign' to clean 200 public places, with over 5,919 volunteers participating in cleaning over 114 public places and roads.
Tree Plantation (Vruksharopan): Through the 'Tree Plantation Campaign' and 'Tree Adoption Scheme,' SMVS has planted and nurtured over 1,75,000 trees for environmental protection.
Animal Husbandry (Pashu Sanvardhan): SMVS organizes fodder and feed distribution, and Cattle Camps for animal conservation, especially during droughts, and operates a cowshed in tribal areas.
Use of Solar Energy (Saur Shakti no Prayog): SMVS temples, including the headquarters at Swaminarayan Dham, utilize solar energy for electricity generation and water heating, serving as an inspiration for environmental protection.

Relief Work

SMVS provides humanitarian relief services during natural calamities like earthquakes, droughts, floods, tsunamis, and cyclones. In the 2001 Gujarat earthquake, a team of Saints and devotees distributed over 125 tons of essential materials to victims. The organization's over 10,000 volunteers are always ready for social service during such events.