It took less than ten years for Yogiji Maharaj to form groups of dedicated youths in many different areas and train them. Because of his all pervading influence, these young men led a simple and pious life. They fasted every fifth day. They slept on an ordinary carpet without using even a pillow. They had cold water baths every morning and made it a point to apply tilak and chandlo to their foreheads. They did not eat or drink anything that was not prepared at home. And they never saw any films.
By special orders from Yogiji Maharaj many such youths were trained for the life and vocation of a sadhu. He once said : "I want you to become saints. Will you agree ?" The educated and cultured young men who were captivated by his personality and unlimited love readily agreed and surrendered their whole life to the cause of satsang.
Once, Yogiji Maharaj wrote a letter to a young man, who wanted to become a saint : "I do not want you to become a sadhu to serve me. I want to teach you Brahmavidya which will enable you to realise God. I want to help you liberate your soul. I want thousands of our devotees to benefit by the satsang and through you reveal to the world the eternal truths of the doctrine of Akshar and Purushottam." Many parents realised the lofty ideals of Swamiji and agreed willingly to dedicate their beloved sons to the mission and its noble tasks. Large groups of highly educated young men were eager and anxious to be initiated into monkhood.
In the year V. S. 2017, on the 12th day of the dark half of the month of Vaishakh, which was the 70th birthday of Yogiji Maharaj, the spires of Gadhapur temple were fitted with golden pinnacles (kalash). On this auspicious day Yogiji Maharaj initiated into the Bhagawati diksha, fifty-one well educated young men. In the whole Swaminarayan fellowhip, and in the entire history of the sect, this was the only occasion when on a single day, as many as fifty-one highly educated young people assumed the saffron robes. It was a milestone in the history of the religious order. The credit goes wholly to Yogiji Maharaj. This occasion will be written in letters of gold in the annals of satsang history.
Later on, many young men with high qualifications from India as well as England, Africa and other places approached Swamiji for the purpose of initiation as sadhus. Such enthusiasm gave great impetus to the fellowship and its future course of development. This group of devoted young men, trained and nurtured by Yogiji Maharaj in their pre-initiated days, later started preaching in India and abroad and explained to the people the hopes and beliefs of true doctrine. They totally dedicated themselves to the noble cause of spreading the true faith, and thus elevated the lives of thousands.