Then Akhandanand Swami asked, "O Maharaj, even if this jiva becomes a devotee of God, how long does the force of the karmas of its past lives remain?" Here, karma karma Action. Deed. Any thought, word, or deed that will sooner or later reap its consequences. Karmas of a person are linked to their rewards (cause and effect). Bhagvãn is the giver of the rewards of the karmas; good deeds reap pleasant rewards, and bad deeds reap painful fruits. Karmas remain with a jeev until it has received its rewards. Tap to open in glossary → "Even if this jiva becomes a devotee of God, how long does the force of the karmas of its past lives remain?" Then Shriji Maharaj said, "When that jiva associates with the Satpurush, as he continues to associate with him, the vasanas related to past karmas become old." By associating with him, he develops atmabuddhi and attachment towards him, and as he continues to associate, he follows his wishes, and thus past karmas decrease. If he develops atmabuddhi and attachment towards him, then those vasanas decrease, and if he aligns himself with his wishes, they decrease completely. So, following his wishes and following the wishes of vasana are in conflict. Following the wishes of the Satpurush and following the wishes of vasana are in conflict. Satsang Satsang 1) True company. The practice of associating with Bhagvãn’s sant, other satsangis, the ãtmã, and the sacred shãstras, and also observing vartmãns and niyams. 2) Also refers to the sampradãy, which is the presence of good company. Tap to open in glossary → kusang kusang The association of an evil person. Tap to open in glossary → satsang satsang 1) True company. The practice of associating with Bhagvãn’s sant, other satsangis, the ãtmã, and the sacred shãstras, and also observing vartmãns and niyams. 2) Also refers to the sampradãy, which is the presence of good company. Tap to open in glossary → kusang kusang The association of an evil person. Tap to open in glossary → So, if the following of the Satpurush's wishes and love increase, then vasana... real love should develop, meaning atmabuddhi should develop. If real atmabuddhi develops, then he does not have to fight against it. It automatically decreases, without fighting. A diamond does not break by any means, but it breaks with the blood of a bug. Similarly, vasana does not go away by any means, but how does it go? If he likes the actions of the Satpurush, develops love for him, and perceives divinity in him, then vasana goes away. Gunatitanand Swami says so. A diamond does not break by any means, but it breaks with the blood of a bug. He likes his actions; when is his conviction considered established? When he does not get bored. No matter how fast we are going, if he turns us back, we do not get confused. We feel that it is for the best. Then he feels that he has conviction in him, he has a divine perception in him. Gopalanand Swami and Gunatitanand Swami write so. When is it known that he perceives divinity, that there is no flaw in his actions, and that he has divine perception, and no human perception remains? Even if he ruins a householder's transactions worth lakhs or billions of rupees, the householder still feels that it must have been for his good. And no matter how much speed a renunciant has, if he turns him back, he still feels so, without getting confused, that it must have been for his good. When he believes this, it should be understood that he no longer has human perception in him. Even if this jiva becomes a devotee of God, how long does the force of the karmas of its past lives remain? Then Shriji Maharaj said, "When that jiva associates with the Satpurush, as he continues to associate with him, the vasanas related to past karmas become old. As he continues to follow his wishes and as he increases his atmabuddhi, his old vasanas become worn out. That is, the pressure in them decreases. The vasana which used to bring him into action through pressure, no longer brings him into action." "When that jiva associates with the Satpurush, as he continues to associate with him, the vasanas related to past karmas become old." Maharaj has written here that God is not mentioned. It is not written that as he develops love for God, his vasanas become old. When he develops love for the Satpurush, love for God automatically develops. This is Maharaj's own principle. "His own independent principle." Maharaj's own principle is that when one develops atmabuddhi in the Satpurush, he definitely develops atmabuddhi in God, and his vasanas are eradicated. And as he follows his wishes, the old ones become worn out and are removed. Then Shriji Maharaj said, "When that jiva associates with the Satpurush, as he continues to associate with him, the vasanas related to past karmas become old. Then those vasanas do not remain such as to cause him to undergo birth and death. Just as three or four-year-old paddy can be eaten but will not sprout if sown, similarly, when the vasanas of past karmas become worn out, they do not remain such as to cause him to undergo birth and death." It remains without pressure. It works for the sustenance of the body. The body has to be sustained, right? The body is sustained by vasana itself. Until the very last breath, the body goes forward on the basis of vasana. So, sustaining the body is like paddy that can be eaten, but if sown, it will not sprout; it does not cause another birth. It does not keep the pressure that causes birth. Then someone will ask, "How is it known that the vasanas have become worn out?" There is an analogy: Just as when men are fighting with shields and swords, as long as they stand facing each other, the strength of both appears equal. And when one steps back, he is said to have lost. Similarly, as long as the thoughts related to God and the thoughts related to worldly pleasures of a devotee of God remain equal, a battle between kusang kusang The association of an evil person. Tap to open in glossary → satsang satsang 1) True company. The practice of associating with Bhagvãn’s sant, other satsangis, the ãtmã, and the sacred shãstras, and also observing vartmãns and niyams. 2) Also refers to the sampradãy, which is the presence of good company. Tap to open in glossary → 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