1.1 In the Samvat year 1877, on Bhãdarvã sud 12 [19th September, 1820], a decorated, canopied bedstead that had been brought by Jãdavji Bhakta from Surat, had been placed on the veranda outside the north-facing rooms of Vastã Khãchar’s darbãr in Kãriyãni. A mattress with a white, silken cover had been placed upon the bedstead. A large, white, cylindrical pillow and red, silken knee-cushions had been placed on the mattress. Also, frills of gold fabric were dangling on all four sides of the bedstead. Shreeji Mahãrãj was sitting facing north on this beautifully decorated bedstead. He was wearing a white khes with a black border, and had tied a white feto with a gold border around His head. Also, He had covered Himself with a shelu with a gold border. A sabhã of munis, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him. They were all staring at the charming appearance of Shreeji Mahãrãj, just as chakors stare at the moon with fixed eyes.
1.2 Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj said to the paramhans, “Please begin a question-answer discussion amongst yourselves.”
1.3 Bhudharãnand Swãmi then asked, “Does nishchay in Bhagvãn arise in the antah-karans or in the jeev?”
1.4 Shivãnand Swãmi attempted to answer the question, but was unable to do so satisfactorily.
1.5 So Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “The jeev knows through the buddhi, which is the cause of all knowledge, and is greater than all. That buddhi resides in the man, in the chitt, in the ahankãr, in the ears, in the eyes, in the nose, in the tongue, in the mouth, in the skin, in the arms, in the legs, in the genitals, and in the anus. It resides in the body in this way, pervading it from head to toe. The jeev resides within this buddhi. However, the jeev is not felt, only the buddhi is felt.
1.6 “The following example will illustrate this: When the flames of a fire rise and fall, they do so because of the wind. The rise and fall of the flames are apparent, but the wind is not apparent. Also, when dung is placed in fire, the dung begins to burn. Then, when it is placed where there is no wind, smoke begins to rise. At that time, the rising smoke is apparent, but the wind within is not apparent. Also, the clouds that move in the sky are seen to do so because of the wind, but the wind that resides within them is not apparent. In this way, flames, smoke, and the clouds represent the buddhi, and the wind represents the jeev.
1.7 “What is that jeev like? Well, the jeev is the knower of the beliefs formed by the buddhi, and it also knows Brahmã, who is the cause of the beliefs in the buddhi. The jeev knows the thoughts of the man, and also knows Chandra, who is the cause of those thoughts in the man. The jeev knows the remembrance in the chitt, and also knows Vãsudev, the cause of the thinking in the chitt. It knows the ‘I-ness’ of the ahankãr, and also knows Rudra, the cause of that ‘I-ness’. In this way, the jeev perceives the four antah-karans, the ten indriyas, and the vishays, and their presiding devs, who allow a person to discriminate among those vishays. The jeev does all of this simultaneously.
1.8 “That jeev appears to be in one place; it appears to be as fine as the tip of a spear; and it appears to be extremely subtle. It appears this ways because it is associated with the buddhi. But, when that jeev is known as the illuminator of the body, the indriyas, the antah-karans, the vishays, and their presiding devs, it appears to be extremely vast, and it appears to be pervasive. That is when the jeev is not associated with the buddhi.
1.9 “That jeev is not known by the indriyas, but is known by assumption. For example, on seeing a sword weighing two hundred kilograms, a person can infer, ‘The carrier of this sword must be extremely strong’. Similarly, the jeev inspires the body, indriyas, the antah-karans, the vishays, and their presiding devs, simultaneously; therefore it must be very powerful. This is how the jeev can be known by assumption.” Shreeji Mahãrãj answered the question in this way.
1.10 Nityãnand Swãmi then asked, “Mahãrãj, what is the answer to the original question in what you have just said?”
1.11 Shreeji Mahãrãj clarified, “Well, the answer is that when the belief of Bhagvãn has developed in the buddhi, a person should realise that the belief has also developed within the jeev. How does that happen? Well, the belief initially develops in the indriyas, then in the ahankãr, then in the chitt, then in the man, then in the buddhi, and then finally, it develops in the jeev.” This was Shreeji Mahãrãj’s reply.
1.12 Again, Nityãnand Swãmi asked, “Mahãrãj, how can a person know when there is belief of Bhagvãn in the indriyas? How can a person know when there is belief of Bhagvãn in the antah-karans? How can a person know when there is belief of Bhagvãn within the jeev?”
1.13 Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “The belief of Bhagvãn which is in the indriyas should be known as follows: Of all the objects in this world which are seen, heard, smelt, or touched, some are pleasant and some are unpleasant; some give pleasure and some give misery; some are liked and some are disliked; some are appropriate and some are inappropriate. If no doubts arise even when all these characteristics are apparent in Bhagvãn, that should be known to be the belief of Bhagvãn in the indriyas.
1.14 “Furthermore, of the various effects of the three gun (sattva-gun, rajo-gun, and tamo-gun), the effect of tamo-gun is laziness and sleep; the effect of rajo-gun is lust and anger; and the effect of sattva-gun is tranquillity and self-discipline. If no doubts arise even when all these are noticed in Bhagvãn, then that should be known as the belief of Bhagvãn in the antah-karans.
1.15 “Due to nirvikalp samãdhi, Rushabh-Dev Bhagvãn wandered crazily, keeping a stone in his mouth. Although his body burned in a forest fire, he remained totally unaware of it. So, if no doubts arise even when such a gunãtit state is apparent in Bhagvãn, then that should be known as belief of Bhagvãn in the jeev.
1.16 “For example, ships that travel in the sea carry an iron anchor with them. When thrown into the sea, if that anchor is immediately retracted before it reaches the seabed, then not much effort is required; it comes out of the sea immediately. However, if it is allowed to reach the seabed before it is retracted, then it comes out only after great effort. But, if it is allowed to descend gradually, and it settles and lodges itself into the seabed, then it cannot be pulled up by any means; it cannot be retracted. Similarly, when a person develops the belief of Bhagvãn in the jeev, that belief cannot be dislodged in any way whatsoever.” Shreeji Mahãrãj spoke at length in this way, but only a small section has been mentioned here.
1.17 Then, Chaitanyãnand Swãmi asked, “Mahãrãj, Bhagvãn is greater than the mind and speech, and He is gunãtit. So, how can the mãyik indriyas and antah-karans perceive Him?”
1.18 Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “When the jeev – the knower of the body, indriyas, and antah-karans – becomes merged during the sushupti state, its indriyas and antah-karans also become merged in that sushupti state. At the time, Bhagvãn inspires that jeev. When the jeev enters the svapna state from the sushupti state, the dream-related locations, pleasures, vishays, and the jeev are all inspired by Bhagvãn. He inspires them during the jãgrat state as well. In this way, Bhagvãn inspires the jeev both when it is conscious of the body, and when it is not. Also, from Pradhãn, maha-tattva was formed; from maha-tattva, the three types of ahankãr were formed; from that ahankãr, the indriyas, devs, five mahã-bhuts, and five tan-mãtras were formed; all these are also inspired by Bhagvãn. Virãt, who is composed of all these tattvas combined, is also inspired by Bhagvãn. When all of these merge into Mãyã, Bhagvãn inspires that Mãyã as well.
1.19 “That Bhagvãn also inspires both jeev and ishvar when they identify themselves with their bodies. He inspires both jeev and ishvar even when they reside in the sushupti state, and are merged by Pradhãn and are without any identify or form. He inspires Kãl, which causes Mãyã and other entities to assume an identity and form, and also causes them to abandon their identity and form. So, how can that Bhagvãn be known by the indriyas and antah-karans? Is that your question?”
1.20 Everyone confirmed, “Yes, Mahãrãj, that is the question.”
1.21 Shreeji Mahãrãj continued, “The answer to that is as follows: Bhagvãn does not create and sustain the world for His own sake. In fact, it is said in the Shreemad Bhãgvat:
buddhindriya-manah-prãnan janãnãm-asrujat-prabhuha
matrãtham cha bhavãrtham cha hyãtmane kalpãnaya cha
“This shlok means: Bhagvãn created the buddhi, indriyas, man, and prãns of all people to enable the jeevs to indulge in the vishays, to take birth, to transmigrate to other loks, and to attain kalyãn. Therefore, Bhagvãn created this universe for the sake of the kalyãn of the jeevs; Bhagvãn sustains it for the sake of the kalyãn of the jeevs; and Bhagvãn also causes its destruction for the sake of the kalyãn of the jeevs. How is that? Well, He destroys it to allow the jeevs – who are tired as a result of undergoing many births and deaths – to rest. That Bhagvãn, who acts in all ways for the benefit of the jeevs, becomes like a human out of compassion. Then, when the jeevs maintain profound association with a sant of that Bhagvãn, why should they not be able to know Him? They can certainly know Him.”
1.22 Then, Bhajanãnand Swãmi asked, “Mahãrãj, why then does the Vedic shlok claim:
yato vãcho nivartante aprãpya manasã saha
From where speech returns along with the mind without having attained Brahm and Bhagvãn.
1.23 Shreeji Mahãrãj replied in a pleased tone, “Well, in that case, the facts are as follows: pruthvi resides in ãkãsh, but does not become like ãkãsh; jal also resides in ãkãsh, but does not become like ãkãsh; tej also resides in ãkãsh, but does not become like ãkãsh; and vãyu also resides in ãkãsh, but does not become like ãkãsh. In the same way, the mind and speech do not attain Bhagvãn.”
1.24 Then, Nityãnand Swãmi raised a doubt: “Mahãrãj, the Shrutis and Smrutis claim:
niranjanaha paramam sãmyam-upaiti
He who is free from the blemishes of mãyã, attains qualities similar to those of Bhagvãn
bahavo gnãna-tapasã pootã mad-bhãva-mãgataha
Many who have been purified by tap in the form of gnãn have attained my qualities.
1.25 Shreeji Mahãrãj then said, “What I just mentioned is regarding the mind and the indriyas of a vimukh. However, the mind and indriyas of bhaktas of Bhagvãn do become merged with Bhagvãn. For example, at the time of destruction, pruthvi, which resides in ãkãsh, becomes one with ãkãsh; jal also becomes one with ãkãsh; tej also becomes one with ãkãsh; and vãyu also becomes one with ãkãsh. Similarly, the bodies, indriyas, antah-karans, and prãns of those who are bhaktas of Bhagvãn, due to their gnãn of Bhagvãn, become like Bhagvãn. This is because Bhagvãn’s murti itself is divya. So, the bodies, indriyas, and antah-karans of those bhaktas become like Bhagvãn’s indriyas, antah-karans, and body. That is why the bodies, indriyas, antah-karans, and prãns of those bhaktas, become divya.
1.26 “Take the following example: A bee captures a worm, stings it, and then buzzes over it. As a result, that worm – in the very same body – is transformed into a bee. Then, none of its bodily parts remain like that of a worm; it becomes exactly like a bee. Similarly, a bhakta of Bhagvãn, in that very same body, becomes divya like Bhagvãn.”
1.27 Shreeji Mahãrãj then concluded by saying, “The essence of this talk that I have given is for both a person with firmness in bhakti coupled with ãtmã-nishthã, and for a person with firmness in bhakti alone, progress is as described. However, the indriyas and antah-karans of a person with ãtmã-nishthã only do not become divya like Bhagvãn’s murti; he attains only brahm-sattã.”
1.28 Having spoken in this way, Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “Now, let us stop this talk, as the sabhã has become quiet. Someone please sing some pleasing kirtans.” Saying this, He Himself began to perform dhyãn, while the sãdhus began singing kirtans.
End of Vachanãmrut Kãriyãni || 1 || 97 ||