Sadguru Shree Viraktanand Swami was born in the village of Kalodra, located in the Khambhat region in Bhal pradesh. He was deeply pious and possessed a profound love for God. When the feeling of detachment (virakt) touched his heart, worldly life felt as bitter as poison, and he began living in a state of total renunciation. Consequently, following the principle of “as is the quality, so is the name,” (yatha gun tatha naam) Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan named him Viraktanand. Recognizing him as highly virtuous and skilled in practical administration, Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan appointed him as the first Mahant of the Gadhada temple. Upon his appointment, Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan commanded him to serve the Gadhada temple with a selfless and surrendered spirit and to care for the well-being of saints and devotees.
Once, when Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan took upon Himself a physical illness, the saints and attendants (parshads) served Him with tireless dedication. Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan was extremely pleased with their service. He summoned Viraktanand Swami, the Mahant of Gadhada, to the Akshar Ordi and instructed him: “These saints and attendants have served Me exceptionally well. Therefore, on My behalf, prepare laddoos made with sugar and a generous amount of ghee, and insist that they eat their fill.” However, overcome by greed, Viraktanand Swami instead prepared laddoos made with jaggery (gol) and served them to all the brahmacharis, saints, and devotees. When Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan learned that jaggery laddoos had been made instead of sugar ones, He became displeased with him.
On another occasion, Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan had requested money to be given to a poor Brahmin, but Swami failed to provide it. Realizing this, Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan decided to free Viraktanand Swami from his administrative duties and appointed Paramanand Swami as the Mahant of Gadhada. Viraktanand Swami had served as the Mahant of Gadhada for ten years.
When Viraktanand Swami realized his mistakes, he felt deep remorse in his heart. Tears of repentance fell from his eyes as he lamented that he had failed to follow the commands of Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan. He resolved to live from then on in a way that would earn the Maharaj’s pleasure. Thereafter, he lived according to the commands of Bhagwan Shree Swaminarayan, spent the remainder of his life in the service of the Lord, and eventually departed for the divine abode of Akshardham.