ABSTRACT
Narayanswarupdas Swami (Pramukh Swami) continues as the spiritual and administrative leader of Bochasanwasi Swaminarayan Sanstha (BSS) that has grown dramatically in India and abroad. The doctrine that the perfect living devotee is the abode of god is the distinctive teaching of this branch of Swaminarayan Hinduism. This chapter analyzes the theology and philosophy that supports the profound belief of followers that Pramukh Swami is the abode of god. Sahajanand Swami taught that five eternal entities exist: parabrahman, aksharbrahman, maya, jiva and ishvara. The last two, including deities and previous avatar, are affected by maya. The first two are eternally free from the effects of maya. According to Sahajanand, aksharbrahman and parabrahman are two distinct realities related to each other through the sarira-sariri relation. Swaminarayan Hinduism emphasizes the bhakti path, and the elaboration of the concept of avatara by the addition of the akshar as the companion of god provides the devotees with a visible object of devotion, a living icon.
