One who has surrendered should worship God without worry. Even Brahma made a mistake, losing his invaluable honor. Then, what power do gods and demons have? No one's pride remained before the inner enemy. Then, what power do gods and demons have? No one's pride remained before the inner enemy. The inner enemy is unconquerable; it changes moment by moment. It never allows one to remain a devotee of God, always creating enmity. In every moment, it creates many good and bad thoughts. Because of this, in all three worlds, small and great are on the same path. Lust, anger, and greed have not spared anyone's honor. Everyone remains helpless within, even the immortal gods and kings. It is difficult to always remain a devotee of God. Even a trace of lust, anger, or greed feels naked in the heart. To live in a temple of soot, wearing white clothes. Only a few people can avoid getting soot on their clothes. To live among enemies and still hope to escape. How can a skilled person remain safe? Sooner or later, destruction will come. To remain faultless, I have not heard of any such method. Nishkulanand says, from this fault, everyone should reflect in their minds. What is said in this verse, in this canto? What was said? To live in a temple of soot. Speak a little louder. To live in a temple of soot, wearing white clothes, and not let any soot touch them, that is very difficult. Similarly, to remain a devotee of God is difficult when lust and other enemies are within. So what should one do? Take refuge in God. By the strength of God's refuge. Maintain the strength of refuge. By taking refuge, this jiva does not fall. But one must maintain it with inner honesty. Do not maintain it with inner deceit. If one does not have the intention to make personal effort and yet shows refuge, that is not called inner honesty. That is called inner deceit. God does not help such refuge. Whom does God help? He helps those who honestly believe what Nishkulanand Swami Nishkulanand Swami Disciple of Sahajanand Swami (Swaminarayan Bhagwan) and author of the Bhaktachintamani, as stated in the scripture's own closing colophon at the end of every chapter. Tap to open in glossary → If he makes a mistake, God helps him. If his intention is wrong from within, how can God help him? How does one know if the intention is wrong or right in refuge? How does one know? How much personal effort does one make? He should not keep less in that. He should not keep less in personal effort and should not give importance to personal effort. He should give importance to refuge, not to personal effort. And if he does not keep less in personal effort, then it should be understood that his intention is right. Whatever deficiency remains in these two, that much the intention is considered wrong. And if the intention is wrong, then refuge will not last long. Canto number 14. Even while abiding by God's commands and remaining vigilant, due to adverse circumstances, even great beings like Brahma have made mistakes. Their honor has also been lost. Then, what power can other gods, demons, and humans have? Before the inner enemy, no one's pride has remained. One should look within oneself. That we have fallen into error or that time and place have caused a mistake. If time and place have caused a mistake, then God cannot do anything. If we have fallen, then how can God save us? Like that. Even while abiding by God's commands and remaining vigilant, due to adverse circumstances, even great beings like Brahma have made mistakes. Their honor has also been lost. Then, what power can other gods, demons, and humans have? Before the inner enemy, no one's pride has remained. No one's pride has remained standing. Once the inner enemy is suppressed, it doesn't mean we have become perfect and there's no need to boast that we have no problems now. If one wins once. One has to remain pure until the last breath. If one does that, it happens. Once all circumstances came to us and we emerged pure, there is no need to boast much. When we boast, Maya grins, thinking, 'Now I have found an opportunity.' We boast somewhere, don't we? Whenever we boast, that's what happens. Once the inner enemy is suppressed, it doesn't mean we have become perfect and there's no need to boast that we have no problems now. They are neither conquered nor suppressed by anyone. Seeing carelessness, they are sure to strike. Then they humble the proud devotees. So, if you throw him down 10 times, he won't mind. Even if he falls 10 times, it's fine; he'll still come back. He looks for an opportunity. That now is the right opportunity. When does he get the best opportunity? When does the inner enemy get the best opportunity? When they are free. When they are free. If they are free, it's good. When does the opportunity arise? In solitude. In solitude. We deliberately go and sit where it is convenient for him. So he gets an opportunity. Like that. 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