Gadhada II-20

How Do the Faculty of Knowing and the Strength of the Indriyas of One Who Has Mastered Samādhi Increase?

On Posh vadi 14, Samvat 1878 [22 January 1822], Swāmi Shri Sahajānandji Mahārāj was sitting in front of the mandir of Shri Vāsudevnārāyan in Dādā Khāchar’s darbār in Gadhadā. He was wearing a white khes and had covered Himself with a white cotton cloth. On top of that cloth, He had covered Himself with a blanket of chhint as well. He had also tied a white pāgh around His head. At that time, while some paramhansas were singing devotional songs to the accompaniment of a tāl and mrudang, munis as well as devotees from various places had gathered before Him in an assembly.

Then, addressing the paramhansas, Shriji Mahārāj said, “At My residence today, I asked a question to Somlā Khāchar and the other devotees who stay with Me. I would like all of the paramhansas to get together and answer that question.”

The paramhansas requested, “Mahārāj, may we please hear that question.”

Thereupon Shriji Mahārāj said, “A person who masters samādhi attains a spiritual state that transcends māyā. He also has firm rapport with the form of God. Therefore, that person’s faculty of knowing as well as the strength of his body and indriyas should increase. Why? Because the 24 elements that have been produced from māyā have a form that is both jad and chaitanya; they cannot be said to be only jad, nor can they be said to be only chaitanya. Also, the strength in each of the elements cannot be said to be equal. There is a greater degree of awareness in the antahkaran than there is in the indriyas. Likewise, there is a greater degree of awareness in the jiva - the drashtā of the indriyas and antahkaran - than there is in the antahkaran.

“When that jiva experiences samādhi, it abandons its role as the drashtā of the indriyas and antahkaran, and like Brahma - who transcends māyā - that jiva becomes chaitanya, its rapport with the form of God being maintained. Now, regarding those who have mastered samādhi, some people think, ‘Whoever experiences samādhi loses even the knowledge he had previously.’ So, do the faculty of knowing and the strength of the body and indriyas of one who has mastered samādhi increase or not? That is the question.”

The paramhansas then answered according to their intellect, but no one was able to answer Shriji Mahārāj’s question satisfactorily.

Then Shriji Mahārāj said, “Here, I will answer. The answer to the question is that Brahma, who is the witness, enters the brahmānd - which is composed of the 24 elements, and which was produced from māyā - and makes it chaitanya, giving it the powers to perform all activities. The nature of that Brahma is such that when it enters an object that is as jad as wood or stone, that object becomes such that it can move. When the jiva attains likeness to that Brahma through samādhi, then that jiva can also be said to be brahmarup. As a result, its gnān also increases.

“With regards to the strength of the indriyas, one who practices yoga coupled with austerities, nivrutti dharma, and vairāgya attains yogic powers like that of Shukji. On the other hand, there may be a person whose austerities, observance of nivrutti dharma, and vairāgya are at an ordinary level, and who follows the path of pravrutti in the form of dharma, arth and kām. In his case, although he may experience samādhi, only his gnān will increase, but the strength of his indriyas does not increase and he does not attain yogic powers. In fact, even though a person may possess gnān like King Janak, those who follow the path of pravrutti do not attain yogic powers in the manner of Nārad, the Sanakādik and Shukji. On the other hand, one who has attained yogic powers can travel to God’s abodes such as Shwetdwip, etc., in his very body and can also travel to all places in this realm and beyond. But for those who follow the path of pravrutti, only their gnān increases - like King Janak; but it does not decrease.

“In fact, what happens is as described by Shri Krishna Bhagwān in the Gitā in the verse:

“The meaning of this verse is: ‘A self-controlled person is awake to that to which all other beings are asleep, and that to which all other beings are awake, a self-controlled person is asleep.’ Specifically, then, a person whose vision is facing inwards towards the ātmā has no regard for his body, indriyas or antahkaran. On seeing this, however, a person who is ignorant thinks, ‘The gnān of one who experiences samādhi decreases.’ As a result, if a person under the influence of rajogun, tamogun or impure sattvagun attempts to answer this question, then he would certainly think that the gnān of one who experiences samādhi does decrease. However, he does not realize, ‘I constantly believe my self to be the body and am speaking out of foolishness.’

“Therefore, the gnān of a person who experiences samādhi still increases even though he behaves distinctly from the body, indriyas and antahkaran. Even after he returns to the indriyas and antahkaran, the gnān obtained during samādhi is still not destroyed. As for a person who takes up austerities, nivrutti dharma and vairāgya - abandoning the path of pravrutti - just as his gnān has increased, similarly, the strength of his indriyas and antahkaran will increase as well. Also, he will attain the status of a realized yogi like Nārad, the Sanakādik and Shukji.”

On Posh vadi 14, Samvat 1878 [22 January 1822], Swami Shri Sahajanandji Maharaj was sitting in front of the mandir of Shri Vasudevnarayan in Dada Khachar’s darbar in Gadhada. He was wearing a white khes and had covered Himself with a white cotton cloth. On top of that cloth, He had covered Himself with a blanket of chhint as well. He had also tied a white pagh around His head. At that time, while some paramhansas were singing devotional songs to the accompaniment of a tal and mrudang, munis as well as devotees from various places had gathered before Him in an assembly.

Then, addressing the paramhansas, Shriji Maharaj said, “At My residence today, I asked a question to Somla Khachar and the other devotees who stay with Me. I would like all of the paramhansas to get together and answer that question.”

The paramhansas requested, “Maharaj, may we please hear that question.”

Thereupon Shriji Maharaj said, “A person who masters samadhi attains a spiritual state that transcends maya. He also has firm rapport with the form of God. Therefore, that person’s faculty of knowing as well as the strength of his body and indriyas should increase. Why? Because the 24 elements that have been produced from maya have a form that is both jad and chaitanya; they cannot be said to be only jad, nor can they be said to be only chaitanya. Also, the strength in each of the elements cannot be said to be equal. There is a greater degree of awareness in the antahkaran than there is in the indriyas. Likewise, there is a greater degree of awareness in the jiva - the drashta of the indriyas and antahkaran - than there is in the antahkaran.

“When that jiva experiences samadhi, it abandons its role as the drashta of the indriyas and antahkaran, and like Brahma - who transcends maya - that jiva becomes chaitanya, its rapport with the form of God being maintained. Now, regarding those who have mastered samadhi, some people think, ‘Whoever experiences samadhi loses even the knowledge he had previously.’ So, do the faculty of knowing and the strength of the body and indriyas of one who has mastered samadhi increase or not? That is the question.”

The paramhansas then answered according to their intellect, but no one was able to answer Shriji Maharaj’s question satisfactorily.

Then Shriji Maharaj said, “Here, I will answer. The answer to the question is that Brahma, who is the witness, enters the brahmand - which is composed of the 24 elements, and which was produced from maya - and makes it chaitanya, giving it the powers to perform all activities. The nature of that Brahma is such that when it enters an object that is as jad as wood or stone, that object becomes such that it can move. When the jiva attains likeness to that Brahma through samadhi, then that jiva can also be said to be brahmarup. As a result, its gnan also increases.

“With regards to the strength of the indriyas, one who practices yoga coupled with austerities, nivrutti dharma, and vairagya attains yogic powers like that of Shukji. On the other hand, there may be a person whose austerities, observance of nivrutti dharma, and vairagya are at an ordinary level, and who follows the path of pravrutti in the form of dharma, arth and kam. In his case, although he may experience samadhi, only his gnan will increase, but the strength of his indriyas does not increase and he does not attain yogic powers. In fact, even though a person may possess gnan like King Janak, those who follow the path of pravrutti do not attain yogic powers in the manner of Narad, the Sanakadik and Shukji. On the other hand, one who has attained yogic powers can travel to God’s abodes such as Shwetdwip, etc., in his very body and can also travel to all places in this realm and beyond. But for those who follow the path of pravrutti, only their gnan increases - like King Janak; but it does not decrease.

“In fact, what happens is as described by Shri Krishna Bhagwan in the Gita in the verse:

“The meaning of this verse is: ‘A self-controlled person is awake to that to which all other beings are asleep, and that to which all other beings are awake, a self-controlled person is asleep.’ Specifically, then, a person whose vision is facing inwards towards the atma has no regard for his body, indriyas or antahkaran. On seeing this, however, a person who is ignorant thinks, ‘The gnan of one who experiences samadhi decreases.’ As a result, if a person under the influence of rajogun, tamogun or impure sattvagun attempts to answer this question, then he would certainly think that the gnan of one who experiences samadhi does decrease. However, he does not realize, ‘I constantly believe my self to be the body and am speaking out of foolishness.’

“Therefore, the gnan of a person who experiences samadhi still increases even though he behaves distinctly from the body, indriyas and antahkaran. Even after he returns to the indriyas and antahkaran, the gnan obtained during samadhi is still not destroyed. As for a person who takes up austerities, nivrutti dharma and vairagya - abandoning the path of pravrutti - just as his gnan has increased, similarly, the strength of his indriyas and antahkaran will increase as well. Also, he will attain the status of a realized yogi like Narad, the Sanakadik and Shukji.”

FOOTNOTES