Gadhada II-34

Are the Elements Jad or Chaitanya?

On Bhādarva sudi 1, Samvat 1880 [5 September 1823], Swāmi Shri Sahajānandji Mahārāj was sitting on the veranda outside the east-facing rooms of Dādā Khāchar’s darbār in Gadhadā. He was wearing a white dhotiyu and had covered Himself with a white cotton cloth. He had also tied a black-bordered cloth around His head. At that time, some paramhansas were singing to the accompaniment of a dukad and sarodā, while other paramhansas as well as devotees from various places had gathered before Him in an assembly.

Shriji Mahārāj then said, “Please stop the devotional songs, and let us conduct a question-answer session in order to dispel drowsiness.”

Having said that, Shriji Mahārāj continued, “First of all, allow Me to ask a question: The 24 elements such as the indriyas, antahkaran, etc. - which are the result of māyā - reside in the jiva. Now, are those elements jad, or are they chaitanya?”

The paramhansas replied, “Those elements are definitely chaitanya.”

Hearing the reply, Shriji Mahārāj countered, “If those elements are chaitanya, then along with the jiva residing in this body, there should be 24 jivas for the 24 elements. Thus, when the jiva attains liberation, it would be distributed among all of them; moreover, all sins that are committed by the jiva would also be distributed among all of them. Therefore, the experiencer of pleasure and pain cannot be said to be just one jiva. Furthermore, the three types of karmas - sanchit karmas, prārabdha karmas and kriyamān karmas - cannot be said to apply to just one jiva. Furthermore, in the past, when Nārad and the others became liberated, only their own jiva became liberated, but there is no mention of the jivas of the 24 elements becoming liberated as well.”

By using such logic, Shriji Mahārāj proved the elements to be without a jiva. He then logically disproved each answer given by the paramhansas. As a result, the paramhansas were unable to answer the question in any way at all.

Shriji Mahārāj then said, “Here, allow Me to answer the question. Due to the difference between an effect and its cause, there are two types of elements. The elements that are in the form of the cause are chaitanya, and the elements that are in the form of the effect are jad. Now, in actuality, the jiva resides in the heart; but through its power of consciousness, it behaves with oneness with the body, indriyas and antahkaran. As a result, the body, indriyas, etc., appear to be chaitanya, but in reality they are jad.

“When that jiva becomes a devotee of God and attains the abode of God, the elements which are jad are left behind. Now, as those 24 elements are produced from māyā, they are forms of māyā and are jad; they appear differently in the form of the body, indriyas and antahkaran. For example, there is one pruthvi that assumes the five forms of the skin, flesh, marrow, bones and muscles. Due to the ingenuity of the maker, it also comes in the form of glass. In the same way, that māyā, due to the will of God, appears in different forms - the body, the indriyas, etc.”

On Bhadarva sudi 1, Samvat 1880 [5 September 1823], Swami Shri Sahajanandji Maharaj was sitting on the veranda outside the east-facing rooms of Dada Khachar’s darbar in Gadhada. He was wearing a white dhotiyu and had covered Himself with a white cotton cloth. He had also tied a black-bordered cloth around His head. At that time, some paramhansas were singing to the accompaniment of a dukad and saroda, while other paramhansas as well as devotees from various places had gathered before Him in an assembly.

Shriji Maharaj then said, “Please stop the devotional songs, and let us conduct a question-answer session in order to dispel drowsiness.”

Having said that, Shriji Maharaj continued, “First of all, allow Me to ask a question: The 24 elements such as the indriyas, antahkaran, etc. - which are the result of maya - reside in the jiva. Now, are those elements jad, or are they chaitanya?”

The paramhansas replied, “Those elements are definitely chaitanya.”

Hearing the reply, Shriji Maharaj countered, “If those elements are chaitanya, then along with the jiva residing in this body, there should be 24 jivas for the 24 elements. Thus, when the jiva attains liberation, it would be distributed among all of them; moreover, all sins that are committed by the jiva would also be distributed among all of them. Therefore, the experiencer of pleasure and pain cannot be said to be just one jiva. Furthermore, the three types of karmas - sanchit karmas, prarabdha karmas and kriyaman karmas - cannot be said to apply to just one jiva. Furthermore, in the past, when Narad and the others became liberated, only their own jiva became liberated, but there is no mention of the jivas of the 24 elements becoming liberated as well.”

By using such logic, Shriji Maharaj proved the elements to be without a jiva. He then logically disproved each answer given by the paramhansas. As a result, the paramhansas were unable to answer the question in any way at all.

Shriji Maharaj then said, “Here, allow Me to answer the question. Due to the difference between an effect and its cause, there are two types of elements. The elements that are in the form of the cause are chaitanya, and the elements that are in the form of the effect are jad. Now, in actuality, the jiva resides in the heart; but through its power of consciousness, it behaves with oneness with the body, indriyas and antahkaran. As a result, the body, indriyas, etc., appear to be chaitanya, but in reality they are jad.

“When that jiva becomes a devotee of God and attains the abode of God, the elements which are jad are left behind. Now, as those 24 elements are produced from maya, they are forms of maya and are jad; they appear differently in the form of the body, indriyas and antahkaran. For example, there is one pruthvi that assumes the five forms of the skin, flesh, marrow, bones and muscles. Due to the ingenuity of the maker, it also comes in the form of glass. In the same way, that maya, due to the will of God, appears in different forms - the body, the indriyas, etc.”