60.1 In the Samvat year 1881, on Shrãvan vad 4 [13th August 1824], Swãmi Shree Sahajãnandji Mahãrãj was sitting on a decorated bedstead in the eastern veranda outside the west-facing rooms of Dãdã Khãchar’s darbãr in Gadhadã. He was wearing a white khes and had tied a white pãgh around His head. He had also covered Himself with a thin, white cloth. A sabhã of paramhans, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him.
60.2 Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj requested, “Please begin a question-answer discussion.”
60.3 Then, Muktãnand Swãmi asked, “Mahãrãj, life is full of difficulties. Amidst all these difficulties, what understanding should a bhakta of Bhagvãn develop in order to remain happy at heart?”
60.4 Shreeji Mahãrãj began, “To answer that, I shall tell you about my own experience.” He then explained, “By keeping the following three forms of awareness, I am not obstructed by any disturbances: constant awareness of the ãtmã, which is distinct from the body; the awareness of the perishable nature of all worldly objects; and the awareness of Bhagvãn’s greatness. By keeping these three forms of awareness, no difficulties obstruct me in any way.
60.5 “However, if a person does encounter some difficulties, then due to the nature of the chitt, it may appear that there is some disturbance. However, the effect of that disturbance does not penetrate into the chaitanya. This can be realised by the fact that a person never experiences disturbances that are occurring externally when he is dreaming. On the other hand, if a disturbance has penetrated into the chaitanya, it is experienced in all three mental states (jãgrat, svapna, and sushupti). Therefore, because I do not experience any disturbances in my dreams, it can be assumed that no disturbances have affected my chaitanya in any way.
60.6 “Having said this, if a bhakta of Bhagvãn encounters some sort of distressing hardship, it is not as if I do not realise it; I very much do feel it in my heart. Only a vimukh like Raghunãth-Dãs would not feel it. When Rãmãnand Swãmi left his body, all the satsangis began to cry, but Raghunãth-Dãs was not at all upset. Instead, he wandered around, laughing and talking to others. Therefore, only an outcast or a vimukh would not feel hurt when a bhakta of Bhagvãn encounters some sort of misery; but a bhakta of Bhagvãn would definitely become distressed by the suffering of other bhaktas.”
60.7 Continuing, Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “The shãstras state that if a bhakta of Bhagvãn is being killed or harassed by someone, then a person who stands in defence of that bhakta of Bhagvãn – and in doing so dies or becomes wounded himself – is totally freed from the five great sins. Such is the glory of defending a bhakta of Bhagvãn. However, if a person is hurt by the words of the bhaktas of Bhagvãn – as if he has been shot in the heart by some arrows – and if a grudge develops from that hatred to such an extent that it is not resolved as long as he lives, then such a person is like an outcast. Even if such a person possesses qualities such as dharma and tyãg, or performs tap, it is all worthless. In fact, even if he performs a million other activities, his jeev will not attain kalyãn.
60.8 “In society, if a woman has equal love for her husband as she does for another man, then she is looked upon as being immoral – like a prostitute. Similarly, if a person in this world believes, ‘As far as I am concerned, all sãdhus are equal. Who is good and who is bad?’, then even if he is considered to be a satsangi, he should be known to be a vimukh. In addition, in case a person feels, ‘If I say something inappropriate, my own friends will criticise me,’ he listens as someone speaks unkindly of a bhakta of Bhagvãn in order to preserve his respect. He should also be known to be a vimukh, even though he may be considered to be a satsangi.
60.9 “Therefore, a person should be absolutely loyal to a bhakta of Bhagvãn – just as he is loyal to his relatives and his mother and father. If ever some sort of difficulty does happen to arise with a bhakta of Bhagvãn, only a person who does not develop a grudge, but settles the difference and reunites with that bhakta – like a line drawn in water – can be called a true bhakta of Bhagvãn.”
60.10 Having said this, Shreeji Mahãrãj finally added, “I am very compassionate – like Dattãtrey, Jadbharat, Nãrad, and Shukji. In fact, once while I was travelling in the east, I came across a group of tyãgis. They ordered me: ‘Go and pick some green spinach’. I replied, ‘I will not pick it, because it too contains a jeev’. Hearing this, one of them drew a sword and threatened me. Nevertheless, I did not pick the spinach. This is the extent of my compassionate nature. However, if a person looks angrily at a bhakta of Bhagvãn, then even if that person is a relative of mine, I feel like tearing his eyes out; and if he should hurt a bhakta of Bhagvãn with his hands, I feel like cutting his hands off. Such is the hatred I experience; and in those cases, I do not show any compassion. Only a person who has such loyalty for a bhakta of Bhagvãn can be called a complete bhakta of Bhagvãn.”
End of Vachanãmrut Gadhadã II || 60 || 193 ||