11.1 In the Samvat year 1877, on the night of Kãrtik sud 11 [16th November, 1820], Shreeji Mahãrãj was sitting on the veranda outside the east-facing rooms of Vastã Khãchar’s darbãr in Kãriyãni. He was wearing a white khes and a white dagli made of chhint. He had also tied a white pãgh around His head, and was wearing garlands of yellow and red guldãvadi flowers. Tassels of yellow flowers were also dangling from His pãgh. In addition to this, two barbers who were holding torches, were standing before Him on either side. A sabhã of munis, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him.
11.2 Then, Sachidãnand Swãmi asked Shreeji Mahãrãj, “What are the characteristics of a person who has love of Bhagvãn?”
11.3 Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “A person who has love for his beloved Bhagvãn, will never disobey the wishes of his beloved. That is that characteristic of love. To take an example, the gopis had love for Shree Krishna Bhagvãn. So, when Shree Krishna Bhagvãn prepared to leave for Mathurã, all of them together decided, ‘We will disobey the norms of family traditions and society, and we will keep Bhagvãn here by force’. However, at the time of Shree Krishna Bhagvãn’s departure, they looked into his eyes and realised that it was not his wish to stay. As a result, all of them remained far away, because in their hearts, they feared, ‘If we do not act according to Bhagvãn’s wishes, His love for us will subside’. Thinking in this way, none of them were able to utter a word.
11.4 “Then, after Bhagvãn went to Mathurã, even though Shree Krishna was only five miles away, the gopis never disobeyed his wishes by going for his darshan. They realised, ‘If we do go to Mathurã against Bhagvãn’s wish, then the love that Bhagvãn has for us will diminish’.
11.5 “Therefore, the characteristic of love is exactly this: A person who has true love for someone acts according to that person’s wishes. If he realises his beloved to be pleased by his staying nearby, then he stays nearby. On the other hand, if he realises his beloved to be pleased by his staying away, then he stays away; but in no way does he behave contrary to his beloved’s wish. That is the characteristic of love. So, since the gopis had true love for Bhagvãn, they did not go for Bhagvãn’s darshan without his ãgnã. Only when Bhagvãn sent for them in Kurukshetra did they have darshan of Bhagvãn, but in no way did they disobey Bhagvãn’s ãgnã. Therefore, a person who has love for Bhagvãn would never disobey Bhagvãn’s ãgnã. He would only act according to Bhagvãn’s wishes. That is the characteristic of love.”
11.6 Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “Now let me ask a question.”
11.7 The munis responded, “Mahãrãj, please do ask.”
11.8 Shreeji Mahãrãj then said, “Except for those panch-vishays which are related to Bhagvãn, a bhakta of Bhagvãn treats all other vishays as worthless. Therefore, he associates only with Bhagvãn. Now, suppose Bhagvãn were to issue the following ãgnã to such a bhakta: ‘Live away from me’. In that situation, if he keeps a selfish desire for Bhagvãn’s darshan, it would amount to disobeying the ãgnã; and if he does not follow the ãgnã, then the love that Bhagvãn has towards that bhakta would not remain. Therefore, just as that bhakta has abandoned the worldly vishays (shabda, sparsh, rup, ras, and gandh), does he also abandon the vishays related to Bhagvãn, or does he not? That is the question.”
11.9 Each of the munis gave an answer according to his level of intelligence, but the question was not answered satisfactorily. Then, they said to Shreeji Mahãrãj, “Mahãrãj, you will have to provide the answer.”
11.10 Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “If a bhakta has deep love for Bhagvãn, treats the worldly panch-vishays that are not related to Bhagvãn as worthless, and if he is firmly attached to Bhagvãn via the panch-vishays, then wherever such a bhakta goes by Bhagvãn’s ãgnã, the murti of Bhagvãn also goes with him. Moreover, just as that bhakta cannot remain without Bhagvãn, in exactly the same way, Bhagvãn also cannot remain without the bhakta. In fact, He does not leave the heart of the bhakta even for a fraction of a second. Therefore, such a bhakta does constantly maintain contact with Bhagvãn in the panch-vishays. This is because the same panch-vishays that no one can stay without, that bhakta has considered to be worthless. Instead, he has attached himself to Bhagvãn in the panch-vishays. Therefore, that bhakta maintains a constant relationship with Bhagvãn.”
End of Vachanãmrut Kãriyãni || 11 || 107 ||