Bhaktachintamani Prakaran 39

I have told this most excellent account, though unasked; now hear the story of Shri HariHariAn avatãr of Bhagvãn. He incarnated in His four-armed svarup to save an elephant from being killed by a crocodile. He cut off the crocodile’s head with His chakra.Tap to open in glossary → directly, all of you.

His exceedingly charming form shone in the guise of an ascetic; his topknot and sacred thread were lovely, and beautiful hair adorned his head.

His gaze remained fixed at the tip of his nose, unblinking. Such was he - the many-named KrishnaKrishna1) An avatãr of Bhagvãn. He incarnated in the svarup of a cowherd. This is considered to be a greater avatãr than the others, as Shree Krishna possessed all of the powers of Bhagvãn, whereas other avatãrs possessed less power. Shree Krishna conveyed the message of love and humanity to the world. Also, He recited the epic poem, the Bhagvad Geetã, to Arjun in which He stated: ‘Whenever dharma declines and adharma increases, I shall incarnate myself as a human to save the holy, to destroy the sin of the sinner, and to establish dharma. I come into being from yug to yug’. 2) In the Vachanãmrut, Shreeji Mahãrãj also uses the name “Shree Krishna” to describe Bhagvãn Purushottam Nãrãyan.Tap to open in glossary →, radiant as the sun - who arrived there.

Coming, he bathed in that well, and then the Lord satsat1) True. Real. 2) Permanent, imperishable and unchanging. Is unbound by the past, the present, and the future.Tap to open in glossary → upon its bank. At that moment Sukhanand arrived, and beholding him, felt himself truly blessed.

Beholding the Lord, he was filled with wonder - such renunciation and austerity marked his form. Such modesty, contentment, and forbearance - it seemed the very embodiment of detachment.

"I have never seen such a sadhu anywhere; how fortunate is the place where he stays!" Then he began to ask with affection: "Who is your guruguruA teacher. He will guide you on the path of kalyãn.Tap to open in glossary →, and where do you dwell?"

HariHariAn avatãr of Bhagvãn. He incarnated in His four-armed svarup to save an elephant from being killed by a crocodile. He cut off the crocodile’s head with His chakra.Tap to open in glossary → said, "Listen, sadhu, to my words: I have no guruguruA teacher. He will guide you on the path of kalyãn.Tap to open in glossary →, no kin, no mother or father. That by which one is freed from all suffering - that alone is my guruguruA teacher. He will guide you on the path of kalyãn.Tap to open in glossary →, kin, mother and father."

Then the sadhu Sukhanand said, "Maharaj, that is indeed the very truth; but it is customary to ask, so I ask you this with affection."

Then Nilkanth said, "I have come from the region of North Kosal, wandering and beholding all the sacred places; I have now come to this village."

"I have told you my own account; now tell me, sadhu, whose disciple are you?" Then Sukhanand said, "We are disciples of Ramanandji.

Among us, the eldest is Muktanand, in whose command I, an ascetic myself, remain. I came to this well today to bathe, and there I met you, Maharaj.

I consider it my great fortune today to have had your darshandarshanSeeing. To see with admiration and devotion. To see Bhagvãn, a sat-purush, and murtis, with inner or outer vision, with the intention of receiving their grace and blessings. By doing darshan properly a bhakta develops affection for Bhagvãn, and Bhagvãn develops affection for that bhakta. [Sãrangpur – 2].Tap to open in glossary →." Saying this, he touched his feet, saying, "Come to our place -

there dwell wise sadhus, observing the five vows properly. Please, Lord, come there; grant us your darshandarshanSeeing. To see with admiration and devotion. To see Bhagvãn, a sat-purush, and murtis, with inner or outer vision, with the intention of receiving their grace and blessings. By doing darshan properly a bhakta develops affection for Bhagvãn, and Bhagvãn develops affection for that bhakta. [Sãrangpur – 2].Tap to open in glossary → out of your grace.

Muktanandji, who dwells there, wishes to meet one such as you. We remain there by our guruguruA teacher. He will guide you on the path of kalyãn.Tap to open in glossary →'s command, in service of ones like you.

Muktanandji is such a sadhu, worthy of everyone's darshandarshanSeeing. To see with admiration and devotion. To see Bhagvãn, a sat-purush, and murtis, with inner or outer vision, with the intention of receiving their grace and blessings. By doing darshan properly a bhakta develops affection for Bhagvãn, and Bhagvãn develops affection for that bhakta. [Sãrangpur – 2].Tap to open in glossary →; so please come there, or else he shall surely come here himself."

Then the ascetic spoke thus: "Listen, wise sadhu - I do not go to the homes of cities, towns, or villages.

I wander in every kind of forbidding forest, resting each night beneath a different tree. But for the sake of having such darshandarshanSeeing. To see with admiration and devotion. To see Bhagvãn, a sat-purush, and murtis, with inner or outer vision, with the intention of receiving their grace and blessings. By doing darshan properly a bhakta develops affection for Bhagvãn, and Bhagvãn develops affection for that bhakta. [Sãrangpur – 2].Tap to open in glossary →, I shall come, honoring your word."

Then the king of ascetics came with the sadhu to the dharmashala (rest house). The sadhus there rose and offered him salutation, and HariHariAn avatãr of Bhagvãn. He incarnated in His four-armed svarup to save an elephant from being killed by a crocodile. He cut off the crocodile’s head with His chakra.Tap to open in glossary → bowed to them all in turn.

Then all satsat1) True. Real. 2) Permanent, imperishable and unchanging. Is unbound by the past, the present, and the future.Tap to open in glossary → down fittingly, and the assembly shone brilliantly at that moment. All the sadhus gazed upon the ascetic, and beholding HariHariAn avatãr of Bhagvãn. He incarnated in His four-armed svarup to save an elephant from being killed by a crocodile. He cut off the crocodile’s head with His chakra.Tap to open in glossary →, were struck with wonder.

Seeing his austerity, radiance, and peacefulness, their eyes and minds were utterly captivated. They said, "We have never seen nor heard of such a one; even until today we have met no one like him.

To be so pure even in childhood - this cannot be an ordinary human, unenlightened. He must be the moon, or the sun, or fire itself, or Swami Kartik,

or perhaps this is Narayan himself, free of the need for food, or austerity embodied in form, or perhaps the Lord of Badrinath himself - behold the power of his very arrival!

Our eyes have never been so captivated by anything before, yet here they remain utterly absorbed. So this must be our great fortune, that we have met this very embodiment of detachment.

Serve him with folded hands, for by this Ramanand Swami himself shall be pleased." Then the sadhus attended upon him in service, and Muktanand had a meal prepared for him.

Then, recognizing him as a sadhu of controlled senses, HariHariAn avatãr of Bhagvãn. He incarnated in His four-armed svarup to save an elephant from being killed by a crocodile. He cut off the crocodile’s head with His chakra.Tap to open in glossary →, being pleased, spoke, saying, "I shall remain with you; I shall serve as a servant does."

Then the Maharaj remained among the sadhus, and asked a question to test them, saying, "Nilkanth here - listen, sadhus, you know all the fine points of doctrine.

So I ask this question, Maharaj (addressing them respectfully); I wish to hear the answer today. The soul (jiva), the Lord (Ishwar), Maya, and Brahman - and tell me also of the nature of Parabrahm.

Explain each distinctly and separately, showing me exactly as it truly is." Hearing this subtle question, Muktanandji then spoke, saying:

"Listen - what I have heard from my guruguruA teacher. He will guide you on the path of kalyãn.Tap to open in glossary →'s own mouth, I shall tell you, ascetic; listen well. The gross, subtle, and causal bodies -

these pervade the soul from head to toe. Through the senses and the inner faculty (antahkaran) as their basis, the soul performs various kinds of action.

Further, know that the soul is unborn, eternal, without parts, and unbroken. It is self-luminous, and cannot be cut, cannot be burned, cannot rot or wither.

Know this to be the nature of the soul (jiva). Now let me tell you the nature of the Lord (Ishwar):

know the cosmic form, the thread-soul (Sutratma) as his body, pervading the unmanifest (Avyakrut) in due measure. Creation, sustenance, and dissolution -

he performs all of these for the entire universe. This is the nature of the Lord (Ishwar); now let me tell you the nature of Maya:

that which we call the soul (jiva) within the world - that is the field of its own origination. It is called beginningless and filled with darkness (tamas), understood as both matter and consciousness in nature -

know it as the form of cause and effect, according to God's own power. It is said to consist of the three gunas (qualities), unborn, and of the nature of ignorance.

This is the nature of Maya, and those who take refuge in HariHariAn avatãr of Bhagvãn. He incarnated in His four-armed svarup to save an elephant from being killed by a crocodile. He cut off the crocodile’s head with His chakra.Tap to open in glossary → cross beyond it. Now hear the description of Brahman: true, of knowledge, infinite, and complete,

unbroken and imperishable, this is its name - the abode where PurushottamPurushottamGod. Supreme being. Bhagvãn. He is unparalleled, omnipotent and the all-doer, omniscient, omnipresent, the ocean of all forms of bliss, does not have any attributes of Mãyã, divine, always taking birth on earth forTap to open in glossary → dwells. It is said to be the embodied form of nectar (amrit), pure, eternal, and without change.

Know it as the illuminator of Maya, Ishwar, and the individual soul (jiva), these three principles. It is also the very support of all - know this, O king of ascetics, this is mine (my understanding of Brahman).

Now let us speak of Parabrahm, of whom, however much is said, no end can be reached in the telling. He is called Narayan, Vasudev, independent and self-luminous,

blissful, of a divine form, called VishnuVishnuThe dev of sustenance. Part of the trimurti. He lives in Vaikunth with his wife Lakshmi.Tap to open in glossary →, KrishnaKrishna1) An avatãr of Bhagvãn. He incarnated in the svarup of a cowherd. This is considered to be a greater avatãr than the others, as Shree Krishna possessed all of the powers of Bhagvãn, whereas other avatãrs possessed less power. Shree Krishna conveyed the message of love and humanity to the world. Also, He recited the epic poem, the Bhagvad Geetã, to Arjun in which He stated: ‘Whenever dharma declines and adharma increases, I shall incarnate myself as a human to save the holy, to destroy the sin of the sinner, and to establish dharma. I come into being from yug to yug’. 2) In the Vachanãmrut, Shreeji Mahãrãj also uses the name “Shree Krishna” to describe Bhagvãn Purushottam Nãrãyan.Tap to open in glossary →, and the imperishable one (Achyuta). He is further called the inexhaustible Lord God; AksharAkshar1) Imperishable. In his personal form, Akshar serves Bhagvãn in Akshardhãm, and takes birth on earth as His ideal bhakta (sat-purush). Both forms are human in appearance. In his impersonal form, Akshar is the dhãm of Bhagvãn called Akshardhãm. In his all- pervading anvay form, Akshar is called Chidãkãsh.Tap to open in glossary →, Maya, and Time -

with these he is united through his power, and yet, in his personal form, he remains distinct and apart from them. He is the controller of Time and Maya, the cause of all causes.

This is the Supreme Soul, Parabrahm; seekers of liberation should grasp this essential truth. He is worthy of worship by all - listen, O ascetic, this is Parabrahm as I understand it.

I have given this answer as I have heard it; the true and complete understanding is known only to the true guruguruA teacher. He will guide you on the path of kalyãn.Tap to open in glossary → (sadgurusadguruA great sant.Tap to open in glossary →). He alone sees it as clearly as one sees an amla fruit in the palm of one's hand, and shows it to seekers when they come to him."

Thus Muktanand gave his answer, and hearing it, the ascetic was filled with joy. Recognizing his saintly nature and sincere heart, HariHariAn avatãr of Bhagvãn. He incarnated in His four-armed svarup to save an elephant from being killed by a crocodile. He cut off the crocodile’s head with His chakra.Tap to open in glossary → spoke with affection:

"O sage, the answer you have given, I have found to be correct and true. I have asked this question of many, and it has proven difficult for all of them to answer.

You took no time at all in answering it, so you must surely be truly great. Having had your darshandarshanSeeing. To see with admiration and devotion. To see Bhagvãn, a sat-purush, and murtis, with inner or outer vision, with the intention of receiving their grace and blessings. By doing darshan properly a bhakta develops affection for Bhagvãn, and Bhagvãn develops affection for that bhakta. [Sãrangpur – 2].Tap to open in glossary →, sage, my mind has become utterly absorbed."

Then Muktanand said, "Maharaj, I have seen many great ascetics, but none like you - what more can we say with our mouths?

To ask a question and to understand its answer - even such men are not many." As they spoke and listened to these accounts, their affection grew, and HariHariAn avatãr of Bhagvãn. He incarnated in His four-armed svarup to save an elephant from being killed by a crocodile. He cut off the crocodile’s head with His chakra.Tap to open in glossary → remained with the sadhus.

Every day questions and answers took place, and hearing them, the sadhus' joy knew no bounds. Questions both in Sanskrit and in the vernacular were asked, and no one else could answer them as he did.

Then even the wise and clever among them realized that ordinary human intelligence could not accomplish this. "This one must surely be the unfathomable God himself" - so all the sadhus came to understand.

There, discourse on KrishnaKrishna1) An avatãr of Bhagvãn. He incarnated in the svarup of a cowherd. This is considered to be a greater avatãr than the others, as Shree Krishna possessed all of the powers of Bhagvãn, whereas other avatãrs possessed less power. Shree Krishna conveyed the message of love and humanity to the world. Also, He recited the epic poem, the Bhagvad Geetã, to Arjun in which He stated: ‘Whenever dharma declines and adharma increases, I shall incarnate myself as a human to save the holy, to destroy the sin of the sinner, and to establish dharma. I come into being from yug to yug’. 2) In the Vachanãmrut, Shreeji Mahãrãj also uses the name “Shree Krishna” to describe Bhagvãn Purushottam Nãrãyan.Tap to open in glossary → took place daily, and the Lord himself would listen with full attention. He kept his vows without fail, and never abandoned his austerities.

Seeing the gaze of Shri HariHariAn avatãr of Bhagvãn. He incarnated in His four-armed svarup to save an elephant from being killed by a crocodile. He cut off the crocodile’s head with His chakra.Tap to open in glossary →, the sadhus considered him to be exceedingly great. Then a sadhu asked, "O Lord, upon whom do you fix your steady gaze in meditation?"

Then the king of ascetics spoke, saying, "Listen, Muktanandji, Maharaj: the Lord and Master of Radha and all others - he is my chosen deity, the inner witness of my heart.

Brahma, VishnuVishnuThe dev of sustenance. Part of the trimurti. He lives in Vaikunth with his wife Lakshmi.Tap to open in glossary →, and Shiva, the gods - I perform daily service to them all. Varaha and the other incarnations - he who bears all these forms,

such is KrishnaKrishna1) An avatãr of Bhagvãn. He incarnated in the svarup of a cowherd. This is considered to be a greater avatãr than the others, as Shree Krishna possessed all of the powers of Bhagvãn, whereas other avatãrs possessed less power. Shree Krishna conveyed the message of love and humanity to the world. Also, He recited the epic poem, the Bhagvad Geetã, to Arjun in which He stated: ‘Whenever dharma declines and adharma increases, I shall incarnate myself as a human to save the holy, to destroy the sin of the sinner, and to establish dharma. I come into being from yug to yug’. 2) In the Vachanãmrut, Shreeji Mahãrãj also uses the name “Shree Krishna” to describe Bhagvãn Purushottam Nãrãyan.Tap to open in glossary →, know him as Parabrahm; upon him alone do I hold my meditation. And I perform his worship and service, remembering and singing his praises daily.

Without this there is no path of liberation for souls, and I too hold to no other understanding." Thus spoke he of many names -

though he himself was none other than Shri KrishnaKrishna1) An avatãr of Bhagvãn. He incarnated in the svarup of a cowherd. This is considered to be a greater avatãr than the others, as Shree Krishna possessed all of the powers of Bhagvãn, whereas other avatãrs possessed less power. Shree Krishna conveyed the message of love and humanity to the world. Also, He recited the epic poem, the Bhagvad Geetã, to Arjun in which He stated: ‘Whenever dharma declines and adharma increases, I shall incarnate myself as a human to save the holy, to destroy the sin of the sinner, and to establish dharma. I come into being from yug to yug’. 2) In the Vachanãmrut, Shreeji Mahãrãj also uses the name “Shree Krishna” to describe Bhagvãn Purushottam Nãrãyan.Tap to open in glossary → Swami, yet such was his manner of speaking; thus does the treasury of compassion speak.

Thus in the Bhaktachintamani, composed by Nishkulanand MuniMuniSãdhu.Tap to open in glossary →, disciple of Shri Sahajanand Swami, the establisher of the exclusive path of devotion, ends the thirty-ninth chapter, named "Question and Answer."