Amdavad-5

Amdāvād-5

On Fāgun vadi 4, Samvat 1882 [27 March 1826], Swāmi Shri Sahajānandji Mahārāj was sitting on a cushion with a cylindrical pillow placed on a large, decorated cot on top of a square platform north of the mandir of Shri Narnārāyan in Amdāvād. He was dressed entirely in white clothes. Around His neck was a large garland of roses, and tassels of flowers were hanging from His pāgh. With His right hand, He was turning a rosary made from tulsi beads. At that time, an assembly of senior munis as well as devotees from various places had gathered before Him.

Thereupon Chhadidār Kubersinhji asked Shriji Mahārāj, “Mahārāj, what is the most extraordinary characteristic of Shri Purushottam Nārāyan?”

Shriji Mahārāj replied, “No one except Shri Purushottam Nārāyan can control the nādis and prāns of innumerable beings and grant them instant samādhi. Nor can anyone else influence hundreds of thousands of people by having them abide by niyams. Nor does anyone else have the power to control Akshar and the muktas. These are the extraordinary characteristics of Purushottam Nārāyan.”

Thereafter, Kubersinhji asked a second question, “Mahārāj, there are countless millions of brahmānds. In this brahmānd, the avatār of God is present in Bharat-khand, in Jambu-dwip. But please explain how God redeems the countless beings of the other brahmānds.”

Shriji Mahārāj explained, “The very God that resides in this brahmānd is also the lord of all. It is He Himself who, for the sake of the liberation of countless beings, assumes a body in each brahmānd. Innumerable beings seek His refuge and consequently attain the holy feet of Shri Purushottam Nārāyan in Akshardhām. That is the answer to your question.”

Kubersinh then asked again, “Mahārāj, please identify what satsangis who know God should renounce and what they should accept.”

Shriji Mahārāj answered, “They should in all ways renounce desires for worldly objects; instead, they should develop desires related to God. If they do have desires for wealth, they should reason instead, ‘If we worship God, we will attain gold coins, diamonds, rubies, jewels and other invaluable things in the abode of God’ - but in no way should they harbor desires for worldly objects. If they have lustful desires, they should think, ‘If we look lustfully towards another woman, we will have to pass through the cycle of 8.4 million life forms and suffer extensively. Besides, even dogs and donkeys indulge in this, whereas I have attained the incarnate form of Purushottam. It will be a great loss for me if He is displeased.’ Reasoning in this manner, they should renounce such lustful desires and should desire happiness that is related to God. If they have affection for the relatives of the body, they should abandon it. Instead, they should form affection towards the Sant, the servant of God. They should accept this much.

“On the other hand, satsangis should renounce the sense of I-ness towards the body and develop an attitude of servitude towards God. If God or the Sant have become displeased in any way or have held one in contempt, then one should discard all ill feelings that one may have developed towards God or the Sant. Moreover, one should realize one’s own mistake and accept the virtue of God and the Sant. In this way, one should always think positively but never think negatively. That is the answer to your question.”

Thereafter Kubersinh asked another question, “Mahārāj, please explain the nature of dharma, arth, kām and liberation.”

Shriji Mahārāj smiled gently and said, “The nature of arth is to accumulate wealth or to fulfill one’s aim of liberation. That is the nature of arth. The nature of dharma is to use that wealth in Satsang for the purpose of dharma but not squander it for other purposes. That is the nature of dharma. The nature of kām is to have only one wife, to have intercourse with her only at the appropriate time and to renounce all other women in the world by regarding them as one’s mother or sister or daughter. That is the nature of kām. Finally, the nature of liberation is to diligently observe all of the vows of Satsang and keep unfaltering faith in God. That is the nature of liberation. That is the answer to your question.” So saying, Shriji Mahārāj retired to sleep.

On Fagun vadi 4, Samvat 1882 [27 March 1826], Swami Shri Sahajanandji Maharaj was sitting on a cushion with a cylindrical pillow placed on a large, decorated cot on top of a square platform north of the mandir of Shri Narnarayan in Amdavad. He was dressed entirely in white clothes. Around His neck was a large garland of roses, and tassels of flowers were hanging from His pagh. With His right hand, He was turning a rosary made from tulsi beads. At that time, an assembly of senior munis as well as devotees from various places had gathered before Him.

Thereupon Chhadidar Kubersinhji asked Shriji Maharaj, “Maharaj, what is the most extraordinary characteristic of Shri Purushottam Narayan?”

Shriji Maharaj replied, “No one except Shri Purushottam Narayan can control the nadis and prans of innumerable beings and grant them instant samadhi. Nor can anyone else influence hundreds of thousands of people by having them abide by niyams. Nor does anyone else have the power to control Akshar and the muktas. These are the extraordinary characteristics of Purushottam Narayan.”

Thereafter, Kubersinhji asked a second question, “Maharaj, there are countless millions of brahmands. In this brahmand, the avatar of God is present in Bharat-khand, in Jambu-dwip. But please explain how God redeems the countless beings of the other brahmands.”

Shriji Maharaj explained, “The very God that resides in this brahmand is also the lord of all. It is He Himself who, for the sake of the liberation of countless beings, assumes a body in each brahmand. Innumerable beings seek His refuge and consequently attain the holy feet of Shri Purushottam Narayan in Akshardham. That is the answer to your question.”

Kubersinh then asked again, “Maharaj, please identify what satsangis who know God should renounce and what they should accept.”

Shriji Maharaj answered, “They should in all ways renounce desires for worldly objects; instead, they should develop desires related to God. If they do have desires for wealth, they should reason instead, ‘If we worship God, we will attain gold coins, diamonds, rubies, jewels and other invaluable things in the abode of God’ - but in no way should they harbor desires for worldly objects. If they have lustful desires, they should think, ‘If we look lustfully towards another woman, we will have to pass through the cycle of 8.4 million life forms and suffer extensively. Besides, even dogs and donkeys indulge in this, whereas I have attained the incarnate form of Purushottam. It will be a great loss for me if He is displeased.’ Reasoning in this manner, they should renounce such lustful desires and should desire happiness that is related to God. If they have affection for the relatives of the body, they should abandon it. Instead, they should form affection towards the Sant, the servant of God. They should accept this much.

“On the other hand, satsangis should renounce the sense of I-ness towards the body and develop an attitude of servitude towards God. If God or the Sant have become displeased in any way or have held one in contempt, then one should discard all ill feelings that one may have developed towards God or the Sant. Moreover, one should realize one’s own mistake and accept the virtue of God and the Sant. In this way, one should always think positively but never think negatively. That is the answer to your question.”

Thereafter Kubersinh asked another question, “Maharaj, please explain the nature of dharma, arth, kam and liberation.”

Shriji Maharaj smiled gently and said, “The nature of arth is to accumulate wealth or to fulfill one’s aim of liberation. That is the nature of arth. The nature of dharma is to use that wealth in Satsang for the purpose of dharma but not squander it for other purposes. That is the nature of dharma. The nature of kam is to have only one wife, to have intercourse with her only at the appropriate time and to renounce all other women in the world by regarding them as one’s mother or sister or daughter. That is the nature of kam. Finally, the nature of liberation is to diligently observe all of the vows of Satsang and keep unfaltering faith in God. That is the nature of liberation. That is the answer to your question.” So saying, Shriji Maharaj retired to sleep.