7.1 In the Samvat year 1877, on Mãgshar sud 3 [7th December, 1820], Shreeji Mahãrãj was sitting on a decorated bedstead in Surã Khãchar’s darbãr in Loyã. He was wearing a white pãgh, with the chhoglu hanging on one side. He was wearing a white dagli made of chhint and a white, cotton-padded survãl. He had also covered Himself with a white pachhedi. A sabhã of munis, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him.
7.2 In the sabhã, Nityãnand Swãmi brought the Vachanãmrut manuscript and presented it to Shreeji Mahãrãj. Shreeji Mahãrãj examined the manuscript and was extremely pleased by it. He then said to the paramhans, “Today, please ask complex questions so that we may have a discussion.”
7.3 Then, Muktãnand Swãmi asked, “The Shrutis state:
rute gnãna-na muktihi
There is no kalyãn without gnãn.
tameva viditvãti-mrutyumeti nãnyaha panthã vidyate-yanãya
Only by knowing Him does a person go beyond death; there is no other path for attaining kalyãn.
“These shloks state that the jeev attains kalyãn only when it realises the true gnãn of Bhagvãn. If kalyãn can only be attained by gnãn, why do the shãstras also prescribe other spiritual activities for attaining kalyãn?”
7.4 Hearing this question, Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “Gnãn means ‘to know’.”
7.5 At this point, Nityãnand Swãmi raised a doubt. He said, “If gnãn means merely ‘to know’, then the whole world knows Bhagvãn through the shãstras. However, not everyone attains kalyãn.”
7.6 Hearing this, Shreeji Mahãrãj raised a question, “Just as a person does not attain kalyãn by knowing the previous avatãrs of Bhagvãn through the shãstras, do you think all those who actually had the darshan of Rãm, Krishna, and other avatãrs of Bhagvãn with their own eyes attained kalyãn?”
7.7 Muktãnand Swãmi replied, “Those who merely see the pratyaksha svarup of Bhagvãn only attain kalyãn after several lives.”
7.8 Shreeji Mahãrãj added, “Those who know Bhagvãn through the shãstras also receive kalyãn after several lives. This is because the Bhagvãn that these people know through the shãstras is the same Bhagvãn other people see with their eyes; and the Bhagvãn that other people see with their eyes is the same Bhagvãn that people know through the shãstras. Therefore, the resulting rewards of both are equal, and both attain kalyãn after several lives.
7.9 “After all, is not hearing Bhagvãn with the ears, gnãn? It is, but that can be said to be merely hearing Bhagvãn. Is not touching Bhagvãn with the skin, also gnãn? It is, but that can be said to be merely touching Bhagvãn. Is not seeing Bhagvãn with the eyes, gnãn? It is, but that can be said to be merely seeing Bhagvãn. Is not smelling Bhagvãn with the nose, gnãn? It is, but that is merely smelling Bhagvãn. Does not describing Bhagvãn with the tongue also constitute gnãn? It does, but that is merely having described Bhagvãn. In this way, gnãn can be attained through the physical indriyas. It can also be attained through the antah-karans, as well as directly from the experienced gnãn of the jeev, which is greater than both the indriyas and the antah-karans. Of these, which gnãn are you speaking of?
7.10 “In order to create the universe, Bhagvãn assumed the svarup of Aniruddha; and within Aniruddha dwells the sthãvar and jangam world, along with ãkãsh. In the svarup of Sankarshan, Bhagvãn destroys the universe. In the svarup of Pradyumna, He sustains the universe. He also assumes various avatãrs, such as Matsya and Kurma. He assumes these svarup according to whichever task needs to be accomplished in whichever place. Some of these tasks are invisible to the indriyas and antah-karans, and can only be known by experience. For the successful completion of these tasks, Bhagvãn assumes a suitable svarup. On the other hand, some of these tasks are visible to the indriyas and antah-karans. For the successful completion of these tasks, again Bhagvãn assumes an appropriate svarup. Therefore, the gnãn of which of Bhagvãn’s svarup is instrumental in attaining kalyãn? Is that your question?”
7.11 Nityãnand Swãmi confirmed, “We are saying that kalyãn is attained by the gnãn of Bhagvãn whose svarup can be realised by the indriyas, the antah-karans, and experience.”
7.12 Shreeji Mahãrãj then explained, “That Bhagvãn is Shree Krishna. He has said of himself:
yasmãt-ksharama-teetohama-kshãradapi chottamaha
I am greater than all this is perishable, and I am greater than the imperishable.
vishtabhyãham-idam krutsnam-ekãnshena sthito jagat
I sustain the entire universe with a single fragment of myself.
mattaha parataram nãnyat-kinchid-asti dhanamjaya
mayi sarvam-idam protam sutre maniganã iva
O conqueror of wealth (Arjun). There is nothing at all that is greater than me.
All this creation is strung upon me – like a series of gems on a thread.
pashya me pãrth rupãni shatasho-tha sahasra-shaha
nãnã-vidhyãni divyãni nãnã-varna-kruteeni cha
O Son of Prutha (Arjun)! Behold my hundreds and thousands of divya svarups that are of various types and of assorted colours and shapes.
7.13 “In these and many other shloks, He describes Himself as invisible to the indriyas and the antah-karans. Therefore, knowing Bhagvãn perfectly means knowing pratyaksha Bhagvãn through the indriyas, the antah-karans, and experience. Only then can a person be said to possess perfect gnãn. However, if any one of these three types of gnãn is lacking, a person cannot be said to have realised ãtyantik gnãn, nor can he overcome the cycle of births and deaths. In fact, even though someone may have attained the brahm-svarup state through his personal activities, if he does not realise pratyaksha Bhagvãn in this way, he cannot be said to possess perfect gnãn. That is why it is said in the Shreemad Bhãgvat:
naishkarmyama-pyachuta-bhãva-varjitam na
shobhate gnãn-malam niranjanam
Even pure gnãn, in which all karmas have been rejected, is not elegant if it does not have bhakti towards Bhagvãn.
7.14 “The Geetã also states:
karmano haypi boddhavyam boddhavyam cha vikarmanaha
akarmanash-cha boddhavyam gahana karmano gatihi
The nature of karma should be understood, the nature of prohibited karmas should be understood, and the nature of non-karma should also be understood. Indeed, the way of karma is very complex.
“Even in the state of non-karma (gnãn), there is still something left to be realised. That is to say, even after a person has become brahm-rup, he still has to realise Parbrahm Purushottam. Only a person who is brahm-rup has the right to offer bhakti to Purushottam.
7.15 “Now, what constitutes bhakti? It is when a person becomes brahm-rup and performs the bhakti of pratyaksha Bhagvãn with sandalwood paste, flowers, shravan, and manan – just as the niranna-muktas of Shvet¬-Dvip, having become brahm-rup, perform pujã of Parbrahm Nãrãyan by offering various types of offerings, such as sandalwood paste and flowers. Therefore, Bhagvãn has mentioned in the Geetã:
brahma-bhootaha prasannãtmã na shochati na kankshati
samaha sarveshu bhooteshu mad-bhaktim labhate param
A person who has become brahm-rup remains joyful, grieves nothing, desires nothing, behaves equally with all beings, and attains my supreme bhakti.
7.16 “Therefore, a person who does not offer bhakti to Parbrahm after becoming brahm-rup, cannot be said to have attained ãtyantik kalyãn.
bhoomir-aponalo vãyuhu kham mano buddhir-eva cha
ahankãra iteeyam me bhinnã prakruti-rashtadhã
These are my eight forms of prakruti – pruthvi, jal, tej, vãyu, ãkãsh, man, buddhi, and ahankãr.
“This describes the all-pervaded jad prakruti.
7.17 “Furthermore,
apareyam-itas-tvanyam prakrutim viddhi me parãm
jeeva-bhootam mahãbaho yayedam dharyate jagat
But O mighty-armed Arjun! Also, know my other prakruti, the very element of life (chaitanya), by which this world is upheld. Such is the all-pervasive chaitanya prakruti.
“This describes the all-pervasive chaitanya prakruti.
7.18 “That pratyaksha Bhagvãn is such that He is the supporter of both the eight forms of jad prakruti and also of the chaitanya prakruti that pervades within. For example, ãkãsh is the supporter of the other four elements – pruthvi, jal, vãyu, and tej. Whenever pruthvi contracts, ãkãsh contracts along with it. When the pruthvi expands, ãkãsh also expands along with it. Similarly, ãkãsh also contracts and expands along with the contraction and expansion of jal, tej, and vãyu. However, pruthvi and the other tattvas all contract and expand within ãkãsh. In the same way, Bhagvãn expands and contracts along with the expansion and contraction of the two prakrutis, while they themselves contract and expand within Bhagvãn Himself. That Bhagvãn is the ãtmã of all. This fact is stated in the Shrutis:
antah-pravishtaha shãstã janãnam sarvãtmã
Bhagvãn, who enters within all, is the controller and ãtmã of all beings
yasyãksharam shareeram…
esha sarva-bhootãntarãtmã-pahata-pãpmã divyo, deva eko nãrãyanaha
He, whose sharir is the imperishable, is the indwelling ãtmã of all beings, is without all evil, and is the one divya Bhagvãn Nãrãyan
yasyãtmã shareeram ya ãtmãnam-antaro
yamayati sa ta ãtmãntaryam-yamrutaha
He, whose sharir is the ãtmãs, and who governs all ãtmãs from within, is your ãtmã, the antaryãmi, and immortal
yasya pruthivi shareeram yaha
pruthiveem-antaro yamayati sa ta ãtmãntaryãm-yamrutaha
He, whose sharir is pruthvi and who governs it from within, is your ãtmã, the antaryãmi, and is immortal.
7.19 “Furthermore, even food, the mind, knowledge, and bliss have been described as brahm; various such types of brahm-vidyã have been mentioned. What is the significance of this? Well, those things have been called brahm because Bhagvãn is the cause of all and the supporter of all. However, they are all the sharir, and their shariri is pratyaksha Shree Krishna Purushottam. Both the jad and chaitanya prakrutis, along with their entities that have evolved in their expanded and contracted states, dwell easily within Bhagvãn. Moreover, Bhagvãn dwells within them all as their antaryãmi and as their cause. It is that very Bhagvãn who is pratyaksha. To know and see Bhagvãn with such an understanding of greatness is called perfect gnãn.”
7.20 Then, Muktãnand Swãmi asked, “If a person cannot experience the greatness of Bhagvãn in this way, but does have a firm belief of it in his antah-karans, then can that be said to be perfect gnãn, or not?”
7.21 Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “In a dark house, a person can faintly see the grain-store and the pillars; but due to the darkness, they cannot be said to have been seen totally. In the same way, both the jad and chaitanya prakrutis reside within Purushottam Bhagvãn, and He dwells within them as well. But, if a person experiences this only by assumption and does not actually see it, then he cannot be said to possess perfect gnãn. Nevertheless, because he has such a firm nishchay, he surely must have experienced some sort of alokik powers of Bhagvãn in the past; if not, he will experience them in the future.
7.22 “Despite having such a doubtless nishchay, if he does not experience the alokik powers, he should think, ‘Bhagvãn possesses all those powers, but He does not reveal them to me because that is His wish’. If a person offers bhakti to Bhagvãn with such understanding and remains fulfilled, then he can also be said to possess perfect gnãn.
7.23 “Therefore, a bhakta with gnãn is a person who thoroughly knows Bhagvãn through the indriyas, the antah-karans, and experience. Such a bhakta has been praised in the Geetã as the best of all bhaktas:
ãrto jignãsur-arthãrthee gnãnee cha bharatar-shabha
teshãm gnãnee nitya-yukta eka-bhaktir-vishishyate
O supreme among the descendants of Bharat (Arjun). Four types of people worship me: a person who is distressed, a person who seeks knowledge of the ãtmã, a person who desires material objects, and a person who has gnãn. Of these, the one with gnãn is the best because he is always engaged in me and is devoted to me alone.
7.24 “A bhakta with gnãn, faithfully serves pratyaksha Bhagvãn – who eternally has a svarup – realising Him as greater than Prakruti, Purush and Akshar, and as being the cause and supporter of all. This understanding constitutes gnãn; and such gnãn leads to ãtyantik moksh. Those who do not understand this, merely claim ‘aham-brahmãsmi’ – I am brahm – from the shãstras. They proclaim, ‘I am the svarup of brahm, and Ram and Krishna are merely avatãrs originating from me’. Such blasphemous and unorthodox vedãntis of today are extremely evil and great sinners. At death, they are sent to Narak, and they will never be released from there.”
End of Vachanãmrut Loyã || 7 || 115 ||