Kariyani-12

Destroying the Kāran Body; A Tamarind Seed

On Kārtik sudi Punam, Samvat 1877 [20 November 1820], Swāmi Shri Sahajānandji Mahārāj was sitting on a large, decorated cot on the veranda outside the east-facing rooms of Vastā Khāchar’s darbār in Kāriyāni. He was wearing a white khes and a white dagli made of chhint. He had also tied a white feto with a bokāni around His head. At that time, an assembly of paramhansas as well as devotees from various places had gathered before Him.

Thereupon Shriji Mahārāj said, “Please initiate a question-answer session.”

Thereafter, the munis asked questions amongst themselves for quite some time, wherein the topic of the three bodies of the jiva - sthul, sukshma and kāran; and the three bodies of ishwar - virāt, sutrātmā and avyākrut, arose.

Shriji Mahārāj then commented, “The kāran body is the māyā of the jiva. That same kāran body evolves into the sthul and sukshma bodies. Thus, all three - the sthul, sukshma and kāran bodies - can be said to be the māyā of the jiva. In the same manner, virāt, sutrātmā and avyākrut can be said to be the māyā of ishwar.

“This māyā of the jiva, i.e., the kāran body, is attached so strongly to the jiva that they cannot be separated by any means whatsoever. However, if a person attains the company of the Sant, realizes the form of God through the words of that Sant, meditates on that form of God and imbibes the words of God in his heart, then the kāran body attached to his jiva is burnt completely.

“For example, the skin of a tamarind seed is extremely firmly attached to the seed. But when the seed is roasted over a fire, the skin is burnt and becomes detached. It can then be peeled off easily by rubbing the seed in one’s hands. Similarly, when the kāran body is ‘roasted’ by the meditation and words of God, it becomes separated from the jiva just as easily as one rubs off the skin of a roasted tamarind seed. However, even if one were to try a million other methods, one could not destroy the jiva’s ignorance in the form of the kāran body.”

Thereafter, Shriji Mahārāj asked a question to the munis, “During the waking state, sattvagun prevails and one has knowledge of all objects. However, despite having heard something in the state of wakefulness, only when one contemplates on it in the sukshma body does whatever one has heard become consolidated. But rajogun prevails in the sukshma body, and during the state of rajogun, complete knowledge is not possible. Yet, in the sukshma body, when one contemplates on what one has heard during the waking state, it becomes complete knowledge. How can this apparent contradiction be resolved?”

The munis collectively attempted to explain to the best of their understanding, but none could provide a satisfactory answer to Shriji Mahārāj’s question. Thus, they folded their hands and said, “Mahārāj, this question can only be answered by You.”

Shriji Mahārāj thereupon explained, “The answer is that the jiva, which is the kshetragna, dwells within the heart. The kshetragna enlightens the 14 indriyas; of these, the antahkaran dwells extremely close to the kshetragna. As a result, whatever one hears is consolidated when one contemplates on it in the antahkaran. After all, the kshetragna is more powerful than all of the indriyas and the antahkaran, and so whatever it endorses becomes thoroughly consolidated.”

Having heard this answer, the munis remarked, “Mahārāj, You have given a precise answer. No one besides You could have answered that question.”

Thereafter, Shriji Mahārāj said, “Regardless of how lustful, angry, greedy or lewd a person may be, if he listens to these types of discourses with faith and love, all of his flaws would be eradicated. For example, if a man with teeth strong enough to chew raw chanā were to eat a great many sour mangoes, then he would not be able to chew even boiled rice. In the same way, if a person who is strongly overpowered by lust, anger, etc., were to listen to these discourses with faith and persistence, then that person would no longer be capable of indulging in the panchvishays. Moreover, the mind does not become as free of desires for vishays by subjecting the body to austere observances such as tapta-kruchchhra, chāndrāyan or other vows as it does by listening to these discourses of God. In addition, your minds must not be becoming as stable while meditating or by turning the rosary as perfectly as they do while you are listening to these discourses. Thus, one should listen to the discourses of Purushottam Nārāyan with faith and love. There is no better method to stabilize the mind and to free it of the desires for vishays.”

On Kartik sudi Punam, Samvat 1877 [20 November 1820], Swami Shri Sahajanandji Maharaj was sitting on a large, decorated cot on the veranda outside the east-facing rooms of Vasta Khachar’s darbar in Kariyani. He was wearing a white khes and a white dagli made of chhint. He had also tied a white feto with a bokani around His head. At that time, an assembly of paramhansas as well as devotees from various places had gathered before Him.

Thereupon Shriji Maharaj said, “Please initiate a question-answer session.”

Thereafter, the munis asked questions amongst themselves for quite some time, wherein the topic of the three bodies of the jiva - sthul, sukshma and karan; and the three bodies of ishwar - virat, sutratma and avyakrut, arose.

Shriji Maharaj then commented, “The karan body is the maya of the jiva. That same karan body evolves into the sthul and sukshma bodies. Thus, all three - the sthul, sukshma and karan bodies - can be said to be the maya of the jiva. In the same manner, virat, sutratma and avyakrut can be said to be the maya of ishwar.

“This maya of the jiva, i.e., the karan body, is attached so strongly to the jiva that they cannot be separated by any means whatsoever. However, if a person attains the company of the Sant, realizes the form of God through the words of that Sant, meditates on that form of God and imbibes the words of God in his heart, then the karan body attached to his jiva is burnt completely.

“For example, the skin of a tamarind seed is extremely firmly attached to the seed. But when the seed is roasted over a fire, the skin is burnt and becomes detached. It can then be peeled off easily by rubbing the seed in one’s hands. Similarly, when the karan body is ‘roasted’ by the meditation and words of God, it becomes separated from the jiva just as easily as one rubs off the skin of a roasted tamarind seed. However, even if one were to try a million other methods, one could not destroy the jiva’s ignorance in the form of the karan body.”

Thereafter, Shriji Maharaj asked a question to the munis, “During the waking state, sattvagun prevails and one has knowledge of all objects. However, despite having heard something in the state of wakefulness, only when one contemplates on it in the sukshma body does whatever one has heard become consolidated. But rajogun prevails in the sukshma body, and during the state of rajogun, complete knowledge is not possible. Yet, in the sukshma body, when one contemplates on what one has heard during the waking state, it becomes complete knowledge. How can this apparent contradiction be resolved?”

The munis collectively attempted to explain to the best of their understanding, but none could provide a satisfactory answer to Shriji Maharaj’s question. Thus, they folded their hands and said, “Maharaj, this question can only be answered by You.”

Shriji Maharaj thereupon explained, “The answer is that the jiva, which is the kshetragna, dwells within the heart. The kshetragna enlightens the 14 indriyas; of these, the antahkaran dwells extremely close to the kshetragna. As a result, whatever one hears is consolidated when one contemplates on it in the antahkaran. After all, the kshetragna is more powerful than all of the indriyas and the antahkaran, and so whatever it endorses becomes thoroughly consolidated.”

Having heard this answer, the munis remarked, “Maharaj, You have given a precise answer. No one besides You could have answered that question.”

Thereafter, Shriji Maharaj said, “Regardless of how lustful, angry, greedy or lewd a person may be, if he listens to these types of discourses with faith and love, all of his flaws would be eradicated. For example, if a man with teeth strong enough to chew raw chana were to eat a great many sour mangoes, then he would not be able to chew even boiled rice. In the same way, if a person who is strongly overpowered by lust, anger, etc., were to listen to these discourses with faith and persistence, then that person would no longer be capable of indulging in the panchvishays. Moreover, the mind does not become as free of desires for vishays by subjecting the body to austere observances such as tapta-kruchchhra, chandrayan or other vows as it does by listening to these discourses of God. In addition, your minds must not be becoming as stable while meditating or by turning the rosary as perfectly as they do while you are listening to these discourses. Thus, one should listen to the discourses of Purushottam Narayan with faith and love. There is no better method to stabilize the mind and to free it of the desires for vishays.”