Acharyereva Datam Yadach Tena Pratishtitam |
Krushnaswarupam Tatsevyam Vandyamevetaratu Yat ||
Acharya - One’s Guru of Dharma Vamsa - family of Dharma Deva, who shows one the path of Bhakti. It is specifically this Acharya or Guru and not the Acharyas who are learned in Veda-Vadanta Acharyas, which are glorified here.
The great Acharya lineage ordained by Lord Swaminarayan, from the illustrious family of the Lord is praised here. Linga Purana explains exactly what an Acharya is:
Swayamacharate Yasmadaacharye Sthapayatyapi |
Achinoti Cha Shastrarthanacharyasthena Chochyate ||
‘One who follows righteous duty (Achaara), teaching others to follow righteous duty and who is learned in Shastras is considered an Acharya.’
Therefore devotees of Lord Swaminarayan must perform Poojan and serve only those Murtis given to them or installed by them. Only by accepting the guidance of either of the Acharyas, Narnarayan Gadi or Laxminarayan Gadi, are we fulfilling the wishes of Lord Swaminarayan. Only then will our devotion and service to the Murtis be fruitful.
Shatanand then says: ‘Murtis given or installed by other Acharyas of other Sampradais are worthy of respect and should be humbly bowed before with great reverence (Tatu Vandyam Bhagwadbhavena) but should not be daily worshipped.’ - Why? - Vaishnavsampradayamarija-dabhagaditi Bhavaha - ‘it destroys one’s faith and devotion to their Vaishnav Sampradai.’ It is important to belong to a Sampradai, a Guru etc. A Sampradai will bring community, focus, identity, direction and a sense of belonging, which will help to improve one’s faith and service. It will avoid confusion and firmly set the path to realisation.
One should never envisage a Murti as just a lump of stone and in this way degrade its significance and greatness. Pancharatna Shastra explains ‘Those who think of Murtis as mere stone, a Guru as mere man and a Vaishnav as a mere race, are committing insult.’
It is imperative that we do not worship idols installed or given to us by a low-born or indeed some other supposed great person or ‘Guru’. Those who do, are not cleansed of such sin even by performing ten thousand Prayaschits. Similarly, idols given by women, or served by them should also not be worshipped as those who do are destined for and eternity in hell. This is specifically aimed at males, as by going to such places where women are serving the idols can cause their mind to wander causing it to be deluded and think of that which is unworthy to be thought of in such situation.
Note that there are so many leaders in Hinduism of which many are worthy of such stature and others that are not. Lord Swaminarayan has provided for us the Acharya heritage of Dharma Kul and it is these that are the true worthy Gurus of the Swaminarayan Sampradai. It is these Gurus which we must pledge our allegiance to. Worship of Murtis installed by him and given by him will derive fruits. No other supposed fictitious Guru of the Swaminarayan Sampradai has such right or power and so allegiance to either the Acharya of Ahmedabad or Vadtal, as per the explicit wishes of the Lord himself, will gain us a place in the heavens. Never will following a supposed fictitious Guru reap the same benefits.