Sadhu Gnãnjivandas

Yogiji Maharaj (23 May 1892 – 23 January 1971), born Jina Vasani, was a Hindu swami and the fourth spiritual successor of Swaminarayan in the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a major branch of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. According to the metaphysics of BAPS, Yogiji Maharaj is considered to be the next iteration of Akshar after Shastriji Maharaj in the guru parampara, an unbroken line of "perfect devotees" who provide "authentication of office through Gunatitanand Swami and back to Swaminarayan himself." Together with Pramukh Swami Maharaj, who acted as the administrative head of BAPS, he was instrumental in nurturing the growth of BAPS "through new programs, expansion into new areas, and the construction of temples".

As a guru, he consecrated over 60 temples and visited over 4000 towns and villages.

Early life He was born as Jina Vasani on 23 May 1892 in the small town of Dhari, Gujarat, India to father Devchandbhai and mother Puribai. Jina was a diligent student and his work-ethic made him popular among his childhood contemporaries. He took interest in spirituality, engaging in devotional service by performing the daily worship and service of the murtis in the mandir at Dhari. Under Shastriji Maharaj's guidance, Yogiji Maharaj played an integral part in growing the fledgling BAPS organization in India and beyond. At the behest of the devotees that migrated outside of India, Yogiji Maharaj went on several spiritual tours, initially to East Africa, and later to England. The first mandir that he consecrated was in Mombasa, Kenya during his tour of East Africa in 1955. Despite his age, he went on a third overseas tour in 1970 during which he installed the image of Akshar-Purushottam in hari mandirs in Nairobi, Kenya. On the same tour, he also established the first Swaminarayan mandir in London, England. Before these efforts, the youths in BAPS normally sat with adults during weekly congregations. In 1952, he founded the youth wing (yuvak mandal) to foster activities specific for youth, so that they could understand the spiritual messages catered to their own needs. He is remembered for treating youths with respect and affection and was well known for giving a , (a hearty pat on the back) while giving his blessings. He also advocated for camps and seminars promoting academic and personal spiritual growth for youth and arranged for the construction of schools, hostels and "gurukuls" (spiritual academies). During Yogiji Maharaj's spiritual tours, young aspirants decided to join him during their school vacations. These teenagers gave up the comforts of home and householder life to perform service, in line with the lifestyle of the swamis they traveled with.

Later life

Under his guidance, the fledgling BAPS organization gained formation throughout India and abroad. He established systems such as weekly assemblies, publications and recurring festivals that encouraged greater focus on spiritual endeavors. His efforts in co-ordination of these increased activities provided an infrastructure for the organization's continued expansion and growth under his spiritual successor, Pramukh Swami Maharaj. A memorial shrine called the Yogi Smruti Mandir was constructed in Gondal, Gujarat at the site of his cremation. The letter which forms the core of the Yogi Gita was written over a period of three days, from 28 March to 1 April 1941. In 1940, Yogiji Maharaj came down with a severe case of dysentery in Rajkot. His guru Shastriji Maharaj, on hearing of his plight, sent an attendant named Jagjivan Ruda Poriya to nurse him back to health. Upon his recovery, Jagjivan asked to be sent off with Yogiji Maharaj's spiritual wisdom as a "reward" for his efforts. In response to the request, Yogiji Maharaj wrote the letter that would later become a part of the Yogi Gita.

Letter to a satsangi In his letter to Jagjivan, the "satsangi," Yogiji Maharaj reinforced the importance of three spiritual virtues: samp or co-operation, suhradhabhav or friendship, and ekta or unity. He indicated that all devotees should strive to live by these principles. He also described the following principles that he believed would lead to peace and happiness:

Service, humility and attaining moksha: He stressed the importance of atmanishta or believing oneself to be the soul as one of the prerequisites to attaining liberation. The values of faithfulness and total surrender to God and his swami and Yogiji Maharaj's belief that one should live as das no das, or the servant of God's servant, were also succinctly explained within the section. Avoiding gossip: This short section addresses how gossiping reduces the virtues of an aspirant and is one of the biggest obstacles on the path to liberation. Realization of one’s faults: To highlight the need for introspection, he referred to the words of Jaga Bhagat. He wrote that if one begins to look at the faults of other, they should pause and look at their own faults instead. Tolerance and forgiveness: He described these two virtues as amongst the most powerful qualities a spiritual aspirant could have. Mutual affection: He explained the need for a collaborative understanding of various principles. Spiritual discourses: He stated that by constantly listening to spiritual discourses and absorbing the knowledge inherent in them one would experience tranquility and inner happiness.

Prarthana The second section contains Yogiji Maharaj's earnest prayer to Shastriji Maharaj in Mehelav, Gujarat. Yogiji Maharaj used various spiritual qualities of Shastriji Maharaj as examples to illustrate the tenets that devotees should instill in themselves. In essence, Yogiji Maharaj prayed that all devotees could become as virtuous and devout as Shastriji Maharaj.

Jivan Bhavna The editors of the text compiled various proverbs of Yogiji Maharaj that encapsulated his insights and philosophy of life.

Hrudayni Vato Literally meaning "the sayings of the heart," this section explores numerous sayings and his empirical teachings. It focuses on the spiritual attributes that are necessary for one to attain liberation. Yogiji Maharaj reinforced the fact that devotees would never suffer from misery if they had a firm refuge in God.

Importance to BAPS

To devotees of the BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, the Yogi Gita is an inspirational text that aims to increase the spiritual purity of believers. Yogiji Maharaj's own virtuous life and esteem in the eyes of BAPS followers give added weight to the teachings present in this work. A theme prevalent throughout the Yogi Gita is the Akshar-Purshottam Darshan and the belief that true spiritual awakening and liberation can be achieved only with the help of a God-realized soul (atpurush). In the Yogi Gita, his Satpurush was Shastriji Maharaj. Devotees within the group use Yogiji Maharaj’s adherence to his guru’s principles and devoutness as examples of how an ideal spiritual life should be led.