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What is more important on the path to kalyan: purvasamskara or sang? | P. Mahant Swami | Satsang Chintan

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Maharaj started from where? That the intellect becomes such that it is influenced by time, place, and action.

The intellect follows the time, place, and action that are attained.

In the beginning, Maharaj said that.

So, he is not talking about attainment.

Maharaj asks, whom does the intellect follow?

Does it follow the country or whom does it follow? Whom does it follow the most?

Or why does Maharaj say that the intellect is like that?

Attainment, in that, remains only of the country, time, and country.

That the attainment of a country is subject to one's karma.

But Maharaj said something else in that.

Not Maharaj, but the scriptures say so.

That in whichever country one is born.

That karma does not keep him stuck in that country.

After that, birth, God has given birth.

It's not that he can't make any changes in that.

But after that, karma cannot make him dependent on staying there.

All these people go abroad, it's not that it's written in their karma to go abroad.

He wished to go abroad.

That wish goes.

So, this country holds him back.

What did Maharaj say? That the fruit of karma restricts that soul.

If he wants to come from the waking state to the dream state, from the dream state to the waking state, his past karma holds him back, his karma restricts him.

It doesn't let him come into it.

The giver of the fruits of karma is God, and he makes him experience it as he wishes.

It's not like the country restricts him in that way.

In that country, whichever country one wants to go to.

Suppose we became sadhus.

If we have past karma and it's written in our destiny, then some country must be written.

We wished to become sadhus and join in the work of Shastriji Maharaj.

So we joined.

So, it's not that our past karma holds us in that country.

It restricts us.

So, the country can be changed.

It's fine for us that we have completely renounced, so everything related to time and karma has changed for us.

Even destiny has changed.

But for a householder, their destiny does not change.

His destiny does not change; destiny remains until the end of his body.

Even then, he can change his country.

For example, Harji Thakkar, for Maharaj's satsang, left his debt collection and his village and stayed in Maharaj's presence.

So, even a householder can change their country.

So, it cannot be said to be subject to past karma.

It cannot be said to be subject to past karma.

It is said to be subject to his desire for moksha.

And Maharaj says, how is the desire for moksha created?

It is based on association.

Maharaj also said at the end that such an association should only be with a devotee of God, in thought, word, and deed.

So, Maharaj's point is not that all associations are the same.

The association of an ekantik bhakta of God.

What is its effect?

And the effect of past karma.

Which of the two is stronger?

Is the samskara of past karma stronger, or the association of God's devotee stronger, or are the eight factors of time and place stronger? Who is stronger? Who is powerful?

Whose effect is greater on the intellect?

So the saints said that in all, the predominance of past karma is seen.

From what perspective would they have said that?

It seems straightforward, because, so

It is directly evident that the four varnas were created by me based on qualities and actions, and in that, the attainment of a country, the attainment of siddhi, birth, birth occurs.

In that, past karma is seen.

In that, there is no prominence of association, as he is just born, so there is no prominence of association.

But after that, it seems that the saints gave a direct answer based on that.

But the vision that Maharaj had for the whole thing.

And he says, on what basis does his salvation happen?

It happens based on past samskaras.

Or does it happen based on time and place?

Or does it happen based on association?

Which is stronger in salvation?

So it seems that the saints gave such a straightforward answer.

Whatever way it is after that.

Maharaj has gathered many saints and also gathered small saints.

They all said that to Maharaj in this way.

Therefore, in all

The saints were studying the scriptures.

All the saints, Maharaj said, these three small saints, consider them with the great Mahatmas and Swamis.

They are great.

And they were almost studying.

They were studying with Nityanand Swami and Muktanand Swami.

So Maharaj said that they all understand in the right direction.

In some places, Maharaj himself has spoken about the predominance of karma.

Maharaj says that even if the country and time are good, and his intellect becomes bad, then his past samskara is very weak.

And if the country and time are also weak, and like Prahladji, there is no change in his intellect, then Maharaj says that his past samskara is very strong.

That's what he said.

And here too, Maharaj has crossed it.

So its meaning is that on whom does salvation depend more?

Salvation happens only if the past samskara is good.

Or if the country is good, then it gets more contribution in salvation.

Or if he has good company, then he gets more contribution in salvation.

Whose do you get?

Association.

It's just association.

Maharaj says that association, Gunatitanand Swami said, makes everything good.

Even if the country and time are bad, they make them good.

And if there is no desire for liberation, it brings it.

And takes him back to God's abode.

So such predominance is only in association.

It is not in past karmas or past samskaras.

His past karmas may be whatever.

But if the association changes, then even if he is liberated, he becomes bound.

And if the other is bound, he becomes liberated.

Such strength is only in association.

And that too in the association of God's ekantik bhakta.

Not in all associations.

So Maharaj wants to put that point in consideration.

From that, otherwise, some things seem a little true and a little false.

Therefore, the predominance of past karma is seen in all.

And the eight such as country, time, etc.

For us, suppose, the desire for liberation awakens in someone, that desire for liberation awakens due to association.

So, for the one in whom the desire for liberation awakened, it made karma completely useless.

A nail on the line of my karma.

We also made past karmas wrong.

Because if destiny is tied according to past karma, then the yoga of wealth and the yoga of family, all that became completely wrong.

If that karma was working, then it wouldn't let us stay here.

If karma was working.

So Maharaj says that the predominance of karma is not the main thing.

He awakened the desire for liberation and found good company, so those past karmas remain as they are.

All our weak samskaras are lying there, our weak samskaras are always there.

But weak samskaras cannot raise their head in this good company.

He doesn't take it out if he pays attention.

If he doesn't pay attention and remains negligent, then those samskaras will raise their head.

So Maharaj said, associate with mind, action, and speech.

And that too of God's ekantik bhakta.

So his weak samskaras, according to the Gita, are terrible samskaras.

His karmas are extremely terrible.

Then those terrible karmas cannot disturb him in any way.

Nothing.

Such strength is in association, Maharaj.

Such strength is not in past samskaras, all past samskaras are swept away.

And the eight countries and times, none of them, they all remain.

And if there is a change in the chosen deity, then the association brings it back to normal.

No weak person

If one has selected a deity, and if one gets good company, then one can even change the deity.

Such is the power in satsang.

Maharaj says,

Therefore, in all, the predominance of past karma is seen.

And the eight factors like place and time, their predominance is found in some places.

And past karma is limited.

The eight factors like place and time are limited.

Place is in place, time is in time, karma is in karma, action is in action, it is limited.

The saints said that this 'hoharve hoharvu' (all-pervasiveness) is of past karma.

Maharaj says, no, 'hoharve hoharvu' (all-pervasiveness) is of satsang.

And the eight factors like place and time, their predominance is found in some places.

That is in the path of moksha.

If it is the path of worldly life, then karma is predominant.

If there is attainment of wealth and all that, then one gets it according to past karma, not more than that.

Even if someone sits next to Mukesh Ambani and says, 'I'll buy a house,' it doesn't mean they'll become a millionaire.

Even if he sits with him every day.

He won't give anything.

How far is Arun's house from Mukesh Ambani's?

It's an hour away.

So, in the attainment of worldly things, past karma is predominant, that's what the saints have said.

Huh?

What did you say?

Even if one is a devotee, if starvation is written in their destiny, it doesn't just go away.

He performs devotion even when hungry.

That's all.

Maharaj has changed it a bit.

In ancient times, even if there were devotees, there was starvation.

Maharaj says, if someone becomes our devotee, they will not experience starvation.

Even if a begging bowl is written in his destiny, it comes to our share.

And even if a small amount of suffering is written in his destiny, it comes to our share.

But he will not be unhappy.

So Maharaj has changed that much.

But in worldly matters, past karma remains predominant.

Call it destiny or past karma, both are the same.

Destiny remains predominant.

But in the path of salvation, destiny is not predominant.

Maharaj has not made such a clear statement here, but its meaning is clearly this.

In the path of salvation, only satsang is predominant, Maharaj has said that.

Only that, nothing else.

Even if one is liberated, what then? Even if one is liberated, one becomes bound.

If there is no good company.

And even if there are no samskaras, one becomes liberated.

If one joins with a liberated soul, one becomes liberated.

So, satsang is predominant.

Therefore, in all, the predominance of past karma is seen.

And the eight factors like place and time, their predominance is found in some places.

And the predominance of past karma is everywhere.

Then Shriji Maharaj said, 'From place and time to the deities, who are God, up to that point, you say that past karma is predominant in all. According to which scripture do you say this? Show me a quote from it.'

And the predominance of only karma is in the Jain scriptures, but not in others.

In other scriptures, God and

In Jain scriptures, it is written that salvation is attained through karma.

That is the principle.

Otherwise, there are karma vipak granths (texts on the fruits of karma) and all those Smriti granths (scriptures of remembered tradition) that do mention karma.

It mentions karma in it.

But the Smriti texts do not say that salvation is attained through karma.

It is not written that salvation is attained through karma.

As long as a person is in the world, they have to experience the fruits of their karma.

He has to experience the pleasures and pains according to his karma.

No one can escape from that.

That's what the Smriti texts say.

And the predominance of only karma is in the Jain scriptures, but not in others.

So in Jain scriptures and

What is the difference in Smriti scriptures?

In that, only karma is predominant.

In this?

In this, it is karma and self-effort.

As long as one wanders in the world, one wanders according to karma.

But Smriti scriptures do not say that one attains salvation according to karma.

Smriti scriptures do not say that one attains salvation according to past karmas.

Smriti scriptures say that if one meets God, then one attains salvation.

If one gets the company of God's devotee, then one attains salvation.

Smriti scriptures say so.

Even if it says that karma is predominant.

What do Jain scriptures say?

That one's salvation happens only through karma.

When karma is exhausted, one attains salvation.

That's what Maharaj said.

Otherwise, it's not that Smriti scriptures have given karma such a low status.

Results happen according to karma.

And one's destiny happens according to karma.

And whatever karma a person does, they must inevitably experience the results of that karma.

No one can escape from that.

Smriti scriptures do say that about karma.

And the predominance of only karma is in Jain scriptures.

But the statement of those Smriti scriptures is for wandering in this world, in the realm of nature.

As long as one has to wander in the realm of nature.

Who makes him wander until then?

Karma makes him wander.

Karma makes him wander.

But if one wants to go beyond the realm of nature and go to God's abode, that is, if it is about salvation, then Maharaj says that company is predominant there.

His karmas, accumulated karmas, are unlimited and may be severe karmas.

Even all those severe karmas, if he leaves them and keeps good company.

They remain as they are.

And he goes to God's abode.

Severe karma.

And they remain unlimited.

Even then, he goes to God's abode.

If he gets good company.

If he got salvific company, then it's done.

So in this, it's not that we don't have a desire for liberation, or that our karmas are not good, or that our samskaras are not good.

There is nothing to worry about that.

If he starts, it will be done.

And the predominance of only karma is in Jain scriptures, but not in others.

In other scriptures, the company of God and God's devotee is predominant.

Therefore, if you only expound on past karma, are you a satsangi outwardly and a secret atheist, or what?

Why, without an atheist, Maharaj also said in this Vachanamrut that a secret demon.

In God, that thing.

If one has conviction, or takes the strength of knowledge, or takes the strength of conviction, or takes the strength of refuge.

And does wrong karmas.

Then Maharaj should ask, are you a secret atheist or a secret demon, or what?

Are you a secret demon or what?

And you are a demon, Maharaj has already said that.

Salvation happens according to karma and opinion, meaning you are a secret atheist.

Therefore, if you only expound on past karma, are you a satsangi outwardly and a secret atheist, or what?

Maharaj has said so much, this is very thought-provoking.

So, it means that if we believe that after coming into satsang, our salvation happens due to our self-effort, then we are wrong.

Our salvation depends on how much attachment we have developed towards God's devotee and towards God.

He kept company with mind, action, and speech.

Someone, we performed many vows.

Or did that, or chanted many mantras.

Or just did this.

Salvation does not happen based on that.

Maharaj says that salvation happens based on company.

Company means attachment.

In God's devotee.

If he developed attachment to God's devotee.

If he developed attachment to God.

Then he attains salvation.

Here Maharaj has not explicitly stated the point, but the point is that in the path of salvation, company is predominant.

In the path of salvation, there is no predominance of past samskaras, or karma, or time and place, or anything else.

The meaning of that is that even the chosen deity is not predominant.

The work of the intellect of a mumukshu.

If one has the intellect of a mumukshu, then one thinks that even if my past samskaras are weak, I need the best possible company.

Then it happens to him.

If one does not have mumukshutva and by karma and circumstances, one happens to join the group of God's devotees, then that much is considered as one's past karma.

Whatever you want to count, count it.

Because he hasn't made any effort in that.

Whatever is attained without effort is called purva karma until then.

And then in this, one has to achieve it by making an effort.

Next.

His past karmas were such, the situation was such that it brought him to that point.

Now, Maharaj said that there will be no role of past karma from now on.

Now it's the role of his mumukshutva, now it's the role of association.

And mumukshutva comes based on association, so it's the role of association.

If he gets good company, if he selects good company.

Then for the path of salvation, it will take him all the way.

Then those samskaras neither stop him nor push him forward.

If there are good samskaras, they help him a little.

They don't stop.

Weak samskaras.

They cannot stop him.

Then Shriji Maharaj asked a counter-question: "On what scripture's basis do you say that the predominance of past karma extends from time and place to the deities and Parameshwar? Show me a verse from any scripture. The predominance of only one karma is in Jain scriptures. In other scriptures, the association of Parameshwar and his devotee is itself the predominance. Therefore, if you are merely expounding on past karma, are you a satsangi outwardly and a hidden atheist? No one but an atheist would expound such a doctrine."

If the eight factors like place and time change due to past karma,

then in Marwad, there have been some virtuous kings, for their sake, deep waters should have become shallow, but that does not happen.

Therefore, Maharaj says that whoever desires their own salvation, their country and time change due to association.

So Maharaj's point is that either he should abandon that country.

If the country is weak.

We said that a mumukshu, just like Harji Thakkar, abandoned his native village and went to Maharaj.

Or he reduces the effect of that country.

Maharaj says, didn't he tell Gopalanand Swami that if there is the company of sadhus like you, then the country, time, and all those things, in the talks of Gopalanand Swami, it is written that all seven of them are from the country and time.

That is based on one association.

If that association is good, then it makes the country and time good for him.

The basis of time and place is action.

And if his actions become good, then time also becomes good, and the country also becomes good.

Even if the water remains a hundred hands deep, it doesn't matter.

But it changes the effect of time.

Like that.

So Maharaj's point is that by association, time and place change.

Time and place do not change due to past samskaras.

And by mumukshutva, time and place change.

He can renounce.

There is no need to stick to what came to our lot.

Renounce that and accept the good ones.

To keep good company.

There is a role of past samskaras.

There is a role of the eight factors from time and place.

Or association has a greater role.

Whose role is the greatest?

Maharaj says, association.

The association of a singular devotee of God plays the biggest role in attaining salvation, a role greater than any other means.

That is why God said in the Eleventh Canto that by yajna, vows, charity, and penance, I am not as subdued as I am by satsang.

So Maharaj says that satsang is considered greater than all other means.

What are the characteristics of satsang being considered superior to all other means?

Satsang is said to be greater than all other means.

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