Do you want to explore the depth of Indian culture?

Do you want to help society through participation in humanitarian causes?

Do you want to discover your inner-self?

Do you want to understand the purity of religion better?

Be human first, then religious

Nar Narayan Dev Yuvak Mandal ( NNDYM) was created to help young people to confront the challenges of human life . It operates both in India and the world outside.

In India NNDYM has over 200,000 members that regularly meet in their local areas and contribute to both humanitarian and spiritual causes. Outside of India it strives to help the youths to integrate in traditional Indian values into the lifestyle present in today's modern society.

NNDYM aims to nurture its members to firstly become good human being and then arouses feelings of responsibility, spiritual consciousness and dedication. To achieve these goals, youths are encouraged to:

•  participate in humanitarian efforts

•  seek cultural awareness

•  welcome guidance through personal spiritual development.

NNDYM was founded by His Holiness 1008 Acharyashri Koshalendraprasadji Maharaj in 1994 with its headquarters at Shree Swaminarayan Mandir, Kalupur, Ahmedabad. His Holiness has acted proactively by setting into motion various initiatives to build a solid foundation of young people across the globe. He has set the highest standards for responsibly propagating dharma (duty), bhakti (devotion), gnaan (knowledge), and vairagya (detachment from maya). Firm in His commitment to bringing the Swaminarayan religion to people all over the world, His Holiness understands today's generation. “Be human first, then religious” is a principle He has shared with youth all over the world. As a member of the human race, we have a responsibility to our fellow man to be a good person above all else. In doing so, the concept of religion has the proper pasture in which to graze and nourish the soul. There is compassion in His Holiness and He has inspired and blessed youth worldwide.

History:

Generally speaking, in today's modern world, religion is merely a slice of the pie that is life. At one time, religion was the whole pie for people and it was the inspiration for their lives. Being human back then meant being either religious or being lost. There were not many other options for an individual. People worshipped one form or another of God in order to survive. Religion's influence from the earliest point of ancient history is reflected in the architecture, writings and traditions that still exist to this day. People were inclined to follow the traditions of their forefathers without question. The idea was to live life according to a plan. Everything a person needed to know to survive was derived from religious teachings. Hence, people followed the principles of religion ( dharma ), expressed love to God ( bhakti ), understood their inner selves ( gnaan ), and implemented this understanding to prepare the soul for an eternity of service and loyalty to God ( moksha /salvation). This divine happiness was a lifelong journey. Religion was the only map.

Today's world is different, but how different is it really? Are the needs of people these days so different that religion now has less importance? What explanation is there for the decline in popularity of religion, especially among young people?

“A good friend can be the best mirror.” Today's Indian youth all over the world face many obstacles and challenges. Among the many distractions that challenge today's youth, bad associations and poor selection of friends echo as most dangerous. Poor associations can lead a person down many wrong roads and ultimately get them lost entirely.

NNDYM gives youths the opportunity to be valued, appreciated, respected and loved without having to deal with the pressures that come along with being an adolescent. The spiritual significance of positive influences is a huge building block to the success of a society and a people. Protecting youths from the perils of negative influences helps preserve their innate understanding of right and wrong; good and bad; moral and immoral. It will motivate them to be positive influences on others and help spread goodwill.

NNDYM now boasts more than 100,000 members in India and over 10,000 overseas, with each member firmly committed and devoted to its activities.

Being part of NNDYM is predicated on the concept of “being human first, then religious.” NNDYM is a forum for youths to learn the principles of religion as preached by Shree Swaminarayan Bhagwan so that they can implement those teachings into their everyday lives in an effort to be the best person they can be.