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Father: Motiram Sharma
Mother: Kushladevi
Birth Place: Todla (Idr area)
Born: Monday, Maha Sud 8, 1837 (around evening at six)
Birth Name: Khushal Bhatt
Caste: Brahmin
Wife: Adityabai
Son: Harisankar
Daughter: Anupamba
Description: Fair complexion and thin
Khusal Bhatt was married, but was not attached. He was
very intellectual thus helping him learn Sanskrit and
acquiring religious knowledge. Later on, he moved to
Dabhoi where he set up a school and taught young
Brahmins. He heard from Kashiram and Murlidhar about
Lord Swaminarayan and later he learned more about Lord
Swaminarayan from Sharveshranand Swami. The more he
learned about Lord Swaminarayan, the more knowledge he
acquired. His students started having 'Samadhi'. From
his teaching, he became a prominent person in the
community and people started paying him respect.
One day Lord Swaminarayan disguised himself as a normal
Brahmin and went to Todla. He told Khusal Bhatt that if
he wants to see the Lord Supreme, then follow me. Both
came to the outskirts of Jetalpur and suddenly Lord
Swaminarayan disappeared. Khusal Bhatt went into
Jetalpur and met Lord Swaminarayan. He immediately
decided to serve Him. Khusal Bhatt went with Lord
Swaminarayan to Gadhpur. At Gadhpur, Khusal Bhatt was
given Bhagwati Diksha on Samvat 1864 Kartik Vad 8 and
was given the name of Gopalanand Swami.
Gopalanand Swami became a prominent sadhu of
Swaminarayan sampraday. He mainly stayed in Vadodra.
After Lord Swaminarayan left this world, he lived for
another 22 years making sure the Swaminarayan sampraday
was running properly. He died in Samvat 1908 Vaishakh
Ved 5 at Vadtal. During his lifetime, he wrote 19 books
in Sanskrit and 6 books in other languages. One of them
was the Shikshapatri in Marathi.
Important Events:
One day Khusal Bhatt met a dumb child and removed his
dumbness. The child started talking. (Before Khusal
Bhatt was a swami)
In Samvat 1878 Fagan Sud 3, the installation of
Narnarayan Dev in Ahmdabad was taking place. Gopalanand
Swami was appointed to perform the Havan. Lord
Swaminarayan said, "this Gopalanand Swami can change a
stone into a Dev."
In Sarangpur, the installation of Hanumanji was taking
place on Samvat 1905 Aso Vad 5. Shukanand Swami and
Gopalanand Swami did the Aarti to Hanumanji. Gopalanand
Swami stood infront of Hanumanji and concentrated his
powers into the murti and suddenly Hanumanji began to
move. Gopalanand Swami drew the picture and Kanji Kadiya
sculpted it. Gopalanand Swami also had a stick which has
immense powers to ward off evil. This stick is still
being used and is kept in Sarangpur Temple
When the Laxminarayan Temple was being built in Vadtal,
Kashiabhai of Petlad was asking for tax on goods which
were being used in the service of the Temple. Lord
Swaminarayan sent Gopalanand Swami to meet Kashiabhai.
Gopalanand Swami talked to Kashiabhai and persuaded him
to stop charging them tax. Kashiabhai ordered a 'marble
stone' which represented God to be brought from Vadtal
mandir and kept in his house. Gopalanand Swami tried to
explain to Kashiabhai that what he was doing was wrong
but Kashiabhai did not listen. Kashiabhai became ill
(could not excrete) and apologised to Gopalanand Swami
for his wrongdoing and later became well |
