32.1 In the Samvat year 1876, on the morning of Posh vad 3 [3rd January, 1820], Shreeji Mahãrãj was sitting on a decorated bedstead on the veranda outside the west-facing rooms of Dãdã Khãchar’s darbãr in Gadhadã. He was wearing a white khes and had tied a white pãgh around his head. He had also covered Himself with a white chãdar, and His forehead had been smeared with sandalwood paste. He was wearing a garland of white flowers, and a tassel of white flowers was hanging from His pãgh. A sabhã of munis, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him. Some of the munis were singing kirtans.
32.2 Shreeji Mahãrãj then said, “Please listen, I have a question to ask.”
32.3 The munis and haribhaktas replied, “Mahãrãj, please ask.”
32.4 After thinking for quite some time, Shree Mahãrãj said, “In this world, a materialistic individual who is attached to the five vishays, cannot survive without indulging in them. Moreover, just as that vimukh indulges in the five vishays, a bhakta of Bhagvãn also indulges in five vishays. So, how are the two different? In what way? Well, the materialistic person enjoys worldly vishays without Bhagvãn. However, for a bhakta of Bhagvãn, listening to kathãs of Bhagvãn is the only vishay for his ears; touching the charanãvind of Bhagvãn or touching the holy dust from the holy feet of a sant is the only vishay for his skin; having darshan of Bhagvãn or His sant is the only vishay for his eyes; taking the prasãd of Bhagvãn and singing His praises are the only vishays for his tongue; and scents of flowers and other objects which have been offered to Bhagvãn is the only vishay for his nose. In this way, there is a difference between the vishays that a vimukh indulges in and those that a bhakta indulges in.
32.5 “Furthermore, just as a bhakta cannot stay without indulging in the vishays, even eternally liberated muktas, such as Nãrad and the Sanakãdik, cannot stay without indulging in them. Although they remain in samãdhi for long periods of time, after emerging from samãdhi, they also indulge in vishays in the form kathãs, kirtans, and talks of Bhagvãn.
32.6 “For example, birds leave their nests to gather food, but after gathering their food, they always return to their nests at night to rest. They never forget their own nests and return to another bird’s nest. Similarly, after feeding on kathãs, kirtans, and talks of Bhagvãn, bhaktas of Bhagvãn also return to their own nest (Bhagvãn’s svarup) to rest. Also, animals, birds, and in fact, all creatures, return to their own homes to rest after feeding. People also travel far and wide for their work, but only when they return to their own home do they rest peacefully.
32.7 “Now, based on the analogies that I have just narrated, I ask all the haribhaktas a question: Just as a vimukh is attached to the five vishays and is unable to live without them for even a single moment, have you becoming firmly attached to the vishays in the form of the kathãs, kirtans, and talks of Bhagvãn, or not? I also ask another question: Just as a bird returns to its nest after feeding, do all of you also return to rest in your nest (Bhagvãn), after feeding on kathãs, kirtans, and talks of Bhagvãn? Or, do you rest elsewhere?
32.8 “Additionally, domesticated cattle return to their post in the evening after grazing on the outskirts of the village, whereas stray cattle do not return to their post. A stray cow, after grazing in someone’s field, sits wherever it wishes. There, someone may beat it, or it may even be attacked by a tiger. Now, do you return to your post like the domesticated cattle, or do you sit down to rest anywhere after grazing in someone else’s field like the stray cattle? Those who are senior amongst you, think about your answer to these questions.”
32.9 Then, all the munis and bhaktas replied individually, “Mahãrãj, we have indeed become attached to kathãs, kirtans, and talks related to Bhagvãn. Except for the nest and post (Bhagvãn’s murti), we do not stay anywhere else.” Hearing their reply, Shreeji Mahãrãj became extremely pleased.
32.10 On that same day, towards the end of the afternoon, Shreeji Mahãrãj was seated on a large decorated bedstead under the neem tree in the centre of Dãdã Khãchar’s darbãr, facing the mandir of Shree Vãsudev-Nãrãyan. A sabhã of munis, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him. Some of the munis were singing kirtans.
32.11 Shreeji Mahãrãj then requested, “Now, please begin a question-answer discussion.”
32.12 Dinã-Nãth Bhatt and Brahmãnand Swãmi asked, “At times, a bhakta of Bhagvãn is able to blissfully engage in bhajan and smaran of Bhagvãn, and is able to concentrate on His murti. At other times, he is disturbed within and is unable to experience the bliss of bhajan and smaran. What is the reason for this?”
32.13 Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “He has not learned the technique of visualising the murti of Bhagvãn.”
32.14 Hearing this, Muktãnand Swãmi asked, “What is that technique?”
32.15 Shreeji Mahãrãj explained, “The technique is as follows: Different gun enter the antah-karans at different times. When sattva-gun prevails, the antah-karans are pure, and a person can pleasantly engage in bhajan and smaran of Bhagvãn’s murti. When rajo-gun prevails, the antah-karans become polluted and many disturbing thoughts arise, making it difficult to engage in bhajan and smaran. When tamo-gun prevails, no thoughts arise in the antah-karans at all. Therefore, a person engaged in bhajan should learn to recognise the prevailing gun and should perform dhyãn upon the murti of Bhagvãn whenever sattva-gun prevails. When tamo-gun prevails, no thoughts arise at all, and a person experiences a feeling of emptiness. A person should not attempt to perform dhyãn upon Bhagvãn in such conditions. When rajo-gun prevails, many disturbing thoughts arise. Therefore, a person should not attempt to perform dhyãn upon Bhagvãn at that time either. On such occasions, a person should think, ‘I am distinct from these thoughts, and I am an ãtmã. In fact, I am the knower of these thoughts. Furthermore, Purushottam Bhagvãn is forever present within me as antaryãmi’. Only when the force of rajo-gun decreases should a person perform dhyãn upon the murti of Bhagvãn.
32.16 “However, a person should not become unhappy on noticing the many thoughts which arise when rajo-gun prevails. After all, the antah-karans are like a small child, or a monkey, or a dog, or like a person who plays with a child. The nature of the antah-karans are such that it remains restless for no reason whatsoever. Therefore, a person who wishes to perform dhyãn upon Bhagvãn should not become disheartened on seeing the disturbing thoughts that arise in the antah-karans. Moreover, the thoughts arising in the antah-karans should be regarded as being distinct from himself. Therefore, a person should engage in the bhajan of Bhagvãn, while believing the ãtmã to be distinct from himself.”
End of Vachanãmrut Gadhadã I || 32 || 32 ||