* Overcome by emotion, Ramanand Swami writes a letter to Muktanand Swami and Nilkanth Varni.
Ramanand’s letter to Muktananda and Nilkanatha Varni, emphasizing vow of celibacy.
Suvrat said:-
O King: The Master Ramanand Swami read both the letters and was very delighted to know about the celibate’s arrival. 1.
Having read Nilakantha’s feelings about himself and about his own severe penance, the Master was moved to tears of happiness and his voice was choked. 2.
Ramanand Swami read out the letter with all details written in it, to the assembly of devotees headed by Sundarji Suthar, and praised his Nilakantha’s virtues. 3.
In response to the letter by wise Muktananda he wrote a letter to comfort him (Nilakantha). 4.
Ramanand Swami writes a letter to Muktanand Swami and Nilkanth Varni.
‘Blessings to Muktanand Swami and the sages staying at Lojpur who give happiness to the people in distress. As it is said in Sanatsujatiya, may your vow of celibacy, leading to the realization of the supreme soul, be without obstruction. 5.
Accept plentiful of blessings sent by me, Ramanand Muni, staying at Bhujnagar and let Muktananda know our well-being by the grace of god. 6.
I have received the two letters sent by you with Brahmin Mayaram. I have read it fully and understood the purpose of whatever you have written. 7.
I have noted the purpose about the celibate who has come there. His nature and behavior is above human limits. Hence he is not an ordinary man. 8.
It appears to my mind that certainly some liberated divine soul has descended from Shvetadvipa or some sage of high order, from Badrivana has come to your place by his own will. 9.
So, hereafter you all virtuous sages, serve him according to his inclinations, to your best, for the sake of protecting your own, Brahmcharya vrat (vow of celibacy) and for your training in yogic practices. 10.
(From him) You learn at the beginning - Neti and Dhauti, these two types and Basti, Nauli and other Shuddhi Kriyas for purification of the body and also Kunjarika and others. After that learn the eight fold yogic practices one by one. 11.
You learn Yamas, Niyamas, Asanas, Pranayama (control of breath) of different types; Pratyahara restraining the sense organs, Ishvara Dharana (concentration of mind on the Lord), Dhyana (meditation), and Samadhi (deep meditation), as instructed by the celibate. 12.
Without practice of eight fold yoga, vow of celibacy in its pure form, is not possible. So, you all keep practicing it and you are skilled to protect your own vow. 13.
Those who attain the vow of celibacy perfectly in the form of Brahmcharya vrat through yoga, and who have conquered their senses, and who worship Krishna as the Supreme Brahman, are said to be the best of the devotees. 14.
If and when this Brahmcharya vrat of celibacy is attained, protection from its enemy named Kama, the cupid, should be avoided carefully. By all means the person should abandon company of women (in the following way). 15.
One who wants to protect his vow of celibacy should not look at women with prurient intention, nor should he listen to the stories about women, nor should talk about their good or bad qualities. 16.
He should not enter places where women entertain themselves. He should not look even at a small girl in naked state, attentively. He should not see or touch a picture or idol of women, nor should he draw their picture. He should never and nowhere talk lightly with women, or should not talk with them about anything at all. He should not walk on road with women nor call them through other person nor teach them about any kind of knowledge. He should not touch clothes used and kept aside by women; nor should he have in mind any ideas about them. A declared sadhu of Krishna should never touch a woman’s body intentionally, apart from when his life is at stake. 17- 19.
Wherever women perform their daily routine, he should not visit there. He should always keep distance from them while going on road and every-where; nor should he sleep where householders stay with their women. 20.
Thus following the way of righteousness a yogi will attain the state of Urdhvareta (one living in perpetual chastity), will be honored even by Brahma and others. He, behaving this way, one should carefully protect his own Brahmcharya vrat, from the enemy kama (attachment for sensuous pleasures). 21.
If he does not follow this code (of Brahmcharya vrata), a yogi, even of very high order, by his mental weakness, may come in to contact with women and fall down from his Bruhadvrata Brahmcharya vrata, and will suffer in the world of born and death. 22.
Anger, pride, intoxication, arrogance, jealousy, greed and desire for tasty food etc. all these also are obstructions to Yoga; hence yogis should abandon them from a distance. 23.
In respect of sleep and intake of food, a yogi devoted to Krishna, should be controlled and never be addict to any bad habit. Never should he consume nor touch liquor or meat. He should not even think of any such adverse practices. 24.
A yogi should not physically, mentally or by speech afflict pain to others or to himself for the sake of his own good and should not involve in theft or any act of breach of code of conduct set for different classes (in the society). 25.
O sinless one! Those persons devoted to Krishna, and following their ascetic code told as above, are dear to Krishna, the son of Nanda; and I am always pleased with them. 26.
Hence, O righteous one, you also along with your fellow ascetics learn Yoga, following the instructions of Nilakantha, under his preceptor ship, and follow the commands given by him. 27.
Do serve him with proper food and water etc. as he has been shrunken by severe penance. He being younger than you don’t treat him as a small boy, because his merit as an ascetic is very high. 28.
I will go to a village named Pippalana Gaam immediately after the hot season (is over). Up to that time you all serve him, so that he does not leave your place, as he is a very disinterested person. 29.
Suvrat said:-
Thus, writing a letter in answer to Muktananda’s letter, the Master Ramanand Swami then began to write in response to Nilakantha’s letter. 30.
Ramanand’s letter to Nilakantha Shri Hari.
‘May God give well-being to Nilakantha, the best of the ascetics in the cluster of liberated souls from the immortal abode (Shvetadvipa); Wellbeing to him who bears resemblance to the son of Dharma in the minds of the people on account of his severe penance. O Nilakantha, kindness to you. Let blessings from Ramanand be conveyed to you, who is very much pleased by various penances practiced by you towards protection of Dharma recommended by Vedas. 31.
I have received your letter, and have understood the purpose of whatever is written in it. Really your penance and the code of conduct you followed is very difficult to go through by humans in this Kaliyuga; (your) disinterestedness, knowledge, devotion, faith in religion, faith in following religious code and (your) calmness, all these I know, are acquired in past life. So I am not astonished at all. 32.
As you always see Krishna in your meditation, you keep meditating in the same way, staying there only; and do wait for me. At the end of the month of Vaishakha, I will come to Pippalana to fulfill your desire. You come there accompanied with Muktanand Swami and other sages. 33.
I know, you are very eager to meet me, and also the cause of the same. These days the road is very difficult to cross due to the fear of deceits who are roaming about. So, you do not come here now, if you have faith in and respect for me. Honouring my words, stay there and teach Yoga to the sages. 34.
Just as you are eager to see me likewise I am also earnestly looking forward to meet you. I will come as early as possible; you keep following your ascetic code continuously. I pray to lord Krishna, the son of Yashoda, to bestow upon me the company of a religious and sincere devotee like you. 35.
Those persons earnestly engaged in religious and devotional services on this earth, are dearest to me. I am not far from them as my mind is attached to them. Sages like you are honorable to me. Water offered at their feet is instantly and more effectively purifying for men who touch it, than any other sacred water. 36.
Those who offer food to or worship saints like you on this earth, they get the fruit of worshipping and giving food to the whole world sentient and non-sentient with the spirituality residing within. 37.
As much as I love the righteous, I have no that much love for my nearest relatives, or for my own self! The saints are my heart itself, who enjoy devotion to Krishna, and who are religious. 38.
So, you do not feel sad over not being able to see me; because our meeting will take place at the earliest at the village named Pippalana. 39.
Without my consent do not come here; that is my order, if you come on your own, you will not get happiness as per your expectations. 40.
With a desire to see me, disregarding my order you should not come here. By all means, engage yourself in teaching Yoga, with respect towards Muktanand Swami and my disciples. 41.
Your own body has become very weak, and by fierce penance any more it will go weaker. Hence please do not practice such severities. This body is an instrument to attain Dharma in this earthly life. 42.
This human body is very difficult to get again. If it is reduced to the extreme by severe penance, there will be no useful instrument for realization (of God) devotion and penance; and for following one’s own religious path. 43.
So, my dear, on my word, please by all means protect and properly feed your body; for my sake, because much of my work also is to be done by you, on this land.’ 44.
Suvrat said:-
O king, writing a letter like this Ramanand Muni sealed it and gave it to the Brahmin Mayaram. 45.
Taking that answering letter, that good Brahmin speedily came back and reached there at Lojpur on the seventh day. 46.
The Brahmin gave the letter to sage Muktananda. He read it together with the celibate Nilkanth Varni. 47.
Reading the letter, Shri Hari obeyed the orders of the Master Ramanand Swami, and stayed there happily and those sages learnt skills of Yoga from him. 48.
He taught them the eightfold Yoga completely, according to the precepts. By the grace of their yoga Guru, they also in a short time attained perfection in the same. 49.
Thus ends the fifty-fifth chapter entitled ‘A Letter written by Ramanand’ in the first Prakarana of Satsangi Jivan, the life story of Lord Narayan, also titled as ‘Dharmashastra’ (the rules of the code of conduct). 55