34.1 In the Samvat year 1876, on the morning of Posh vad 11 [11th January, 1820], Shreeji Mahãrãj was sitting facing south 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 covered Himself with a white chofãl. He had also tied a white pãgh around His head, and was wearing garlands of flowers. Tassels of flowers and silken threads were hanging from His pãgh, and bunches of flowers had been placed above both of His ears. A sabhã of munis, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him. Some of the munis were singing kirtans to the accompaniment of musical instruments.
34.2 Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “Please stop the kirtans, and begin a question-answer discussion.”
34.3 Then, Brahmãnand Swãmi asked, “Bhagvãn is the cause of all bliss, and He is greater than everything, yet the jeev’s vrutti does not become attached to Him. Instead, its vrutti becomes attached to worldly objects that are worthless and perishable. What is the reason for this?”
34.4 Muktãnand Swãmi attempted to give an answer, but was unable to do so adequately.
34.5 So Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “Please listen as I answer that question. Since the day Bhagvãn created this world, He has set it in motion in such a way that he will not have to make an effort again. In fact, He has devised it in such a way that procreation occurs automatically. Men naturally develop affection for women, women naturally develop affection for men, and both naturally develop affection for their children. That is Bhagvãn’s mãyã in the form of affection.
34.6 “The vrutti of a person who is not swept away by the flow of that mãyã, remains focused on the svarup of Bhagvãn. So, a bhakta of Bhagvãn develops vairãgya by maintaining a dislike for worldly objects. Furthermore, knowing Bhagvãn to be absolutely blissful, he keeps his vrutti focused on Bhagvãn. However, if a person does not develop vairãgya towards worldly objects and becomes distanced from the svarup of Bhagvãn, then even great muktas, such as Shiv, Brahmã, and Nãrad, would be swept away by those worldly objects. For this reason, if a person abandons Bhagvãn and keeps the company of worldly objects, then his vrutti will most certainly become attached to those worldly objects. Therefore, a bhakta of Bhagvãn should not keep affection for anything other than Bhagvãn.”
34.7 Shreeji Mahãrãj then said, “Now, it is Muktãnand Swãmi’s turn to ask a question, so please ask.”
34.8 Muktãnand Swãmi then asked, “It is extremely difficult for a person to attain Bhagvãn. Moreover, there is no greater benefit and no greater bliss than attaining Bhagvãn. Then, why do people abandon such immense bliss and struggle painfully for worthless objects? That is the question.”
34.9 Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “Here, I shall answer that. A person suffers when he ignores the ãgnã of Bhagvãn and beings to stray away from them. On the other hand, if he acts according to those ãgnã, he will experience the true bliss of Bhagvãn. So, a person suffers only to the extent that he disobeys the ãgnã of Bhagvãn. Therefore, tyãgis should live according to the ãgnã that have been prescribed for tyãgi, and grahasthas should live according to the ãgnã that have been prescribed for grahasthas.
34.10 “A person suffers to the extent that he lapses in following these ãgnã. Only when a tyãgi follows the eight types of tyãg of women, is his vow of brahm-chãrya considered complete. He suffers to the extent that he deviates from this. Brahm-chãrya has also been prescribed for grahasthas. For them, brahm-chãrya constitutes shunning all women except their wives, abstinence from sexual relations with his wife on days of religious occasions, and engaging in sexual relations only during appropriate times. Whoever deviates from these and other niyams that have been prescribed for tyãgis and grahasthas, will suffer accordingly.
34.11 “Therefore, the happiness and misery experienced by a vimukh is determined by his own karmas. As for a bhakta of Bhagvãn, whatever misery he suffers is due to the negligence in following Bhagvãn’s ãgnã for the sake of worthless objects. Whatever happiness he does experience, is a result of following the ãgnã of Bhagvãn.”
End of Vachanãmrut Gadhadã I || 34 || 34 ||