2.1 In the Samvat year 1882, on the evening of Jyeshth sud 6 [11th June 1826], Swãmi Shree Sahajãnandji Mahãrãj was sitting on a low, wooden seat in the courtyard of the mandir or 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 black-bordered, white pãgh around His head, and tassels of mogrã flowers had been inserted in the pãgh. A sabhã of munis, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him.
2.2 Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj posed a question: “A person sees that the world is perishable and that the chaitanya separates from the body and leaves it; however, the predominance of the world does not diminish from his heart. Despite thoroughly believing Bhagvãn to be an ocean of bliss, his mind still does not focus on Bhagvãn. Also, satsang does not become predominant in his heart and he cannot eradicate love for wealth, women, and other pleasures of the world. What can be the reason for this?”
2.3 Then, Muktãnand Swãmi replied, “The person lacks vairãgya. As a result, he cannot eradicate the predominance of the world from his heart, and nor can he develop love for Bhagvãn.”
2.4 Shreeji Mahãrãj then clarified, “It is true that there is a deficiency in vairãgya, but it appears to me that the strength which forms as a person practices satsang, remains as it is forever; a different strength does not develop. By practicing satsang, that strength may be nourished, but the strength itself remains unchanged. Whenever a person’s strength is being formed, his mind becomes disturbed in the process of formation. Just as the mind of an extremely lustful person is disoriented by lust, and the mind of an extremely angry person is disoriented by anger, and the mind of an extremely greedy person is disoriented by greed, similarly, a person’s mind becomes disoriented in the process of developing his strength. Then, during the disturbance, whichever strength develops is the strength that remains. Therefore, a person who is wise should realise his own strength. When a person is disturbed by the influence of vicious natures, such as lust or anger, if he thinks about his own strength, the influence of the vicious natures is lessened.
2.5 “In addition, just as a grahastha feels regretful if he experiences lustful thoughts on seeing his attractive mother, sister, or daughter, similarly, a person should feel regretful when objects other than satsang become predominant in his heart. If a person does not feel similarly regretful on entertaining thoughts for indecent objects, then satsang does not remain predominant in his heart.
2.6 “In fact, the reward of all spiritual activities is satsang. In the eleventh skandh of the Shreemad Bhãgvat, Shree Krishna Bhagvãn says to Uddhav, ‘I am not as pleased by ashtãng-yog, thoughts of sãnkhya, scriptural study, tap, tyãg, yog, yagna, and vrats, as I am pleased by satsang’. In fact, it appears to me that all sanskãrs a person has gathered from previous lives have been attained through association with a sat-purush. Even today, those who obtain sanskãrs do so through association with a sat-purush. A person who has attained the association of such a sat-purush, but is still unable to understand matters as they really are should be known to have an extremely dull intellect.
2.7 “As for me, I consider this sabhã of satsangis to be far greater than the sabhãs in Shvet-Dvip, Golok, Vaikunth, and Badrikãshram; and I see all of these bhaktas as being extremely luminous. I take oath on this sabhã of sãdhus that there is not even the slightest lie in this matter. Why do I have to take oath in this way? Well, it is because not everyone understands such divinity, nor can they see it; that is why I have to take an oath.
2.8 “Therefore, even after attaining this satsang – which is rare for even Brahmã – affection for objects other than Bhagvãn still remains. This is because the person has not developed as firm a belief for the pratyaksha svarup of Bhagvãn as he has for the non-pratyaksha svarup of Bhagvãn. That is why the Shrutis state, ‘If a person develops belief in his guru – who is the pratyaksha svarup of Bhagvãn – in the same way that he has belief in the non-pratyaksha devs, then as a result, he attains all the purushãrths (dharma, arth, kãm, and moksh) which are described as attainable’. In fact, when he attains the company of such a sant, he has attained He who was to be attained after death, while still alive; he has attained that which is called moksh or kalyãn, while being alive.
2.9 “What I have just explained to you may appear to be simple, but in reality, it is extremely subtle. A person who is currently behaving in this way will understand that this is extremely subtle; but others will not even be able to understand it. That is how subtle it is.”
2.10 After delivering this talk, Shreeji Mahãrãj bid “Jay Sachidãnand” to everyone and then returned to His residence.
End of Vachanãmrut Gadhadã III || 2 || 236 ||