Subject of discussion: Human effort and God's grace. Main points: God's grace is bestowed only upon that seeker who exerts complete human effort. Attaining God's abode is not achieved through human effort, but through God's grace. God possesses both virtues of grace and justice. God possesses both virtues of grace and justice. That does not come through grace; it comes through human effort. That does not come through grace, just grace alone. For that, human effort must be made. Attaining God's abode is not based on virtues; it is based on grace. So, doesn't God's grace help in acquiring virtues? It helps. In the Yoga Sutras, God is described; He is described as a means. Compared to other means, God is a greater means. Like, "God, I want a son." So for a son, if one makes other efforts and it doesn't happen, then if he prays to God, God becomes the means for the son. There, he has used God as a means. Who is the goal? The son. And the means is God. So, in virtues as well, one can use God as a means. One prays, "God, I want this virtue." So God, when he works hard and prays, He gives it. So he uses God as a means. In that, it becomes somewhat easier. Is that considered a deficiency? Is it considered a deficiency, or is it alright that way? With God's grace, not with God Himself, but for us, it means that a means, how long does a means last? Suppose, for example, he is worshiping God and he wants a son. So, how long will he worship? Until he gets a son. Once he gets a son, God's role is finished. If he is doing it for a kingdom, once he gets the kingdom, it is finished. If he is doing it for suffering, once the suffering goes, it is finished. So, he is not a permanent devotee of God. God said in the Gita, "Noble indeed are all these," the distressed, the seeker of knowledge, the seeker of wealth, and the wise, O best of the Bharatas. "Noble indeed are all these, but the wise one, I deem, is My very Self." All those others are good. That they do not go to other deities. And they come to Me. So they are considered good. At least he considered Me superior to all, compared to other deities. At least he realized in his mind that, brother, rather than going to other deities, it is easier to go to God. And it is better. So he has acknowledged My importance to that extent, right? The liberating virtues. Yes. In that, for those, God is the means. For those, it is God's grace. Not a means for those. Maharaj mentioned two things in this original Vachanamrut. That the seeker performs these five endeavors through human effort. Then, God's grace is bestowed upon him. Thereafter, spiritual power comes into him. That comes through God's grace. So, in that Sanskrit Vachanamrut, it is written very beautifully in the commentary. Spiritual power indeed means virtues. The word 'samarthya' (spiritual power) written there by Maharaj. It refers to virtues, but which virtues? Virtues like truthfulness, purity, etc. And virtues like being free from sin, etc. Virtues are classified into two types. Virtues like truthfulness and purity are Puranic, described in the Puranas. And virtues like being free from sin are described in the Upanishads. Both are the same. But still, there is that much difference between them. The Puranic perspective is different, and the Upanishadic perspective is different. So, when God's virtues are described in the Upanishads, they are like 'apahatapapma' (free from sin). Free from old age, free from death, free from grief, free from hunger. Whose desires are true, whose resolves are true; those are those virtues of God. And truthfulness, purity, compassion, forgiveness. Those are mentioned in the Shrimad Bhagavatam, so they are Puranic. They are indeed God's virtues. And they are extraordinary, these virtues of God. For those virtues to manifest. Those happen through God's grace. The Upanishadic virtues. Yes, for those to manifest, God's grace is required. Only if God bestows grace do they manifest; in that, endeavors do not work. What does 'apahatapapma' mean? No 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 → Being unbound. God said in the Gita: "The fourfold order was created by Me according to the divisions of quality and active function. Though I am its creator, know Me to be the non-doer and changeless." "Actions do not taint Me, nor have I any desire for the fruit of action. He who knows Me thus is not bound by actions." That is said to be God's virtue. "Actions do not taint Me, nor have I any desire for the fruit of action." Both of those things are not present [in ordinary beings]. Someone might have one. What? "Actions do not taint Me," meaning there is no attachment. Then he would not perform actions till the very end. And even if he performs them till the end, he gets bound. He does not abandon actions till the end. And yet he does not get bound; that is God's virtue. So, God's virtues. "The devotees of Hari Hari An 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 → Hari Hari An 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 → Liberation, and who has no pride. He does not abandon his creation, and yet he does not get bound. That is said to be God's extraordinary virtue. Such virtues are there. Those happen through God's grace. Such virtues come through God's grace. And. Such virtues, Maharaj... Maharaj, even among those Nand saints, they were not present in all of them. Those are present only in selected ones. Brahmanand Swami, Maharaj... Brahmanand Swami built that temple of Vartal, and Maharaj said, "Come, I want to listen to your kirtans." So Maharaj said, "Shall I call for the begging bag, or shall I go and fetch it?" So, that is called being unbound. Such virtues of God, we say, don't we, that Narayandas Swami possessed God-like virtues. So, what God-like virtues did he have? He does all these things, but does not get bound anywhere. He does not get bound anywhere. Not getting bound even in anything good. And not abandoning what is good. "Yajna, charity, and penance are the purifiers of the wise." One should never abandon them. So in the Gita, in that shlok shlok A verse from shãstras. Tap to open in glossary → What does that mean? What does 'pavanani manishinam' mean? The wise ones, even for them, this is necessary. Even for them, they are highly purifying. They are highly purifying for them. He is liberated. Suppose, for example, we believe that Narayandas Swami is liberated. Balmukund Swami is liberated. Gunatitanand Swami is indeed Akshardham, like that. But still it is said, 'pavanani manishinam'. They are not sitting idle, why? What? That is highly purifying. It is highly purifying. And if he does not do it. Then, the opposite effect occurs. If he does not do it. Then, the opposite effect occurs. And if he does it, he gets its fruit. This is not like daily obligatory duties (nitya 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 → Where one performs them and gets no fruit. There are three types of actions, aren't there? Daily obligatory duties (nitya 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 → Naimittika. Occasional duties (naimittika 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 → And. Desire-driven actions (kamya 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 → Desire-driven actions (kamya 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 → Those three types... What is called nitya 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 → What is called naimittika 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 → If performed, one gets the fruit. If performed, one gets the fruit; if not, one does not. If not performed, it results in sin. It results in sin. If one does not bathe during an eclipse. Then, it results in sin. And if he bathes, he gets merit. More than that, more merit is obtained than bathing on other ordinary days. Bathing daily does not yield merit. He gets the qualification for the action, that he has become fit to perform the action. If he does not bathe, it results in sin. In nitya 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 → Naimittika. In nitya as well. Yes, nitya. In nitya as well, if performed, there is no merit; if he does not bathe, if he does not perform it, it results in sin. It results in sin. And in naimittika 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 → Kamya. If performed, it yields merit. No. Naimittika 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 → Yes. Then he gets substantial merit. It is not that if he does not do it, it results in sin. Yes, not like that. If not performed, sin... In kamya 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 → Yes. And if not performed, it does not happen, like that. This is not like that. Main points. So, nitya, nitya... those virtues of God. Those virtues, that is why we call them God's, they do not get bound. Like God, we sometimes, in saints... ...use this term, don't we? For great saints, we use it, that they had God-like virtues. Narayandas Swami possessed God-like virtues. Balmukund Swami, Gunatitanand Swami, they were God-like sadhus; Gopalanand Swami and all of them. So, what does that mean? In what they were doing, they were spreading 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 → They were worshiping Maharaj and performing morning prayers. Or not? Gopalanand Swami must have been performing puja for five hours, right? Yes. So, they were performing all those prayers and such things. So, if someone performs puja for five hours today, does he become God-like? They were doing it and we are doing it too, yet we are not called God-like, while they were. What is the reason for that? We perform puja and then get very attached elsewhere. They were doing it, but there was a difference in their method. Whatever actions they were performing. It is not just that they were performing puja. But whatever they were doing, their method was different. So they were called God-like. What is God's method? To act and not get bound. And not to abandon it either. If someone has harassed you a lot, then? Here, take this. "Alright, do as you say," like that. And these people never said, "Do as you say, do as you know." Maharaj harassing Brahmanand Swami like this is indeed considered harassment, isn't it? That, "Maharaj, then you do it." It was not like that. "If you say so, I will do this." So, that is God's virtue. That is God's, and that comes through God's grace. A virtue of God comes only through God's grace. Maharaj did say that it manifests in a sadhu. That virtue manifests in a sadhu. God's 39 liberating virtues manifest in a sadhu. He develops a firm conviction of Him. That, "I am His and He is mine." Then he automatically acts as He does. Just as a father does, the son automatically starts doing. So, he acquires virtues like Mine. His virtues manifest in him. But still, Maharaj said this in that regard. That, if not just conviction of God. If conviction of the sadhu and conviction of God's devotee is developed, then it manifests. If there is conviction of God, but not of God's devotee, then it does not manifest. So, who became the extraordinary cause and the ordinary cause? The ordinary cause is God. God became the ordinary cause. And the extraordinary cause? God's devotee. God's devotee became [the extraordinary cause]. It is the extraordinary cause. Among these eight virtues, there is one virtue, and all these other virtues... Only one is complete; all the rest are its finishing touches. Its... Only one virtue is complete. Being free from sin (apahatapapmatva). Meaning, being free from the bondage of 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 → So, apahatakarmatva is what Lord Krishna Krishna 1) 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 → That, "The fourfold order was created by Me according to the divisions of quality and active function. Though I am its creator, know Me to be the non-doer and changeless." "Actions do not taint Me, nor have I any desire for the fruit of action. He who knows Me thus is not bound by actions." That remains. "He who is free from the egoistic notion, whose intellect is not tainted, though he kills these people, he does not kill, nor is he bound." That, that other shlok shlok A verse from shãstras. Tap to open in glossary → Free from attachment. "Free from attachment, not egoistic, endowed with fortitude and enthusiasm, unaffected by success or failure, such an agent is called Sattvik." Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu. God has given this answer in response to the question about a sadhu. That, who should be called a sadhu? That Lord Krishna Krishna 1) 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 → That, of a sadhu... "I desire to know the truth of abandonment (tyaga)." "I desire to know the truth of renunciation (sannyasa)." The truth of abandonment, meaning in abandonment... What is the fundamental, deep truth? What is its mystery, its secret? I desire to know that; you please tell me. So God said like that. "Free from attachment, not egoistic." In success or failure... "Endowed with fortitude and enthusiasm." "Endowed with fortitude and enthusiasm," like that. "Unaffected by success or failure, is called Sattvik." The best sadhu; the meaning of 'Sattvik' is taken in the highest sense. Super quality. Super quality sadhu. Who is that? After super, what else is it called? After super, that... better. Better quality. Who is better quality? Who is super quality? And then completely...? Low, lower quality. Lower quality. Three types of sadhus are mentioned; in the Gita, God has mentioned three types, meaning lower quality, better quality, and super quality. Super quality is God's virtue. Whatever is done, is done with super quality. And then, to abandon everything completely. What does God look at to bestow grace? What? What does God look at to bestow grace? Intensity, like that. The intensity of connecting with God. "He whom this Self chooses, by him He is attained; to him this Self reveals His own form." Like that. "He whom this Self chooses, by him He is attained; to him this Self reveals His own form." To him, this Supreme Soul reveals His own Self. He gives His own Self to him. When does He give that to him? When this person chooses Him, and this person also desires, "I want to do this, I want to please Him." So then, He reveals His own form. Then He gives it to him. God then cannot say no to that. That, "No, no, I will not be pleased with you." "This Self cannot be attained by one who is without strength, nor by intellect, nor by much learning. He whom this Self chooses, to him this Self reveals His own form." "He whom this Self chooses," meaning he chooses Him. That, "Maharaj, I am for You." "I am for You, and You... for You, my use is for You." So. Placing one's head at God's feet is a different matter, and placing one's life at His stake is a different matter. Living for Him is a different matter. That is very... You understood the difference between the two, didn't you? Everyone has surrendered to God. So, does everyone live only for God? It is not like that. No. A surrendered soul... God has even given the freedom of surrender, that if you want to keep something personal, you may. A devotee with desires (sakam bhagat) is also surrendered, isn't he? Sakam, meaning the meaning of sakam is that he has to keep something personal. But, "I do not want to keep anything with me." Like Prahlad. God says, "Ask, ask." That, "Even the desire to ask, let that also depart." "If perhaps something is lying with me, and I am not aware of it, let that also depart." Like that, Maharaj. He is said to have lived only for God. And those others are called surrendered to God. 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