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The  Swaminarayan Sampraday Acharyas 

"I shall remain always within the Acharyas from the family of My father, Dharmadev."- Swaminarayan Bhagwan instructed all the followers to consider the Acharyas as God-personified and serve their respective Acharya with total loyalty and humility. 

By the time Swaminarayan Bhagwan was ready to return to Akshar Dham (His Divine Abode), He had got built some magnificent Shikharbandh (domed) Temples.  Three more were nearing completion. The satsangis (devotees) numbered over half a million. Sadhus, Parshads and Sankhya Yogis numbered in the thousands. 

It was clear that to manage the growing Swaminarayan Sampraday after Swaminarayan Bhagwan's return to Akshar Dham, would require a personality of immense powers of administration and persuasion. A task beyond any mortal being. 

In establishing the dual Acharyaship in the Swaminarayan Sampraday, Swaminarayan Bhagwan divided the followers geographically into two, for ease of administration. Lord Swaminarayan divided India into two divisions drawing a demarcation line from Calcutta to Dwarka and declared the boundary places (Calcutta, Kashi, Ujjain, Ratlam, Dohad, Godhra, Mehamdabad, Kheda, Dhandhuka, Chotila, Rajkot, Navanagar, Okha, Dwarka, etc.).  North of this boundary is known as the Uttar Desh (North Zone). South of this including the demarcation cities is known as the Dakshin Desh (South Zone). 

Lord Shree Swaminarayan built a marvelous temple at Ahmedabad and installed the images of Shree Nar-Narayan Dev therein.  He made this temple the seat of the Acharyaship of Uttar Desh. The North Zone is therefore known as Shree Nar-Narayan Dev Gadi. Another huge temple was built at Vadtal.  The images of Shree Laxmi-Narayan Dev were installed here.  This place became the seat of the Acharyaship of Dakshin Desh. The South zone is thus known as the Shree Laxmi-Narayan Dev Gadi. 

As the first Acharyas, Bhagwan installed, Ayodhyaprasadji Maharaj, son of His elder brother Rampratapji, to the Shree Nar-Narayan Dev Gadi (North Zone) and Raghuvirji Maharaj, son of His younger brother Ichchharamji, to the Shree Laxmi-Narayan Dev Gadi (South zone). 

Bhagwan appointed and declared them as Acharyas at Vadtal in the Vikram Samvat Year 1882 on the eleventh day of the bright half of the Hindu month of Kartak (Tuesday, November 21, 1825 A.D.) 

Lord Shree Swaminarayan authorised only the Acharyas to install the images of God in His temples and to administer Saamaanya (basic) Diksha for all male satsangis and specific Maha Bhagwati Diksha for Sadhus, to His disciples in their respective jurisdictions. Nobody else is authorised to install idols or initiate satsangis. The Lord has promised to reside specifically in the images installed by Himself and the Acharyas only. 

These Acharyas are authorised to initiate the male disciples only. Their respective wife, the 'Gadiwalla', is the initiator of all female satsangis and Sankhya Yogis in their respective jurisdiction, with the consent of their husband - the Acharya. Despite being householders, both the Acharya & Gadiwalla live the lives of Sadhus & Sankhya Yogis – both of them truly leading by example. 

Even if devotees of Lord Shree Swaminarayan find themselves of higher religious and spiritual knowledge or status than their Acharya, they are NOT authorized to install idols in temples or initiate devotees (as per Lord Swaminarayan's instructions in the 'Desh Vibhag no Lekh' dictated by Lord Swaminarayan) 

Thus it is clear that in a temple, if the Murti (idol) of the Lord is NOT installed by one of the Acharyas, then this is NOT a temple of Lord Shree Swaminarayan. A person who is NOT initiated as a Satsangi by their respective Acharya or the Gadiwalla, is NOT a devotee of Lord Shree Swaminarayan. NO other members of the Dharmadev family, except the Acharyas of Ahmedabad and Vadtal seats, are authorised to install the images of the Lord or to initiate the Lord's devotees.

Despite being descendants of His father Dharmadev, because the Acharyas were (and still are) mortal beings, Swaminarayan Bhagwan showered them with divine strengths. He proclaimed, "I shall remain always within the Acharyas from the family of My father, Dharmadev." Swaminarayan Bhagwan instructed all the followers to consider the Acharyas as God-personified and serve their respective Acharya with total loyalty and humility. 

The rules of managing the Sampraday are enshrined in a document which Swaminarayan Bhagwan dictated and got written by Shukanand Swami – it is called Desh Vibhag Lekh. It lays out the boundary of demarcation between the two administrative zones. The protocol required between the Acharyas is documented here. The procedures for appointing future Acharyas are also laid down in Desh Vibhag Lekh. In these times of legal challenges upon the Sampraday, Desh Vibhag Lekh has proved to be the basis upon which most judicial rulings are made. The original manuscripts of the document are with the present Acharyas.