Sãrangpur 18 · Vachanamrut · Swaminarayan Scriptures

Saline Land

In the Samvat year 1877, on Bhãdarvã sud 8 [15th September, 1820], Swãmi Shree Sahajãnandji Mahãrãj was sitting facing north on the veranda outside the north-facing rooms of Jeevã Khãchar’s darbãr in Sãrangpur. He was wearing a white khes and had covered Himself with a white chãdar. He had also tied a white pãgh around His head. A sabhã of munis, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him.

Shreeji Mahãrãj then said, “If a person with shraddhã comes across the company of a true sant and develops shraddhã in the words of that sant, then all the kalyãn-kãri qualities of svadharma, vairãgya, gnãn, bhakti, and wisdom, would develop in his heart, and the vicious natures, such as kãm, and krodh, would be burnt away. On the other hand, if he encounters kusang and develops shraddhã in their words, then the qualities such as vairãgya and wisdom would be destroyed.

“It is like the analogy of saline land. No matter how much rain falls upon it, no grass, or anything else, can grow upon it. However, if a flood were to sweep across the same land, then all the salt would be washed away. As a result, where there was once salt, there would now be silt. If the seeds of banyan, pipal, or other trees were to fall into that silt, they would grow into large trees. Similarly, if a person, who has the previously mentioned qualities of svadharma, vairãgya, gnãn, bhakti, and wisdom, firmly rooted in his heart, and who has not even the slightest desire for the pleasures of this world, were to meet with kusang, then waters (kusang) would sweep across his heart and leave behind silt (worldly talks). Then, the seeds of vicious natures, such as kam, krodh, lobh, moh, mad, and matsar, which are dormant in the silt, would grow into large trees. Therefore, a bhakta of Bhagvãn should never keep kusang.”

Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj continued, “If a person has some svabhãvs and he thoughtfully attempts to eradicate them by associating with a sant, then they can be destroyed. However, a person’s vicious svabhãvs will not eradicate if he foolishly applies any other methods. When such a fool becomes depressed, he either sleeps, cries, takes out his frustrations on someone else, or he may even do upvãs. He will use any of these four methods to try to overcome his depression. If he becomes severely depressed, he may even resort to committing suicide. These are the way in which a fool attempts to overcome depression. However, such methods neither reduce the pain, nor do they eradicate a person’s svabhãvs. On the other hand, if a person were to attempt to eradicate them with understanding, then both the distress and the svabhãv would be eradicated. Therefore, only those who have understanding become happy.”

Then, Shreeji Mahãrãj continued with another example and said, “Large flames of a fire are extinguished when water is poured over it, whereas even a slight flash of lightning can never be extinguished, even though it is in the midst of dense rain clouds. Similarly, regardless of how much vairãgya a person may have, or how much love for Bhagvãn he may have, if he does not have understanding, then like the flames of the fire, all of his qualities will be lost due to water (kusang). In comparison, a person who has the understanding of vairãgya and love is like the fire of lightning. It may be slight, but it is never destroyed.”

“Then, Nirvikãrãnand Swãmi asked, “Mahãrãj, if a person has a vicious svabhãvs, like kãm and krodh, can they be eradicated, or not?”

Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “Just as a merchant keeps an account of all his transactions, if a person keeps an account of his svabhãvs from the very day he entered satsang, then they can be eradicated. He should think, ‘When I was not in satsang, I had these vicious svabhãvs. But, ever since I have entered satsang, they have diminished’. Then, every year, he should check to see if he has progressed or if there is still some deficiency remaining. However, a fool does not keep an account like the merchant does. Therefore, any svabhãvs, which a person may have, can be eradicated if he continuously examines himself while doing satsang.”

Muktãnand Swãmi then asked, “If a person keeps kusang then it is obvious that he will develop vicious svabhãvs. But, why is it that such vicious svabhãvs arise even after a person associates with a sant?”

Shreeji Mahãrãj explained, “During his childhood, a person does not face enemies, such as kãm, krodh, and lobh. Also, at that age, he also tends to have more love for Bhagvãn. However, when he enters youth, the enemies increase along with the belief that he is the body. During that period, if he keeps the company of a sãdhu, who does not have vicious natures and the belief that he is the body, then he will cross the ocean of youth. However, if the youth does not do this, the enemies will defeat him, and he will consequently turn vile.

“However, if an older person is spoilt while doing satsang, it is because whichever avgun he perceives in a great sant, all return to dwell in his own heart. Conversely, if he perceives the gun of a great sant and thinks, ‘Any svabhãvs the great sant exhibits is only for the sake of the kalyãn of jeevs. In fact, He is flawless; but my identification of flaws in him is due to my own personal foolishness’, and he also asks for forgiveness for his mistakes, then his deficiencies will diminish.

Mahãnubhavãnand Swãmi then asked, “Can rãjasi, tãmasi, and sãttvik svabhãvs be eradicated by doing satsang?”

Shreeji Mahãrãj replied, “All svabhãvs can be eradicated if a person tries to eradicate them.”

Mahãnubhavãnand Swãmi asked further, “If that is the case, then despite the fact that Durvãsã and others have become muktas, why do they still remain tãmasi?”

Shreeji Mahãrãj explained, “The qualities, like tamo-gun, which are seen in Durvãsã and others, are only present because they choose to keep them. They feel, ‘If someone is misbehaving, tamo-gun is actually very necessary in order to lecture him. That is why we keep it’. Therefore, they purposely retain these qualities. Nevertheless, when a svabhãv is prevalent in a person, he should have hatred towards it. He should think, ‘I am a bhakta of Bhagvãn, and such a vicious svabhãv does not suit me’. In this way, by the grace of Bhagvãn, a person’s svabhãvs can be eradicated if he regards them as flaws and strives to discard them.” || End of Vachanãmrut Sãrangpur || 18 || 96 || || End of Shree Sãrangpur Prakaran || || SHREE SWÃMINÃRAYAN VIJAYTETRÃM || Shree Kãriyãni Prakaran