SWAMINARAYAN AND ETHICS; A RELIGIOHISTORICAL STUDY by DAVRAJ KAMAL submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF ARTS in the subject RELIGIOUS STUDIES at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: PROFESSOR C DU P LE ROUX NOVEMBER 1994 SUMMARY As part of the Phenomenological Method used in this dissertation, the research work applied the hermeneutical concepts of bhakti, karma and moksha. Focus was on the role played by the guru, the sadhus and devotees of the Swaminarayan Movement and how they related t~ their religious, ethical and social obligations. Their responses to ethical scriptures were evaluated, especially with a view to determining the extent to which ethical injunctions permeates, enhances, uplifts and shapes the adherents spiritually,morally and socially. Swaminarayan ethics was also placed within the context of Classical Hindu Texts and in particular, the work of Ramanuja and his Vishistadvaita philosophy. Further, it has been observed that the quest for the Ultimate Reality (Purushottam) is through their relationship with Akshar, Guru Pramukh Swami, the model of ethical excellence whose charisma binds the fibre of the Movement and his role serves both the ethical and transcendental plane of the Movement. TITLE OF DISSERTATION: SWAMINARA Y AN AND ETHICS; A RELIGIOHISTORICAL STUDY KEY TERMS: SAMPRADAYA; AKSHAR; PURUSHOTTAM; DHARMA; BHAKTI; MOKSHA; KARMA; SADHU; JNAN; VAIRAGYA; VISISHTHADVAITA; ATMAN-BRAHMAN; VARNASIIRAMA; ASIIRAMA. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are a number of people without whom the completion of this dissertation would not have been possible. Firstly, I wish to thank Sagie and Vino Moodley fo~ typing the dissertation with efficiency and pride. I am also immensely grateful to Pranesh Sewpershad and Ray Naguran for assisting with the correction of errors. Without the support of the following persons far less would have been achieved:Anitha Singh Kishore and Reena Sewpershad, Ash and Praveena Singh, Roy and Rangini Eshwar. Apart from the aforesaid family members, I wish to thank most sincerely my wife Nalini and children, Adhir, R~iv and Kirti for their support at all times. The writer wishes to also place on record his thanks and appreciation to the members of the Swaminarayan satsang both here in South Africa and India for their advice and encouragements throughout the study. Finally, I accord a special thanks to PROFESSOR C DU P LE ROUX for his guidance and enthusiastic support. CONTENTS PAGE NO. Summary Acknowledgements CHAPTER ONE 1.1 METHODOLOGY 2 1.1.1 Aim 2 1.2 Phenomenology as a method 2 1.2.1 Essence 3 1.2.2 Intentionality 3 1.2.3 Epoche 4 1.3 Hermeneutics 4 1.3.1 Moksha ' 5 1.3.2 Karma 6 1.3.3 Bhak.ti 7 1.4 Key concepts 9 1.4.1 Introduction 9 1.4.1.1 Parabrm.nan (Purushottam) 9 ' 1.4.1.2 Brahman (Akshar) 9 1.4.1.3 Relationship between Akshar and Purushottam 10 1.4.1.4 The concept of Religion 11 1.4.1.4.1 The place of Dharma in Religious life 11 1.4.1.4.2 The place of Jnana in Religious life 11 1.4.1.4.3 The Postulates of Morality 12 1.4.1.4.4 The place of Vairagya in Religious life 12 1.4.1.4.5 The place of Bhak.ti in Religious life 13 1.4.1.4.6 The four aspects of Religious life 13 1.5 Murthi: The Embodied God. 13 1.6 Texts 14 1.6.1 Shikshapatri 14 1.6.2 Vachanamrit 16 1.7 Interviews 17 Footnotes 19 CHAPTER TWO 2.1 HISTORICAL CONTEXT 21 2.1.1 Introduction 21 2.2 The life of Shri Swaminarayan 22 2.2.1 Family life and early training 23 2.2.1.1 Birth of Ghanashyam 24 2.2.1.2 Family life and training 24 2.2.1.3 Sahajanand's Guru (Ramananda Swami) 27 2.3 Swaminarayan's Ministry 29 2.4 Growth and Administration of the Sampradaya 32 2.5 The Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Sanstha 35 2.6 The Movement since Swaminarayan 35 Footnotes 37 CHAPTER THREE 3.1 ETIHCS AND IDNDU LITERATURE 38 3.1.1 Introduction 38 3.1.2 Ethics and Classical Literature 38 3.1.2.1 Ethics and the Vedic Period 38 3.1.2.1.1 Rita 37 3.1.2.2 Ethical Thought in the Brahmanas 39 3.1.2.2.1 The Caste System 39 3.1.2.3 Ethical Thought in the Upanishads 40 3.1.2.3.1 Brahman - Atman 40 3.1.2.3.2 Karma 41 3.1.2.3.3 Ashrama Dharma 41 3.1.2.3.4 Sadharana Dharma 42 3.1.2.4 Ethical Thought in the Dharma Sutras and Epics 42 3.1.2.4.1 Ethical Thought in the Sutras and Sastras 43 3.1.2.4.2 Ethical Thought in the Epics 44 3.1.2.4.2.1 Ethical Thought in the Bhagavad Gita 44 3.1.2.4.2.1.1 Bhakti 44 3.1.2.4.2.1.2 Organisation of Society 45 3.1.2.5 Ethics of the Darsana Period 45 3.1.2.5.1 Ethical Thought in Advaita 46 3.1.2.5.2 Ethical Thought in Visishadvaita 46 3.1.2.5.2.1 Ultimate Reality 47 3.1.2.5.2.2 Soul - Body Relationship 47 3.1.2.5.2.3 Karma Yoga 52 3.1.2.5.2.4 Bhakti Yoga 54 3.1.2.5.2.5 Prapatti 56 3.1.2.6 Ramanuja and Swaminarayan 57 Footnotes 60 CHAPTER FOUR 4.1 SWAMINARA YAN AND ETHICS 66 4.1.1 Ethics and Shikshapatri 66 4.2 Authority of Scriptures 67 4.3 Dharma and Religion 68 4.4 General Instructions 69 4.4.1 Doctrine 69 4.4.1.1 Akshar - Purushottam 70 4.4.1.2 Parabrahman - Upasana 70 4.4.1.3 Bhagavat Dharma 71 4.4.2 Religious Worship 71 4.4.2.1 Morning Prayer 73 4.4.2.2 Religious Marks 73 4.4.3 Religious Toleration 73 4.4.4 Instructions for Particular Occasions 74 4.4.4.1 Pilgrimage 74 4.4.4.2 Festivals and Other Observances 75 4.4.4.3 Chaturmasa 76 4.4.4.4 Ekadashi 76 4.4.4.5 Eclipse 77 4.4.4.6 Gurupurnima 77 4.4.4.7 Janmasthami 77 4.4.4.8 Pranprathista 78 4.5 Varnashrama(Caste System) 78 4.6 Ethics of Sadharana Dharma 80 4.6.1 Personal Well Being, Health, Ritual Purity and Food 80 4.6.1.1 Birth and Death 80 4.6.1.2 Menses 81 4.6.1.3 Hygiene 81 4.6.1.4 Diet and Drinks 82 4.6.1.5 Food 82 4.6.2 Dress 84 4.6.3 Etiquette 84 4.6.4 Habit 84 4.6.5 Penance 85 4.6.6 Personal Well Being of Others 85 4.6.7 Men-Woman Relations 86 4.6.8 Conduct 87 4.6.9 Non-violence 88 4.6.10 Concept of a Good Person 89 4.7 Ethics of Visesh Dharma 89 4.7.1 Visesh Dharma of Brahmacharya 90 4.7.1.2 Knowledge 90 4.7.1.3 Control of the Senses 91 4.7.1.4 Celibacy 91 4.7.1.5 Modesty and Pride in the Shikshapatri 93 4.7.1.6 Conquest of Emotions 93 4.7.1.7 Respect 94 4.7.2 Visesh Dharma of Grihastashrama 94 4.7.2.1 Marital Relations 95 4.7.2.2 Worship and Ritual 95 4.7.2.3 Fasts 96 4.7.2.4 Hospitality 96 4.7.2.5 Family and Social Relations 97 4.7.2.6 Relations with Women 97 4.7.2.7 Conduct in the Scriptures 97 4.7.2.8 Money, Money Relations and Transactions 98 4.7.2.8.1 Earning Money 98 4.7.2.8.2 Occupations 99 4.7.2.8.3 Wealthy Male Householders 100 4.7.2.9 Government Leaders and Acharyas 101 4.7.2.9.1 Pramukh Swami 101 4.7.2.10 Women 103 4.7.2.10.1 Widows 104 4.7.2.10.2 Menstrual Cycle 106 4.7.2.10.3 Boys and Girls 106 4.7.2.11 Conclusion 107 4.7.3 Visesh Dharma of sadhus 107 4.7.3.1 Nirlobha (Control of the Senses) 107 4.7.3.1.1 Niswada (Indifference to Taste) 108 4.7.3.1.2 Attitude and Behaviour 109 4.7.3.1.3 Nishkama (Control of Carnal Desire) 109 4.7.3.2 Nisneha (Non-Attachment) 110 4.7.3.2.1 Vow of Poverty 111 4.7.3.2.2 Dress 111 4.7.3.2.3 Travel and Company 112 4.7.3.3 Nirmana (Humbleness) 113 4.7.3.3.1 Worship, Behaviour and Attitude 114 4.7.3.3.1 Attitude to the World 115. 4.7.3.4 Training of Sadhus 116 4.7.3.4.1 Sadhak Stage 116 4.7.3.4.2 Parshad Stage 117 4.7.3.4.2.1 Training 118 4.7.3.4.2.2 Music 119 4.7.3.5 Relationship of Sadhus with Householders. 119 Footnotes 121 CHAPTER FIVE 5.1 INTERPRETATION 124 5.1.1 Introdudion 124 5.2 Historical Dimemion 125 5.3 Ethical Dimension 126 5.4 Transcendent Dimension 134 Footnotes 138 CHAPTER SIX 147 6. CONCLUSION 147 SELECTED BffiLIOGRAPHY 150 2 CHAPTER ONE 1.1 METHODOWGY 1.1.1 ~ The aim of this dissertation is an investigation into the ethical norms of the Swaminarayan Movement (sampradaya) as reflected in sacred texts and expounded by gurus, sadhus and devotees of the Movement and an examination as to whether the lifestyles and religious practices of the adherents are permeated by these ethical norms.