A library is universe in itself. With a view to opening the window of knowledge for the book-lovers, Muktaraj has established a rich library. It houses a reading room and provides special facilities to the scholars who may want to do research. You can find books on almost all religions of the world for comparative study. This comparative study will convince you that Swaminarayan Dharma is a world religion and it is the best and most liberal of all religions. It fights naiTow sectarian and divisive forces and fosters unity, harmony, peace and universal brotherhood.

In the beginning the library was housed in the upper storey of Pujya Shri Narayanbhai’s own house. In 1998 when Shri Hari Krupavarsha Brahma Yagna was being performed, the library was shifted to the first and second floors of Building No. 2/A, Sureshvari Society. This library, a one mans collection has been rightly called: ‘Pujya Shri Narayanbhai Gnan Bhavan’. Whenever books were to be bought for the library, Pujya Shri Narayanbhai personally would go to the shop, choose the right title after carefully going through its content. He would buy only those books which would widen the vision and help the reader build a sound moral life.

Only those books which inspired the people develop their spiritual faculties found place in the library. He took great care of the books. He would personally make entry of each book in the register and file them correctly according to their subjects and classification. Sometimes, he would get the work done by the volunteers, under his guidance and personal supervision. The way a small trickle becomes a vast lake or a long river, books started entering one by one and a large library, an ocean of thought and wisdom came into existence. It was the fruit of almost fifty years of hard work and much endeavours. The library has nearly twenty-five thousand books in Gujarati, Hindi, English and Sanskrit languages. This ocean of thought contains not only books on the Swaminarayan philosophy, but books on other religions, books which increase one’s vision, build one’s character teach the art of living, fill one’s mind with pure and lofty thoughts, and enlighten one’s mind. There are books on education, histoiy and science. You can find lives of the great men, dictionaries, thesaurus, encyclopaedia and many other reference books. One can read here books and journals published by Gandhi Foundation, Ramkrishna Mission, Chinmay Mission, Arvind Ashram, Divya Jivan Sangh and many other institutions in India and abroad.

Thus, this unique library has been established by Pujya Shri Narayanbhai to kindle light in the lives of the people and help them achieve an all-round progress in the social, educational and spiritual fields by reading the works of great masters. The library remains a living monument to the works and deeds of a great teacher of mankind.

“Time and events necessitate changes in the membership of the Trust. This is necessary to keep the institution alive and dynamic. No public trust can develop or remain functional as well as credible without the guidance from the elders and contlibution of committed volunteers. Those who can be entrusted with task and responsibility are the Trustees’ in the real sense. Designation or position and status are legal as well as practical requirements. The power and presence of God remains forever with a true servant of god. It is the spirit of service and not the status which is the true identity of a trustee.” This is how Pujya Shri Narayanbhai created a band of divine music makers, the trustworthy youth committed to their God and Guru.

Conclusion

Directly inspired by and under the divine command of Lord Shri Swaminarayan, Muktaraj Pujya Shri Narayanbhai founded ‘Shri Swaminarayan Divine Mission’. He was chosen by our Lord to bring about social, educational and religious transformation in our society. It was in a way continuation and extension of the sociospiritual activities started by the Lord Himself. In fact Pujya Shri Narayanbhai’s life has been his mission. For, rarely comes in human form a true Anadi Mukta displaying all the divine attributes. He was the most enlightened, God-abiding calm-hearted, totally detached, most humble ascetic who served both man and his maker with complete devotion.

We will never be able to pay our debt for the services he rendered while he was in our midst. His word or work is full of truth about the overflowing joy and perfect peace that he felt and distributed while leading the devotees on the path of God. If you can be a part of his ‘Mission’ and contribute to the work begun by him, you should consider yourself lucky.

Shri Swaminaryan Divine Mission can be a stepping stone in your growing faith to serve God and receive the divine pleasure through Muktraj Pujya Shri Narayanbhai.