Bhagatji Maharaj, born Pragji Bhakta, was originally a householder disciple of Gopalanand Swami.
He was instructed to seek the company of Gunatitanand Swami if he desired to attain the gunatit state.
As he associated with Gunatitanand Swami, he began spending more time in Junagadh and obeyed every command from his new guru.
He wanted to renounce the world and become an ascetic but he was told not to.
Bhagatji Maharaj over time came to believe that the doctrine of Akshar-Purushottam was the true doctrine propagated by Swaminarayan.

In 1883, Shastriji Maharaj met Bhagatji Maharaj in Surat.
Recognizing Bhagatji Maharaj's spiritual caliber, Shastriji Maharaj began spending increasing amounts of time listening to Bhagatji Maharaj's discourses, and soon, he accepted Bhagatji Maharaj as his guru.
Over time, Shastriji Maharaj also became a strong proponent of the Akshar-Purushottam Upasana.
After Bhagatji Maharaj died on 7 November 1897, Shastriji Maharaj became the primary proponent of the doctrine of Akshar-Purushottam.
He believed that the construction of mandirs guided by this doctrine was urgently needed to facilitate followers' practice of this understanding of Swaminarayan devotion and identified Gunatitanand Swami and Bhagatji Maharaj as the first and second embodiments of Akshar.
Bhagatji Maharaj, born Pragji Bhakta, was originally a householder disciple of Gopalanand Swami. He was instructed to seek the company of Gunatitanand Swami if he desired to attain the gunatit state. As he associated with Gunatitanand Swami, he began spending more time in Junagadh and obeyed every command from his new guru. He wanted to renounce the world and become an ascetic but he was told not to. Bhagatji Maharaj over time came to believe that the doctrine of Akshar-Purushottam was the true doctrine propagated by Swaminarayan.
In 1883, Shastriji Maharaj met Bhagatji Maharaj in Surat. Recognizing Bhagatji Maharaj's spiritual caliber, Shastriji Maharaj began spending increasing amounts of time listening to Bhagatji Maharaj's discourses, and soon, he accepted Bhagatji Maharaj as his guru. Over time, Shastriji Maharaj also became a strong proponent of the Akshar-Purushottam Upasana. After Bhagatji Maharaj died on 7 November 1897, Shastriji Maharaj became the primary proponent of the doctrine of Akshar-Purushottam. He believed that the construction of mandirs guided by this doctrine was urgently needed to facilitate followers' practice of this understanding of Swaminarayan devotion and identified Gunatitanand Swami and Bhagatji Maharaj as the first and second embodiments of Akshar.
Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha