42.1 In the Samvat year 1876, on Mahã sud 6 [21st January, 1820], Shreeji Mahãrãj was sitting facing west on a decorated bedstead on the platform under the neem tree in front of the mandir of Shree Vãsudev-Nãrãyan in Dãdã Khãchar’s darbãr in Gadhadã. He had tied a white pãgh around His head. He had also covered Himself with a white chãdar and was wearing a white khes. Bunches of yellow flowers had been placed above both of His ears. A sabhã of munis, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him.
42.2 Seated in the sabhã, were some vedãnti brãhmans. Seeing them, Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “Those who study or listen to the Vedãnt shãstras claim, ‘The vidhi and nishedh are false; Svarg and Narak, which are attained by following them, are also false; the disciples who attain them are false; and the guru is false as well. Brahm pervades everything and it alone is satya’. But, those who speak in this way, with what understanding do they propose this?
42.3 “In actual fact, the ãchãrya of all vedãntis, Shankar-Ãchãrya, had his own disciples keep a cane and a kamandalu. He also enforced, ‘A person should recite the Bhagvad Geetã and the Vishnu-Sahasranãm; a person should perform pujã of Vishnu; those who are young should bow down to those who are senior in age; and a person should beg for alms only from the house of a religious and pure brãhman’. So, because Shankar-Ãchãrya proposed the following of various vidhi and nishedh in this way, can you claim that he did not have complete gnãn? Have those who claim to have recently attained gnãn, and have falsified the following of these vidhi and nishedh, become greater than Shankar-Ãchãrya? Actually, it seems as if they are speaking out of absolute foolishness.
42.4 “In reality, those vidhi and nishedh that have been falsified in the shãstras, can be understood through the following example: If a large ship sets out to sea for a year, then neither the shoreline ahead nor the shoreline behind can be seen. In fact, even huge mountains on either shoreline cannot be seen, so how can trees or people possibly be seen? Wherever a person looks, only water can be seen; but besides water, nothing else is visible. If he looks up, the enormous waves of the ocean rising up will be seen. So even above, only water is visible. In this situation, people sitting in the ship would claim that there is only water, and nothing else exists. The principle behind this example is that a person who has attained a nirvikalp state in the form of Brahm claims, ‘There is only Brahm; besides that everything else, such as jeevs, ishvars, and Mãyã, is false’. Hearing words written in the shãstras supporting this view, a person who has not even attained that state, claims all vidhi and nishedh are false. He thinks of his wife and children, and carries out all social activities while believing them to be true. Therefore, he believes the vidhi and nishedh, which are written in the shãstras, to be false. Those who preach such gnãn in this world should be known as extremely sinful and nãstiks.
42.5 “After all, it was because of the uneasiness that such a nãstik nature may creep into people’s hearts, that Shankar-Ãchãrya composed many shloks in the praise of Vishnu, such as:
“He also composed several shloks praising Shivji, Ganpati, Surya, and many other devs. After hearing these shloks, all the devs appear to be satya. It was with this intention in mind that Shankar-Ãchãrya composed shloks in praise of all these devs. Despite this, scholars of today falsify them. In addition, they claim, ‘Regardless of how severe a sin a person with gnãn may commit, it would not affect him’. But, they say this out of foolishness.
42.6 “Also, consider this: From all those tyãgi paramhans, Jadbharat is the best. In fact, the story of Jadbharat has been noted in each of the Purãns and all the Vedãnt shãstras. That great Jadbharat was also the son of Rushabh-Dev Bhagvãn in his previous life. He gave up his kingdom, and went to live in the forest. There, he developed affection for a deer. Although that was merely out of compassion, this mistake caused him to be reborn as a deer. Like that deer, he attained four legs, a short tail, and small horns on his head.
42.7 “In comparison, the gopis of Vraj were attached to Shree Krishna Bhagvãn out of lust. Despite this, they were still able to overcome Bhagvãn’s mãyã, and attain the nirgun Akshardhãm of Bhagvãn after becoming gunãtit. The reason for this was that Shree Krishna Bhagvãn was Purushottam, and He was a gunãtit divya murti. So, because the gopis developed love for Him, either knowingly or unknowingly, they became gunãtit as well. However, Bharatji became a deer because he had developed affection for the deer out of compassion. Therefore, no matter how great a person may be, kusang only leads to harm. Conversely, regardless of how great a sinner a person may be, if he maintains profound association with Bhagvãn, who is satya, then that person also becomes absolutely pure and attains kalyãn. Of course, if Shree Krishna Bhagvãn was not gunãtit himself, then His bhaktas, the gopis, would not have attained the gunãtit state. But, because they did attain the gunãtit state, Shree Krishna Bhagvãn was most certainly flawless, gunãtit, and divya.
42.8 “Vedãntis also claim, ‘Everything is pervaded by Brahm’. Just as the gopis developed love for Shree Krishna Bhagvãn, all women develop love for their husbands, and all men develop love for their wives. However, they do not attain what the gopis attained. Instead, they attain gloomy Narak. Therefore, those who prescribe that vidhi and nishedh are indeed true, not false; and whoever falsifies them, will be consigned to Narak.”
42.9 Having said this, Shreeji Mahãrãj bid “Jay Sachidãnand” to everyone, and returned to His residence.
End of Vachanãmrut Gadhadã I || 42 || 42 ||