BAPS (Bochasanwasi Akshar-Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha) was started in 1907 by His Divine Holiness Brahmswarup Shastriji Maharaj, the third spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan. This socio-spiritual organization is popularly known by the name of ‘BAPS’.
The organization is a NGO.
Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS) is a socio-spiritual Hindu organization with its roots in the Vedas. It was revealed by Bhagwan Swaminarayan (1781-1830) in the late 18th century and established in 1907 by Shastriji Maharaj (1865-1951) as mentioned before. Founded on the pillars of practical spirituality, the BAPS reaches out far and wide to address the spiritual, moral and social challenges and issues each and every one of us face in our world. Its strength lies in the purity of its nature and purpose. BAPS strives to care for the world by caring for societies, families and individuals. This is done by mass motivation and individual attention, through elevating projects for all, irrespective of class, creed, colour or country. Its universal work through a worldwide network of over 3,300 centers has received many national and international awards and affiliation with the United Nations. Today, a million or more Swaminarayan followers begin their day with puja and meditation, lead upright, honest lives and donate regular hours in serving others. No Alcohol, No Addictions, No Adultery, No Meat, No Impurity of body and mind are their five lifetime vows. Such pure morality and spirituality forms the foundation of the humanitarian services performed by BAPS.
BAPS has 3,300 centers in India, USA, UK, Europe, Africa, Pacific, Middle East. Around 7,215 weekly assemblies are organized for men and women, youths and teenagers and 5,400 weekly assemblies for boys and girls.
BAPS has around 55,000 youth volunteers – men and women who devote 12,000,000 annual volunteer-hours in service to mankind.
BAPS has organized 9 international cultural festivals visited by 33.5 million visitors. Around 560,000 students have appeared in the international cultural examinations given every year by BAPS.
BAPS has 8 hospitals and healthcare centers where 400,000 patients are treated annually. 75 medico-spiritual conferences organized by BAPS have enlightened over 20,000 doctors. 55 schools were rebuilt after natural disasters.
31 permanent educational institutes at BAPS serve over 11,000 students. 5,000 scholarships are awarded annually.
BAPS also cares for Environment. Every year BAPS conducts tree-planting campaigns. BAPS manages a number of well-recharging and rain harvesting projects as well helps for paper recycling projects.
BAPS has managed 33 disaster relief operations successfully. More than 70,000 daily family assemblies have begun. BAPS has by De-addiction campaigns de-addicted millions of people.
Also, BAPS cares and serves for the Tribal uplift and there are centers working for their betterment.
Moreover, BAPS has more than 750 BAPS Swaminarayan mandirs including Akshardham monument in Gandhinagar and Delhi worldwide conducting the above mentioned social services and around 655,000 annual satsang assemblies. BAPS has 785 well-learned and educated noble saints. These saffron-clad saints lead a very pious life and strictly adhere to the life-time vows given by Bhagwan Swaminarayan and ‘agna’ (command) given by the spiritual mast ‘guru’ His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj.
BAPS is an ideal for any spiritual organizations because of its chain of spiritual masters called ‘gurus’ through whom GOD Himself works. These saints are GOD- realized saints. Though deeply engaged in so many social and spiritual activities they would never remain apart from GOD. One shall always find them involved deeply in GOD every second of their life, every breath of their life.
Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj is the fifth spiritual successor of Bhagwan Swaminarayan and the present leader of Bochasanwasi Shri Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha. He leads an austere life of lifetime celibacy, without personal wealth or comfort. Representing the essence of Hinduism, His compassion for humanity, universal wisdom and striking simplicity have touched many world religious and national leaders. But most important is his quiet, undisturbed love for God which rises beyond all borders of nation, race and religion.
Even after creating an international spiritual empire of hundreds of mandirs, thousands of centres and over a million followers, you’ll always find Swamiji engrossed in prayer. Sometimes at 2.30 in the morning, for his life is the living proof that prayers work and divine love succeeds.
BAPS is celebrating the Centenary celebrations this year.
This Centenary celebrations have been celebrated worldwide in Africa, USA. This will be celebrated in UK and many parts of India. The dates for the main celebrations are 13 Dec to 17 Dec 2007.
Thousands of volunteers and devotees would gather to serve society, to serve God and Guru.
Let us all at least vow to lead a better life and even that would become a devotion to Bhagwan Swaminarayan on this great auspicious event.
