Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan was born as Ghanshyam Pande as the son of Shree Dharmadev and Shree Bhaktimata in the village of Chhapaiya (near Ayodhya) on Chaitra Sud 9 at 10:10pm.
Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan incarnated on this Earth during Kaliyug to re-establish Dharma and guide countless souls towards Moksha. The birth of Shree Hari for this purpose was forecasted in the Skand Puran within the Vasudev Mahatmya’s Chapter 18, Shloks 42-44.
Maya krushnen nihatah, sarjunena raneshu ye |
Pravarta yishyantya surast, tetva dharmam yada kshitau ||42/18||Dharma Devatada bhaktad, aham Narayanomuni |
Janishe Koshale deshe, bhumohi samago dvijah || 43/18||Munishapa-nrutam praptam, nrush satatatvo dhavam |
Tatovita surebhyoham, saddharmam sthaapayann-aja ||44/18||
This translates to the following:
All the asuras (demons) killed in battle (during Mahabharat) by Arjun and Me will be born again. When they spread adharma again on this Earth, I will be born as Narayanmuni in the Koshal region as the son of my devotee Dharmadev. (42-43)
I will protect those sages born as men on account of the curse of a sage (curse of Durvasa Muni) and establish righteousness. (44)
Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan graced this Earth for 49 years before returning to Akshardham. In this time, He established a 6 pillared Sampraday which includes a Guru Parampara of Acharyas and key scriptures explaining the essence of Hinduism and how we should live life. He also built 6 grand temples to ensure countless generations would continue His bhakti.