26.1 In the Samvat year 1876, on the afternoon of Posh sud 11 [27th 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 pãgh around His head. He was wearing a white khes and had covered Himself with a white chofãl. Two large guldãvadi flowers had been placed upon His ears, and a tassel of flowers had been inserted in His pãgh. A sabhã of paramhans, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him. Some of the paramhans were singing kirtans to the accompaniment of a pakhvãj.
26.2 Shreeji Mahãrãj then said, “Please stop singing, and listen as I sing a kirtan in the form of talks.”
26.3 The paramhans said, “Very well, Mahãrãj. Please do.”
26.4 Shreeji Mahãrãj then said, “If a person is attracted only by Bhagvãn’s svarup while singing rasik kirtans, then that is fine. But, being attracted to anything other than Bhagvãn’s svarup signifies a major deficiency. This is because just as that bhakta develops affection for and is attracted by sounds related to Bhagvãn, he also develops affection for and is attracted by worldly songs, musical instruments, and talks related to women. Such a bhakta should be known to lack wisdom. Therefore, a person who is attracted equally by the words of Bhagvãn and His sant, and by worldly speech, should abandon such foolishness. Having abandoned such foolishness, he should experience happiness through sounds and speech related only to Bhagvãn. Such a person is a true rasik bhakta.
26.5 “Furthermore, just as that rasik bhakta wishes for sounds related only to Bhagvãn, he desires only the touch of Bhagvãn. When he realises that other types of touch are like touching a black cobra or a blazing fire, he is a true rasik bhakta. Similarly, if a person experiences extreme bliss on seeing Bhagvãn, and realises everything else to be like a pile of filth or a dead dog, then he is true rasik bhakta. Similarly, if a person experiences extreme bliss after tasting the prasãd of Bhagvãn, and not from enjoying other various types of tastes, then he is a true rasik bhakta.
26.6 “Furthermore, such a bhakta experiences profound bliss on smelling tulsi, garlands of flowers, and many varieties of small fragrant items like perfume and sandalwood that have been offered to Bhagvãn. He is not pleased on smelling the perfume, sandalwood, or garlands of flowers worn by people. In this way, a person who has intense love for panch-vishays related to Bhagvãn and an intense dislike for worldly panch-vishays is a true rasik bhakta.
26.7 “On the other hand, a person who becomes a rasik bhakta, but still derives the same pleasure from other types of shabda, sparsh, rup, ras, and gandh as he does from Bhagvãn–related vishays, is a false rasik bhakta. This is because he experiences the same type of joy from vishays as he does from Bhagvãn. Therefore, such affection and mode of worship should be abandoned. This is because it is not Bhagvãn who is at fault – it is the rasik bhakta’s attitude that is at fault, as he has believed Bhagvãn to be exactly like other objects. As a result, his bhakti and affection are flawed.
26.8 “Now, just as I have described caution in indulging in the five types of vishays for the sthul body in the jãgrat state, similarly, subtle vishays exist for the sukshma body in the svapna state. A bhakta may experience happiness from shabda, sparsh, rup, ras, and gandh related to Bhagvãn on seeing the svarup of Bhagvãn in his dream, but if he also derives exactly the same pleasure on seeing other vishays in his dream, then that bhakta’s affection is false. On the other hand, if a person in his dream experiences happiness only by association with Bhagvãn and feels a dislike for other vishays as if they were vomited food, then he can be said to be a true rasik bhakta. However, if he does not have a dislike for the other vishays, then although the svarup of Bhagvãn seen in his dream is true, that bhakta’s understanding is flawed. This is because he has equal love for Bhagvãn and for other vishays. Therefore, true understanding is to remain attracted only towards the svarup of Bhagvãn, and not towards other vishays.
26.9 “In this way, when only thoughts of Bhagvãn remain while thinking, the mind becomes completely void, with the exception of the murti of Bhagvãn, and that bhakta does not identify the body or the brahmãnd at all. Then, while seeing the murti of Bhagvãn within that void, divine light is generated, and the murti of Bhagvãn is seen within that light. So, love towards only the svarup of Bhagvãn in this way, is called pati-vratã bhakti.”
26.10 In conclusion, Shreeji Mahãrãj added, “When you sing rasik kirtans, I also close my eyes and think about just this. These thoughts of mine may be simple, but nothing is able to persist in those thoughts except Bhagvãn. In fact, my thoughts are so powerful that if any vishay were to come in the way of the rasik love that I have for Bhagvãn’s svarup, its head would be cut off. Just as you prepare a kirtan to sing, I prepared this kirtan in the form of a talk, which I have shared with you all today.”
26.11 In this way, using Himself as an example, Shreeji Mahãrãj delivered these talks for the benefit of His bhaktas.
End of Vachanãmrut Gadhadã I || 26 || 26 ||