Sadguru Shree Swarupanand Swami was a great saint who demonstrated immense power.
Having heard the news that “a liberator of souls has manifested in the West,” a Brahmin left his home in Kurukshetra. While traveling toward Dwarka, he arrived in Mangrol. During the period of divine trances (Samadhi Prakaran), he attained the vision of his chosen deity, Bhagwan Shree Krishna. Believing that the one granting this divine vision of the unseen was Shree Krishna Himself, he surrendered and took diksha, being named “Swarupanand,” a name spoken in the first rank among the five hundred paramhansas.
Swarupanand Swami was an extremely powerful sadhu who constantly held the divine form of Maharaj in his heart, yet he obeyed every command and traveled from village to village. When Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan was presiding in Loya and Nagadka, Swamishree came for darshan. Maharaj asked him, “How many people have you introduced to the Satsang?” Swami replied, “I have only seen people beneath this neem tree.” Hearing this, someone remarked sarcastically that if he hadn’t seen other people, how could he have granted them moksha? At that moment, the words of Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan Himself served as a perfect testament to Swarupanand Swami’s high spiritual state. Maharaj said that while others must speak to liberate souls, the mere darshan of Swarupanand Swami is enough to grant moksha.
He was a sadhu who constantly meditated on the divine form of Shreeji Maharaj, yet he also traveled with a group (mandal) and handled major responsibilities during large festivals. When the Maharudra yagna was performed in Jetalpur, Swami looked after the management of the kitchen (pakshala). The great yogi of Junagadh, Sadguru Shree Gunatitanand Swami, often showered flowers of praise upon the divinity of Swarupanand Swami. Furthermore, he performed the historic task of entering Yamapuri while chanting the Swaminarayan Mahamantra, thereby emptying the pits of hell. Acharya Shree Viharilalji Maharaj records in the Shree Harililamrut:
Swarupanande kidhi samadhi, gaya Yampur Krishna aradhi; Joya narakma pidata prani, ati daya antarma ani; Lidhu Swaminarayan naam, natha sambhali dut tamam.
Muktanand Swami has also sung:
Sarve narakna kund khali karya, bhukhya jamgan re; Kar ghasi pastaya, Narayan prabal pratap che.