37.1 In the Samvat year 1876, on Posh vad 14 [14th January, 1820], Shreeji Mahãrãj was sitting facing west on a decorated bedstead under the neem tree in front of the mandir of Shree Vãsudev-Nãrãyan in Dãdã Khãchar’s darbãr in Gadhadã. He was wearing a white pãgh, from which hung a tassel of yellow flowers. Bunches of white flowers had also been placed upon both of His ears, and a garland of yellow and white flowers adorned His neck. He had covered Himself with a white chãdar, and was wearing a white khes. A sabhã of munis, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him.
37.2 Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “A person who lacks understanding cannot abandon his feelings of affection for his birthplace even though he has abandoned the world.” So saying, He showed everyone the scar on His thigh where He had been injured by the broken branch of a tree during His childhood. Shreeji Mahãrãj then continued, “Whenever I see this scar, I remember the tree and the lake. Therefore, it is extremely difficult to forget your birthplace and relatives. I would like those amongst you, who do not remember your birthplace and relations, to confess. For those of you, who do not speak up out of shame, take oath on the name of Nar-Nãrãyan.”
37.3 Then, all the munis revealed what was true for them.
37.4 After listening to them, Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “If a person believes himself to be the ãtmã, where is the birthplace of that ãtmã? Who are the relatives of that ãtmã? Of what gender is that ãtmã? Moreover, if you wish to maintain relationships with your relatives, then you should also maintain relationships with all the relatives that you have had throughout your previous lives in the cycle of 8.4 million life-forms. Furthermore, if a person wishes for the kalyãn of his relatives, then he should wish the same for all. However, just as upon beginning this human life the parents of the previous 8.4 million life-forms have all been forgotten due to ignorance, similarly the parents of this human body should be forgotten through knowledge.
37.5 “As for me, I have no affection towards any of my relatives. Moreover, a person may be serving me, but if there is no bhakti for Bhagvãn in his heart, I cannot develop a liking for him – even if I try. Even if he is as virtuous as Nãradji, if he lacks bhakti for Bhagvãn, I do not like him.
37.6 “On the other hand, there is a person who has bhakti for Bhagvãn in his heart. He understands that the way in which pratyaksha Bhagvãn resides on this earth, and the way in which the bhakta of Bhagvãn remains in the vicinity of Bhagvãn, is exactly how they remain when ãtyantik-pralay occurs. He also understands that Bhagvãn and His bhakta is eternally sãkãr, but never does he understand them to be nirãkãr, regardless of any Vedãnt shãstra he may hear. Furthermore, he realises that no one besides Bhagvãn sustains the world, and he also realises that without Bhagvãn, even a dry leaf cannot be stirred.
37.7 “A person with such firm belief that Bhagvãn is sãkãr, even an ordinary person, is still dear to me. Kãl, karma, and Mãyã are unable to use their power over him. In fact, Bhagvãn Himself instructs any punishment that he is to receive, but no one else has any authority over him. On the other hand, I have no respect for a person without such a belief, even if he happens to have the qualities of tyãg and vairãgya. However, a person with firm belief in Bhagvãn in his heart never loses his belief that Bhagvãn is sãkãr, nor does he ever understand Bhagvãn to be nirãkãr like a mass of light, regardless of how many shãstras he may hear or the company he may keep. A sant with such a belief is so highly respected by me that even I place the dust on his holy feet on my head. In my mind, I am afraid of harming him, and I also long to have his darshan.
37.8 “A person without this belief attempts to attain kalyãn using the strength of his own spiritual activities, but he does not strive for it by relying on the grace of Bhagvãn. Such a senseless person is as foolish as someone wishing to cross the ocean without the aid of a ship, by his own efforts. Conversely, a person who wishes for kalyãn through the grace of Bhagvãn is wise, like a person who wishes to cross the ocean with the help of a ship.
37.9 “After leaving their body, all those with such knowledge of Bhagvãn’s svarup attain a murti of chaitanya in the home of Bhagvãn and forever remain in His sevã in His presence. But if a person has attempted to attain kalyãn without having such a belief, then he will go to dwell in the loks of other devs.
37.10 “In fact, the darshan of such a true bhakta of Bhagvãn is equivalent to the darshan of Bhagvãn Himself. He is so great that his darshan alone can redeem countless wretched jeevs.”
37.11 Having delivered these talks, Shreeji Mahãrãj requested, “Now please sing a kirtan.”
End of Vachanãmrut Gadhadã I || 37 || 37 ||