This Week In History(35) -27 August to 2 September

Vachanamrut Gadhada II-13
This is one of the most important Vachanamruts for understanding that Shriji Maharaj was himself supreme God. Shriji Maharaj reveals his own greatness in a most humble and matter-of-fact way. He states that he is the supreme God who is seated in the divine abode of Akshardham. Then, Maharaj says, “Whoever meditates on the human form of that God sees the luminous, divine form seated in Akshardham. Such a person who meditates in this manner, traverses maya and attains the highest state of enlightenment. So, even though God assumes a human body, He is still divine, and the place where He resides is also nirgun. His clothes, jewellery, vehicles, attendants, food, drinks, etc. – in fact, any other objects which become associated with Him – are all nirgun. One who realises God’s form in this manner does not harbour any affection for the panchvishays, just like I do not. He becomes independent.”

Vachanamrut Sarangpur-1
Shriji Maharaj describes the characteristics of a person who has controlled his mind, “When the indriyas withdraw from the panchvishays, i.e., sights, sounds, smells, tastes and touch, and no desire to indulge in those vishays remains, then all of the indriyas are said to be conquered. Moreover, when the indriyas do not come into contact with the vishays, the mind also does not come into contact with the indriyas, and its vrutti remains within the heart. In this way, one who has shunned the panchvishays with absolute resolution should be known as having conquered one’s mind. But if one does have some affection for the vishays, then even if one has conquered one’s mind, it should not be known as having been conquered.”

Vachanamrut Gadhada II-14
Having described his own true supreme form the previous day in Vachanamrut Gadhada II-13, Shriji Maharaj describes the understanding of a devotee who has attain oneness with God, “Once a person has known that this is a neem tree, he never harbours the doubt in his mind, ‘Is this a neem tree, or not?’ Similarly, if one has total realisation of God’s form as I described yesterday, and if one no longer harbours any doubts about it, and if one’s mind in no way causes one’s conviction of God to waver regardless of the type of company one may encounter or the type of scriptures one may hear, then such absolute conviction is what I call oneness.”

Vachanamrut Gadhada II-26
Shriji Maharaj warns of the fate of those who indulge in looking at the drawbacks of others, “No matter how great he may be, if a person perceives flaws in others and virtues in himself, he will certainly encounter hindrances on the path of liberation.”

Vachanamrut Sarangpur-2
Shriji Maharaj praises Kushalkuvarba, Queen of Dharampur, for the way she engages in darshan of God, “While doing darshan of God one should not look from side to side. The novelty and divinity experienced in one’s heart at the time of the first darshan of God should remain exactly the same. Moreover, one should look at the form with a fixed gaze and then closing one’s eyes, one should internalise that form exactly as it is in one’s heart. For example, in Dharmapur, Kushalkuvarbai did my darshan, and at the same time, closed her eyes and internalised the form in her heart. Similarly, one should do darshan while keeping an attentive mind and a fixed gaze, but one should not do darshan as other ordinary people do. If, along with the darshan of God, one also looks at other people, cats, or dogs, then when one has a dream, one sees not only God, but also those other objects. That is why one should do darshan of God with a fixed gaze, not with a wandering gaze. One who does darshan of God while keeping one’s sight under control will feel that darshan to be continually novel.”

Vachanamrut Gadhada II-15
Shriji Maharaj describes the characteristics of a person who would never be deflected from Ekantik Dharma, “If, from childhood, a person has such a nature that he would never be suppressed by anyone’s personality, nor could anyone mock someone or jest in his presence, nor could anyone make even a mild sarcastic comment at him, then such a person would never deflect from dharma, vairagya, gnan and the bhakti of God. Even though his personality may make him appear arrogant, because of his zeal to attain liberation, he will not leave the Satsang fellowship under any circumstances."

Vachanamrut Sarangpur-3
Shriji Maharaj gives the definitions of shravan, manan, nididhyas and sakshatkar, “To listen to a talk through one’s ears is known as ‘shravan’. Then, having heard the talk, to mentally ponder over the talk, and to discard that part of the talk which is fit to be discarded and to retain that part of the talk which is fit to be retained is known as ‘manan’. Then, having mentally retained the talk with conviction, the practice of continuously recalling the talk day and night is known as ‘nididhyas’. Finally, when one can recall that talk exactly as it was – as if it were manifest before one – with absolute clarity and spontaneity, that is known as ‘sakshatkar’.”

Vachanamrut Sarangpur-4
Shriji Maharaj explains the nature of true wisdom, “One should clearly understand, ‘I am the atma, and not a single one of my characteristics can be found in the body. Moreover, not one of the characteristics of the body – which is jad, full of misery and perishable – can be found in me since I am chaitanya.’ After making such a distinction and becoming totally free of worldly desires, one should believe oneself to be chaitanya and contemplate upon Purushottam Bhagwan. Discerning between that which is jad and that which is chaitanya in this manner should be known as true wisdom."

Vachanamrut Gadhada III-21
Using the analogy of a golden thread, Shriji Maharaj explains why devotees may not experience the bliss of Satsang, “One whose gnan, vairagya, dharma and bhakti are not extremely firm will most certainly suffer a setback. For example, a thread dipped in wax remains stiff in winter and monsoon, but when summer comes, it invariably becomes slack. In the same manner, monsoon and winter represent the period when the devotees here are happy in every way and are also honoured in Satsang. During that period, gnan, vairagya, dharma and bhakti appear to be very intense. But with the advent of summer – the period when a devotee is insulted in Satsang or when he becomes physically distressed – his gnan, vairagya, dharma and bhakti become limp like the thread dipped in wax. Even then, I do not forsake such a person. But he, of his own accord, becomes obliged to withdraw from Satsang. Thereafter, even if he is supposedly a satsangi, he does not experience the bliss of satsang within.”

|| 1 September ||

Vachanamrut Sarangpur-5
Bhagwan Swaminarayan describes the method for eradicating worldly desires, “Even if one possesses only bhakti coupled with the knowledge of God’s greatness, the worldly desires which one harbours will still be eradicated, and all of the redemptive virtues will develop and reside within one’s heart. Therefore, bhakti of God coupled with the knowledge of His greatness is the greatest and most steadfast means to eradicate one’s worldly desires

Murti-pratishtha at Cleveland, OH

|| 2 September ||

Vachanamrut Sarangpur-6
This is one of the more philosophical Vachanamruts in which Shriji Maharaj talks about the three states – waking, dream and deep sleep – and the four types of speech.