8.1 In the Samvat year 1877, on the night of Mãgshar sud 5 [10th December, 1820], Shreeji Mahãrãj was sitting in Surã Khãchar’s darbãr in Loyã. He was wearing a white khes and had tied a white feto around His head. He was also wearing a white dagli made of chhint. A sabhã of paramhans, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him.
8.2 Then, Muktãnand Swãmi asked Shreeji Mahãrãj, “On seeing some inappropriate svabhãv of a sãdhu, a person who is thoughtless may perceive avgun in the sãdhu. But, why does a person who is wise perceive avgun in the sãdhu?”
8.3 Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “If a person is wise and has noticed an inappropriate svabhãv within himself, has a hatred towards it, and is continually acting to overcome that svabhãv, then when he sees that very same svabhãv in another sãdhu, he develops a dislike towards that sãdhu. On the other hand, a fool does not overcome his own svabhãvs, and when he sees that same svabhãv in another sãdhu, he perceives avgun in that sãdhu. Such a person should be considered a fool.”
8.4 Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj gathered the junior paramhans, and He Himself asked and answered questions.
8.5 First, Shreeji Mahãrãj asked, “The intensity and mildness of the force of kãm, krodh, lobh, and other enemies is due to the phases of childhood, youth, and old age. In childhood the force is weak; in youth, the force in intense; then in old age the force becomes weak again. Therefore, the intensity and mildness of the inner enemies can be noticed; but can they be weakened by any thought process?”
8.6 Shreeji Mahãrãj Himself replied, “The force of the enemies can be weakened by a thought process, which is as follows: The mildness of those svabhãvs in childhood, their greater intensity in youth, the mildness once again in old age, is due to food. Specifically, in childhood, since the dietary intake is small, the force of kãm is mild. Similarly, in old age, a person dietary intake is small, so again the force of kãm is mild. But in youth, as the dietary intake increases, kãm also increases. Therefore, in youth, if a person’s food intake is decreased, and if he deliberately tolerates cold, heat, rain, and hunger, then by maintaining such a thought process, and by maintaining profound association with a great sant, the force of kãm is weakened – even in the period of youth.”
8.7 Again, Shreeji Mahãrãj asked, “People become addicted to many different types of substances, like bhãng, cannabis, opium, and alcohol. Are these addictions due to a person’s kriyamãn or prãrabdha karmas?”
8.8 Replying, Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “These addictions are developed not by prãrabdha, but by habit. Therefore, if a person maintains courage, keeps shraddhã, and is determined to defeat the addiction, then it can be overcome. But, if he has no shraddhã and is cowardly, then that addiction cannot be overcome.”
8.9 Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj asked, “Some children have a mature nature like elder people, whereas some have an extremely fidgety nature. Is that nature due to company, or is it inherent within the jeev?”
8.10 Shreeji Mahãrãj answered, “For the most part, a good or bad nature is due to the company kept by a person; but in some cases, it is due to past karmas.”
8.11 Then, Kapileshvarãnand Swãmi asked, “Mahãrãj, how can a person recognise a svabhãv which has formed in a past life, and how can he recognise a svabhãv which has formed in this life?”
8.12 Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “A recently formed svabhãv is overcome by staying in the company of a devout sãdhu and by making a little effort to eradicate it. Just as grass growing on a wall dries up when there is no rain for five days, similarly, a recently formed svabhãv can be overcome in a few days. However, a svabhãv that has remained for a long time is difficult to overcome, even after great effort is made to eradicate it. For example, if there are strong weeds or a bordi tree in the soil, then even if they are set on fire and burnt by a farmer, they will still grow. However, if a person uses a hoe to uproot them from their roots, they can be removed. Similarly, if a person remains in the company of a devout sãdhu and persists with great effort, even an established svabhãv can be overcome; but only with great effort.”
8.13 Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj asked, “For a person whose indriyas are hyperactive, what are the individual methods by which that hyperactivity can be overcome?”
8.14 Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “To overcome the hyperactivity of the eyes, a person should fix his gaze on the tip of his and nose and not look elsewhere. While studying, he should also engage in bhajan and smaran. While doing this, if he continues to keep his eyes open without blinking for half an hour or so – until his eyes begin to burn intensely and tears flow – and he does not hold a improper thought even if he happens to notice a woman or other objects, then even if his eyes are hyperactive, they will become controlled.
8.15 “The nose does not like the odours coming from someone’s body, mouth, or clothes. At that time, a person should think, ‘My own body appears attractive superficially, but it is filled with blood, flesh, and bones; and in the abdomen there are faeces, urine, and the intestines’. If he thinks in this way, the hyperactivity of the nose is eradicated.
8.16 “The hyperactivity of the ears can be eradicated as follows: When a person hears some humorous talks or gossip, he develops a keen interest to listen to them; whereas, while listening to the kathãs and kirtans related to Bhagvãn, he falls asleep. In that situation, a person should rise and suppress sleep and laziness. He should also keep faith in and maintain a keen interest in listening to the kathãs of Bhagvãn. The ears can be controlled in this way.
8.17 “The sense of touch can be controlled by deliberately tolerating the cold, heat, and rain; by lying down anywhere; by keeping a blanket as a pillow and using it for covering the body only when it is very cold. Therefore, the skin becomes numb, and the hyperactivity of the sense of touch is eradicated.
8.18 “To overcome the hyperactivity of the hands, a person should keep a mãlã in his hand whenever the hands are idle, and turn it while chanting the name of Bhagvãn in rhythm with the inhaling and exhaling of his breath. However, he should not turn the mãlã hurriedly. Some say, ‘A person can chant the name of Bhagvãn more quickly mentally’. That principle is wrong, as the mind can only chant the name of Bhagvãn as many times as the tongue can chant the name of Bhagvãn. So, by applying this method, the hyperactivity of the hands is eradicated.
8.19 “If the legs are hyperactive, they can be controlled by controlling the sitting posture.
8.20 “Hyperactive genitals can be controlled as follows: When a person gets scabies or ringworm, and he scratches himself, the itching is not relieved until bleeding occurs. However, if he does not scratch the affected area, then the itching decreases by itself. Therefore, even if an itching sensation arises on the genitals, it should not be scratched. Moreover, in the case of it becoming frequently excited, if a person decreases his diet, does upvãs, and physically weakens the body, then the genitals can be controlled.
8.21 “To conquer the tongue, it should not be given items that it likes, and the diet should be restricted. In this way, the hyperactivity of the tongue is eradicated.
8.22 “Finally, the hyperactivity of a person’s speech can be eradicated by not interrupting with wise remarks when people like Muktãnand Swãmi are speaking or narrating from the shãstras. Moreover, if a person does happen to interrupt, he should turn a mãlã twenty-five times. By this method, the hyperactivity of speech can be eradicated.”
8.23 Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj asked, “Of all these indriyas, which one, if fully controlled, leads to control over all the other indriyas?”
8.24 Shreeji Mahãrãj answered His own question, “If the tongue is fully suppressed, then all the other indriyas can be suppressed.”
8.25 Again, Shreeji Mahãrãj asked, “If kãm pervades a person’s heart, and even though his genitals are covered by his clothes, how can a person realise that he has been pervaded by kãm?”
8.26 Shreeji Mahãrãj Himself replied, “When kãm pervades a person, his eyes, and all of his other indriyas become hyperactive. In this way, a person can realise that he has become overwhelmed by kãm.”
8.27 Once again, Shreeji Mahãrãj asked, “A person who has a hyperactive nature should become calm, and a person who has a calm nature should become active. By which thought process can this be achieved?”
8.28 Shreeji Mahãrãj Himself replied, “If a person who is hyperactive thinks, ‘I am the ãtmã, brahm, genderless, and stable like ãkãsh’, and he attains the upsham state through such thoughts, then he becomes calm. If a person who is calm wishes to become more active, then he should realise the greatness of Bhagvãn and His bhaktas. When he realises the greatness of Bhagvãn, he engages in the nine forms of bhakti, and performs basic service of the bhaktas of Bhagvãn. As a result of this, his nature becomes more active.”
8.29 Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj asked, “Is there anything in the eight shãstras, such as the Shreemad Bhãgvat, which should be ignored, or should everything be remembered?”
8.30 Replying to His own question, Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “In all of those shãstras there are countless charitras, and through all of those charitras, the strengths of the bhaktas who have attained Bhagvãn are described. Therefore, they are all suitable to be remembered. However, among all these charitras, only those charitras that match a person’s own strengths should be remembered. The others may be ignored with the following understanding: ‘These talks are true, but they are for the benefit of other bhaktas; they are not for me’.’’
8.31 Once more, Shreeji Mahãrãj asked, “All of you youngsters are seated here; and from amongst you, all the sãdhus praise some and do not praise others. Now, all of you are of a similar age and all have the same company. In fact, you all have the same food, clothing, upãsanã, shãstras, and mantra, and all listen to the same talks. So, what is the reason for the difference in levels amongst you? Moreover, he who is a sãdhu, follows dharma completely, is unbiased, and views all equally; therefore, he would describe everyone as they truly are. So, please answer the question.”
8.32 Again, Shreeji Mahãrãj provided the answer, “Only he who has shraddhã is praised by a sãdhu; and that is also why he follows dharma more strictly. Also, he has shraddhã in serving a sant, and in listening to the talks of Bhagvãn. He also has faith in the sant. Therefore, he has progressed. On the other hand, he who has not progressed, despite staying in such company, should be known to lack shraddhã.”
End of Vachanãmrut Loyã || 8 || 116 ||