7.1 In the Samvat year 1877, on the night of Shrãvan vad 11 [3rd September, 1820], Shreeji 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.
7.2 In the sabhã, Shreeji Mahãrãj had requested the first skandh of the Shreemad Bhãgvat Purãn to be read. During the reading, the following statement was encountered: ‘Wherever the jagged edges of the manomay chakra are worn away, that place should be known as Naimishãranya Kshetra’. Hearing this, Muktãnand Swãmi inquired, “Mahãrãj, what exactly is the manomay chakra, and what should a person understand its jagged edges to be?”
7.3 Shreeji Mahãrãj explained, “A person should understand the mind to be the manomay chakra, and the ten indriyas to be its jagged edges. Wherever those jagged edges of the mind (the indriyas) wear away and become blunt, that place should be known as Naimishãranya Kshetra. Religious deeds (jap, tap, vrat, dhyãn, and pujã) commenced in that place flourish rapidly, day by day. Furthermore, that Naimishãranya Kshetra should be known to be wherever Bhagvãn’s ekãntik sant resides.
7.4 “When the jagged edges of the manomay chakra are worn away, no affection remains towards any of the panch-vishays. Then, even if a person sees a beautiful woman, or extremely attractive clothes, or jewellery, a strong hatred develops towards them deep within his mind. However, the vruttis of indriyas would never cling to them.
7.5 “For example, when an extremely sharp arrow pierces and lodges into its target, it cannot be removed. However, if that same arrow, with its tip removed so that only its shaft remains, were to be shot at a wall, it would rebound and fall to the ground. It would not penetrate the wall like the sharp-tipped arrow. Similarly, when the jagged edges of the manomay chakra (the indriyas) are worn away, then no matter how appealing the vishays may be, the vruttis of the indriyas would not be drawn towards them. Instead, they would rebound like the blunt arrow-shaft. When a person is able to behave in this way, the jagged edges of the manomay chakra can be said to have been worn away.
7.6 “So, a person should seek kalyãn wherever he sees such a Naimishãranya Kshetra in the form of the association of a sant, and he should remain there with an absolutely firm mind.”
End of Vachanãmrut Sãrangpur || 7 || 85 ||