Thursday 7 December 2023 | Kartik Vad 10, Samvat 2080

Thu 7 Dec 2023

Shikshapatri (Sanskrit, Gujarati & English)

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Verses of Meditation

Prayer and Introduction

Importance of Abiding by the Rules

Principal Commandments

Daily Practices for all Disciples

Social Etiquette

Religious Discipline

Religious Philosophy

Additional Responsibilities for Acharya

Additional Responsibilities for The wives of the Acharya

Additional Responsibilities for Gruhastha Disciples

Additional Responsibilities for Kings

Additional Responsibilities for Ladies

Additional Responsibilities for Brahmachari

Additional Responsibilities for Brahman Disciples

Additional Responsibilities for Sadhu

Additional Responsibilities for Both Brahmachari and Sadhu

Conclusion

Prayer to the Lord

Shikshapatri (Sanskrit, Gujarati & English)

  • Author: Lord Shree Swaminarayan
  • Edition: 4th
  • Published: Shree Swaminarayan Mandir Maninagar on 28 Jun 2006
 

Synopsis

The Shikshapatri is the epistle of beneficial instructions written by supreme Lord Shree Swaminarayan. It describes the rudiments that one should adopt in order to lead an honest and moral life. Adhering to the commandments that are clearly narrated in the Shikshapatri, is the key to attaining ultimate salvation, i.e. attaining the divine abode of Lord Swaminarayan.


Section/Chapter
Prayer and Introduction
Slok 1

With all My heart, I meditate on Shree Krishna, who resides in the divine abode Vrindavan; with Radha on his left and Shree residing within his heart. ||1||

By this slok, the Supreme Lord Swaminarayan indicates the importance of initiating every deed with a prayer to the Lord.

Shree Krishna is a generic name for the supreme Lord, i.e. Lord Swaminarayan. Vrindavan is a holy city on the banks of the river Yamuna, but in this context, it refers to pure and pious hearts. Radha refers to the Lord's Param-ekantik-mukta, emancipated souls who reside in close proximity to the Lord'۪s murti in Akshardham, the divine abode of Lord Swaminarayan. Shree is another name for the goddess of wealth and prosperity, Laxmi, but in this context, it refers to the Anadi-mukta, the greatest status of a liberated soul, who live within the Lord's murti in union with His murti.

Thus in this slok, Lord Swaminarayan has described His Supreme abode, Akshardham.

હું જે તે મારા હૃદયને વિષે શ્રીકૃષ્ણ ભગવાનનું ધ્યાન ધરું છું. તે શ્રીકૃષ્ણ કેવા છે તો જેના ડાબા પડખાને વિષે રાધિકાજી રહ્યાં છે અને જેના વક્ષઃસ્થલને વિષે લક્ષ્મીજી રહ્યાં છે અને વૃંદાવનને વિષે વિહારના કરનારા છે. ॥૧॥

(શ્રી સહજાનંદ સ્વામી જે તે પોતાના સત્સંગી પ્રત્યે શિક્ષાપત્રીને લખતા થકા પ્રથમ પોતાના ઈષ્ટદેવ જે શ્રીકૃષ્ણ ભગવાન તેનું ધ્યાનરૂપ મંગળાચરણ કરે છે.)

वामे यस्य स्थिता राधा श्रीश्च यस्यास्ति वक्षसि ।
वृन्दावनविहारं तं श्रीकृष्णं हृदि चिन्तये ॥