1. Birth and Prophecy Jinabhai, or Jina, the future Yogiji Maharaj, was born at Dhari, Amreli district, on the twelveth day of the dark half of Vaishakh, Vikram Samvat 1948 (21 May, 1892) to Devchandbhai and Puribai. His mother would take him to the cotton fields where she worked as a picker. He would play quietly, sucking his toe, unlike other children who used to cry often. The farm owner remarked, "Jina is a miracle child. Look, he always sucks his toe, just as Shri Krishna did. Puribai, one day everybody will fall at his feet and worship him."

2. Lost in Meditation Even as a young boy Jinabhai was principally concerned with worshipping God. Every morning, after bathing in the Shetrunji River, he became lost in meditation for hours on end. The onlookers would watch in admiration at the later-day Dhruva. When his friends asked him what he was doing, he replied, "I am remembering God. Come and join me. I'll teach you the art of meditation." Jinabhai thus inspired everyone to begin the day by remembering and meditating on Lord Swaminarayan.

3. A Fearless Speaker of Truth

When Jinabhai was in the fifth standard a tragic incident occurred at school. The headmaster Tribhovandas mercilessly beat an innocent student called Chandu. The entire class helplessly looked on in terror and Jinabhai chanted the name of Swaminarayan, Swaminarayan. Soon the boy fell down unconscious and died. An inquiry was held into Chandu's death. When the official asked the class no one came forward to testify. But Jinabhai stood up and boldly said, "Our headmaster had, through no fault of Chandu, fatally beaten him." Tribhovandas was dismissed and Jina was rewarded for speaking the truth.

4. No Cheating Please

Jinabhai was a bright student and he always stood first in class. Often, dull or lazy students would sit beside Jinabhai with the hope of copying his exercises. And the bullies of the class would demand of him to show his answers. But Jina would refuse and say, "It is wrong to copy and by copying you are cheating God." Jinabhai believed in hard work and thus taught others not to copy.

5. Use of Playtime When other students enjoyed playing games during the half-hour recess in school, Jinabhai would sit quietly under a tree. He was not interested in games like kho-kho, hide-and-seek, etc. Instead, he would meditate. Once, two teachers asked him, "Jina, you don't play any games and instead remember God all day long. Since you are are disinterested in worldly things then why don't you become a sadhu?" "I will become a sadhu one day," Jina replied. And true to his words he became a great sadhu as the story would reveal.

6. Serving the Lord Jinabhai's uncle, Mohanbhai, was a priest at the Dhari Swaminarayan mandir. Sometimes Jina would serve as priest whenever Mohanbhai was ill because of old age. Jinabhai would clean the mandir, apply chandan to the murtis, make flower garlands for the Lord, and light the lamps and incense. He would serve the murtis as if the Lord was present in person. He would bring his friends to the morning and evening prayers and teach them how to perform arti and sing the glory of God.

7. Jina's Greatest Wish Jinabhai spent most of his time at Dhari mandir. He would serve the sadhus that often visited the mandir with love and reverence. They were immensely pleased with his service. He would get up early in the morning, sweep the floor, draw water from the well and arrange mats for the sadhus' morning meditation. After he finished his 7th grade at school, Sadguru Krishnacharandas Swami, a disciple of Gunatitanand Swami, visited the mandir. He was greatly impressed by Jina's service and asked him whether he would like to become a sadhu. Jina replied happily, "Yes, it is my wish and I will be all the more pleased if you initiate me into a sadhu. I wish to serve the Lord and you."

8. Jina, the Parshad

And the day arrived when Jina was to leave home to become a sadhu in Junagadh. Puribai fed Jina with kansar (a sweet dish) for the last time and permitted him to become a parshad (first initiation into monastic order). Before he left she applied kumkum on his forehead and sent Kamalsibhai to take him to Junagadh. There, Swami Krishnacharandasji gave him parshad diksha on the full moon day of Kartik Samvat 1965 (1909). Jinabhai became Jina Bhagat. Seva at Junagadh Mandir As diligent as ever, Jina Bhagat performed menial services in the mandir. He would get up early in the morning, clean the cow-sheds, draw water for sadhus, attend to his prayers; all this in addition to serving his guru and other sadhus. Then he used to take the cows for grazing to the border of Mt. Girnar. While they were grazing he would sing bhajans and memorise verses from Swamini Vatu. And on returning he would cut 300 babul sticks which were used as tooth brushes by the sadhus. In the evening he would attend the religious discourses and sing bhajans.

9. Jaga Bhakta Blesses Krishnaji Ada and Pujaji Bapu were frequent visitors to Junagadh mandir. Krishnaji Ada often spoke about the greatness of the late Jaga Bhakta. Jina Bhagat thought, "How fortunate I would be if I could have his darshan." That night Jaga Bhakta appeared to him in a dream. Jina Bhagat prostrated before him and prayed, "Please say a few words of wisdom that will be of benefit to me on this spiritual path." Jaga Bhakta advised him, "Firstly, you should read scriptures like Vachanamrutam, Swamini Vatu, Shikshapatri, Bhaktachintamani, Harililamruta, etc. And secondly, keep the company of a good sadhu.

10. First Meeting with Shastriji Maharaj

It was the seventh day of the bright half of Shravan, VS 1965 (1909) when Jina Bhagat along with Krishnacharan Swami and his sadhus went to Krishnaji Ada's home where Shastriji Maharaj was staying. It was 4.00 a.m. Swamishri was told that some sadhus had come to see him. It was reverence at first sight when Jina Bhagat saw Shastriji Maharaj. The sadhus prostrated before Shastriji Maharaj and presented him a rosary and gourd used by Gunatitanand Swami. Swamishri was immensely pleased. When Jina Bhagat saw him he thought, "If I have to accept a guru, then it has to be Shastriji Maharaj." This was the first historic meeting with Shastriji Maharaj.

11. Only a Servant Swami Krishnacharandasji and his group resumed their tour after staying in Rajkot for some time. They came to the village of Hajdiyala and stayed at the local mandir. After finishing his chores, Jina Bhagat settled down for a nap with all the sadhus. A short while later a Rajput devotee arrived, who was an expert in astrology. He was elated to see the line of urdhvarekha on Jina's sole. He instantly realized that Jina Bhagat was a very great soul. Jina Bhagat woke up and welcomed the devotee. The devotee immediately exclaimed, "Oh! Jina Bhagat, you will be a great sadhu one day. Thousands of people will follow you... Shriji Maharaj will be your constant companion." But Jina Bhagat at once covered his soles and said, "I am just an ordinary sadhu. Krishnacharandas Swami is a great sadhu." When the Rajput devotee told Krishnacharandasji about the greatness of Jina Bhagat he said, "Yes, he possesses all the qualities that a great sadhu should possess."

12. Tapasvi Jina Bhagat

Once, the sadhus and parshads led by Swami Krishnacharandasji were in Lodhika for the Annakut festival. The Darbar invited them for a meal of saataa and jalebi. When Jina Bhagat came to know of the savoury meal he decided to renounce it by observing a fast. When the Darbar came to request Jina Bhagat, he simply said that he was not hungry and had a stomach upset. When Krishnacharan Swami requested on the Darbar's behalf, Jina Bhagat again gave the same reply. On seeing his spirit of penance Krishnacharan Swami was pleased and blessed Jina Bhagat.

13. Krishnaji Ada Blesses Yogiji Maharaj

On the morning of the thirteenth day of the bright half of Chaitra, Vikram Samvat 1967 (1911) Jina Bhagat was given the Vaishnavi diksha in Vartal and named Sadhu Jnanjivandas. He was popularly called Yogi by the sadhus and devotees of Junagadh. Two months later Yogiji Maharaj and six sadhus left Junagadh to join Shastriji Maharaj in the mission to spread the principle of Akshar and Purushottam. Krishnaji Ada, one of the leading lights of the Sampradaya, was about to pass away in Rajkot. When he called for Jnanji Swami (Yogiji Maharaj) the latter came and prostrated before him. Krishnaji Ada blessed him by placing his hands on his head. At this Nirgundas Swami told Yogiji Maharaj, "It is not Krishnaji Ada who is placing his hands on your head, but Bhagatji Maharaj and Jaga Swami."

14. The Desireless Sadhu Yogiji Maharaj was always interested in serving others. All day long he engaged himself in katha (spiritual discourse), kirtan (singing God's glory) and seva (service).) He did not spare a thought to himself. Once he was at Bhavnagar on the upper floor of a devotee's house. He was reading the Swamini Vatu. At the sound of a royal marriage procession, a devotee asked him to come by the window to watch. Yogiji Maharaj replied, "Of what benefit would it be to us? Having renounced something once, why allow it into our hearts!" No worldly glamour or pageant could attract the mind of Yogiji Maharaj. The devotee was impressed by the young Yogiji Maharaj's spirit of renunciation. Because of his saintliness, the senior sadhus of Junagadh asked him to return, but Yogiji Maharaj remained with Shastriji Maharaj. On many occasions Yogiji Maharaj was unnecessarily punished by his guru Vignandas. Once the guru became intensely angry and ordered him to get up

from his meal. On seeing this a devotee asked, "Why do you tolerate such rudeness and tyranny. Don't you feel like leaving your guru and going home?" Yogiji Maharaj replied, "The guru scolds for one's own good. Without punishment one cannot remain alert and correct one's mistakes." The devotee bowed at the feet of Yogiji Maharaj in recognition of his patience, tolerance and humility.

15. Indifferent to Insult and Beating Yogiji Maharaj suffered insults without retaliating. Once they were staying at the mandir in Keria village. A group of sadhus opposed to Shastriji Maharaj attacked them and broke their waterpots and threw away their jolis. They pushed the young Yogiji Maharaj out of the mandir and taunted him to call Gunatitanand Swami and see if he could help them. The hostile sadhus then crashed the blind Bhagwatswarupdas against the grills, locked up Vignandas and beat the other sadhus. When the villagers came to know of this they rushed to the mandir with sticks and on scolding the hostile sadhus they stopped their act of violence. Tolerance is a virtue of the holy great.

16. Service all Day Yogiji Maharaj used to get up early in the morning and till late night he would be engaged in various services. After his morning rituals he would bake 300 rotlas (thick millet chhapatis), then serve the sadhus, devotees and workers. He would also wash all the utensils himself and draw water from the well for bathing and cleaning purposes. And amidst all this he never lapsed in singing bhajans or reciting Swamini Vatos. His untiring efforts to serve touched the hearts of everyone.

17. Begging Alms

For the purpose of propagating Satsang the sadhus travelled extensively from village to village. They lived by begging alms. Yogiji Maharaj took the blind, aged Bhagwatswarupdasji with him. He took great care of him, making sure he did not stumble and carried the alm-bag of provisions (Joli) himself. One day Karsang Bapu remarked, "Why don't you bring a young sadhu as your companion? It would save you a lot of hassle." Yogiji Maharaj replied, "It is a privilege to have an aged sadhu. How else can one serve an old sadhu? Having him with me I get the opportunity of listening to his spiritual knowledge and the service of carrying the alm-bag."

18. Mandir Service Just as Yogiji Maharaj loved to serve the devotees and sadhus, so too he happily engaged himself in serving Thakorji and in the mandir construction work. He would carry stones, mix the limestone, fill containers with sand and dig the foundation for the mandir. He felt honored for the service because the mandir would be sanctified with the murtis of Akshar and Purushottam. Shastriji Maharaj was immensely pleased at Yogiji Maharaj's spirit of service and devotion.

19. Offerings Accepted Shastriji was unwell in Sarangpur. He deputed Yogiji Maharaj to go to Bhavnagar and please the devotees. The next day in Bhavnagar, when lunch was ready, a devotee asked Yogiji Maharaj to pray to the Lord to accept the thal (offering of savoury foods). Yogiji Maharaj agreed and placed the thal before Thakorji and for half an hour devotionally sang hymns of food offerings like "Avinashi aavo re..." When the curtain was raised, to the surprise of all five ladus, vegetables, dal, rice were accepted by the murti of Thakorji. Everyone was amazed at Yogiji Maharaj's power of devotion and convinced that he enjoyed the favour and confidence of Lord Swaminarayan and Gunatitanand Swami.

20. Exceptional Devotion Yogiji Maharaj and Nirgundas Swami were travelling by bullock cart from Sarangpur to Gadhada. It was 4.00 p.m. and time to offer water to the murti of Harikrishna Maharaj. But there was no sight of water anywhere. Two hours later on seeing a river, Yogiji Maharaj told the driver to halt. He got down and bathed the murti and offered water. Then Yogiji Maharaj started prostrating before the murti asking for forgiveness, "Oh! Maharaj, please forgive me. Today, I have failed to offer you water in time." On hearing this Nirgundas Swami said, "It wasn't your fault because there was no water on the way." But Yogiji Maharaj repeated his pleas for forgiveness before the Lord. Words fail to describe the profound devotion of Yogiji Maharaj for Thakorji.

21. Snake Bite While the Gondal mandir was being built Yogiji Maharaj and the sadhus lived in a hut built of mud and brick. One night a venomous black cobra bit the index finger of Yogiji Maharaj's left hand. As a result of the poison the pain quickly spread throughout his body. Shastriji Maharaj requested that Yogiji Maharaj be brought to the Akshar Deri immediately. Then at the instructions of Shastri ji Maharaj everyone started chanting the holy name of Swaminarayan. After 12 hours the effect of the poison subsided and Yogiji Maharaj opened his eyes. Everyone was convinced about the power of the Swaminarayan Mahamantra and holy Akshar Deri.

22. Mahant of Akshar Mandir Shastriji Maharaj appointed Yogiji Maharaj as the Mahant of Akshar Mandir, Gondal, on the tenth day of the bright half of Vaishakh, VS 1990 (1934). Despite being the head, Yogiji Maharaj performed the maha-puja of Akshar Mandir, maintained the accounts ledger and attended to the needs and comforts of visitors. Once he was found cooking the meal because the sadhu who served as a cook was not there. When asked why he was cooking he replied, "Because the sadhu who cooks has fallen ill. Today, by the grace of God I have got this rare chance of cooking and serving God. For a long time I had been thinking of preparing food for Thakorji." Even though the sadhu who normally cooked the meals was loitering Yogiji Maharaj did not complain but took up the service himself.

23. Guru Bhakti

For forty years Yogiji Maharaj had unflaggingly obeyed the word of Shastriji Maharaj. Once when Shastriji Maharaj was ill in Gondal, Yogiji Maharaj used to daily serve him with milk and medicine. After a few days Yogiji Maharaj was taken to Rajkot to be operated for hernia. After the operation was successfully performed the effect of the anaesthesia wore off two hours later. When Yogiji Maharaj opened his eyes he saw Shastriji Maharaj before him. He folded his hands and asked the devotees sitting nearby, "Has milk been served to Shastriji Maharaj?" Everyone was amazed at his devotion and duty to the Guru in such a condition.

24. I am Yogi and Yogi is Myself

Before Shastriji Maharaj breathed his last he said,"I have performed the arti of

Gadhada mandir and the murtis will be ritually installed by Yogiji Maharaj. There is a spiritual identity between myself and

Yogi. I am Yogi and Yogi is myself." On the tenth day of the bright half of

Vaishakh, VS 2007 (1951), six days after Shastriji had left the mortal world, Yogiji

Maharaj performed the murti-pratishtha of Gadhada mandir.

25. Youths And Yogiraj Soon, Yogiji Maharaj captured the hearts of the college youths and established the youth forum (Yuvak Mandal). He also initiated the Sunday Satsang discourse and children's forum (Bal Mandal) and engaged them in various Satsang activities. On his 70th birthday celebration in Gadhada in 1961 he initiated 51 youths into the saffron order. He established mandirs in Bombay, Ahmedabad and Bhadra. Yogiji Maharaj visited East Africa for the first time in 1955 and opened a huge mandir in Mombasa. In 1960 he established mandirs in Kampala, Jinja and Tororo. And in 1970 he consecrated the murtis of Akshar and Purushottam in Nairobi. He also visited London in 1970 and opened a mandir and thus fostered Satsang in the U.K. Through his blessings four sadhus visited the USA to inspire and consolidate Satsang. Yogiji Maharaj thus pioneered the establishment of the Yuvak Mandal, Bal Mandal, Sunday Satsang assembly and mandirs in East Africa and England.

26. Revealing the Glory of Pramukh Swami

In his diary Yogiji Maharaj describes the day when Shastriji Maharaj appointed Pramukh Swami as the President of the BAPS Sanstha, "Shastriji Maharaj desired to appoint him as the president, and thus did so in Ahmedabad. I was sitting besides Shastriji Maharaj, who told me, 'Place your hand on his head so that he acquires the virtues you have.' So I placed my hand on his head, whereupon Shastriji Maharaj said, 'Having placed your hand, my hand has also been placed!' In this way he had my hand placed and was very happy." During the 48th birthday celebration of Pramukh Swami Maharaj in Bombay, Yogiji Maharaj said, "Shastriji Maharaj had his divine grace upon him since he was young. He then appointed him as the president. How much he has increased the Satsang fellowship! Everyone should obey Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Pramukh Swami is the manifestation (swarup) of Shastriji Maharaj - there is not an iota of difference. Such divine feelings one should have for him. We wish to make 700 sadhus and it will be fulfilled by Pramukh Swami." Thus declaring Pramukh Swami as his successor Yogiji Maharaj left this

mortal world in Bombay. Before Yogiji Maharaj departed from his earthly existence on 27 Jan 1971, he said "Pramukh Swami is my all. You will all from now onwards experience bliss through Pramukh Swami." Today, one experiences the divine manifestation of Lord Swaminarayan, Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj through HDH Pramukh Swami Maharaj.

Thus spake Yogiji Maharaj

Wherever the faithful assemble, they should not talk about worldly affairs, but should discuss religious matters. They should discourse on the divinity of the Lord and the holy Sadhu. They should recollect and ponder over what the holy Sadhu has preached and advised.

Those who acquire spiritual knowledge (jnan) and also do practical service (seva)

simultaneously, progress rapidly. Therefore, one should not avoid doing one's daily tasks or duties; big or small. One should keep the habit of listening to discourses (katha).

Nanese ho nana rahie, jaisi nani dub, Ghas phis sab uda gaya, dub khubki dub. During floods, trees which stand tall are often washed away, whereas, the grass remains in its place in spite of the heavy water flow. Thus, if on account of our ego, we remain foolishly obstinate, we will suffer in Satsang. But if we do our duty humbly and render service, no matter how small or low, then the ego will not disturb us, and one will be able to uphold the Satsang.

The youth should maintain unity, friendship and a sense of fraternity amongst themselves. One should not think of the action, forms (physical) or faults of other people. One should think

of one's own faults and actions. Fire changes everything to its own colour, whereas water takes the colour of whatever is

poured into it or mixed with it. Similarly we should influence others for their good, but should not be influenced by another's vices or weaknesses.

28. Mandirs in East Africa:

Yogiji Maharaj established five Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Mandirs in East Africa.

29. First Swaminarayan Mandir in London: In 1970 Yogiji Maharaj established first Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Mandir in London. It was a landmark event in the annals of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya..