Gadhada I-24

The Elevated Spiritual State of Gnān; ‘Sourness’ in the Form of the Understanding of God’s Greatness

On the evening of Posh sudi 6, Samvat 1876 [22 December 1819], Shriji Mahārāj was sitting on a large, decorated cot on the veranda outside the east-facing rooms of Dādā Khāchar’s darbār in Gadhadā. He had tied a white feto around His head and was wearing a white khes. Also, He had donned a warm, red dagli and had covered Himself with a thick, white cotton cloth. At that time, paramhansas as well as devotees from various places had gathered before Him.

Thereupon Shriji Mahārāj said to the paramhansas, “I shall explain how an elevated spiritual state can be attained by gnān. What is that gnān like? Well, it transcends Prakruti-Purush. When an elevated spiritual state is attained by this gnān, Prakruti-Purush and the entities evolved from them do not come into view. This is known as gnān-pralay. One who has attained such an elevated spiritual state sees only pure chaitanya - within which only the form of God resides, with no other forms remaining. At times, one cannot see even the form of God within that divine light; only the light is seen. At other times, however, both the divine light and the form of God are seen. This is known as the elevated spiritual state attained by gnān. Such an elevated spiritual state is attained by constantly maintaining one’s vrutti on the form of the incarnate God visible at present.”

Continuing, Shriji Mahārāj said, “The extent to which one has understood the greatness of God determines the intensity of both the divine light experienced in the heart and the divine sound of pranav that is heard. Furthermore, the extent of one’s faith and understanding of the greatness of God determines the extent to which vicious thoughts are curbed. Thus, when one develops absolute faith in God and thoroughly understands His greatness, all of one’s vicious thoughts are eliminated.

“For example, if a person has sucked a slice of lemon, his teeth become a little sensitive, but he is still able to chew soft chanā. However, if he has sucked a whole lemon, he is unable to chew even chanā; in fact, he chews even a mung bean with much difficulty. If, however, he has sucked many lemons, he would be unable to chew even cooked rice. In the same manner, when one has developed ‘sourness’ in the form of faith in God and an understanding of His greatness, one’s gums - in the form of the four antahkarans and ten indriyas - become sensitized. In that state, the jiva is unable to chew chanā in the form of thoughts for the vishays with its gums in the form of the man. With its gums in the form of the chitt, the jiva becomes incapable of contemplating on the vishays. With its gums in the form of the buddhi, the jiva becomes incapable of developing a resolve for the vishays. With its gums in the form of the ahamkār, the jiva becomes incapable of developing any form of consciousness related to the vishays. Similarly, the jiva, with its gums in the form of the five gnān-indriyas and five karma-indriyas, becomes incapable of chewing chanā in the form of the vishays of the respective indriyas.

“Conversely, the indriyas and the antahkaran of a person who does not have absolute faith in God and who has not fully realized the greatness of God do not withdraw completely from their respective vishays.”

Shriji Mahārāj then explained, “The form of God transcends māyā and its gunas and is free of all types of flaws, but it is for the sake of the liberation of jivas that He appears to be like a human. In fact, God is devoid of each of the flaws that senseless people attribute to Him. However, the intellect of the person attributing such flaws will never be freed of those flaws that he attributes to God. Specifically, a person who believes God to be full of lust will himself become intensely full of lust; a person who believes God to be full of anger will himself become intensely full of anger; a person who believes God to be full of avarice will himself become intensely full of avarice; and a person who believes God to be full of jealousy will himself become intensely full of jealousy; etc. In fact, whatever types of flaws a person attributes to God will ultimately cause misery to the person himself - just as a fistful of sand thrown at the sun falls back into the thrower’s eyes. On the other hand, if a person realizes God to be absolutely flawless, then regardless of his own swabhāvs, he himself becomes absolutely flawless as well.”

Thereafter, Brahmānand Swāmi asked, “Suppose there is a person whose indriyas are not drawn towards any of the vishays; nor do vicious thoughts arise in his antahkaran. He also has absolute faith in God. Despite this, though, a feeling of unfulfillment remains, and he feels despondent within. What can be the reason for this?”

Shriji Mahārāj replied, “That is also a major deficiency in the devotee; i.e., despite the fact that his mind has become stable and despite the fact that he has intensely firm faith in God, he still fails to experience profound happiness in his heart. Specifically, he does not feel, ‘I am extremely fortunate and completely fulfilled, whereas others in the world are constantly being troubled by lust, anger, avarice, infatuation, arrogance, matsar, desires and cravings. They are subject to the three types of sufferings¹ day and night. As for me, the incarnate form of Purushottam has compassionately revealed His own form to me. He has also freed me from lust, anger and all of the other vicious natures. He has also placed me in the company of sādhus similar to Nārad and the Sanakādik. Indeed, I am very fortunate.’ Failing to think in this manner and failing to remain extremely elated throughout the day is a major deficiency. In fact, such a devotee is like a child who has been given a chintāmani in its hand, yet derives no happiness from it because it does not realize the chintāmani’s value. Similarly, the major drawback of that devotee is that despite having attained Purushottam Bhagwān, he does not feel constant elation within by realizing, ‘I am completely fulfilled.’

“Moreover, when a fault is noticed in a devotee, one should think, ‘His swabhāv is such that it is not suitable in the Satsang fellowship; nevertheless, he has attained satsang. Regardless of what he is like, he has still remained in the Satsang fellowship. Surely, then, his sanskārs from past lives or from this very life must be extremely favorable for him to have attained this satsang.’ With this understanding, one should highly appreciate even such a person’s virtues.”

After this discourse, Shriji Mahārāj bid ‘Jai Sachchidānand’ to everyone and returned to His residence.

On the evening of Posh sudi 6, Samvat 1876 [22 December 1819], Shriji Maharaj was sitting on a large, decorated cot on the veranda outside the east-facing rooms of Dada Khachar’s darbar in Gadhada. He had tied a white feto around His head and was wearing a white khes. Also, He had donned a warm, red dagli and had covered Himself with a thick, white cotton cloth. At that time, paramhansas as well as devotees from various places had gathered before Him.

Thereupon Shriji Maharaj said to the paramhansas, “I shall explain how an elevated spiritual state can be attained by gnan. What is that gnan like? Well, it transcends Prakruti-Purush. When an elevated spiritual state is attained by this gnan, Prakruti-Purush and the entities evolved from them do not come into view. This is known as gnan-pralay. One who has attained such an elevated spiritual state sees only pure chaitanya - within which only the form of God resides, with no other forms remaining. At times, one cannot see even the form of God within that divine light; only the light is seen. At other times, however, both the divine light and the form of God are seen. This is known as the elevated spiritual state attained by gnan. Such an elevated spiritual state is attained by constantly maintaining one’s vrutti on the form of the incarnate God visible at present.”

Continuing, Shriji Maharaj said, “The extent to which one has understood the greatness of God determines the intensity of both the divine light experienced in the heart and the divine sound of pranav that is heard. Furthermore, the extent of one’s faith and understanding of the greatness of God determines the extent to which vicious thoughts are curbed. Thus, when one develops absolute faith in God and thoroughly understands His greatness, all of one’s vicious thoughts are eliminated.

“For example, if a person has sucked a slice of lemon, his teeth become a little sensitive, but he is still able to chew soft chana. However, if he has sucked a whole lemon, he is unable to chew even chana; in fact, he chews even a mung bean with much difficulty. If, however, he has sucked many lemons, he would be unable to chew even cooked rice. In the same manner, when one has developed ‘sourness’ in the form of faith in God and an understanding of His greatness, one’s gums - in the form of the four antahkarans and ten indriyas - become sensitized. In that state, the jiva is unable to chew chana in the form of thoughts for the vishays with its gums in the form of the man. With its gums in the form of the chitt, the jiva becomes incapable of contemplating on the vishays. With its gums in the form of the buddhi, the jiva becomes incapable of developing a resolve for the vishays. With its gums in the form of the ahamkar, the jiva becomes incapable of developing any form of consciousness related to the vishays. Similarly, the jiva, with its gums in the form of the five gnan-indriyas and five karma-indriyas, becomes incapable of chewing chana in the form of the vishays of the respective indriyas.

“Conversely, the indriyas and the antahkaran of a person who does not have absolute faith in God and who has not fully realized the greatness of God do not withdraw completely from their respective vishays.”

Shriji Maharaj then explained, “The form of God transcends maya and its gunas and is free of all types of flaws, but it is for the sake of the liberation of jivas that He appears to be like a human. In fact, God is devoid of each of the flaws that senseless people attribute to Him. However, the intellect of the person attributing such flaws will never be freed of those flaws that he attributes to God. Specifically, a person who believes God to be full of lust will himself become intensely full of lust; a person who believes God to be full of anger will himself become intensely full of anger; a person who believes God to be full of avarice will himself become intensely full of avarice; and a person who believes God to be full of jealousy will himself become intensely full of jealousy; etc. In fact, whatever types of flaws a person attributes to God will ultimately cause misery to the person himself - just as a fistful of sand thrown at the sun falls back into the thrower’s eyes. On the other hand, if a person realizes God to be absolutely flawless, then regardless of his own swabhavs, he himself becomes absolutely flawless as well.”

Thereafter, Brahmanand Swami asked, “Suppose there is a person whose indriyas are not drawn towards any of the vishays; nor do vicious thoughts arise in his antahkaran. He also has absolute faith in God. Despite this, though, a feeling of unfulfillment remains, and he feels despondent within. What can be the reason for this?”

Shriji Maharaj replied, “That is also a major deficiency in the devotee; i.e., despite the fact that his mind has become stable and despite the fact that he has intensely firm faith in God, he still fails to experience profound happiness in his heart. Specifically, he does not feel, ‘I am extremely fortunate and completely fulfilled, whereas others in the world are constantly being troubled by lust, anger, avarice, infatuation, arrogance, matsar, desires and cravings. They are subject to the three types of sufferings¹ day and night. As for me, the incarnate form of Purushottam has compassionately revealed His own form to me. He has also freed me from lust, anger and all of the other vicious natures. He has also placed me in the company of sadhus similar to Narad and the Sanakadik. Indeed, I am very fortunate.’ Failing to think in this manner and failing to remain extremely elated throughout the day is a major deficiency. In fact, such a devotee is like a child who has been given a chintamani in its hand, yet derives no happiness from it because it does not realize the chintamani’s value. Similarly, the major drawback of that devotee is that despite having attained Purushottam Bhagwan, he does not feel constant elation within by realizing, ‘I am completely fulfilled.’

“Moreover, when a fault is noticed in a devotee, one should think, ‘His swabhav is such that it is not suitable in the Satsang fellowship; nevertheless, he has attained satsang. Regardless of what he is like, he has still remained in the Satsang fellowship. Surely, then, his sanskars from past lives or from this very life must be extremely favorable for him to have attained this satsang.’ With this understanding, one should highly appreciate even such a person’s virtues.”

After this discourse, Shriji Maharaj bid ‘Jai Sachchidanand’ to everyone and returned to His residence.

FOOTNOTES