1. Gunatitanand Swami, born Mulji Jani, was a paramhansa of the Hindu Swaminarayan Sampradaya who was ordained by Swaminarayan and is accepted as the first spiritual successor of Swaminarayan by the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha.
Furthermore, BAPS claims that Gunatitanand Swami was believed to be the first personal manifestation of Akshar in the Guru Parampara: an unbroken line of "perfect devotees" who provide "authentication of office through Gunatitanand Swami and back to Swaminarayan himself".
Gunatitanand Swami held various administrative roles, most notably as the mahant of Junagadh mandir, a position he held for forty years.
Gunatitanand Swami died in 1867, and a shrine known as the Akshar Deri was built upon the spot his cremation rites were performed.
Gunatitanand Swami openly told others that Narayan would eventually visit his village and hence he had no reason to travel to Kashi, as was traditionally done for one who wished to pursue a serious religious education.
Mulji would often travel to the village of Shekhpat to visit Ramanand Gunatitanand Swami and listen to his religious discourses.
Gunatitanand Swami formed a lasting friendship with Lalji Suthar, a native of Shekhpat who shared Mulji's zeal for Ramanand Swami's philosophies and who would later become Nishkulanand Swami, one of Swaminarayan's prominent swami disciples.
Ramanand Gunatitanand Swami invited Mulji and Lalji Suthar amongst others to the Bhagvati Diksha ceremony of Neelkanth Varni to be held on 28 October 1800.
On subsequent visits to Bhadra and throughout his association with Gunatitanand Swami, Swaminarayan had alluded to the former's standing as Akshar in the theology of the sect.
Gunatitanand Swami further gained renown as a preacher and a summary of his teachings would later be published under the title Swamini Vato.
Gunatitanand Swami played a prominent role in its construction, served as the mahant for forty years and provided a template for the administrative development of future religious establishments in the Swaminarayan Sampradaya.
In line with his understanding of the Akshar Purushottam Upasana, Gunatitanand Swami continued discoursing around Gujarat and along with his primary spiritual mission, helped initiate various social reforms throughout the region.
Gunatitanand Swami played a significant role in shaping the administration of Junagadh Mandir.
For many decades, even into his old age, Gunatitanand Swami would perform the menial task of sweeping the mandir courtyard himself despite being the head of the temple.
Gunatitanand Swami served as the Mahant of Junagadh mandir for 40 years.
Furthermore his renunciation of worldly desires and strong adherence to the principles of ekantik dharma were a pivotal component of his relationship with Gunatitanand Swami who referred to him as "someone who has profound faith and spiritual zeal".
Gunatitanand Swami was instrumental in the early administration of the Swaminarayan fellowship after the death of Swaminarayan.
Gunatitanand Swami encouraged Raghuvirji Maharaj to give up the pomp and splendor of his position and nurtured both his spiritual and administrative traits.
Similar to Swaminarayan before him, Gunatitanand Swami instituted various social projects, from building wells and educating villagers to establishing guidelines for social behavior and preventing practices such as sati and infanticide.
Gunatitanand Swami's murti is always seen in the central shrine alongside Swaminarayan in all BAPS mandirs, as they embody the central principle of Akshar and Purushottam.
On 16 September 1867, Gunatitanand Swami paid homage to the murti of Swaminarayan in Junagadh mandir for the last time and departed for a tour of neighboring towns and villages having served as the mahant for 40 years 4 months and 4 days.
Gunatitanand Swami traveled through the villages of Ganod, Upleta, Bhayavadar and Vanthali before finally arriving at Gondal to celebrate a religious festival at the behest of Madhavji Dave, the town administrator.
Gunatitanand Swami visited Navlakha Palace where the Maharaja of Gondal donated a piece of land to the Swaminarayan mandir.
Gunatitanand Swami returned to Swaminarayan Mandir in Gondal at 9pm and died at 12:45am on 11 October 1867.
Gunatitanand Swami's obsequies were performed the next day on the banks of the River Gondali Abhaysinh Darbar of Ganod, a disciple of Gunatitanand Swami, later built a shrine at the spot of his final rites that is known as Akshar Deri.
Shastriji Maharaj, a devotee of Gunatitanand Swami and revered as a manifestation of Akshar, explained that Swaminarayan's teaching in the Vachanamrut and other scriptures showed that there exists at all times a perfect devotee, Akshar Brahman, through whom Swaminarayan manifests on earth.
Gunatitanand Swami identified Gunatitanand Swami and Bhagatji Maharaj as the first two embodiments of Akshar.
The BAPS denomination uses an edition of the Swamini Vato that includes the addition of two more chapters compiled by Krishnaji Ada, another disciple of Gunatitanand Swami, based on the latest research and critical study of the original manuscripts.