On the night of Asho Vad Vad Dark half of a Hindu lunar month in which the moon is in its waning phase. The days falling between the day after Punam up to and including Amãs. Also called krishna paksh. Tap to open in glossary → Samvat Samvat The calendar established by Indian emperor Vikramaditya of Ujjain following his victory 56 BCE. It is a lunar calendar based on ancient Hindu tradition. The Vikram Samvat calendar is 56.7 years ahead of the solar Gregorian calendar. The calendar most commonly used is the Kãrtiki Samvat, which begins on the first day of Kãrtik. However, the Vachanãmrut is written using the Ashãdhi Samvat, which begins on the first day of Ãshãdh. Tap to open in glossary → Then Shriji Maharaj said, "Stop singing kirtans; let us have a question-answer session." Then all the Munis replied, "Very well, Maharaj." Then Shriji Maharaj asked a question, "Some devotees understand the form of Bhagwan to be with the twenty-four elements of maya, while other devotees understand the form of Bhagwan to be devoid of the elements of maya and purely chaitanyamay. Of these two types of devotees, whose understanding is correct and whose understanding is incorrect?" Then Muktanand Swami said, "The understanding of one who believes the twenty-four material elements of maya to be in Bhagwan is incorrect, and the understanding of one who believes the form of Bhagwan to be devoid of the elements of maya and purely chaitanyamay is correct." Then Shriji Maharaj said, "The followers of Sankhya have indeed spoken of only twenty-four elements. According to the Sankhya view, there are twenty-three elements, and the twenty-fourth is the kshetragnya, which is the chaitanya chaitanya Consciousness. The substance of the ãtmã. A higher consciousness that is beyond the physical world, which is jad and mãyik. It is indestructible. Tap to open in glossary → Both jiva and Ishwar are chaitanya chaitanya Consciousness. The substance of the ãtmã. A higher consciousness that is beyond the physical world, which is jad and mãyik. It is indestructible. Tap to open in glossary → According to the Sankhya view, there are twenty-three elements, and the twenty-fourth is the kshetragnya, which is the chaitanya chaitanya Consciousness. The substance of the ãtmã. A higher consciousness that is beyond the physical world, which is jad and mãyik. It is indestructible. Tap to open in glossary → kshetra kshetra 1) Field. Territory. Place of dwelling. 2) Often used with kshetragna to describe a relationship similar to that between some land and its owner – the kshetra is the land, and the kshetragna its owner. Tap to open in glossary → kshetra kshetra 1) Field. Territory. Place of dwelling. 2) Often used with kshetragna to describe a relationship similar to that between some land and its owner – the kshetra is the land, and the kshetragna its owner. Tap to open in glossary → kshetra kshetra 1) Field. Territory. Place of dwelling. 2) Often used with kshetragna to describe a relationship similar to that between some land and its owner – the kshetra is the land, and the kshetragna its owner. Tap to open in glossary → kshetra kshetra 1) Field. Territory. Place of dwelling. 2) Often used with kshetragna to describe a relationship similar to that between some land and its owner – the kshetra is the land, and the kshetragna its owner. Tap to open in glossary → And just as the four elements reside within space, yet space is not affected by any of their defects, similarly, the form of Parameshwar is also not affected by any defect of the material elements of maya. Such is They cannot be separated, and yet the defect does not touch Him. Without Him, it cannot be separated. Similarly, the form of Parameshwar is also not affected by any defect of the material elements of maya; such indeed is the form of Bhagwan. In that, the twenty-four elements And the nature of the jiva is such that only if it separates from them, it becomes free from defects. The jiva cannot separate. And only if it separates, the stain of its defects is removed. And Bhagwan can never be separated—that is, Bhagwan can separate, but these elements can never separate from Him. Otherwise, the elements would cease to exist. And even if the elements are in Bhagwan, still no defect touches Bhagwan. Therefore, Bhagwan is said to be matchless. Similarly, the form of Parameshwar is also not affected by any defect of the material elements of maya; such indeed is the form of Bhagwan. What is the harm in saying that the twenty-four elements are in Him?" What was said about Bhagwan regarding the material elements of maya? The defects do not touch Him. The defects of the material elements of maya do not touch Him. "Then, is there greater mahima in saying Bhagwan is with the material elements of maya, or is there greater mahima in saying He is devoid of the material elements of maya?" What? In which is there greater mahima? There is indeed greater mahima in saying He is with the material elements of maya. Why? Because they are present and yet do not touch Him. In their presence, their defects do not touch Him. If a person meets someone and leaves them, and if he does not meet them and leaves them, whose mahima is greater? Huh? Meets and leaves. And does not meet and leaves—it is like that, isn't it? Then whose mahima is greater? The one who meets and leaves. The one who meets and leaves has the mahima. If one does not meet, then everyone leaves. It is good if they do not complain. Otherwise, if they do not meet—there are two parts to not meeting, right? If they do not meet, they complain. And if they do not meet, they say nothing. But this one meets and leaves; that is his great mahima. Therefore, Maharaj said, 'Maharaj, whether you understand the elements in Bhagwan or not, what difference does it make?' The uniqueness of some lies in understanding the elements in Bhagwan. The elements cannot exist without Him. And the defect of the elements cannot touch Him. The defect of the elements cannot touch Him, and the elements cannot exist without Him. So, let the elements remain in Bhagwan, what is the objection? For some, Bhagwan—the jivatma is not touched by defects due to the association of those elements. Therefore, it is called mukta mukta Free. Released. A liberated soul. A resident of any dhãm of Bhagvãn who has been freed from life in the lower loks to a more spiritually elevated state. There are varying levels of muktas: the muktas of Badrikãshram, Shvet-Dvip, Vaikunth, and Golok. The highest level of mukta, akshar- mukta, has attained ultimate kalyãn and is free from the bondage of Mãyã and the cycle of births and deaths. [Sãrangpur – 17]. Tap to open in glossary → then it cannot make them brahmarup. What is its limit? It can become so itself. It can remain detached from them. It can remain detached from them. For Bhagwan, it is not just that He remains detached; He is the detached element itself. But His greatness is that in His presence, He makes them brahmarup. Therefore, why do we need to worry about whether to understand them as brahmarup or not, or whether to understand the elements or not? Maharaj said this in this Vachanamrut. One should understand the element of Bhagwan, understand the element of Bhagwan. There is no great need to understand whether those other elements exist or not. What element Bhagwan is, that should be understood. Similarly, the form of Parameshwar is also not affected by any defect of the material elements of maya; such indeed is the form of Bhagwan. What is the harm in saying that the twenty-four elements are in Him? And what faultlessness is achieved by saying He is devoid of the elements? It seems so to us." Then Dinanath Bhatt asked, "Should one who wishes to meditate on the murti murti 1) Sacred idol of Bhagvãn used to offer worship. There are eight types of murtis that can be worshipped: stone, wood, metal, earth, engraved or drawn, sand, gems, and mental. 2) The form of Bhagvãn. Tap to open in glossary → Then Shriji Maharaj said, "One who understands the form of Bhagwan to be with the elements is a sinner, and one who understands the form of Bhagwan to be devoid of the elements is also a sinner. In the form of Bhagwan, a devotee of Bhagwan would never like to indulge in such disputes as to whether the elements are present or not. A true devotee would simply know, 'Bhagwan is Bhagwan'; there is no path of division or exclusion in Him. That Bhagwan is the soul of infinite cosmoses. And one who has no doubts of any kind regarding the form of Bhagwan should be known to possess the state of nirvikalp nirvikalp Without alternatives or doubts. Used to describe faith or Tap to open in glossary → murti murti 1) Sacred idol of Bhagvãn used to offer worship. There are eight types of murtis that can be worshipped: stone, wood, metal, earth, engraved or drawn, sand, gems, and mental. 2) The form of Bhagvãn. Tap to open in glossary → Because, despite residing in maya, the defects of maya do not touch Him—if one believes this, is it not considered a greater mahima? That is indeed the mahima of Bhagwan. In meditation, there is no such need. In meditation, if one performs this analysis, the meditation is disrupted; for this reason, Maharaj said that in performing meditation, such a person is a sinner. Maharaj called them a sinner. Because in meditation, there should be no analysis. In meditation, there is no analysis. Like, 'What is this? What is this?' It should not be so. In meditation, other thoughts must become quiet. 'Pratyaya-ekatanata dhyanam'—a single thought. If there is analysis, then? It cannot be called meditation. There would be two thoughts. 'This or that? Which is greater? Which is wrong? Which is right?' That is called analysis. And 'this is this, and that too'—then it is called meditation. 'This is this'—then it is called meditation. And if it is like, 'Is this like that, or is it more than this, or less?'—then it is said to be analyzed. It is called separation. Analysis, mimansa. Therefore, to meditate, one must abandon mimansa. When one wants to meditate, one must pour the flow of the jiva into it. Only then does meditation happen. That is why Maharaj called them a sinner. The question of meditation came second, didn't it? First, how should the form of Bhagwan be understood? With the elements or devoid of the elements? And whether the twenty-four elements are in the form of Bhagwan or not? That is, the form of Bhagwan is indeed devoid of the elements. But though He is devoid of the elements, the elements do not separate from Him. Bhagwan, in His transcendent aspect—in His transcendent aspect, those elements are not in Him. But these elements cannot exist without Him, and the form of Bhagwan—He also, leaving aside those elements, His beauty is indeed through the elements. And His mahima is through the elements. His mahima is through the elements. In the Ved-stuti Ved-stuti A portion of the Shreemad Bhãgvat (skandh ten) in which the Veds praise the glory and greatness of Bhagvãn. Tap to open in glossary → man man Mind. One of the four antah-karans, with the function of (pronounced mun) generating thoughts and desires, and governing all of the indriyas. Tap to open in glossary → He does not even turn over. Is that his mahima? Mahima lies in his exploits. O Bhagwan, You perform some action that the jivas and Ishwars cannot do. So, Bhagwan created the world, which the jivas and Ishwars cannot do. 'Janmadyasya yatah'—Bhagwan created the world. So now, the mahima of Bhagwan is counted through the medium of the creation. Therefore, only when Bhagwan accepts the elements does the mahima of Bhagwan begin. AI translation of the Gujarati transcript above, produced in the same pass that transcribed the audio, one English segment per Gujarati segment. Devotional and technical terms with no precise English equivalent (kirtan, satsang, vasana, samskara, and similar) are kept as their plain transliteration rather than force-translated. Not human-proofread., AI-translated, unverified · Source details