Awareness Of The Jeev, The Buddhi, And The Witness

4.1    In the Samvat year 1877, four-and-a-half hours after sunrise on Ãso vad 8 [15th October, 1820], Shreeji Mahãrãj was sitting on the veranda outside the north-facing rooms of Vastã Khãchar’s darbãr in Kãriyãni. He was dressed entirely in white clothes. A sabhã of paramhans, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him.

4.2    Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “Please begin a question-answer discussion amongst yourselves.”

4.3    Gopalãnand Swami asked Bhajanãnand Swami, “In this body, how much awareness is of the jeev, and how much awareness is of the witness (Bhagvãn)?”
4.4    Bhajanãnand Swami attempted to answer the question, but was unable to do so.

4.5    Shreeji Mahãrãj then replied, “The buddhi pervades this body from head to toe. As a result, it is simultaneously aware of the activities of all the indriyas. The jeev resides within that buddhi by pervading it. Therefore, the awareness of the buddhi is due to the awareness of the jeev. Similarly, since the witness resides within the jeev, the awareness of the jeev is due to the awareness of the witness.”

4.6    Nityãnand Swami then asked Shreeji Mahãrãj, “Mahãrãj, the witness does reside within the jeev. But, realising that a witness must possess a form, the question is how can that which possesses a form also be all-pervading?”

4.7    Hearing this, Shreeji Mahãrãj explained, “That which possesses a form can also be all-pervading. For example, Agni-Dev possesses a definite svarup when residing in his lok, but through his powers, he is latent within wood. Similarly, Bhagvãn possesses a definite form in His Akshardhãm, but through His antaryãmi powers, He pervades the jeevs and functions as if He possesses a form. Therefore, even that antaryãmi form should be considered to possess a form.”

   End of Vachanãmrut Kãriyãni || 4 || 100 ||