24.1 In the Samvat year 1876, on the evening of Posh sud 6 [22nd December, 1819], Shreeji Mahãrãj was sitting on a decorated bedstead on the veranda outside the east-facing rooms of Dãdã Khãchar’s darbãr in Gadhadã. He had tied a white feto around His head, and was wearing a white khes. Also, He had put on a warm, red dagli and had covered Himself with a white chofãl. A sabhã of paramhans, as well as satsangis from various places, had gathered before Him.
24.2 Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj said to the paramhans, “I shall explain how sthiti can be attained by gnãn. What is this gnãn like? Well, it is greater than Prakruti and Purush. When sthiti is attained by this gnãn, Prakruti-Purush and their actions do not come into view. This is known as gnãn-pralay. A person, who has attained this sthiti, sees only pure chaitanya, within which only the murti of Bhagvãn resides, with no other forms remaining. At times, a person cannot even see the murti of Bhagvãn within that divine light; only the light is seen. At other times however, both the divine light and the murti of Bhagvãn are seen. This is known as sthiti attained by gnãn. Such sthiti is attained by constantly maintaining the vrutti on the visible murti of Bhagvãn.”
24.3 Continuing, Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “The extent to which a person has understood the greatness of Bhagvãn determines the intensity of both the divine light experienced in the heart, and the divine sounds of prãnav that are heard. Furthermore, the extent of a person’s nishchay and understanding of the greatness of Bhagvãn determines the extent to which vicious thoughts are diminished. Therefore, when a person develops absolute nishchay in Bhagvãn and thoroughly understands His greatness, all of his vicious thoughts are eliminated.
24.4 “For example, if a person has sucked a slice of lemon, his teeth become a little sensitive, but he is still able to chew soft chickpeas. However, if he has sucked a whole lemon, he is unable to chew chickpeas, and will even have difficulty chewing mung beans. If he has sucked many lemons, he would be unable to chew cooked rice. In the same way, when a person has developed ‘sourness’ (nishchay) in Bhagvãn and an understanding of His greatness, his gums as the four antah-karans and the ten indriyas, become sensitised. In that state, with its gums as the man, the jeev is unable to chew chickpeas (thoughts for the vishays). With its gums as the chitt, the jeev becomes incapable of thinking of the vishays. With its gums as the buddhi, the jeev becomes incapable of developing a determination for the vishays. With its gums as the ahankãr, the jeev becomes incapable of developing any form of consciousness related to the vishays. Similarly, the jeev, with its gums as five gnãn-indriyas and five karma-indriyas, becomes incapable of chewing chickpeas (vishays).
24.5 “However, the indriyas and the antah-karans of a person who does not have absolute nishchay in Bhagvãn and who has not fully realised the greatness of Bhagvãn, do not withdraw completely from their vishays.”
24.6 Shreeji Mahãrãj then explained, “The svarup of Bhagvãn is greater than Mãyã and its gun, and is free of all types of flaws; but, it is for the sake of the kalyãn of jeevs that He appears to be like a human. In fact, Bhagvãn does not have any of the flaws that foolish people assign to Him. However, the intellect of the person who describes Bhagvãn with such flaws will never be freed of those flaws that he assigns to Bhagvãn. Specifically, a person who believes Bhagvãn to be full of kãm will himself become intensely full of kãm; a person who believes Bhagvãn to be full of krodh will himself become intensely full of krodh; a person who believes Bhagvãn to be full of lobh will himself become intensely full of lobh; and a person who believes Bhagvãn to be full of irshyã will himself become intensively full of irshyã. In fact, whatever types of flaws a person assigns to Bhagvãn will ultimately cause misery to the person himself – just as a fistful of sand thrown at the sun falls back into the eyes of the thrower.
24.7 “On the other hand, if a person understands Bhagvãn to be absolutely flawless, then regardless of his own svabhãvs, he himself becomes absolutely flawless as well.”
24.8 Then, Brahmãnand Swãmi asked, “Suppose there is a person whose indriyas are not drawn towards any of the vishays, nor do vicious thoughts arise in his antah-karans. He also has absolute nishchay in Bhagvãn. Despite this, a feeling of dissatisfaction remains, and he feels hopeless within. What can be the reason for this?”
24.9 Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “That is a major deficiency in the bhakta. Despite the fact that his mind has become stable and that he has firm nishchay in Bhagvãn, he still fails to experience intense happiness in his heart. In particular, he does not feel, ‘I am extremely fortunate and completely fulfilled, whereas others in the world are constantly being troubled by kãm, krodh, lobh, moh, mad, matsar, ãshã, trushnã. They are subject to the three types of sufferings day and night. As for me, Purushottam Bhagvãn has compassionately revealed His own svarup to me. He has also freed me from kãm, krodh, and all the other vicious natures. He has also placed me in the company of sãdhus similar to Nãrad and the Sanakãdik. Indeed, I am very fortunate’.
24.10 “Failing to think in this way and failing to remain extremely delighted throughout the day is a major deficiency. In fact, such a bhakta can be compared to a child who has been given a chintãmani in its hand, but derives no happiness from it as the child does not realise the chintãmani’s value. Similarly, the major flaw in that bhakta is that despite having attained Purushottam Bhagvãn, he does not feel constant delight within by realising, ‘I am completely fulfilled’.
24.11 “Moreover, when a fault is noticed in a haribhakta, a person should think, ‘His svabhãv is such that it is not suitable in satsang; nevertheless, he has attained satsang. Regardless of what he is like, he has still remained in satsang. Then, surely his sanskãrs from past lives or from this very life must be extremely favourable for him to have attained this satsang’. With this understanding, he should highly appreciate even such a person’s gun.”
24.12 After this talk, Shreeji Mahãrãj bid “Jay Sachidãnand” to everyone and returned to His residence.
End of Vachanãmrut Gadhadã I || 24 || 24 ||