1.1 In the Samvat year 1877, on Jyeshth sud Punam [15th June 1821], Swãmi Shree Sahajãnandji Mahãrãj was sitting on the veranda outside the west-facing rooms in front of the mandir of Shree Vãsudev-Nãrãyan in Dãdã Khãchar’s darbãr in Gadhadã. He was wearing a white khes and had covered Himself with a white chãdar. He had also tied a white pãgh around His head, and was wearing a garland of white flowers. A sabhã of munis, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him. Some of the paramhans were singing kirtans to the accompaniment of a jhãnjh and mrudang.
1.2 Shreeji Mahãrãj then said to the paramhans who were singing kirtans, “Please stop singing for the time being, and conduct a question-answer discussion.”
1.3 Then, Muktãnand Swãmi bowed to Shreeji Mahãrãj with folded hands and asked, “Mahãrãj, what is that nature of moh? Also, how can moh be eliminated?”
1.4 After thinking for a short while, Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “It seems that a feeling of illusion which often appears in the mind is the very nature of moh. When moh intensifies in a person’s heart, the illusion in his mind also intensifies. He then loses all sense of judgment of what should be done and what should not be done.
1.5 “In fact, just today, I was thinking about the reason behind the development of moh. Last night, I awoke in the middle of the night and slept facing north. Upon seeing the Dhruv Star, the following thought arose: ‘This is the northern Dhruv, but the shãstras also mention a southern Dhruv. Where could that be?’ Then, I looked for the southern Dhruv and I saw it as well. Just as there is a pulley for drawing water from a well, I saw a similar large pulley between the two Dhruv stars. The tips of the two supports of the wheel were touching the Dhruv stars, just as wooden pillars are held up by iron rods hammered between them. Also, just as a rope is wound around a rope-wheel which is studded with brass ornaments, similarly, I saw the positions of all the stars, the devs, and the nine planets, arranged around that rope-wheel. I also saw the sun and moon rise and set from the same direction. Then, looking within, I saw that all things that are in the brahmãnd are also all in the body. I saw the kshetragna that resides in the body. I also saw Purushottam Bhagvãn, who resides within that kshetragna. On seeing that Bhagvãn, my vrutti became so deeply engrossed in His svarup, that returning out of samãdhi seemed impossible. But, a bhakta then came near and prayed to me. It was only out of compassion that I was able to return into this body.
1.6 “Then, the following thought arose in my mind: ‘I was able to return from samãdhi due to compassion, but what could be the reason for others coming out of samãdhi?’ It seemed to me that they come out of samãdhi because there is still an attachment for some vishays.
1.7 “Therefore, the panch-vishays are the cause of moh. Moreover, there are three levels of those vishays – uttam, madhyam, and kanishth. Of these, if a person who has obtained uttam vishays encounters someone who obstructs him from them, then that person becomes angry with him. From that anger, moh develops.
1.8 “Generally, the ears have a constant relationship with sounds, and the skin has a constant relationship with touch. In this way, the five gnãn-indriyas are related to the vishays. Therefore, if a person who has casually seen an object wishes to break his vrutti from that object and keep it focused on the svarup of Bhagvãn instead, then no effort is required; his vrutti would become detached quite easily from the vishays and remain on the svarup of Bhagvãn. On the other hand, if a person has seen an extremely charming object, such as a woman, and his vrutti has become fixed on that, then even if he attempts to keep this vrutti on Bhagvãn’s svarup, it will not stay there; and nor will his chitt remain steady. Therefore, as long as the chitt is attracted by charming vishays, moh cannot be eradicated. Moreover, if a sant, or his guru, or his ishta-dev (Bhagvãn) criticises a vishay which has attracted his chitt, he would become upset with them and even insult them; he would not be able to accept their words. Such an experience in a person’s heart should be known as moh. In addition, Bhagvãn has said in the Geetã:
“These words spoken by Shree Krishna Bhagvãn are universal principles. When the chitt is attracted to vishays, no matter how intelligent a person may be, his buddhi becomes unstable and he becomes like an animal. Therefore, moh is generated due to attachment to the vishays.
1.9 “Now, if a person who wishes to detach his chitt from those vishays, he should firstly strengthen his knowledge of the ãtmã – ‘I am the ãtmã, not this body’. Secondly, he should understand the nature of how the universe is created, sustained, and destroyed. Thirdly, he should thoroughly understand the greatness of Bhagvãn. He should think, ‘The panch-vishays have been created by Bhagvãn; therefore, there must be much more bliss in Bhagvãn than there is in them. How is that? Well, sounds contain only pleasures related to sounds; the pleasures of the other four types of vishays cannot be found in sounds’. In the same way, only the pleasures of touch and no other vishays can be found in touch. Similarly, only the pleasures of sight exist in sights. The same applies for tastes and smells in that only their own pleasures exist, but the pleasures of all the panch-vishays cannot be experienced in just one vishay.
1.10 “On the other hand, in Bhagvãn’s svarup, all pleasures exist at the same time. Therefore, even if a bhakta only has darshan, he still feels totally satisfied. Similarly, touch and other types of contact with Bhagvãn also make His bhaktas feel totally fulfilled. Also, the worldly pleasures related to vishays are all perishable, whereas the bliss related to Bhagvãn is everlasting. Such thoughts of the greatness of Bhagvãn should be strengthened. So, attachment to the vishays is eradicated through these three types of thoughts.
1.11 “When attachment to the vishays is eradicated, a person no longer makes distinctions between pleasant and unpleasant vishays – an ugly woman appears the same as a beautiful woman. In the same way, he sees everything – animals, birds, wood, dung, stones, and gold – to be the same; he is not infatuated on seeing a pleasant object. This is how he views the panch-vishays; and no distinctions between pleasantness and unpleasantness remain in his mind. A person who behaves like this is known to be free of moh. Shree Krishna Bhagvãn has also mentioned this in the Geetã:
1.12 “A person with such characteristics has realised Bhagvãn perfectly; and only he can be called an ekãntik bhakta. He should be known to have qualities like that of a pati-vratã who abides by the vow of fidelity, and only he should be known to possess gnãn. Also, Bhagvãn becomes pleased upon him. Such a bhakta is extremely dear to Bhagvãn; that is why Bhagvãn has said in the Geetã:
1.13 “So, only such bhaktas of Bhagvãn, who have qualities like that of a pati-vratã, are extremely dear to Bhagvãn. Moreover, it is not as if such qualities are only acquired by a person who is clever; it is acquired by all those who have an intense desire for them – just like in the world, naïve wives may be faithful, while shrewd wives may be unfaithful. Therefore, it does not matter whether a person is shrewd or naïve; instead, it is those who have an intense desire for kalyãn that keep the qualities of a pati-vratã and offer bhakti to Bhagvãn.
1.14 “The state in which a person views pleasant and unpleasant vishays as equal and becomes free of moh, cannot be attained in just one day. Such an achievement cannot be accomplished so hastily; only a person who attempts to do so gradually and earnestly accomplishes it. Take the example of a stone placed on the edge of a water-well. Due to the constant drawing of water with a rope, after a long period of time that rope causes a groove to form in the stone, despite the rope being soft. Even if an iron chain were to be used to draw the water, such a groove would still not form immediately. Therefore, those who wish to strive for kalyãn should eradicate attachment to the vishays, and they should not become frustrated or upset. This is also mentioned in the Geetã:
1.15 “Therefore, a person should think, ‘I will eradicate as much attachment to the vishays as is possible in this life, and if in the process, some attachment still remains, then it can be eradicated in a future life. Moreover, since I am a bhakta of Bhagvãn, I do not desire to enter the cycle of births and deaths’. In this way, a bhakta should remain courageous and continue to gradually uproot moh.
1.16 “As long as pleasant and unpleasant vishays do not appear to be equal, a bhakta of Bhagvãn is said to be in sãdhan-dashã. When they do appear to be equal, that bhakta should be known to have attained siddh-dashã. When a person abandons his attachment to vishays and attains siddh-dashã, he should be known to have become fulfilled. This is the very essence of all the shãstras. Furthermore, this talk which I have delivered before you is the fundamental principle of all the shãstras. Therefore, all bhaktas should firmly remember it in their lives.”
End of Vachanãmrut Gadhadã II || 1 || 134 ||