7.1 In the Samvat year 1877, on the night of Kãrtik sud 1 [6th November, 1820], a row of oil lamps had been arranged around a stage in front of the north-facing rooms of Vastã Khãchar’s darbãr in Kãriyãni. Shreeji Mahãrãj was sitting on a bedstead that had been placed on the stage. He was dressed entirely in white clothes. A sabhã of paramhans, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him.
7.2 Then, Kãshidãs of the village of Bochãsan asked Shreeji Mahãrãj a question: “Mahãrãj, tyãgis follow the path of nivrutti; therefore, they are able to keep their vrutti constantly on Bhagvãn. However, grahasthas follow the path of pravrutti; so, they are plagued with countless worldly problems. What understanding must a grahastha maintain in order to fix his vrutti constantly on Bhagvãn?”
7.3 Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “The grahastha should believe, ‘Just as I had parents, wives, and children during my past lives in the cycle of 8.4 million life-forms, I have the same in this life as well. In fact, there must be many mothers, sisters, and daughters from many past lives wandering around, and yet, just as I do not have any sense of ‘my-ness’ for them, similarly, I should not keep any sense of ‘my-ness’ for the relations of this body either’. Thinking in this way, if he diverts his affection from everything else, maintains firm affection only towards Bhagvãn, and keeps the company of a sãdhu, then even a grahastha’s vrutti can remain constantly fixed on Bhagvãn, just like the vrutti of a tyãgi.”
7.4 Hearing these words of Shreeji Mahãrãj, all the grahasthas present in the sabhã folded their hands and asked, “Mahãrãj, what will become of the grahastha who is unable to behave in that way?”
7.5 Shreeji Mahãrãj answered, “I spoke in reference to a person who, having eradicated all desires for all objects except Bhagvãn, keeps his vrutti constantly on Bhagvãn. But, someone who is not so strong should abide by the dharma of satsang. He should also rely on the strength of Bhagvãn and His sant, whose refuge he has taken, by believing, ‘Bhagvãn is adham-udhãran and patit-pãvan, and I have attained Him in person’.’’ After hearing these words from Shreeji Mahãrãj, the bhaktas became extremely pleased.
7.6 Shreeji Mahãrãj then asked the sant, “What causes vairãgya to arise?”
7.7 The sãdhus replied according to their understanding, but Shreeji Mahãrãj’s question could not be answered adequately. So they said, “Mahãrãj, you will have to answer that question.”
7.8 Shreeji Mahãrãj explained, “Upon hearing the words of the shãstras and sat-purush, developing a fascination that does not diminish once developed, is the only cause for vairãgya; there is no other cause. Whoever is fascinated in this way, will develop vairãgya, regardless of whether he is tãmasi, rãjasi, or sãttvik. On the other hand, if a person does not have such an fascination, he will not develop vairãgya. Also, if someone’s fascination diminishes after a few days, then the vairãgya that develops can cause tremendous harm. How? Well, when he does have the fascination, he renounces and leaves his home. Then, after he becomes a sãdhu, the fascination that he had previously developed, subsides; but the house he left behind would be in ruins. Then, like the dog of a washer-man, who is fed neither at home nor at the river, he falls from both paths. On the other hand, those who have firm vairãgya, attain Akshardhãm.”
7.9 Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj asked another question to the paramhans, in an extremely pleased mood: “What is ãtyantik kalyãn? Also, how does a person who has attained ãtyantik kalyãn and siddh-dashã, feel in all of his activities?”
7.10 The munis answered according to their understanding, but Shreeji Mahãrãj’s question was not answered adequately. So, all the munis folded their hands and said to Shreeji Mahãrãj, “Mahãrãj, you will have to answer that question.”
7.11 Shreeji Mahãrãj then said, “During the destruction of the brahmãnd, the twenty-four tattvas, which have evolved from Prakruti, are absorbed into Prakruti. Then, Prakruti-Purush also disappear in the divine light of Akshar-Brahm, after which only the concentrated light, which is sachidãnand, remains. The divya murti of Purushottam Bhagvãn Vãsudev is constantly present in that divine light. Through that divya murti, He Himself becomes visible to everyone, and incarnates on earth in human form for the purpose of granting kalyãn to the jeevs. But, the jeevs on earth who are ignorant fools, claim that Bhagvãn has mãyik qualities within Him. In reality, he does not have any mãyik qualities within Him; He is forever gunãtit and has a divya murti. Moreover, it is that very same Bhagvãn, who has a murti and is divya, which the Vedãnt shãstras propound as being nirgun, achhedhya, abhedhya, and pervading everywhere. He has been described as being nirgun, in order to dismiss the mãyik view from the mind of the jeev. That Bhagvãn remains the same during the time of creation, sustenance, and destruction of the universe; He does not undergo any changes like worldly objects do, and He always maintains a divya svarup. Having such a firm belief of pratyaksha Purushottam, is called ãtyantik kalyãn.
7.12 “A person who has attained siddh-dashã through such belief, experiences the following: Wherever he casts his eyes – among all the sthãvar and jangam forms – he sees the murti of Bhagvãn as if it is before his eyes, the same murti that constantly remains in Akshardhãm even after the destruction of the body, the brahmãnd and Prakruti-Purush. Other than that murti, he does not perceive even an atom. These are the characteristics of a person who has attained siddh-dashã.”
End of Vachanãmrut Kãriyãni || 7 || 103 ||