6.1 In the Samvat year 1882, on Mãgshar vad 11 [4th January 1826], Swãmi Shree Sahajãnandji Mahãrãj was sitting on a platform in front of the mandir of Shree Lakshmi-Nãrãyan in Vadtãl. He was dressed entirely in white clothes. Garlands of flowers had been placed around His neck, and tassels of flowers were also hanging from His pãgh. A sabhã of munis, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him.
6.2 Then, Chiman-Rãvji asked, “Mahãrãj, initially, at the time of destruction, the jeevs with their kãran bodies were absorbed within Mãyã. Then, at the time of creation, the jeevs attained their sthul and sukshma bodies. Also, a variety of life (devs, humans, animals, and plants) was created. Was this due to karmas? Or was it due to Bhagvãn’s wish? If we say that it was due to karmas, then that would prove the Jain philosophy to be true. On the other hand, if we say that it was due to Bhagvãn’s wish, then it would suggest that Bhagvãn is biased and not compassionate. Therefore, please grace us by telling us how things really are.”
6.3 Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “You have not been able to ask the question properly. The sthul and sukshma bodies are both closely associated with the kãran body in the same way that a tree is closely associated with its seed. That is why it is called the kãran body. This kãran body is a form of avidyã; it is without a beginning; and it retains its sanchit karmas. Just as a seed and its shell have an eternal relationship, and just as pruthvi and smell have an eternal relationship, similarly, the jeev and the kãran body have an eternal relationship. Just as when planted seeds sprout upwards after coming into contact with rainwater, similarly, during the period of creation, the jeevs, which had resided within Mãyã together with their kãran bodies, attain various types of bodies according to their individual karmas by the will of Bhagvãn, the giver of the rewards of karmas.
6.4 “However, the Jains, who are nãstiks, claim that only karmas are the cause of this, but they do not describe Bhagvãn as the giver of the fruits of karmas. However, in reality, this belief of those nãstiks is wrong. Therefore, if someone claims that kãl is the only influencing force, then he is not correct; or, if someone claims that karma is the only influencing force, then he is not correct; or, if someone claims that Bhagvãn’s wish is the only influencing force, then even he is not correct. The shãstras would describe the predominance of whichever influence is predominant at that time; but that same influence should not be accepted for all situations.
6.5 “This is because after the world was created, in the first Satya-Yug, everyone’s wishes came true, all were brãhmans, and a child would be born merely by mentally wishing for one. There was a kalpa-vruksh in every home, and all people worshipped only Bhagvãn. Then, with the arrival of Tretã-Yug, people’s wishes were no longer fulfilled; only when a person went and stood under a kalpa-vruksh did his wishes become fulfilled; and only after touching a woman would a child be conceived. Then, when Dvãpar-Yug arrived, children were born only after physical association with a woman. However, the ways of Satya-Yug and Tretã-Yug are not to be found in all Satya-Yugs and Tretã-Yugs; they were found only in the first Satya-Yug and the first Tretã-Yug.
6.6 “Therefore, when there is the predominance of pleasant kãl, it diminishes the power of the impure karmas of the jeevs. However, when a terrible famine strikes, everyone suffers; or when there is a horrendous war, hundreds of thousands of people are killed at once. In these cases were everyone’s pleasant karmas suddenly used up at the same time? Instead, it is the intense power of unpleasant kãl that overcomes the force of the pleasant karmas of the jeevs. So, when the influence of intense kãl prevails, karmas have no influence; due to the influence of kãl, karmas that should have resulted in happiness lead to misery, and karmas that should have resulted in long life lead to death. In this way, when the influence of a strong kãl is prevalent, everything occurs due to kãl. This is mentioned in the shãstras.
6.7 “However, when many people become ekãntik bhaktas of Bhagvãn, then Satya-Yug prevails even in Kali-Yug. In these circumstances, the shãstras describe the strength of the pleasant karmas that result from the ekãntik bhaktas performing bhakti of Bhagvãn, but the strength of kãl is not mentioned.
6.8 “Without understanding this principle, those who believe in the nãstik philosophy describes that only karmas are the cause of everything; but, they do not realise that the principle is in reference to the strength of the karmas of ekãntik bhaktas of Bhagvãn. However, karmas of vimukhs are not said to have such strength. When Bhagvãn takes birth with the wish, ‘During this lifespan, I wish to grant kalyãn to all jeevs, both worthy and unworthy, who come into contact with my murti’, then kãl and karma have no influence whatsoever. At that time, only Bhagvãn’s influence prevails. When Bhagvãn assumed the avatar of Krishna, the evil Putnã tried to poison Bhagvãn; still, Shree Krishna Bhagvãn gave her the same fate as His mother Yashodã. There were other evil demons that came to kill Bhagvãn; but, even they were granted Akshardhãm by Shree Krishna Bhagvãn. Others were also granted kalyãn according to the feelings by which they were associated with Shree Krishna Bhagvãn. Therefore, in those instances, only Bhagvãn’s influence is said to be prevalent, but neither kãl nor karma is said to have any influences. Therefore, a person should interpret situations according to the circumstances in which they occur.”
End of Vachanãmrut Vadtãl || 6 || 206 ||