35.1 In the Samvat year 1880, two-and-a-half hours before sunrise on Bhãdarvã sud 11 [16th September 1823], Shreeji Mahãrãj awoke from sleep and sat on a decorated bedstead that had been placed over the underground store of grains in Dãdã Khãchar’s darbãr in Gadhadã. He was wearing a white khes and had covered Himself with a white pachhedi. He had also tied a black-bordered cloth around His head.
35.2 At that time, Shreeji Mahãrãj summoned all the paramhans and bhaktas. Then, addressing them, He began, “I slept very soundly last night, and though I tried very hard to awake, I could not. During that sleep, I thought a great deal. I have made a decision based upon these thoughts, which I shall now tell you.”
35.3 He then said, “Even before I met Rãmãnand Swãmi, I could see my ãtmã as if it were before my eyes, and I also see it now. That ãtmã is luminous with light like that of the sun. Even amidst the activities of all my indriyas, I do not lose awareness of that ãtmã for even a moment.
35.4 “In actual fact, such ãtmã-nishthã is very difficult to attain. Only a fortunate person who has sanskãrs of many past lives is able to attain such ãtmã-nishthã, whereas if someone else were to think about the ãtmã for even a hundred years, he would still not attain ãtmã-nishthã.
35.5 “So, how can a person attain ãtmã-nishthã? Well, when a person performs dhyãn upon the murti of Shree Krishna Bhagvãn, it is not at all difficult to attain kalyãn. Conversely, no one should even hope of understanding or seeing the ãtmã by merely thinking about it without performing dhyãn upon Bhagvãn. However, by the upãsanã of Bhagvãn, narrating His charitras, chanting His holy name, and following dharma, it is not at all difficult for the jeev to attain kalyãn; it is an easy path – like crossing the ocean by sitting in a boat. In contrast, to attain kalyãn through ãtmã-nishthã is a difficult path – like tying gourds to the body and trying to cross the ocean.
35.6 “The only reason why I deliver such talks about knowledge of the ãtmã is that if a person can realise his ãtmã to be distinct from the body, then he will no longer have any love for his body or for his relatives. Then, there would no longer be any obstacles in the bhakti of Bhagvãn. This is the only reason; but a person should not think that it is possible to attain kalyãn by the knowledge of the ãtmã alone.
35.7 “Also, there are sayings in the world such as, ‘If the mind is pure, then a vessel of water is as good as Gangã-water’. So, if the mind is pure, there is no need to bathe in the Gangã to become pure. However, these words are not true. Regardless of how much a person may have mastered samãdhi, or how thoughtful he may be, if he begins to stay in the close company of women, there is no way in which he could maintain his dharma. Similarly, regardless of how strict a woman may be in observing dharma, if she stays in the close company of men, then she would also in no way be able to maintain her dharma. Therefore, no one should believe that men and women can stay in each other’s company and still be able to maintain their dharma. This fact is true, and no one should doubt it.
35.8 “When can a person maintain his dharma? Only if those who are paramhans and brahm-chãris abide by the niyams prescribed for them, such as brahm-chãrya, will they be able to maintain their dharma. The same is true for women; only if they abide by the niyams prescribed for them will they be able to maintain their dharma as well. In the same way, if all other satsangi grahasthas abide by the niyams prescribed for them – including not staying in an isolated place with even his young mother, sister, or daughter; and not extensively looking at them either – then they will also be able to maintain their dharma.
35.9 “In this way, following dharma, upãsanã of the svarup of Bhagvãn, listening to and narrating the charitras of Bhagvãn’s avatãrs, and chanting His holy name, are the four qualities that are fundamentally necessary for the jeev’s kalyãn.
35.10 “Indeed, all of you realise me to be Bhagvãn. So, wherever I have organised festivals; wherever all the paramhans and brahm-chãris, male and female satsangi bhaktas have gathered; when I have had kirtans sung; when I have delivered talks; and when my pujã had been performed, all such leelãs and charitras should be narrated, heard, and thought about in the mind. If a person remembers these during his last moments, his jeev will certainly attain the dhãm of Bhagvãn. In this way, all of my leelãs and charitras, as well as the chanting of my name, are kalyãn-kãri. When I explained this to Svarupãnand Swãmi, the agonising pain in his body due to illness was completely relieved, and he felt profound peace. In fact, he could see his own ãtmã very well, yet it was of no use.
35.11 “A person should also narrate the listen to the charitras of the previous avatãrs of Bhagvãn, such as Rãm and Krishna, wherever those charitras may have taken place.
35.12 “It is for the purpose of consolidating those four qualities in you that I described the importance of the eight shãstras, like Shreemad Bhãgvat. Therefore, the shãstras should be read and studied; and only those four qualities should be emphasised.
35.13 “Also, understand that to try to attain kalyãn by only observing dharma without the other three qualities – upãsanã of Bhagvãn’s murti, narrating and listening to Bhagvãn’s charitras, and chanting His holy name – would be as difficult as trying to cross the ocean after tying gourds to the body. Yet, though a person has refuge of the murti of Bhagvãn; though he narrates and listens Bhagvãn’s leelãs and charitras; and though he chants the name of Bhagvãn, if he does not observe dharma, he should be known to be as foolish as a person who tries to cross the ocean carrying a stone slab upon his head; he should also be known to be like an outcast.
35.14 “Therefore, a jeev can attain kalyãn only by those four qualities. Without them, there are no other means by which a person can attain kalyãn. However, a person should only listen to and sing the kirtans and poems written by Muktãnand Swãmi and other sãdhus. Kirtans and poems composed by other poets can also be heard and sung if they describe the leelãs and charitras of Bhagvãn. However, poems and kirtans like those composed by the likes of Kabir and Ãkhã should not be sung or heard.”
35.15 Concluding, Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “All of you have faith in me. If I were to mislead you with unfounded talks, it would amount to throwing all of you into a well and sealing it with a stone slab so that there would be no hope of escape. However, if you are misled along the wrong path because of your faith in my words, then what good would that be to me? Therefore, these talks are for the sake of your kalyãn. I have told you this out of love for all of you, so now all of you should understand it and strictly live by it.”
35.16 Having said this, Shreeji Mahãrãj finally added, “Now, if you have decided to act according to the talk which I have just delivered, then come forward one by one and touch my feet. While doing so, take an oath and pledge, ‘I definitely want to behave accordingly’.”
35.17 Then, all the paramhans and satsangis happily got up and touched Shreeji Mahãrãj’s holy feet and bowed before Him. He then told the ladies to do the same. So, standing at a distance, the ladies also pledged and took an oath to behave accordingly. Shreeji Mahãrãj was very pleased with this. Then, He retired to His residence.
End of Vachanãmrut Gadhadã II || 35 || 168 ||