april june known central figure modern sect known born india began seven year pilgrimage india age years adopting journey welfare activities years months journey settled state initiated guru given guru handed leadership death held gathering taught point onwards known known developed good relationship british followers hindu denominations islam built temples lifetime appointed spread philosophy wrote book social principles died june cremated according hindu rites death appointed adopted head remembered sect undertaking reforms women poor performing fire sacrifices large scale performing estimated million followers died estimated million followers criticised people acceptance god secondary treatment women questioned critics childhood born april village near hindi speaking region india born named parents father known mother known birth coincided hindu festival celebrating birth ninth lunar day fortnight moon month march april celebrated followers celebration marks beginning ritual calendar followers elder brother younger brother said mastered scriptures including age seven travels death parents left home june age took journey travelled india parts search practiced considered correct understanding primary schools hindu philosophy find asked following questions basic categories maya journey mastered span months guidance aged master named said met king cured stomach illness result king freed imprisoned visited temple temples seven year journey travels eventually concluded village district met senior disciple years older answered questions satisfaction decided stay opportunity meet met months arrival later claimed period took severe eliminate mothers flesh blood body sign physical attachment family completely removed leadership according sect understanding concepts eternal elements mental physical discipline inspired senior received initiation october granted names new status age appointed successor leader prior death henceforth came known according sources proclaimed worship sole deity krishna krishna considered contrast sect known approach theological views krishna strongly character imagery krishna rejected elements favor worship mood majesty alike earlier teachers later known taught gathering fortnight death gave followers new known repeat rituals chanting went form meditation act called great claimed personal gods knowledge known names early reported performed described manifestation god work written disciple work piece literature written sect encouraged followers combine devotion lead pious life hindu texts rituals form base organisation founded later centuries global organisation strong roots particularly strict separation sexes temples consumption meat alcohol drugs adultery suicide animal sacrifices criminal activities ghosts rituals alcohol consumption forbidden medicinal purposes followers took vows disciple stated elements need conquered ultimate salvation devotion knowledge detachment close eleventh century philosopher critical concept non maintained supreme god divine form work views women according author early representative practice advocacy women rights personal involvement women counter practice self widow husband funeral argued human life given god taken god went extent suicide offered parents help expenses discourage female calling sin faith linked class structures women professor states free travelling india reported approached shadow woman writings like portray women beings pull men taught woman attracts attention bones blood vessels blood simply collection things attractive women depicted dirty beings pull men treatment endorsed refused interact women barred leadership positions movement causing critics label status women women allowed serve managing committees temples act trustees look temple funds members faith defensive fact practices restrict women gender equality leadership impossible female followers segregated permitted enter special sections temple reserved women separate women temples concepts pollution associated cycle lead exclusion women temples daily worship directed male listen religious given women case directed follow path lay strict rules included control male members family gave respected secure place social order time restricted live control male members family prohibited receiving instruction science man nearest relations assert serves agenda attempts women certain roles despite considerable criticism contemporary society lower women insisted education inherent right people time influential wealthy individuals educated girls private personal tuition male followers arrangements educate female family members literacy rate females began increase able spiritual subjects sect considered pioneer education females india system poor assuming leadership worked assist poor distributing food drinking water undertook social service projects opened poor organized food water relief people times drought faith largely excluded mass poor marginal peasants agricultural labourers informal sector working class banned temples beginning case separate temple created use suggest worked ending system allowing consumption food lower pollution supported political officer reported destroyed instructed collect sections society appointed people lower strata society personal members lower attracted movement improved social status eat lower lower established separate places worship lower population large numbers lowest system formally excluded temples wrote food water person lower members lower prohibited wearing sect mark forehead vast majority lower tribal population sect bounds according narrative journey upper provinces india calcutta bombay volume bishop calcutta says casts including muslims lower casts pray god difference casts live brothers page head discussion social law order situation occasions opposition law sufficiently open daring districts state rebellion state feudal sovereign english government districts adjoining got year different forts good said wild people preaching popularity reformer mentioned morality said far better learned preached great degree purity forbidding disciples look woman passed condemned theft villages districts received worst best orderly provinces said destroyed preached god considerable approaches truth hope appointed instrument prepare way gospel listening interest account map persons came tent dress peasants man large clean decent handsome shield marks wealth sixth old white beard pretty appearance dress manner ancient serving man offering sugar usual sitting ground peasants began exceeding surprise delight send proceeded person desired neighbourhood asked permission day course returned favourable answer stated truth greatly desired heard good asked disciples answered added different disciples taught regard page meeting discussion bishop bishop asked answered regard subject importance wished offence ancient hindu system people eat separately world pointing heaven cease like closest muslim disciples commander state said myth salvation taught soul male female animal sacrifices carried priests rituals fire sacrifices influenced priests consumed form meat animals solve problem conducted large scale involving priests animal sacrifices conducted strict accordance scriptures successful large scale stressed followers forbade meat consumption according followers shall kill goats living beings sacrifice performed deities ancestors non violence declared highest shall eat meat offering sacrifice shall drink liquor wine offered deity shall accept deity offering meat liquor wine offered goats living beings sacrificed establishing law order time came law order situation worst british government local kings able control killings internal conflicts events reaching preaching super natural divine power restored noted notorious criminals normal civilians criminals left evil nature started living life high moral values extent rob kill living unknown women drink alcohol strict vegetarian bombay governor sir impressed social reforms come meet personally appreciate work high moral values people helping reducing criminal vowed kill evil people kill evil nature notorious criminal time robbed treasury killed soldiers killed officers british government arrest alive network till tried steal favorite mare named despite efforts night steal master robbery shocked defeat met vast assembly confessed crime took shelter left robbery invited awarded making state guest disciple strongest rebellion turned rebellion state given share kingdom supported giving justice periodically rob villages belonging cattle escape nearby despite multiple efforts british convinced settle dispute desperate truce come know recently visited data met demise requested help truce asked permission gave permission truce political agent ratified truce sent bombay presidency approved clearly reflected influence killing temples ordered construction hindu temples built huge temples installed idols deities temples images temples built provide evidence priority krishna disciples composed poems widely sung tradition festivals introduced devotion followers conducted festivals organization traditional folk dance temple constructed land construction given following request asked follower build temple construction commenced temple built year temple followed temple temple temple time death ordered construction temples early played major role sect contribute growth development movement encouraging people follow pious religious life tradition maintains initiated single night title honour applied hindu spiritual teachers regarded having attained enlightenment highest order sect prominent included scriptures propagated general hindu texts held high authority texts written followers regarded scriptures sect notable scriptures sect include important works scriptures include authorized biography wrote february original sanskrit manuscript available translated direction revered sect bombay presidency summarised book social laws followers follow commentary practice understanding small booklet containing sanskrit verses outlining basic believed followers uphold order live disciplined moral life oldest copy text preserved library oxford_university presented indicated letter aware copy hand older text philosophical social practical teachings contained collection dialogues recorded prominent saints spoken words scripture commonly sect contains views moral conduct understanding nature self detachment material pleasure pure devotion god hindu scriptures describe necessary soul attain salvation authorised biography book contains information life teachings written completed decided permanent residence insistence sisters instructed write book life enable write childhood blessed power entire past right childhood written book verified pleased read book asked disciples relations religions maintain good relationships people religions meeting prominent leaders followers cut religious boundaries including people muslim backgrounds personal included muslims muslims wore given meeting lord leader christians india time mentions account meeting disciples accompanied mounted horses carrying swords horse guards accompanying horses muskets mentioned religious leaders meeting head small armies smaller contingent result meeting leaders gained mutual respect enjoyed good relationship temple built built acres km2 land given government british officers gave gun salute opened meeting said manifestation krishna template meeting sir governor bombay according helped bring stability region meeting gave copy copy currently housed library university_of_oxford encouraged british governor implement strong measures stop practice death succession gathered followers announced departure later died june believed followers time death left earth cremated according hindu rites prior death decided establish line successors established seats leadership seat established november appointed pass message preserve fellowship came immediate family sending representatives search formally adopted son brothers appointed office son elder brother son younger brother appointed respectively decreed office hereditary maintain direct line blood descent family administrative division followers territorial set forth minute detail document written called stated saints obey considered main pillar chief current decades death divisions occurred different succession included establishment founder left founder left 1940s followers hold spiritual successor asserting occasions revealed manifest followers believe given administrative leadership sect given spiritual leadership current spiritual administrative leader followers hold successor current leader sect following manifestation belief according biographer died following million people centres existed continents congregation recorded million majority homeland newspaper estimated members sect number million worldwide recorded mentions humans able withstand meeting god divine form god takes human form simultaneously living people approach understand love form avatar detailed statistical information available followers share belief complete manifestation superior legend tells pair cursed sage earth followers believe incarnation lord krishna images stories krishna coincided sect story birth parallels krishna birth scripture said manifestation god meeting lord bishop calcutta belief followers founder incarnation drawn criticism according professor criticized received large gifts followers dressed traveled taken vows world responded accepts gifts emancipation followers leader indian independence movement british ruled india low opinion sect criticized values thought contrary true spirit letter dated july stated sure felt seriousness robbed people incapable self defense good people gave drinking smoking end means love taught undesirable effect mix tradition teaching manifestation belief teachings criticized hindu leader questioned acceptance supreme idea visions form path attaining perfection accused followers criticised illegal collection wealth practice tricks views published early pamphlet came reaction bring furthermore believed historical fact decorated order gain followers
Swaminarayan