Gadhadã I 61 · Vachanamrut · Swaminarayan Scriptures

The Importance Of Upãsanã At The Time Of Death / Bhagvãn Becomes Bound To His Bhakta

In the Samvat year 1876, on Fãgan vad 3 [3rd March, 1820], Shreeji Mahãrãj was sitting on a decorated bedstead on the platform under the neem tree in front of the mandir of Shree Vãsudev-Nãrãyan in Dãdã Khãchar’s darbãr in Gadhadã. He had tied a white cloth, with a border of silken thread, around His head. He was wearing a white khes, and had covered Himself with a white pachhedi. He was wearing garlands of white flowers around His neck, and tassels of white flowers were hanging from the left side of His pãgh. A sabhã of munis, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him.

Muktãnand Swãmi then asked, “How can a person remain calm even under the influence of lust, anger, greed, and fear?”

Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “A person who has firm ãtmã-nishthã and believes ‘I am not the body, but I am the ãtmã, which is distinct from the body, and is the knower of all’, never loses his calmness. On the other hand, a person without ãtmã-nishthã may try many other means, but he cannot remain calm.”

Brahmãnand Swãmi then asked, “To what extent does ãtmã-nishthã actually help a person at the time of death?”

Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “When faced with the task of crossing a river, a person who knows how to swim, can easily cross it. On the other hand, a person who is unable to swim will be left standing. However, when faced with the task of crossing an ocean, both require the aid of a ship. Similarly, a river (cold and heat, hunger and thirst, honour and insult, happiness and misery) may be crossed by a person with ãtmã-nishthã. However, death is like an ocean and both a person with ãtmã-nishthã and a person without it, require the help of a ship (nishchay) in Bhagvãn. Therefore, only the firm refuge of Bhagvãn is helpful at the time of death. Ãtmã-nishthã alone is of no use whatsoever at the time of death. For this reason, a person should firmly develop nishchay in Bhagvãn.”

Muktãnand Swãmi then asked, “It is said that siddhis are shown to the bhaktas of Bhagvãn. Does this fact apply only to those whose nishchay in Bhagvãn is fickle, or also to those who have firm nishchay?”

Shreeji Mahãrãj explained, “Siddhis only appear before those whose nishchay in Bhagvãn is continuous. For others, they are very difficult to attain. In fact, those siddhis are inspired by Bhagvãn Himself to test His bhaktas – ‘Does he have more love for me or for the siddhis?’ Bhagvãn tests His bhaktas in this way.

“If the bhakta happens to be completely devoted and desires nothing except Bhagvãn, is free of worldly desires, and is an ekãntik bhakta, then Bhagvãn Himself becomes bound by that bhakta. For example, Vãmanji seized Bali Rãjã’s kingdom, which comprised of the Svarg- Lok, Mrutyu-Lok and Pãtãl, and covered all fourteen loks with His first two steps. Bali Rãjã then offered his own body for Vãmanji to place the third step. In this way, Bali Rãjã devoutly offered everything to Bhagvãn. Also, despite the fact that Bhagvãn deceived Bali Rãjã without any fault of his own, Bali still did not falter from His bhakti. On seeing such perfect bhakti for Him, Bhagvãn ultimately became bound by Bali. Although Bhagvãn bound Bali Rãjã only for a moment, in the process, Bhagvãn himself became bound by ropes (Bali’s unique bhakti). To this very day, Bhagvãn is forever standing at Bali’s gate, never out of Bali Rãjã’s sight, not even for a fraction of a second.

“Likewise, after abandoning all other worldly desires and offering everything to Bhagvãn, we should also remain as the dãs of Bhagvãn. In the process, if Bhagvãn happens to inflict more misery upon us, then Bhagvãn Himself will become bound by us. This is because He loves His bhaktas, and is an ocean of kindness. He becomes bound by anyone who offers great bhakti to Him. As a result, the mind of a bhakta who has such loving bhakti, becomes so bound to Bhagvãn, that Bhagvãn is unable to free Himself from His bhakta.

“Therefore, we should become more pleased as Bhagvãn puts us through more severe hardships, bearing in mind, ‘The more misery Bhagvãn inflicts upon me, the more bound He will become to me, so He will not be away from me for even a moment’. With such understanding, a person should become increasingly pleased as Bhagvãn imposes more and more hardships. However, he should never become disheartened in the face of misery or for the sake of bodily comforts.” || End of Vachanãmrut Gadhadã I || 61 || 61 ||