SWAMI-NARAYANI

also spelled Swaminarayana, Hindu reform sect with a large popular following in Gujarat state. It arose primarily as a protest against the corrupt practices said to have developed during the 19th century among the Vallabhacarya, a prominent devotional sect renowned for the deference paid to its gurus (spiritual leaders). The sect was founded in Ahmedabad about 1804 by Swami Narayana, who emphasized the observance of traditional Hindu law, particularly in matters of caste, diet, and ritual. The sect worships Krishna (Krsna) and also the five major gods of orthodox Hinduism, and it employs the Vallabha mantra (prayer formula). The doctrines of the founder are collected along with selections from Hindu scriptures in an anthology called the Siksapatri.