In private conversations and in public sermons Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan, the founder of Swaminarayan way of life, admired all golden qualities and unique achievements of Sadguru Swami Muktanand the most devoted saint of Bhagwan Swaminarayan in exalted terms without exaggeration. Such admiration was spontaneous. In the mirror of the world he was the reflection of the divine qualities of the Great Master – Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan.
As a handsome youth of Amreli, now a district town in Gujarat State in India, he held spell-bound whosoever happened to cast even a casual glance at him. Mukund as this youth was known at that time, pleased his father Anandram and his mother Radha by his remarkable talents since childhood and they dreamt of very bright future for him. This son was born in Samvat 1814 under the zodiacal sign of LEO and the astrologers had earlier predicted that he would roar like a lion in any field of his choice.
As Mukund grew up he learnt Ayurvedic system of medicine and specialized in diagnosis through pulse observation. He sang like a nightingale and very soon he mastered many musical instruments. He could sing all classical Ragas. The goddess of learning smiled on him and spontaneously devotional songs in classical melodies and popular rhythms started emanating from his heart and tongue. He married just to please his parents and became a successful trader at Amrapar, a village near Amreli.
His constant holy association with saint Muldasji bleached away all his colours of worldly attachments and he became more and more inclined towards renunciation. To be free from all worldly attachments he started behaving abnormally, much to the worries of his parents.
As a remedial measure he was permitted to go on a pilgrimage. He met the saint Dwarkadas and then the saint Kalyandas but neither of them could teach him how to lead a life of holy celibacy. Then he became the chief disciple of the saint Tulsidas. Here he came in contact with the great saint Ramanand Swami, but the latter would not accept him as a disciple till his earlier Guru relieved him. By this time it so happened that the saint Tulsidas himself relieved him under the excuse of extravagance in charities in his Ashram. Swami Ramanand for testing him kept him as a farm–worker at the farm of Malabhai and later on with religious initiation accepted him as a senior saint at the village Bandhia. And since then he became known as Muktanand Swami.
The Guru sent this disciple to Bhuj for studying Sanskrit. Here he exorcised the harassing ghosts from his room. After the study was over Swami Ramanand deputed him to look after his Ashram at Loj in his absence. Here he received Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan as a young traveling Brahmachari. He made many religious reforms as suggested by Shree Hari. He was convinced about the divine miraculous powers of Shree Hari as a God and had no difficulty in accepting him as his next Guru after the departure of Ramanand Swami.
Once God of Death appeared before him and he persuaded him to leave. At a procession at Surat, Shree Hari honored him by making him occupy his palanquin while Shree Hari rode His favorite mare Manki. At Surat he made great vacant mansions free from ghosts. He sat quiet even when a serpent moved on his body. When number of armed bogus saints came to attack the Ashram at Loj he pleased and pacified them by his extra ordinary hospitality.
Swami Muktanand apart from being a great saint was a scholar, a poet a singer and an expert dancer. While dancing he would create a picture of an elephant with his kumkum covered feet.
Shree Hari directly and indirectly saved him many times when life was in danger. Quite older than Shree Hari he looked after the welfare of more than 500 saints and tended them with motherly care. So Shree Hari fondly called him The Mother of The holy Association (Satsang ni Ma). Without any reservation or grudge about seniority he had accepted Shree Hari as Guru after the demise of Swami Ramanand.
He composed excellent wedding songs on the theme of the marriage of Lord Krishna and Rukmini to replace the crude, rude and indecent marriage songs prevalent at that time at the instruction of his Master. The Guru respected this elderly disciple as a friend, philosopher and guide. He remained his Master’s voice throughout life.
Swami Muktanand was well versed in Sanskrit, Hindi and Gujarati language. His poetic compositions including devotional songs are set in various classical musical melodies of India.
In SHIKSHAPATRI – The Gospel of Swaminarayan Way of Life, his name has been respectfully mentioned. devotional songs composed by him were used to be sung before Shree Hari.
His Sanskrit works include Brahmasutra–Bhashya, Satsangi Jivan Mahatmya, Nirnaya Panchak, Shree Hanumat Kavach Mantra, Purushcharana Vidhi Stotra, Hanumatstotra saha Namavali, etc. above this He has written holy volumes in other Indian languages like : 1.Dharmakhyan, 2.Pancharatna, 3.Viveka–chintamani, 4.Uddhavagita, 5.Satasanga-shiromani, 6.Sati-Gita, 7.Shikshapatri–Bhashya, 8.Mukund Bavani, 9.Dham-Varnan Chaturi, 10.Vasudevavatara–charitam, 11.Auadhoota–gitam, 12.Guru-Chovishi, 13.Krishna Prasad, 14.Narayan charitam, 15.Narayan Kavacham, 16. Vaikuntha Dham Darshanam, 17.Bhagwad–Gita Bhashya, 18.Kapil Gita, 19.Guna Vibhag, 20.Narayan Gita, 21.Rukmini Vivaha etc.
Shree Swaminarayan Bhagwan said to Muktanand Swami, “ As long as you live you should work for the writing about the words of your Choice-Deity and the scriptures related to our Holy Fellowship. This is my command.” Such valuable was the place for him in the heart of Shreeji Maharaj.
This brightest star of Swaminarayan way of life at the age of 71 he left for Akshardham the eternal abode of Shree Hari on the eleventh day of the dark half of the month of Ashadha in Samvat 1886, 46 days after the Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan left this world.
About him Shree Hari used to say HE IS JUST LIKE GOD !
If you visit Gadhpur at any time we are sure you won’t forget to pay homage to him at his sacred memorial. He was divine love incarnate.