Never Insult The Svarup Of Bhagvãn

9.1 In the Samvat year 1878, on Shrãvan sud 14 [12th August 1821], Swãmi Shree Sahajãnandji Mahãrãj was sitting on a square cushion in front of the mandir of Shree Vãsudev-Nãrãyan in Dãdã Khãchar’s darbãr in Gadhadã. Ãnandãnand Swãmi had just performed His pujã. Shreeji Mahãrãj was wearing a red survãl and dagli made from kinkhãb. He had tied an orange reto with a golden border around His head, and had tied an embroidered shelu around His waist. On His shoulder was a sky-blue coloured reto. Several rãkhadis were tied around His wrist. A sabhã of munis, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him.

9.2 Then, Muktãnand Swãmi suggested, “Let us sing kirtans.”

9.3 Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “Let us talk about Bhagvãn.” He then continued, “The path of gnãn should be understood in a way that does not cause a person to criticise the svarup of Bhagvãn in any way. In fact, a person should not worry if at some time or other he has disobeyed Bhagvãn’s ãgnãs; but he should never criticise the svarup of Bhagvãn. If he does disobey Bhagvãn’s ãgnãs, then he can still be freed from that sin by praying to Bhagvãn. However, there are no means of release for a person who has criticised the svarup of Bhagvãn. Therefore, a person who is wise should certainly abide by Bhagvãn’s ãgnãs to the best of his ability. However, he should also intensely maintain the strength of belief in Bhagvãn’s svarup: ‘I have attained the very svarup of Bhagvãn who reigns supreme, who forever possesses a divya svarup, and who is the ‘avatãri’ – the cause of all the avatãrs’. If a person realises this, then even if he may have left satsang, his love for Bhagvãn’s svarup will not diminish. In fact, even though he is out of satsang at present, when he leaves his body, he will go to Bhagvãn’s Akshardhãm and stay near Bhagvãn.

9.4 “On the other hand, a person may be in satsang, and he may even be abiding by the ãgnãs prescribed in the shãstras. However, if his belief of Bhagvãn is not firm, then when he leaves his body, he will either go to the lok of Brahmã or to the lok of some other dev; but he will not go to the dhãm of Purushottam Bhagvãn. Therefore, a person should believe that the pratyaksha Bhagvãn that he has attained possesses a divya svarup, and is the ‘avatãri’ – the cause of all the avatãrs. However, if a person does not have this belief, and instead believes Bhagvãn to be nirãkãr or like the other avatãrs, then that is regarded as committing blasphemy against Bhagvãn.

9.5 “Now, consider the following: Arjun’s spiritual strength was based on his belief of Bhagvãn, whereas Yudhishthir’s source of strength was his faith in the words of the shãstras. Then, when the Mahãbhãrat war was fought, Shree Krishna Bhagvãn said to Arjun:

sarva-dharmãn-parityajya mãm-ekam sharanam vraja

aham tvam sarva-pãpebhyo mokshayi-shyãmi mã shuchaha

“The meaning of this shlok is, ‘O Arjun! Abandon all the various types of dharma and surrender only to me. I shall deliver you from all sins, so do not grieve’. By keeping faith in these words, Arjun never became disheartened, despite committing countless misdeeds during the war. He maintained firm faith in Bhagvãn. Conversely, Yudhishthir had not committed any sins, but because he had faith in the words of the shãstras, he felt, ‘I shall never attain kalyãn’. Even when all the rushis, Vyãsji, and even Shree Krishna Bhagvãn Himself attempted to explain to him, still he did not abandon his guilt. Yudhishthir only developed some faith when Shree Krishna Bhagvãn took him to Bhishma and had him listen to Bhishma’s kathã on the true meaning of the words of the shãstras. However, he did not become totally free of doubt like Arjun. Therefore, a person who is intelligent should maintain intense belief of the svarup of Bhagvãn.

9.6 “Even the slightest strength based on the belief of Bhagvãn, will protect a person from great dangers. Shree Krishna Bhagvãn has also said,

svalpa-mapyasya dharmasya trãyate mahato bhayãt

“This shlok means, ‘If a person has the slightest strength based on the belief of Bhagvãn, it will protect him from great misfortune. For example, when Arjun fought in the Mahãbhãrat war, he encountered many types of severe dangers in the form of adharma. However, he was spared from those dangers because of his belief of Bhagvãn. Therefore, only he can be called an ekãntik bhakta whose strength is based on the belief of Bhagvãn more than anything else; and only he can be called a perfect satsangi. The Shreemad Bhãgvat also mentions: ‘If a person strays from the dharma stated in the Shrutis and Smrutis, he should not worry. However, he should never abandon the refuge of Bhagvãn’.

9.7 “As a result, some may feel, ‘If we promote such talks, dharma will become irrelevant.’ However, this principle is not intended to make dharma irrelevant; its purpose is as follows: Desh, kãl, kriyã, sang, mantras, shãstras, updesh, and devs, can be of two types – pure and impure. Of these, if a person were to encounter the impure, and if as a result some difficulties were to arise, then if he has the firm belief of Bhagvãn, he would never fall from the path of kalyãn. Conversely, if there is a deficiency in his belief of Bhagvãn, then whenever he falters from dharma, he would feel, ‘I am destined to fall into Narak’. Therefore, only a person whose strength is based on the belief of Bhagvãn is a loyal satsangi. Without this, a person is merely appreciative of satsang. Even the shãstras mention that only a person who firmly maintains the belief of Bhagvãn is called an ekãntik bhakta.”

9.8 “Also, if Nãrad, the Sanakãdik, and the devs, were to hear the talks being presently delivered in satsang, they would say, ‘We have never heard such talks before, and we shall never hear them again’. These talks can be described as:

na bhooto na bhavishyati

Never before have there been, and never again will there be.

“Although these talks are extremely small, even a person of average intelligence can understand them. It is as if these talks are personified. Therefore, there is no limit to the rewards of a person who, at this present time, has a belief of satsang. Realising this, those who are satsangis should consider themselves to be totally fulfilled. Moreover, a person who has profound love for Bhagvãn, regardless of whether he understands this talk, has nothing left to do. On the other hand, if a person does not have such profound love for Bhagvãn, then he should definitely realise the greatness of Bhagvãn. Therefore, a person who is wise should think about this talk, understand it, and then take extremely firm refuge in Bhagvãn. This principle alone is the very essence of all essences.”

End of Vachanãmrut Gadhadã II || 9 || 142 ||