Types of the devotees
Chapter-47
On the twelfth day ot the first fortnight of the month of Magh of Samvat 1876, Swami Shri Sahajanandji Maharaj was seated on a cot placed on a raised platform under the margosa tree near the temple of Shri Vasudev Narayan. In the Durbar of Shri Dada Khachar at Gadhada. He was dressed
in all white clothes. Munis and the devotees from the various places were assembled before him.
Then Shriji Maharaj clapped with the fingers of right hand and said, Listen to me with attention. I desire to talk to you. Though, appatently you may find this talk to be gross on the face of it, it contains a subtle meaning which will be realised by you only if you listen to it with utmost attention. All the members of the assembly then said, Please let us hear. Where upon Shriji
Maharaj said, "Generally all the devotees of God possess predominantly one special attribute which may consist of anyone out of Dharm, Gyan, Vairagya and Bhakti. The other three may be ancillary. One who has predominant attribute of Dharma observes Ahimsa, Brahmcharya and the tenets related to
the code of Varnashram, he observes the tenets very tenaciously but without of a tinge of pride. He serves God and his saints with a sense of devotion and love. He would like to erect temples for God and layout gardens round about such temples for the flowers to be offered to God. He would offer sumptuous food to God, would like to cleanse the temple and would indulge in such
devotion which would consist of listening to songs relating to God and to those scriptures which prescribe the observance of Dharm.
One who possesses the special attribute of Gyan believes himself to be Atma, separate from the three bodies and the three states of the body. He would behave in Atmicbhav only and would look upon God Lord Shri Krishna visible before him as transcending everything, purest and possessing a divine body. He would indulge in such talks relating to the forms of Atma and Parmatma only and would love to hear such talks and such scriptures only. He would not tolerate for a moment those talks which are likely to impade his progress in behaving as Atma.
Now the devotee with predominant attribute of Vairagya, obliterates from his memory his house, his relatives etcetera as they are all ultimately perishible. Excepting God, he has blotted out everything from his heart. He would cultivate contact only with like minded people-devotees. Anything that hampers his Vairagya even in offering worship to God, he would reject it out
rightly. His talks relate predominantly to Vairagya and he would avoid having tasty food or rich garments or other objects of enchantment.
A devotee with Bhaktil in prominance is attached with devout devotion to God only. His mind will never be focused in any other object excepting God. He would offer ornaments, valuables and other things to God and would love to remember the human episodes of his life and would hear only such
scriptures which describe his divine form. He bears love only to such devotee of God who love him. He has no emotional attachment even to his sons, daughters and family members. He has all his love for God and the image of God. He indulge only in such activities which relate to God.
The predominant attributes of Dharm, Gyan, Vairagya and Bhakti that a devotee possesses, are described here. If you all examine your hearts, you will be able to find out that which particular aspect of devotion predominates within you. Just, as a mirror reflects other objects. You heart will also reflect the type of devotion that you offer to God. A devotee, of God must possess
one of the four aspects of devotion mentioned above. But so long as he does not realize it, he can not endeavour to vitalise it, with the consequence that ultimatly he would become susceptible to adopt at various times anyone of the above aspects of devotion to which he listens with rapt attention.
Therefore, you all should try to realise such of the above four aspects of devotion is predominant within you and then should try replenish the same from time to time by concentrating on that particular mode of Bhakti.
Hearing to this, all the members of the assembly narrated before Shriji Maharaj the particular aspect of devotion which predominated within them. Then Shriji Maharaj told them, "Those who belong to similar type may get up. Then such devotees stood up. Whereupon Shriji Maharaj told them to sit down. Then Nityanand Swami asked, What are the virtues or drawbacks of devotees who possess any one of those four aspects of devotion? Shriji Maharaj said, "yes, I shell tell you the virtues and drawbacks of the same. One who fully observes all the attributes relating to a particular phase of devotion has this virtue and one who fails to do so has this drawback. Again, Muktanand Swami asked, Is there any distinction as to higher or lower in the devotee possessing any of the four aspects of devotion described by you? Shriji Maharaj said in reply, "So long as they are perfact in possessing attributes of any of the particular phase of devotion described by me, they are all at par with one another. And when a devotee possesses all the four aspects of devotion in him, heis eleveted to the state of Param-Bhagwat or Ekantik Bhakta.
Thus Ends Vachanamrit : Gadhada First - 47.
Redistribution, retransmission, republication or commercial exploitation of the contents of this website are expressly prohibited
without the written consent of Shree Kalupur Swaminarayan Temple, Ahmedabad. All rights reserved.