THE NAND SAINTS
3000 Ascetic Saints • Foundations of Faith • Eternal Legacy
Every soul that walks the path toward spiritual liberation begins its journey wandering through the illusions of this material world. When Bhagwan Swaminarayan descended upon this earth, His mission was clear: to liberate as many souls as possible and guide them to His divine abode, Akshardham. To carry out this immense mission, Bhagwan Swaminarayan ordained nearly 3,000 ascetic saints, known collectively as the Nand Saints. Enduring extraordinary hardship and unwavering in their devotion, these saints laid the foundations of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya (sect) and spread the teachings of Bhagwan Swaminarayan across India.
The Assembly of Saints — Gathering in devotion to Bhagwan Swaminarayan
The Five Sacred Vows (Panch Vartman)
The Nand Saints came from every walk of life. Some were learned scholars, others were simple farmers. Some were young men yet to marry, while others had already established families of their own. Yet the moment their paths crossed with Bhagwan Swaminarayan, their hearts awakened and they surrendered themselves entirely to Him.
To walk this path of renunciation, each saint had to relinquish all worldly attachments and strictly observe the five sacred vows, known as the Panch Vartman:
Nishkam
To remain completely free from lust and to maintain absolute celibacy.
Nirlobh
To renounce all wealth and free oneself from every form of greed.
Nirman
To dissolve all ego and pride, and stand humbly before God.
Niswad
To rise above the desire for taste and the pleasures of the palate.
Nissneh
To detach from all worldly relationships and material possessions, including ties to one's birth family.
Though these vows appear nearly impossible to uphold, every Nand Saint observed them with unwavering discipline. In return, Bhagwan Swaminarayan blessed them with eternal, divine bliss (sukh) in Akshardham.
Their Monumental Accomplishments
The devotion of the Nand Saints and their complete renunciation of the material world endowed them with extraordinary spiritual power. Their unshakeable faith became the very foundation upon which the Swaminarayan Sampradaya was built.
They travelled to the most remote villages across the land so that every soul seeking salvation could find their way to Bhagwan Swaminarayan through satsang. They composed countless scriptures and thousands of devotional kirtans, leaving behind a treasury of spiritual wisdom that continues to guide devotees to this day. At the command of Bhagwan Swaminarayan, they laboured tirelessly to build magnificent mandirs across Gujarat. Beyond the Panch Vartman, they also observed 117 additional short-term vows known as Prakaran, prescribed personally by Bhagwan Swaminarayan.
Through all of this, they bore the violence and persecution of those who envied their work, never wavering in their resolve. Their sacrifice — in every dimension of life — is the very reason the Swaminarayan Sampradaya shines so brightly among the great spiritual traditions of the world today.
Today's Legacy
The flourishing sampradaya we are blessed to be part of today exists because of the boundless sacrifices and wisdom of the Nand Saints. We remain blessed by the saints of our present day, who descend from the disciple lineage of the Nand Saints and carry forward the same spiritual calibre — guiding millions of devotees towards the supreme Bhagwan Swaminarayan.