Samipya 2007 Vol 24 Ank 01 02

Author(s): R P Mehta, R T Savalia
Publisher: Bholabhai Jeshingbhai Adhyayan Sanshodhan Vidyabhavan

Page 119

period as well as land of its origin with many lives and a habit of resurrection. There is no significant example in the history of a society, at any given time and point, successfully maintaining moral life, social norms and ethical values without the aid of religion as nicely explained by will Durant in his 'Lessons of History'. It certainly seems indispensable of religion in the making of human history. Morals are the rules by which a society exhorts its members and associations to behave consistontly with its order, security and growth. Therefore both religion and moral help man to live in an orderly way, for morality is an essential ingredient of higher religious life.
This candid assessment, if one desires to understand firmly accordingly, will be found in the book, penned by Sadhu Mukundcharaṇdās, under review. Though it is just as an introduction, this book certainly helps us to grasp the social norms an ethicel values as prescribed by shree Sahajanand Swami almost more than two countries ago. Those norms and values are still relevant. Going through this book by Sadhu Mukundcharandas it becomes evident that the sole aim of Shree Swaminārāyaṇ was to convet a rigid and closed society into an integrated and open society, through prescribing social values and moral norms. His was the mission which was the need of that age, but it is also a need now.
This hardbound book consists of twelve chapters such as (1) Early Days, (2) Teenage Yogi, (3) Divine Leadership, (4) Succour for women, (5) Disciples, (6) Ascetics, (7) Shastras, (8) Bhakti Renaissance, (9) Mandirs, (10) Philosophy, (11) Teachings and (12) Successors. This is followed by a chapter-'observations of Historians and scholars' and four appendages, which include (i) Features of Devotion in the Daily Lie of Disciple, (ii) Bibliography, (iii) Glossary, (iv) Index. All these make and integrated and interesting reeding in the life and work of an apostle who had transformed the then rigid society into an open one as a visiting saint-cum-reformer. He is none other than Shree Swami Sahajanand or Bhagwan Swāminārāyaṇ.
યંગાવલોકન
Born at chhapaiya, a village near Ayodhya in U.P., in a Brahmin family, in the Vikrama Samvat of 1837 on Chaitra sud 9 i.e. on 3rd April, 1781, Ghanashyam was son of Hariprasad Pande (later on known as Dharmadev), a Pandit of a very high caliber and Premavati (later on known as Bhaktimātā), an embodiment of love. He left Ayodhya at the age of eleven on Aṣädḥa sud 10, V.E. 1849 i.e. 29-6-1792 on his sojournas accross our country. He arrived at village Loj near Mangrol in Gujarat at the age of eighteen on Sravan vad 6, V.E. 1856 i.e. 21-8-1799. Total time-of his sojourn, after visiting nearly 187 shrines, sacred places and monasteries and travelling over 12000 kms. elapsed was seven years, one month and eleven days, during which he walked for four years and remeined stationary for three.
To have a glimpse of his life and work one must have a copy of this book to
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