{T..he Magic Box Photographie}*
Sukh ãpe che, darshan ãpe che:-)
“If a devotee has an intense yearning (ખપ) to engage in the bhakti of God and to associate with the Sant, then regardless of any swabhãv that he may possess, he eradicates it and behaves according to the Sant’s will and command. Even if that swabhãv is such that it has become bound to the chaitanya, one who has an intense desire to do satsang will eradicate it.”
“The details of the kind of obstinacy a devotee should and should not keep are as follows: One type of obstinacy is observing the vows of non-lust and other such vows; the other type of obstinacy is behaving with the feeling that one will be able to sleep only if one’s place is here and not if it is elsewhere. The latter and other innumerable forms of obstinacy that are the result of trivial swabhãvs should not be considered the same as the former type of obstinacy. The obstinacy of observing religious vows is as essential as one’s own life; it is extremely beneficial. That type of obstinacy should be kept with an understanding of its importance. But if the latter type of obstinacy, which is due to swabhãvs, is formed, it should be thought of as worthless; and if the Sant asks one to abandon it, it should be abandoned. The former type of obstinacy, however, should not be abandoned.
“Even greater, one who offers bhakti to God while observing religious vows with the intention of pleasing God is called a brahmarshi and a sãdhu.
“Therefore, one should eradicate egotism by realising the greatness of God.”
“What is the conviction of God? Well, consider how it is in worldly life. Since childhood, one has the conviction of one’s parents, caste, sub-caste, ãshram, gender, as well as the conviction that this is an animal, this is a man, this is water, this is fire, this is the earth, this is the wind, this is the sky, and so on. All this is due to the scriptures. Even if one has not heard the scriptures, one has been convinced by principles prevalent in society – which themselves were derived from the scriptures. Similarly, the attributes of the Sant – being free of lust, avarice, egotism, taste, attachment, etc. – are also described in the scriptures. The Sant who possesses these attributes has a direct relationship with God. Therefore, one should develop the conviction of God based on his words. In fact, to have firm faith in the words of the Sant is itself the conviction of God.”
“Therefore, after listening to talks concerning these two (ãtma and Paramãtmã), one should do manan and nididhyãs on those talks.”
- Lord Swãminãrãyan, Vachanãmrut Gadhadã III-27
.
“If those elements are chaitanya, then along with the jiva residing in this body, there should be 24 jivas for the 24 elements. Thus, when the jiva attains liberation, it would be distributed among all of them; moreover, all sins that are committed by the jiva would also be distributed among all of them. Therefore, the experiencer of pleasure and pain cannot be said to be just one jiva. Furthermore, the three types of karmas – sanchit karmas, prãrabdha karmas and kriyamãn karmas – cannot be said to apply to just one jiva. Furthermore, in the past, when Nãrad and the others became liberated, only their own jiva became liberated, but there is no mention of the jivas of the 24 elements becoming liberated as well.”
By using such logic, Lord Swãminãrãyan (on 5th September 1823) proved the elements to be without a jiva. He then logically disproved each answer given by the paramhansas. As a result, the paramhansas were unable to answer the question in any way at all.
Lord Swãminãrãyan then said, “Here, allow Me to answer the question. Due to the difference between an effect and its cause, there are two types of elements. The elements that are in the form of the cause are chaitanya, and the elements that are in the form of the effect are jad. Now, in actuality, the jiva resides in the heart; but through its power of consciousness, it behaves with oneness with the body, indriyas and antahkaran. As a result, the body, indriyas, etc., appear to be chaitanya, but in reality they are jad.
“When that jiva becomes a devotee of God and attains the abode of God, the elements which are jad are left behind. Now, as those 24 elements are produced from mãyã, they are forms of mãyã and are jad; they appear differently in the form of the body, indriyas and antahkaran. For example, there is one pruthvi that assumes the five forms of the skin, flesh, marrow, bones and muscles. Due to the ingenuity of the maker, it also comes in the form of glass. In the same way, that mãyã, due to the will of God, appears in different forms – the body, the indriyas, etc.”
Sukh ãpe che, darshan ãpe che:-)
“If a devotee has an intense yearning (ખપ) to engage in the bhakti of God and to associate with the Sant, then regardless of any swabhãv that he may possess, he eradicates it and behaves according to the Sant’s will and command. Even if that swabhãv is such that it has become bound to the chaitanya, one who has an intense desire to do satsang will eradicate it.”
“The details of the kind of obstinacy a devotee should and should not keep are as follows: One type of obstinacy is observing the vows of non-lust and other such vows; the other type of obstinacy is behaving with the feeling that one will be able to sleep only if one’s place is here and not if it is elsewhere. The latter and other innumerable forms of obstinacy that are the result of trivial swabhãvs should not be considered the same as the former type of obstinacy. The obstinacy of observing religious vows is as essential as one’s own life; it is extremely beneficial. That type of obstinacy should be kept with an understanding of its importance. But if the latter type of obstinacy, which is due to swabhãvs, is formed, it should be thought of as worthless; and if the Sant asks one to abandon it, it should be abandoned. The former type of obstinacy, however, should not be abandoned.
“Even greater, one who offers bhakti to God while observing religious vows with the intention of pleasing God is called a brahmarshi and a sãdhu.
“Therefore, one should eradicate egotism by realising the greatness of God.”
“What is the conviction of God? Well, consider how it is in worldly life. Since childhood, one has the conviction of one’s parents, caste, sub-caste, ãshram, gender, as well as the conviction that this is an animal, this is a man, this is water, this is fire, this is the earth, this is the wind, this is the sky, and so on. All this is due to the scriptures. Even if one has not heard the scriptures, one has been convinced by principles prevalent in society – which themselves were derived from the scriptures. Similarly, the attributes of the Sant – being free of lust, avarice, egotism, taste, attachment, etc. – are also described in the scriptures. The Sant who possesses these attributes has a direct relationship with God. Therefore, one should develop the conviction of God based on his words. In fact, to have firm faith in the words of the Sant is itself the conviction of God.”
“Therefore, after listening to talks concerning these two (ãtma and Paramãtmã), one should do manan and nididhyãs on those talks.”
- Lord Swãminãrãyan, Vachanãmrut Gadhadã III-27
.
“If those elements are chaitanya, then along with the jiva residing in this body, there should be 24 jivas for the 24 elements. Thus, when the jiva attains liberation, it would be distributed among all of them; moreover, all sins that are committed by the jiva would also be distributed among all of them. Therefore, the experiencer of pleasure and pain cannot be said to be just one jiva. Furthermore, the three types of karmas – sanchit karmas, prãrabdha karmas and kriyamãn karmas – cannot be said to apply to just one jiva. Furthermore, in the past, when Nãrad and the others became liberated, only their own jiva became liberated, but there is no mention of the jivas of the 24 elements becoming liberated as well.”
By using such logic, Lord Swãminãrãyan (on 5th September 1823) proved the elements to be without a jiva. He then logically disproved each answer given by the paramhansas. As a result, the paramhansas were unable to answer the question in any way at all.
Lord Swãminãrãyan then said, “Here, allow Me to answer the question. Due to the difference between an effect and its cause, there are two types of elements. The elements that are in the form of the cause are chaitanya, and the elements that are in the form of the effect are jad. Now, in actuality, the jiva resides in the heart; but through its power of consciousness, it behaves with oneness with the body, indriyas and antahkaran. As a result, the body, indriyas, etc., appear to be chaitanya, but in reality they are jad.
“When that jiva becomes a devotee of God and attains the abode of God, the elements which are jad are left behind. Now, as those 24 elements are produced from mãyã, they are forms of mãyã and are jad; they appear differently in the form of the body, indriyas and antahkaran. For example, there is one pruthvi that assumes the five forms of the skin, flesh, marrow, bones and muscles. Due to the ingenuity of the maker, it also comes in the form of glass. In the same way, that mãyã, due to the will of God, appears in different forms – the body, the indriyas, etc.”