27 universities honored Mahamahopadhyaya Swami Bhadreshdasji
- An unprecedented event in the field of Vedanta at M.S. University, honoring a 21st century author of the prasthantrayi and his contribution to the study of Sanskrit and Vedanta.
- First occasion where vice chancellors from more than 20 universities gather at M.S. University
- Bhashyas written on the prasthantrayi after 1,200 years, on this pious land of Gujarat are an honor for this nation
- Timeless and monumental work in the field of Sanskrit and Vedanta inspired by His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj.
27 universities across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhyapradesh and other states gathered at the C.C. Mehta Auditorium of Maharaja Sayajirao University in Vadodara on 16 November 2017 to honor and acclaim Mahamahopadhyaya Swami Bhadreshdasji, a sadhu and scholar of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, for authoring two contemporary Sanskrit texts: the Swaminarayan Bhashyam and the Swaminarayan- Siddhant-Sudha.
Maharaja Sayajirao University in Vadodara organized the event to honor Swami Bhadreshdasji and the monumental work undertaken by him of writing the Swaminarayan Bhashyam and the Swaminarayan- Siddhant-Sudha. It has been nearly 150 years since a bhashya on any of the Upanishads, Brahmasutras, and the Bhagavad Gita – collectively known as the prasthantrayi – has been written. Inspired by His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj, Swami Bhadreshdasji is the latest in the lineage of acharyas to author bhashyas in Sanskrit on the prasthantrayi, and that too on the complete prasthantrayi. The creation of these bhashyas by Swami Bhadreshdasjis considered by many scholars to be this century’s most important work in Vedanta philosophy.
This was an unprecedented event in the field of Vedanta, honoring a 21st century author of a prasthantrayi bhashya and his contribution to the study of Sanskrit and Vedanta. This event also marked the first time that M.S. University hosted vice chancellors of more than 20 prestigious universities from Gujarat and various other states. Participating universities included Gujarat University, Saurashtra University, Veer Narmad South Gujarat University, Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University, Bhakta Kavi Narsinh Mehta University, Krantiguru Shyamji Krishna Verma Kachchh University, Gujarat Vidyapith, Shri Govind Guru University, Shree Somnath Sanskrit University, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University, and many more. Chancellor Shri Balvant Jani from Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar (Madhyapradesh) was also present to honor Swami Bhadreshdasji. The Vice Chancellor of Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati as well as Jagadguru Ramanandacharya, Rajasthan Sanskrit University offered written statements at the event honoring Swami Bhadreshdasji and his work.
The event began with the singing of Vedic mantras. Thereafter, M.S. University’s Vice Chancellor, Shri Parimal Vyas, welcomed all of the BAPS Sadhus and vice chancellors in attendance.
BAPS senior sadhu and scholar, Pujya Viveksagardas Swami spoke about the significance of writing bhashyas on the prasthantrayi within the Sanatan Vedic tradition as well as the history of Bhadreshdasji’s bhashyas. Pujya Viveksagardas Swami also expounded upon the importance and relevance of Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s Akshar-Purushottam Darshan.
Many great scholars have written bhashyas, or commentaries on the Upanishads, Brahmasutras, and Bhagavad Gita, upon the basis of different philosophies as part of India’s age-old Vedant tradition. Shankaracharyaji’s bhashya is the first of its kind to be recognized within this tradition, followed by Ramanujacharya, Madhavacharya, Nimbarkacharya, Vallabhacharya, etc., who respectively went on to establish Advait, Vishistadvait, Dvait, Dvaitadvait, Shuddhadvait and various other schools of Vedanta philosophy. Baldev Vidyabhushan, 19th century follower of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Achintyabhedabhed School of Philosophy, is considered to be the last author of a bhashya on the Brahmasutras. Thereafter, no bhashya has been written on the Upanishads, Brahmasutras, and the Bhagavad Gita – collectively known as the prasthantrayi – in the past 150 years until Swami Bhadreshdasji’s Swaminarayan Bhashyam. Inspired by His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj and blessed by His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj, Swami Bhadreshdasji took on this monumental task and made it his life’s work. He presented the completed five- volume, 2,150 page bhashya to Param Pujya Pramukh Swami Maharaj on 17 December 2007 at the BAPS Centenary Celebrations in Ahmedabad.
The Swaminarayan Bhashyam has been critically acclaimed by scholars from around the world. The dean of the Arts faculty at the University of Delhi has stated that “This volume is prepared in faultless Sanskrit and lucid style. Swaminarayan Bhashya is really a distinct contribution through a fresh approach to the old Brahmasutra commentaries. It is my sincere opinion that the Brahmasutra Swaminarayan Bhashya is a well- researched work. I believe, Brahmasutra Swaminarayan Bhashya will be an important addition to the field of Vedanta philosophy and will be warmly received in India and abroad.”
Swami Bhadreshdasji has also written a vadgranth entitled “Swaminarayan-Siddhant-Sudha”, establishing Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s unique philosophy, Akshar Purushottam Darshana. The Sanskrit text uses the authority of Hindu scriptures such as the Upanishads, Brahmasutras, and the Bhagavad Gita, to support the philosophical doctrine of Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s Akshar Purushottam Darshana as found in The Vachanamrut– the principal scripture of the Swaminarayan Sampraday. Many Vedanta and Sanskrit scholars from around the world consider Swami Bhadreshdasji’s bhashya and vadgranth to be one of the greatest accomplishments of modern time. After Shankaracharya’s bhashya, this is the first time in 1,200 years that a bhashya has been written by one author on all three texts of the prasthantrayi. Also, it is the only time in the history of Vedanta philosophy that a vadgranth has been written by the same author of the prasthantrayi bhashya.
Considered by some to be a dead language, Sanskrit has been proven to be resilient, given new life by writings such as the Swaminarayan Bhashyam and the Swaminarayan-Siddhant-Sudha. Through this work, the lost art of writing Sanskrit texts has been revived in this day and age, a point of pride for those who study and appreciate Sanskrit. These texts are not only important for the Swaminarayan Sampraday, but they are gifts to society that will foster the study of Sanskrit and Vedanta for generations to come.
The event concluded with the singing of the national anthem.
