By the four means of vairagya, svadharma svadharma A person’s own dharma, related to his varna and ãshram. Tap to open in glossary → By the nine-fold bhakti bhakti Devotion to Bhagvãn. One of the four attributes of ekãntik dharma. There are nine types of bhakti: Tap to open in glossary → In Loya 5... In the mind, this much is key: mahima must be present. Not just empty seva. If one just keeps doing empty seva all their life, it cannot be said that their mind is conquered. It happens if the seva is performed with mahima. One should have that pride in their mind that, "This has come into my hands." One should have that joy in their mind. That, "This is very much for me, it is my good fortune." Such joy should be in the mind. And if one performs it then, the mind is conquered. There should be interest in the mind. In the bhakti bhakti Devotion to Bhagvãn. One of the four attributes of ekãntik dharma. There are nine types of bhakti: Tap to open in glossary → bhakti bhakti Devotion to Bhagvãn. One of the four attributes of ekãntik dharma. There are nine types of bhakti: Tap to open in glossary → And seva bhakti bhakti Devotion to Bhagvãn. One of the four attributes of ekãntik dharma. There are nine types of bhakti: Tap to open in glossary → Turning the mala, prostrating, performing puja, listening to katha, all these are limited bhakti bhakti Devotion to Bhagvãn. One of the four attributes of ekãntik dharma. There are nine types of bhakti: Tap to open in glossary → Meditating, all these are called limited bhakti bhakti Devotion to Bhagvãn. One of the four attributes of ekãntik dharma. There are nine types of bhakti: Tap to open in glossary → Because no one can meditate all day, or turn the mala all day, or do that other thing all day. And seva bhakti bhakti Devotion to Bhagvãn. One of the four attributes of ekãntik dharma. There are nine types of bhakti: Tap to open in glossary → that it provides support to the entire life. To the entire life. And twenty-four hours, it provides support. All seven days, the whole month. There is no restriction in it. Therefore, seva bhakti bhakti Devotion to Bhagvãn. One of the four attributes of ekãntik dharma. There are nine types of bhakti: Tap to open in glossary → Why more so? Because if one turns the mala, then the body does not undergo wear and tear. And seva bhakti bhakti Devotion to Bhagvãn. One of the four attributes of ekãntik dharma. There are nine types of bhakti: Tap to open in glossary → and it also comes as a niyama. It is a double-edged sword. In the other, one gets tired, the mind gets bored, but the body's energy is not used much; only the mind's energy is used. In this, both the mind's and the body's are used. If performed with mahima. If it is not with mahima, then even if one turns the mala, the mind is not in place. Meaning, performing it with full concentration. Then the mind is conquered. If one does not turn the mala with concentration and does not do seva with concentration, then the mind is not conquered. The inner self is not conquered. Perform it with concentration. Then it is conquered. Conquering the mind here simply means that one feels satisfied in it. And one feels the enthusiasm to engage in it again. Again, the nature of the mind is such that if it finds something difficult, it runs away. It does not go near it. But in this, one desires to do it again and again. Again and again. The mind runs there. Then it means the mind is conquered. It goes there, it attaches to God, that is called conquered. Yes. By the nine-fold bhakti bhakti Devotion to Bhagvãn. One of the four attributes of ekãntik dharma. There are nine types of bhakti: Tap to open in glossary → In the fifth Vachanamrut of Loya, Maharaj has given a similar answer. He who observes the rules of a renunciant prescribed in the scriptures, keeps his diet regulated, performs vows like Chandrayana, All those come under niyama. Regulating diet, performing vows, those are all niyamas. knowingly tolerates cold, heat, hunger, thirst, and sings the kirtans and katha of God, sits in worship and remembrance, and knowingly doing that, it comes under his tapas. Tolerating knowingly, here Maharaj called it tapas. Tapas also means voluntariness. The meaning of tapas is voluntariness. Otherwise, dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → compulsory tapas comes under dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → Like, "Come on brother, do not do this." In dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → Do not do this. That is compulsory tapas. And the tapas mentioned here by Maharaj is voluntary tapas. And the senses are not conquered that much by compulsory tapas. It is like a thief not stealing out of fear of the king. Out of fear of the king, fear of the police, a thief does not steal. But if the policeman moves away, he will steal. But if he himself has decided that, "I do not want to steal." Therefore, tapas, more is conquered by it. If there is a poor 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 → 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 → Starvation would occur. A person might need to eat three times, but gets only one meal. Because of that, his senses are not conquered, even though he is performing tapas. There must be voluntariness in it. The other one does not have voluntariness. He has no voluntariness, that is why it is called tapas. One is compulsory tapas, and one is voluntary tapas. It is effective, both happen. Because when one performs tapas, the body does become weak, whether done forcibly or voluntarily. But if it had to be done forcibly, then it is not conquered as much. His mind is not conquered. His desire remains permanent, saying, "I am not getting it, not getting it, not getting it, not getting it." And one who does it voluntarily has pride. It is not that, "I am not doing it because I am not getting it." Some have the pride that, "Even though I get it, I still do not do it." So there is a difference between the two. Maharaj mentioned both dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → Svadharma Svadharma A person’s own dharma, related to his varna and ãshram. Tap to open in glossary → he has to keep some voluntary rules in addition. In addition to dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → Compulsory rules are there. Come on brother, we told him the compulsory rules that, brother, not to talk to women, or do anything, to renounce them in eight ways. Those are called compulsory rules. So compulsory rules sometimes become a compulsion. In conquering the senses, they do help as much as they help, surely, but this does not help as much as the other helps. Just as there is voluntariness in tapas, there is also voluntariness in niyama, right? Yes, in that too, voluntariness. Then what is the difference between the two? Huh? Then what will be the difference between the two? Meaning, we said, niyama is inspiring. Here, niyama does not mean, "I should not eat sweets." Niyama means, "I must turn the mala." Rules related to bhakti bhakti Devotion to Bhagvãn. One of the four attributes of ekãntik dharma. There are nine types of bhakti: Tap to open in glossary → Those of yama and niyama, what is the difference between those two? One is prohibitive and one one is inspiring. So niyama means inspiring. Niyama here is to be taken as inspiring, otherwise prohibitive is already included. Still, Maharaj mentioned niyama. After mentioning dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → Meaning, in dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → Waking up early in the morning, performing puja, but in that, performing puja is dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → That, performing puja is a niyama. And waking up early is dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → So both aspects were mentioned. Despite mentioning both aspects, even if this is a little, it helps more. Niyama is voluntariness; voluntariness comes in niyama. So it is said that dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → And as far as possible. Niyama is as far as possible. And dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → It is not that, "If I speak untruth, it is fine." It is not that, "If I steal, it is fine." And suppose, "I will not steal on the day of Poonam." Chances might come more on the day of Poonam, but saying, then not like that. Stealing is prohibited all 365 days, 24 hours, everywhere. No compromise in that. And if one wants to keep a niyama, "Come on brother, I will keep a niyama for one month." "On the day of Poonam, I will go for the darshan darshan Seeing. 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 if we take niyama in this way here, it fits better. It aligns better with the scriptures and other contexts. If we say, "I have a niyama of not eating sweets," then that is also called a niyama. But instead of being a compulsory prohibition, we have taken it voluntarily. A prohibition taken voluntarily is called a niyama. And in voluntary niyama, both aspects will be included. Prohibition will also be included. That which is voluntarily prohibitive is also... called tapas, it can be said so, but in this, Maharaj... said so. But the main emphasis of niyama is that, voluntary. So when all four aspects are mentioned together here, voluntary niyamas can also be in the form of tapas. But when all four aspects are mentioned together here, then we should categorize them. If there are voluntary prohibitive niyamas, then those are tapas, to be counted as tapas. And voluntary prescribed rules are to be counted as niyama. And in compulsory, both of those are included. In compulsory, it is included in dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → But what is more effective is voluntary, rather than compulsory. It is not that compulsory is not effective. That is a rule, but this is for conquering the senses. To restrain the body, whether compulsory or the other, both are the same. But to conquer and control the senses, compulsory rules are not as effective as voluntary ones. Therefore, Maharaj has said so in one place in the Vachanamrut. In Gadhada III-34. That by gnana and vairagya, this world is completely renounced and vasana is eliminated. But those are very difficult. Is there an easier way than that? Maharaj says, "Yes, there is an easier way." In both of those, He mentioned niyamas. One, rules related to bhakti bhakti Devotion to Bhagvãn. One of the four attributes of ekãntik dharma. There are nine types of bhakti: Tap to open in glossary → and rules related to renunciation. If one keeps both of those and observes them, then his jiva becomes very strong. And the renunciation and purification of the jiva that happens through gnana and vairagya, happens through this. It happens through this. Therefore, voluntary nature, whether in tapas—there is voluntariness in both tapas and niyama. And in vairagya and dharma dharma 1) Universal law or principle that 'sustains' or 'upholds' the entire world. Righteousness, morality, religion, Tap to open in glossary → Does compulsion come in vairagya or voluntariness? Vairagya is not compulsory, but it has become like compulsory. His understanding has become such, that he does not like the world at all. In that, there is no voluntariness in vairagya. It arises from within. It is not a voluntary choice like, "I will keep vairagya in this and not in that." Therefore, it is prohibitive. His constitution has become such, so even though it may seem voluntary, it is not voluntary. In the fifth Vachanamrut of Loya, Maharaj has given a similar answer. He who observes the rules of a renunciant prescribed in the scriptures, keeps his diet regulated, performs vows like Chandrayana, knowingly tolerates cold, heat, hunger, thirst, and sings the kirtans and katha of God, sits in worship and remembrance, and conquers posture, by such means, the external senses are conquered. Contemplation on the mahima of God and meditation... The old sadhus used to emphasize posture a lot. When Shastriji Maharaj sat sat 1) True. Real. 2) Permanent, imperishable and unchanging. Is unbound by the past, the present, and the future. Tap to open in glossary → And he would sit continuously like this. He would not move. And that is conquering posture. Many used to talk about it in the assemblies of old sadhus. A sadhu had come, who in the old days had come while farming, and had never sat sat 1) True. Real. 2) Permanent, imperishable and unchanging. Is unbound by the past, the present, and the future. Tap to open in glossary → So when he sat sat 1) True. Real. 2) Permanent, imperishable and unchanging. Is unbound by the past, the present, and the future. Tap to open in glossary → sat sat 1) True. Real. 2) Permanent, imperishable and unchanging. Is unbound by the past, the present, and the future. Tap to open in glossary → Like this. Then he got motivated, being a good divine soul, he thought in his mind, "All these sit properly and I sit like this." But, "These knees do not bend, what to do?" Someone might say, "Sadhuram, one should not sit like this." "They do not bend, what can be done? What to do?" Then he got motivated, so when he went to bathe in the river, he brought back two stones. And kept them where he sat sat 1) True. Real. 2) Permanent, imperishable and unchanging. Is unbound by the past, the present, and the future. Tap to open in glossary → Then he sat sat 1) True. Real. 2) Permanent, imperishable and unchanging. Is unbound by the past, the present, and the future. Tap to open in glossary → He sat sat 1) True. Real. 2) Permanent, imperishable and unchanging. Is unbound by the past, the present, and the future. Tap to open in glossary → Then his posture became such that they went down completely. Others... It became completely flat like anyone else's, such a posture he conquered. So, posture. While sitting, no movement in the assembly or anywhere. The posture became completely steady. By conquering posture, dualities... are destroyed. Meaning, simply by conquering posture, heat, cold, likes, dislikes, all these are destroyed, such... fruit is described in the Yoga Sutras. "Asana-jayat dvandva-anabhighatah." Tapas... tapas is... "dosha tanu-karanam." Doshas... tanu-karanam. It keeps doshas low, reduces them, dims them. Decreases them, reduces them a bit. And niyama conquers them. Because voluntariness is included in it. If those are strong, then victory does not happen. Therefore, they are placed together. 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