12.1 In the Samvat year 1877, on Bhãdarvã sud 1 [8th September, 1820], Swãmi Shree Sahajãnandji Mahãrãj was sitting on a decorated bedstead on the veranda outside the north-facing rooms of Jeevã Khãchar’s darbãr in Sãrangpur. He was dressed entirely in white clothes. A sabhã of munis, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him.
12.2 Then, Nirvikãrãnand Swãmi asked a question: “Which qualities constantly remain in a sãdhu, and which qualities come and go?”
12.3 Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “First, there is ãtmã-nishthã; second, there is svadharma; and third, there is nishchay in the svarup of Bhagvãn. These three qualities constantly remain in a sãdhu, whereas others may come and may go. Therefore, while other qualities come and go, these three qualities will always remain.”
12.4 Then, Muktãnand Swãmi asked, “Why is it that even after understanding the distinction between the body and the ãtmã, a person forgets that distinction, and continues to identify himself with the body?”
12.5 Shreeji Mahãrãj explained, “Once a person has clearly understood the distinction between the body and the ãtmã, it cannot be forgotten. Even if he believes, ‘I am the body’, he can no longer accept himself as the body. Also, once he has firmly established the belief of Bhagvãn, even if he tries to reject it, it cannot be rejected. Furthermore, the belief that his understanding of ‘I am an ãtmã’ has been lost, and the belief that ‘I am the body’ has begun to prevail, is simply a misconception of his mind. The belief never actually returns. Such a bhakta with perfect gnãn is conscious only of his ãtmã. Also, he believes his ãtmã to be brahm-rup, and that Purushottam Bhagvãn, who is Parbrahm, forever resides in that brahm-rup ãtmã. In addition to this, his belief of Bhagvãn remains forever steady.”
12.6 Then, Svayamprakãshãnand Swãmi asked, “How should a person think of his ãtmã?”
12.7 Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “When the drashtã (the jeevãtmã) focuses on the antah-karan, it becomes unaware of the outer sthul body, and all the vishays related to it. Then, with the thought that rests between the antah-karan and the drashtã, a person should realise the nature of the man, the buddhi, the chitt, and the ahankãr. A person should then observe the various immoral thoughts within the antah-karan. Then, only when those immoral thoughts end, should a person perform dhyãn on Bhagvãn’s murti. However, as long as those immoral thoughts and desires persist, a person should keep observing them, but he should not perform dhyãn at that time.
12.8 “In addition, when the five gnãn-indriyas of the outer sthul body are drawn towards their respective vishays, a person should think in two ways: Firstly, he should think about the vishay towards which the indriyas have been drawn. Secondly, he should think about the drashtã who watches from the organ of the indriya. Then, when the first thought of the vishay and the second thought of the drashtã merge into one, his vrutti becomes completely detached from the vishays. However, if he does not think in this way and attempts to break his vrutti from the vishays forcefully, then the vrutti’s attraction towards the vishays will not be eradicated. On the other hand, if he withdraws his vrutti by applying this thought process, his vrutti will never again become attached to the vishays. Therefore, as long as the vruttis of a person’s indriyas have affection for the vishays, he should avoid performing dhyãn of Bhagvãn. Only when the vruttis of the indriyas become stable should he perform the dhyãn of Bhagvãn.
12.9 “Also, when the drashtã is active in the outer sthul body, a person should be absolutely clear in making the distinction that when he is active in the sthul body, he should never look towards the desires arising in the sukshma body; and when a person is active in the antah-karan, he should become unaware of his sthul body. Moreover, using the thought which rests between the drashtã and drashya, he should realise, ‘The drashtã and drashya are absolutely distinct’. With this understanding, a person should assign the features of the body, to the body, and the features of the drashtã, which is chaitanya, to chaitanya. Also, childhood, youth, old age, fatness, thinness, birth, and death, are all aspects of the body. Therefore, they should never be thought of as belonging to the ãtmã. On the other hand, being achhedhya, abhedhya, not aging, immortal, full of gnãn, blissful, and eternal, are all aspects of the ãtmã. They should in no way be considered to belong to the body. Instead, those characteristics should be understood to belong to the ãtmã.
12.10 “These thoughts should not be abandoned as long as desires and immoral thoughts persist in the antah-karan. Take the example of a king: As long as he is confronted by an enemy, he cannot preside on his throne in peace, nor does he indulge in any pleasures. Only when all of his enemies are conquered, does he enjoy the luxuries of his kingdom. Similarly, a bhakta of Bhagvãn should firmly keep these thoughts, as long as the enemies (his mind and indriyas) continue to trouble him. Only when all the desires of his mind and indriyas have diminished, should he perform dhyãn of Bhagvãn.”
End of Vachanãmrut Sãrangpur || 12 || 90 ||