Nityanand Swami - Pandit

 

Birth Place: Dantiya 
Father: Vishnusharma 
Mother: Virjadevi 
Name: Dinmani Sharma 
Birth: VS 1812, Kartik Sud 5, Thursday 
Caste: Yajurvedi Brahmin 

Dinmani Sharma's family were very rich. He went Kashi to learn and acquire knowledge from Jagjit Pandit. He wanted darshan of Lord Swaminarayan and to acquire this, he proceeded towards Badrinath. On the way, he joined other pilgrims and found no joy there. He then went to Jugnathpuri and done his pilgrimage but still could not find any happiness. He then proceeded to Dwarika and came near Vishuajar. He heard about Lord Swaminarayan and that He is Purshottam Narayan currently in Saurashtra. 

He started searching for Lord Swaminarayan. He came to Faneni, met Prabhutanand Swami and learnt that Lord Swaminarayan will be arriving in a town called Uza. Lord Swaminarayan arrived there after a few days. He was at the bank of a lake where a sabha was being held. Dinmani went to meet Lord Swaminarayan with some other devotees. He saw a divine light emanating from Lord Swaminarayan. Dinmani felt that this person was Purshottam Narayan himself. Dinmani did darshan and felt fulfilled. He expressed his wish to stay as a servant of Lord Swaminarayan. Lord Swaminarayan accepted and Dinmani stayed there for few days. After some time, Lord Swaminarayan gave 'Bhagwadi Diksha' and named him Nityanand Swami. Lord Swaminarayan requested him to learn and obtain detailed knowledge of Sanskrit and other religious knowledge. 

Lord Swaminarayan always kept Nityanand Swami with other Swamis. When Lord Swaminarayan met Sir Malcolm (representative of the British Empire) in Ahmdabad, Nityanand Swami was among the 4 sadhus with Him. 

Nityanand Swami and Brahamand Swami would usually debate each other on religious topics. Sometimes Nityanand Swami would win and sometimes Brahamand Swami would win. 

Nityanand Swami would always be consulted by Lord Swaminarayan when letters to government officials (British Empire) were written. Lord Swaminarayan also consulted Nityanand Swami when the Desh Vibhag Lekh was written. 

Nityanand Swami would attend the discourses arranged by other sampraday. He debated with other saints and was always the winner. No one could put a constructive argument against him. He was one of the saints to write Vachanmrut and he translated the Shikshapatri in Gujurati which was authenticated by Lord Swaminarayan. 

During the last days of Lord Swaminarayan, Nityanand Swami was with Him. Lord Swaminarayan gave the prints of His lotus feet to Nityanand Swami and told him to install them at Laxmivadi where a Temple would be erected on the ground where He would be cremated.