38.1 In the Samvat year 1880, on Bhãdarvã vad 6 [26th September 1823], Swãmi Shree Sahajãnandji Mahãrãj was sitting on a mattress with a large, cylindrical pillow that had been placed on a decorated bedstead on the veranda outside the east-facing rooms of Dãdã Khãchar's darbãr in Gadhadã. He was dressed entirely in white clothes. At that time, a sabhã of paramhans, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him.
38.2 Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “If a worldly person were to come across someone who could grant him wealth or a son, he would immediately develop faith in that person. However, a bhakta of Bhagvãn never has faith in charms and spells, in witchcraft or in vulgar, dramatic performances. If he were to have faith in charms, spells, or witchcraft, then even though he may be a satsangi, he should be considered to be half vimukh.
38.3 “Having said this, there are not many true bhaktas of Bhagvãn. Nonetheless, Mãnchã Bhakta of Kãriyãni was indeed a true bhakta of Bhagvãn. Prior to joining the satsang, he was in the Mãrgi sect. However, in no way did he lapse in his observance of the vow of nishkãm; instead, he remained a brahm-chãrya from his childhood.
38.4 “Once, an alchemist was staying at his house. After demonstrating how he could transform copper into sliver, the alchemist told Mãnchã Bhakta, ‘Because you are very charitable, I shall teach you this spell and show you how to transform copper into sliver’. However, Mãnchã Bhakta threatened him with a stick and drove him out of the village, telling him, ‘I have no desire for anything except Bhagvãn’. Afterwards, when Mãnchã Bhakta joined satsang, he became an ekãntik bhakta of Bhagvãn.”
38.5 Continuing, Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “An ekãntik bhakta would firstly possess ãtmã-nishthã; secondly, he would possess vairãgya; thirdly, he would be strict in following dharma; and fourthly, he would possess profound bhakti for Shree Krishna Bhagvãn. When such an ekãntik bhakta abandons his physical body, he ‘merges’ into Shree Krishna Bhagvãn, whereas a person who is not ekãntik ‘merges’ into Brahmã and the other devs or into Sankarshan, Aniruddha, or Pradyumna. However, without attaining the ekãntik state, a person cannot ‘merge’ into Shree Krishna Bhagvãn.
38.6 “Such ‘merging’ should be understood as follows: A person who is very greedy is said to ‘merge’ into money; a person who is very lustful is said to ‘merge’ into the woman he is fond of; and when a person who is very rich but childless receives a son, he is said to ‘merge’ into his son. In this way, a person should be known as having ‘merged’ into whatever he is attached to. However, this ‘merging’ is not like that of water merging with water or like fire merging with fire.
38.7 “If a bhakta has ‘merged’ into his ishta-dev, he would never develop love for anything else except his ishta-dev. In fact, he would continuously think of Him. If he were forced to live without his ishta-dev, he would live life in days of deep misery; but, in no way would he be happy.”
End of Vachanãmrut Gadhadã II || 38 || 171 ||