Ghanshyam Bal Charitra

As the faithful followers of Bhagwan Shri Swaminarayan, we should never allow our mind to remain idle as well as empty. The mind is full of worldly desires. It is very active and motive. It motivates soul to enjoy the objects of the five senses. Like a ghost the empty and idle mind works of devil. The unconventional mind has created many problems in everybody's life.

To control over the mind is not an easy task as we think. It is as hard as to control the stormy wind. Bhagwan Shri Swaminarayan has prescribed many methods to control the sensitive, smart and cunning mind in the Vachanamrut.

Listening to talks and tales regarding God is the most powerful means to keep the mind steady and free from worldly desires.

To purify the wicked mind, it should be filled with the fragrance of remembrances of the exploit-charitra of God with the knowledge of His greatness. The mind should be entangled into the web of sweet memories of God and in His human as well as divine actions and incidents.

To serve that aim and object, this booklet presents a nice collection of Bal Ghanshyam charitra for the peace of mind.

It is a great pleasure for us to publish Shri Ghanshyam Balcharitra translated in English, by the grace of Supreme Godhead Bhagwan Shri Swaminarayan.

The Supreme Godhead Bhagwan Shri Swaminarayan 1s the God of the Gods. He is the cause of all incarnations. He took birth in a small village named Chhapaiya near Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh state, India on the pious day of Ramnavmi of Vikram Samvat Year 18371.e. Monday, 2nd April 1781 AD.

His father Pande Dharmadev and mother Bhaktidevi named Him Ghanshyam as a pet name. Ghanshyam passed early three years of His childhood in Chhapaiya and later eight years in Ayodhya. During this childhood period Ghanshyam displayed His divine as well as human heroic deeds. Some of these are described in this booklet.

By the upasana - devotion of God 1.e. narrating and listening to His divine as well as human deeds, chanting His holy name and by observing one’s dharma — duty, it is an easy path to attain liberation like crossing the ocean by sitting in a ship. For anyone God's heroic deeds are easy to digest like milk. Narrating and listening to His divine heroic deeds give us peace of mind.

I am glad to note that computerized type-setting has been done by Shri Manish J. Changela. Shri Harikrishna J. Changela has given valuable suggestions. Here I take the special note of our Gurudev Swami Shri Devkrishnadasji for his blessings. I cannot forget ShriB. A. Kotak and ShriR. B. Ganatra who have helped me in proof checking as well as Swami Vishvswarupdasji and Swami Rasikvallabhdasji for his page setting work and Piyush V. Changela for page correction.

IT hope this booklet will be useful to the students who are studying in English medium.

**Contents and Sample Pages**