The Vachanamrut: An Introduction (Part 2)
In this second article of the series we discuss Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s adornments described in the first paragraph of each Vachanamrut and the language of the Vachanamrut.
ADORNMENTS
Bhagwan Swaminarayan adopted the garb of the local people by wearing simple white garments, such as a dhoti on the lower body and kediyu, dagli or gatariyu on the upper body. The dhoti and gatariyu are long, un-stitched garments. On the head, he wore various types of pagh and safo common in contemporary Kutch and Saurashtra. This traditional garb endeared him to the devotees. On rare occasions, such as festivals, as instructed by Ramanand Swami, he wore richly embroidered garments offered by devotees.
The Harililamrut (6.15.58–59) cites the first occasion on which he accepted and wore such rich garments brought to Dhoraji by devotees of Surat in 1807, during the festival of Fuldol. He wore a jamo of jari, surwal, other shangar and a mugat on his head.
“Mãvãne shir mugat dharãvio, hato Suratnã sanghe karãvio; Pelvelo evo shangãr, dharyote din Dharmakumãr.”
“The devotees of Surat had made a mugat (crown), which they placed on his head. These were the first such ornaments offered to Bhagwan Swaminarayan.”
The simple white garments he usually preferred to wear reflected his vairagya and austere life. This all the more established and strengthened the bond of devotional attachment of devotees for him. This bond prepared them to receive spiritual instruction whenever imparted by him, especially during the period of the Vachanamrut.
The description by the paramhansas of his apparel is of importance since it gives readers a vivid impression of his persona. This exciting journey back in time also provides information about several aspects of life in early 19th century Gujarat, about Bhagwan Swaminarayan himself and the intense love of the devotees who visited the places of the Vachanamrut, to offer him puja and to listen to his divine katha. It provides details of handwoven fabrics and golden embroidery in the absence of power looms and sewing machines. It provides valuable information about the flora in Saurashtra and Gujarat then, the simple varieties in the former compared to the many fragrant varieties in the latter. Such details help readers to visualize the murti of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, which calms the hyperactive mind. Calming the mind is necessary to listen to katha and absorbing its salient principles.
Of the 273 Vachanamruts, Shriji Maharaj has adorned simple white garments on 234 occasions and colored or rich garments on 39 occasions. All white garments, described as ‘sarva shvet vastra’, were worn 161 times; other white garments, described as ‘white khes’, 66 times; and ‘white surwal’ 7 times. This means that he wore white garments on 234 occasions (161+66+7).
In the first paragraphs of the Vachanamruts, the following types of garments are cited: khes, dhotiyu, dagli, chadar, chofal, rajai, pachhedi, shelu, rento, surwal and angarkhu. Head adornments include pagh, feto, bokani and moliyu,
The labelled photograph shows most of the above.
The flower shangar (adornments) cited include: tora, bajubandh, gajara and berkha.
All these were probably adorned on Maharaj by a personal sevak, such as, Mulji Brahmachari or a paramhansa.
The flowers in the Gadhada kathas were specially grown by Sachchidanand Swami on a plot of Dada Khachar’s land on the outskirts of Gadhada.
KHES
The word ‘khes’ needs some clarification. It denotes either an upper garment — uparno — known today as gatariyu, or it describes a dhotiyu worn on the lower body. Whether it refers to a gatariyu or dhotiyu can be gleaned from the verbs odhio and paheryo. When the verb odhio is used for khes, it means a gatariyu, and when paheryo is used, it means a dhotiyu (Vaghela 1988:121). This is evident in Sarangpur 3. Maharaj has adorned two khes; a khes with a black lining as a gatariyu, because odhio is used, and also a khes as a dhotiyu, because paheryo is used. This meaning is further supported in Gadhada III 23, when Maharaj describes the ritual of mansi puja. He advocates offering, “a washed, white khes.” Since he uses the verb paherva apvo, it means a dhotiyu. If he had used odhva apvo, then it would mean a gatariyu. Only in one Vachanamrut, Gadhada II 43, is the word dhotiyu used to mean a dhotiyu. Otherwise in all cases in the Vachanamrut, the word khes is used. When the word chadar is used with the verb odhi, it also means a gatariyu, as in Vachanamruts Gadhada I 14 and 17.
EYE-CATCHING SHANGAR
On rare occasions in the Vachanamrut kathas, Shriji Maharaj is adorned in special ways:
- a mala of moti (pearls): Gadhada I 13
- a new tulsi kanthi: Gadhada I 64, Gadhada II 48
- turning a tulsi mala with the hand: Gadhada I 70, Panchala 4, Ahmedabad 5 and Jetalpur 2
- a rakhdi on his wrists: Gadhada II 9 on Shravan sud 14, instead of the usual Shravan Purnima.
- Also, in his hands, he has clasped a pomegranate in Vartal 13 and Jetalpur 3, a lemon in Jetalpur 1, 3 and a handkerchief in Jetalpur 2.
- In Gadhada I 32 and 59, his forehead is smeared with kesar chandan paste and in Jetalpur 4 his upper body is anointed with kesar chandan.
VACHANAMRUT’S PROSE ENRICHING GUJARATI LITERATURE
The Vachanamrut is written in Gujarati, since Bhagwan Swaminarayan delivered his discourses in Gujarati. As a written language, Gujarati was evolving and continued to do so until the end of the 19th century.
In 1865, the famed Gujarati poet Narmadashankar Dave, popularly known as Kavi Narmad, systematized Gujarati grammar. This led him to write the gist of the Iliad in good Gujarati prose in 1870. The year 1887 witnessed the first classical novel, Saraswatichandra by Govardhanram Tripathi, in accurate Gujarati. From this we glean that the Vachanamrut’s linguistic excellence was far ahead of its time.
Not surprisingly, scholars of modern Gujarati have lauded the shastra’s prose.
The renowned Gujarati litterateur, Umashankar Joshi, eruditely scrutinized the intricate modes of expression used by Shriji Maharaj in the Vachanamrut, which he detailed in Swaminarayan Sant Sahitya. He eulogizes its unique lingual excellence and contribution to Gujarati literature of the early 19th century, “Vachanamrut is a pinnacle of Gujarati prose’s excellence” (Chaudhary 1981:14).
Chandravadan C. Mehta, another renowned scholar of Gujarati literature, lauded the Vachanamrut, especially its contribution in enriching Gujarati grammar, “Extinct grammatical expressions have been revived and can be read throughout the Vachanamrut, such as the absolute locative — the sati-saptami of Sanskrit: “Pachhi Nãradji gãnvidyã sheekhavtã havã ane Bhagwãn ãgal gãtã havã” (Gadhada I 4). Similarly, some verbs and nouns have been used in a unique manner, without obstructing the meaning. Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s contribution in enriching the language is substantial. Mehta further considers the following usages and expressions as novel:
- Potãnã swarupne jovãno ãdar karyo ane na dithu? (Gadhada I 20). “It is noteworthy how well the word ãdar has been used here.”
- Bhagwãnno nishchay ane mahãtmya rupi jene khatãi chadi hoi (Gadhada I-24).
- Ashtãng yogne sãdhave karine chittno nirodh (Gadhada I 25).
- Samjanne kefe karine chhaki pan javu nahi (Gadhada I 25)
- Dhruvajie Bhagwãnni stuti karvã mãndi, tyãre Vedãdiknã arthni saheje sfurti thai (Gadhada I 29).
Eminent scholars of Gujarati literature have commented on the Vachanamrut’s language:
“In this manner one comes across words enriching Gujarati prose on every page of the whole text… He [Bhagwan Swaminarayan] has explained the most abstruse concepts of adhyatma, yoga, meditation and tapas in the most simple and straightforward sentences in the Vachanamrut… His statements have the weight of experience… There are no ambiguous statements, nor complicated constructions which are not understandable. There are only sayings which easily penetrate the heart of the sympathetic reader. This is Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s important contribution to Gujarati prose.” — Chandravadan Mehta
“Vachanamrut is a pinnacle of Gujarati prose’s excellence.” — Umashankar Joshi
“The Vachanamrut’s language is markedly to the point, concise, depicting only one meaning, understandable by those less educated, with simple words and straightforward sentences and construction and, where necessary, using examples to clarify meanings.” — Kishorelal Mashruwala (1922:125)
“The collection of the Vachanamruts of Bhagwan Swaminarayan is a jewel of the Gujarati language.” — Kishorelal Mashruwala (1981:84)
“Even from the viewpoint of linguistic textbooks the Vachanamrut is important. From the manner in which the language has been voiced by Shriji Maharaj, in the same manner its linguistic form has been preserved. Hence, it is the most supreme piece of Gujarati prose of a hundred and fifty years ago.” — Arunodaya Jani (in Chaudhary, 1981:91)
“According to all the critics, the book [Vachanamrut] is the finest specimen of Gujarati prose. The sentences are well-balanced and the style compact and lucid. It has the local colour of Saurasthtra.” — K.K. Datta, historian, A Comprehensive History of India (XI 1985:848)
In the third article, we shall discuss the imagery used by Bhagwan Swaminarayan to explain philosophical concepts and innovative meanings of selected Sanskrit shlokas from the shastras.
Source References:
- Chaudhary, R. (1981) Swaminarayan Sant Sahitya (Gujarati). Ahmedabad: Swaminarayan Aksharpith.
- Vaghela, B.G. Bhagwan Swaminarayan nu Samkalin Lokjivan (Gujarati), 2nd ed., 1988. Ahmedabad: Swaminarayan Aksharpith.
(For details see ‘Vachanamrut Handbook: Insights into Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s Teachings’, Swaminarayan Aksharpith, 2007, and ‘Adornments of Bhagwan Swaminarayan in the Vachanamrut’ — forthcoming publication.)
Sadhu Mukundcharandas
