the BAPS, Gunatitanand Swami's most important contributions were in the propagation of the spiritual metaphysics revealed by Swaminarayan. Williams explains that BAPS followers believe that "Gunatitanand Swami established a line of spiritual authorities…who have continued in a line of succession from Gunatitanand Swami" himself. According to the BAPS, this identification of Akshar as having both a personal and impersonal form, and an incarnation on earth, was specified by Swaminarayan in Vachanamruts Gadhada I-21 and Gadhada I-71, but it was not accepted by certain sections of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. It was this principle that would lead to the eventual formation of the BAPS branch of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. Similar to Swaminarayan before him, Gunatitanand Swami also instituted various social projects, from building wells and educating villagers to establishing guidelines for social behavior and preventing practices such as sati and infanticide. In a hitherto unheard of practice, he installed Bhagatji Maharaj, a common householder of a so-called lower caste, as his spiritual successor and transcended the caste system that was prevalent during that time in India. Inspired by the teachings of Swaminarayan and Gunatitanand Swami, Shastriji Maharaj reluctantly left the Vadtal diocese due to differences in philosophy to form BAPS as a separate entity and was later expelled by the Vadtal diocese after a hastily called meeting of temple trustees. 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. Death 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. As he was leaving, he declared, "I will now reside in Mahuva", assumed by BAPS followers to means as his passing of the spiritual torch to Bhagatji Maharaj who lived in Mahuva and not a reference to his physical destination. He 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. His obsequies were performed the