Gadhadã I 29 · Vachanamrut · Swaminarayan Scriptures

Intensifying Dharma, Gnãn, Vairãgya, And Bhakti / Prãrabdha, Grace, And Effort

In the Samvat year 1876, on the evening of Posh sud Punam [31st December, 1819], Shreeji Mahãrãj was sitting on a decorated bedstead on the veranda outside the west-facing rooms of Dãdã Khãchar’s darbãr in Gadhadã. He was wearing a white khes and had covered Himself with a white chofãl. He had also tied a white pãgh around His head. He was wearing garlands of white flowers, and a tassel of white flowers was hanging from His pãgh. A sabhã of sãdhus, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him.

Shreeji Mahãrãj then said, “Please ask a question.”

Then, Gopãlãnand Swãmi asked, “How can the force of bhakti coupled with dharma, gnãn, and vairãgya be intensified?”

Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “There are four means to accomplish this: The first is a pure desh, the second is a pleasant kãl, the third is spiritual kriyã, and the fourth is the sang of a sat-purush. Of these, the influence of desh, kãl, and sang are more powerful than kriyã. This is because, if a desh is pure, and kãl is pure, and a person also keeps the sang of sant like yourself, then kriyã will naturally be pure as well. Conversely, if a desh is impure – like the region of Sindh, if the kãl is impure, and if a person also keeps the sang of prostitutes and perverted people, or of those who consume alcohol and meat, then kriyã will certainly be impure as well. Therefore, a person should stay where there is a pure desh, and should abandon a place where the kãl has become unpleasant. A person should keep the sang of a bhakta of Bhagvãn, as well as the sang of a sant who abides by the panch-vartmãn. As a result, a haribhakta’s bhakti for Bhagvãn gains tremendous energy. This is the answer to your question.”

Then, Muktãnand Swãmi asked, “Mahãrãj, initially a haribhakta may be very impure at heart, but he later becomes extremely pure. Is this due to his previous sanskãrs, the grace of Bhagvãn, or the bhakta’s personal efforts?”

Shreeji Mahãrãj explained, “The good or bad that occurs due to person’s previous sanskãrs is apparent to everyone in the world. For instance, the cause of Bharatji becoming attached to a deer can be understood to be due to prãrabdha. Or, if a poor person were to receive a large kingdom, then everyone would come to know of it. That should be known as prãrabdha.”

Then, narrating His own story, Shreeji Mahãrãj continued, “Considering the spiritual activities I have performed, it is unimaginable that my body has survived such strictness, yet even in those circumstances it did survive. That can be considered to be due to prãrabdha. What were those circumstances? Well, while staying in Purushottam-Puri, I spent many months surviving merely on air. On one occasion, I allowed my body to be carried away by a river that was four to five miles wide. During the winter, summer, and monsoon, I stayed without shelter, wearing only a loincloth. I also used to wander in the jungle amongst wild animals such as tigers, elephants, and wildebeests. I travelled in many frightful conditions, yet my body did not perish. In these situations, a person should consider prãrabdha to be responsible.

“Now, consider the son of the brãhman named Sãndipani whose son was saved from Narak, and when five-year-old Dhruvji prayed to Bhagvãn, the meanings of the Veds and other shãstras were spontaneously revealed to him. In these situations – as well as when a person’s mind is purified by the wish of Bhagvãn or by His grace, or by the grace of His ekãntik sãdhu who has been pleased by a person’s extremely pure sentiments – the influence of Bhagvãn’s grace should be considered to be responsible.

“If a person keeps the sang of a devout sãdhu and becomes virtuous through his own thoughts, then that is known as purush-prayatna.”

Having said this, Shreeji Mahãrãj bid “Jay Sachidãnand” to the sabhã and returned to His seat laughing. || End of Vachanãmrut Gadhadã I || 29 || 29 ||