1.1 In the Samvat year 1882, on Kãrtik sud 11 [21st November 1825], Swãmi Shree Sahajãnandji Mahãrãj was sitting on a cushion with a cylindrical pillow that had been placed on a sinhãsan in the mango grove along the banks of Lake Gomti on the north side of the mandir of Shree Lakshmi-Nãrãyan in Vadtãl. He was wearing a white survãl and a white angarkhu. He had also tied a blue reto around His waist. An orange reto with edges decorated with golden threads was tied around His head, and another orange reto with a brocaded border was resting upon His shoulder. In addition to this, a garland of roses was hanging around His neck, tassels of roses had been placed upon His head, and bãjubandh and gajarã had been tied around His arms. Shreeji Mahãrãj sat in a charming way facing north, while a sabhã of munis, as well as haribhaktas from various places, gathered before Him.
1.2 Shobhã-Rãm Shãstri of Vadodarã asked Shreeji Mahãrãj a question: “Mahãrãj, when a mumukshu attains nirvikalp samãdhi, he becomes gunãtit and an ekãntik bhakta of Bhagvãn. Then, what becomes of a person who does not attain nirvikalp samãdhi?”
1.3 Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “Nirvikalp samãdhi is not only attained when the prãns are controlled. There is another way to attain nirvikalp samãdhi, which I shall explain to you; so, please listen carefully.
1.4 “The Shreemad Bhãgvat states:
“This verse explains that when a mumukshu establishes a firm belief of Shree Krishna Bhagvãn, who a person should take the refuge of and who can be realised through the nine characteristics, then he will never have a doubt. For example, once a person has firmly realised that this is a mango tree, then even if he is overcome by kãm, krodh, lobh, he will not entertain any doubts such as, ‘Is this a mango tree or not?’ In the same way, regardless of whether a person has controlled his prãns or not, if he has firm belief of the pratyaksha svarup of Shree Krishna Bhagvãn – without any doubts whatsoever – then he has attained nirvikalp samãdhi.
1.5 “However, someone may repeatedly have doubts in his mind about Bhagvãn’s nature. For example, he may think, ‘What must Bhagvãn’s svarup be like in Akshardhãm? What must His svarup be like in Shvet-Dvip and Vaikunth? When will I have the darshan of that svarup?’ He continues to have such doubts in his mind, but he does not feel fulfilled by realising that the pratyaksha svarup of Bhagvãn that he has attained is the cause of everything. Even if he attains samãdhi by Bhagvãn’s wish, his doubts are never eradicated. No matter what he sees in samãdhi, he always desires to see something new; the desires of his mind are never suppressed. Even if such a person experiences samãdhi, it is savikalp samãdhi; and even if he does not experience samãdhi, it is still savikalp samãdhi. Therefore, such a person cannot be called a gunãtit, ekãntik bhakta. A person who does have firm nishchay in Bhagvãn, regardless of whether he has samãdhi or not, can be said to have constant nirvikalp samãdhi.”
1.6 Then, Dinã-Nãth Bhatt asked, “What will become of a person who fails to conquer the mind, despite attempting to eradicate the desires in his mind?”
1.7 Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “As the war between the Kauravs and the Pãndavs was set to begin, the Kauravs and the Pãndavs thought, ‘Let us engage in the battle in such a holy place that even if we are killed in the fighting, our jeev will still benefit.’ With this thought in mind, they eventually fought a battle, attained Dev-Lok, and obtained happiness greater than that of ruling over a kingdom.
1.8 “Therefore, regarding a person who takes up a fight with his mind – if he wins, then he attains nirvikalp samãdhi and becomes an ekãntik bhakta of Bhagvãn. However, if he should lose to his mind, he falls from his spiritual activities. Then, maybe after one life or two lives or even after many lives, he will become an ekãntik bhakta; but, his efforts will not have been useless.
1.9 “Therefore, a person who is wise should definitely develop hatred towards his mind for the sake of his kalyãn. Then, if he conquers his mind, he is sure to benefit; but, even if he is defeated by his mind, he will eventually return to the path of enlightenment which is also beneficial in the end. Therefore, a person who aspires for kalyãn should most certainly develop hatred towards his mind.”
End of Vachanãmrut Vadtãl || 1 || 201 ||