Swamini Vato 200

200 Swamini Vato, literally 'Swami's talks', is a selected compilation of two-hundred of Gunatitanand Swami's quotes on spiritual topics, derived from over thousands of discourses he delivered in the 19th century during his forty years as the head priest of a major Swaminarayan temple. The topics addressed range from God s attributes to a comparison of different kinds of devotees to the greatness of a God-realized sadhu. These quotes serve as nuggets of guidance and inspiration; they chart a spiritual course for aspirants and provide the motivation to tread that course. Because these quotes were spoken to laypersons, they are accessible and meaningful to all spiritual seekers, whatever their level. Originally spoken in Gujarati, each quote is both transliterated and translated into English.
Gunatitanand Swami was a disciple of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, an eighteenth century Hindu figure believed by his followers to be God. Gunatitanand Swami was a sadhu (monk), who Swaminarayan initiated and revealed to be his ideal disciple. Untouched by material desires and bonds, Gunatitanand Swami spoke from a position of absolute realization and his own personal experience. For forty years, his inspirational life brought joy, wisdom, and peace to those who visited him in Junagadh, a town in India, where he served as the head of a major Swaminarayan temple. In fact, during his lifetime, dedicated disciples of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, including the heads of other major Swaminarayan temples, would spend one month every year in his presence to hear his sublime discourses. The essence of those very discourses has been distilled in 200 Swamini Vato.