आगमे विश्वासटिप्पन्यः

One of the prominent branches of the
Swaminarayan sect, which split off
from its parent body in 1906. The
Swaminarayan movement is based on
the teachings of Sahajananda Swami
(1781–1830), an ascetic who was a devotee (bhakta) of the god Vishnu.
Sahajananda’s followers eventually
revered him as a manifestation of
Krishna (an incarnation of Vishnu),
based on the idea that avatars of Vishnu
appear on earth in times of extreme
trouble. This same reverence is given to
Sahajananda Swami’s ascetic successors, who are known by the title
Pramukh Swami (“President Swami”).
At present the Akshar Purushottam
Samstha has several million lay devotees
(bhakta) who are mainly Gujarati merchants; their affluence has helped make
the movement financially strong. The
most important figures in the movement
are the small number of ascetics who
serve as teachers and spiritual advisers,
headed by the Pramukh Swami. For further information see Raymond Brady
Williams, A New Face of Hinduism, 1984.