User:Bluespeakers/sandbox

To all satsangis and well-wishers of BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, It is with deep sadness that we share with you that Sanjay Shah (Priyadarshandas) and Rakesh Bhavsar (Nishkamsevadas), two former sadhus of BAPS, have made demonstrably false and outrageous accusations against His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj and four other BAPS sadhus. For the last 60 years we have served closely under Pramukh Swami Maharaj and have witnessed his pure and saintly life. The claims made against him and his sadhus are utterly baseless and false. May all satsangis and well-wishers not be misled by these allegations. We request all to remain calm and maintain forbearance. We pray that God inspires all with good sense and heart. Sadhu Keshavjivandas (Mahant Swami) Sadhu Swayamprakashdas (Dr Swami

Several decades after formation of the movement, Swami Dayananda (1824–1883) questioned the acceptance of Swaminarayan as the Supreme Being and was disapproving towards the idea that visions of Swaminarayan could form a path to attaining perfection. Accused of deviating from the Vedas, his followers were criticised for the illegal collection of wealth and the "practice of frauds and tricks." In the views of Swami Dayananda, published as early as 1875, it was a "historical fact" that Swaminarayan decorated himself as Narayana in order to gain followers. Swaminarayan was criticized because he received large gifts from his followers and dressed and traveled as a Maharaja even though he had taken the vows of renunciation of the world.

Swaminarayan initiated reforms in both relationships without totally abolishing sex discrimination or caste differentiation. The interpretation and application of Swaminarayan’s reform raise two hotly debated issues of contemporary social ethics, the position of women society and the role of caste. However, while "many would assert that Swaminarayan Hinduism serves a patriarchal agenda, which attempts to keep women in certain roles", Swaminarayan himself, despite considerable criticism from those in his own contemporary society who "loathed the uplift of lower caste women," insisted that education was the inherent right of all people. According to Professor David Hardiman, "Swaminarayan's actions have propagated a vicious form of patriarchy that subjugates women." After traveling throughout India, he was reported to vomit even if approached by even the shadow of a women." Practices set forth by him seem to restrict women and make gender equality in leadership impossible. Professor Williams states, “No women are trustees of the religion nor do they serve on any managing committees of the major temples. Thus all the wealth and institutions are effective under the control of men.” Concepts of pollution associated with the menstrual cycle lead to the exclusion of women from the temples and daily worship. In case of widows, he directed those who could not follow the path of chastity to remarry. For those who could, he lay down strict rules which included them being under the control of male members of the family. This may seem regressive; however it gave them "a respected and secure place in the social order" of the time. He also directed male devotees not to listen to religious discourses given by women. Swaminarayan restricted widows "to live always under the control of male members of their family and prohibited them from receiving instruction in any science from any man excepting their nearest relations."

In relation to caste, as already suggested, the Swaminarayan order was and is predominantly conservative. Caste Divisions are scarely effaced by membership of the order and Harijans were formly excluded from Swaminarayan temples. Swaminarayan's sect dismissed caste as irrelevant to the soul's status before god though in practice, caste distinctions remained visible among them though reduced in complexity. He would eat along with the Rajput and Khati castes but not any lower. He established separate places of worship for the lower population where they were considerable. In the Shikshapatri, he wrote do not take food or water from a person of a lower caste. Members of a lower caste are prohibited from wearing a full sect mark (tilak chandlo) on their forehead. Even now, however, for the vast majority of Gujarat's lower-caste, Untouchable and tribal population, the sect is out of bounds.