Ekantik Bhakti
Chapter-6
Attributes of Dharma
Ego v/s Atmic Bhava
On the first day of the first fortnight of the month of Margshirsha of Samvat
1877, Shriji Maharaj was seated at night in the Durbar of Shri Sura Khachar at
Loya. He had put on a white jersey and a white turban. He had fast end his side
face and chin by one additional cloth, leaving other end of the cloth loose on the
top of his turban. He had covered his body with a white cotton shawl. Paramhams
and the devotees from the different places were assembled before him in a meeting.
Shriji Maharaj then asked the Paramhamsas, "What is the most coveted at-
tainment that a devotee should aspire to attain after he gains this holy Satsang ?"
The Paramhamsas2 could not quite reply. So Maharaj said in reply, "The develop-
ment of Ekantik Bhakti is the most coveted attainment. What is Ekantik Bhakti ?
One who has fully developed the attributes of Dharma, Gyan, Vairagya, and with
these redemptive attributes, what one offers as exuberant devotion to God is
regarded as Ekantik Bhakti." Then Shriji Maharaj asked, "Which are from the
various attributes of Dharma4, if developed fully, makes one immune to the strict Observance of the other attributes ? And which of the various adjuncts of Bhakti,
viz. chanting, introspective reminiscences, singing devotional songs, listening to
discourses, even if abandoned due to adverse factors, would amply compensate for
all in worship ?" Then he himself replied the same by saying, "One who is entirely
devoid of carnal desires retains all the attributes of Dharma even if outwardly they
seem to have been relaxed. And out of the various adjuncts of Bhakti, if one
retains the knowledge of God decisively, all other adjuncts of Bhakti will become
fulfilled.
Then Shriji Maharaj asked, "Which Buddhi8, when kept fixed does react
favorably and when changed make an unfavorable impact ? And which Buddhi
when kept flexible react favorably and when kept fixed produce adverse reper-
cussions ?" Then he himself extended the answer by saying that, "Buddhi which
has known God and has decisively established such knowledge within should be
kept fixed. Such knowledge should be reinforced by. probing the infinite glory of
God. If, however, one allows one's-Buddhi to licker, even after attaining such
decisive knowledge, it would react unfavorably and would deflect him from the
spiritual path. And one who, of his other accord, has decided to adopt a certain
course of Sadhana, and when he is advised by the saint to change such course,
he should in such case be flexible and should not stick to his decision. If he does
not so remain flexible hut sticks to his decision, his spiritual progress will be
hampered."
Shriji Maharaj then asked, "What type of the devotee should be avoided from
the those who found to observe all the tenets of Dharm ?" Then replying to the
question Shriji Maharaj said, "One who observes Dharma4 fully and also possesses
the knowledge of God should yet be avoided if he has gross attachment to worldly
objects; viz he is pragmatically wise and yet has ego of his position. When the ego
of such a devotee is hurt by God or by the saint, he will begin to think adversely
of them both. He will then begin to malign them before others and dislodge them
from their spiritual path. Even if he is in this holy Satsang, his contact should be
totally avoided."
Then Shriji Maharaj asked, "What type of the saint should be avoided from
those who found to observe the rules of Dharma4 and possess the knowledge of
God ?" Then he himself said in reply, "A saint who indulges in loose talk and
believes that all saintly attributes can not be imbibed during one birth, but that they
can be imbibed only by God's grace, and Jivas also can not be redeemed during
this birth, they have to take various births to attain inal redemption; association
with such a saint should therefore be totally avoided. And a Sadhu who feels that
he is fully fulfilled and has courage to drive out by the grace of God and the saint,
the evil instincts of passion, anger, pride, envy, ego etc. should always be sought
for active company."
Shriji Maharaj asked, "What type of Sadhu, even if he talks courageously,
should be avoided ?" Then in reply he said, "A saint who simply indulges in tall talk
about his own spiritual endeavors and does not crave to seek the grace of
God and does not desire to propitiate him, should be avoided totally.
Then Shriji Maharaj asked, "Which type of saint should be sought for com-
pany and which should not ?" Then he replied, "A saint who observes all the rules
of Dharma, possesses such knowledge of God but is very sot and remains non-
responsive to the spiritual needs of disciples should, even if he may be as great as
Muktanand Swami in worldly esteem, be totally avoided. And such a saint who
always raps his disaples hard for their evil instincts, and does not cease till such
instincts are totally eradicated, who can not tolerate loose indulgence, should
always be sought for active association, even if such a saint is not esteemed greatly
by others."
Shriji Maharaj then asked, "A saint possesses all the redemptive attributes of
Gyan, Bhakti etcetera and yet because of which drawback, should his association
not be sought ?" In reply to this Shriji Maharaj said, "Such a saint, in spite of his
other attributes, if he is lethargic in performing the rituals and is idle, his associa-
tion should be avoided.
Then Shriji Maharaj asked, "One devotee talks proficiently on spiritual mat-
ters; and yet due to which deficiency of his, should his talk not be listened to ?"
Then replying himself said, "One who talks tall about his own Bhakti, Gyan,
Vairagya and Dharm and belittles others; because of such drawback of him, his
surrrions or talk should not be heard."
Then Shriji Maharaj asked, "Which type of speech is it, that is, rather harsh
and yet should be sweetly enjoyed like nectar ?" In reply he himself said, "If saint
who during his talks, talks derogatorily about the relations of the body,, should be
heard with interest, since hearing him, one would feel that such a saint has no
attachment towards his parental relations, and therefore, he is esteemed highly. His
speech, therefore, should be enjoyed like nectar."
Then Shriji Maharaj asked further, "Where should one preserve one's own
respect and where should the same be discarded ?" Then in reply he said, "Before
a devotee who is meek, humble and poor but is firm in knowledge of God, one
should stoop low with respect. And one should maintain his self respect before
one, who has receded from the spiritual path and who talks in derogatory terms
about Satsang. Even in the exchange e of dialogues, he should be paid back in the
same coin with an upper hand.
Then Shriji Maharaj asked, "Where should one resolutely restrain and where
should one relax in alteration for God and his saint ?" Then in reply he said,
"When I suggest in the assembly that someone should go to Burhanpur and Kashi".
And nobody from the assembly heeds my; ..suggestion, then one should stand up
and say "Oh Maharaj ! If you just order me, I am prepared to go." He should thus
try to win my grace by obeying my commands, but in no way on such occasion
should one sustain a desire to have my Darshan or to hear my sermons here.
Again, when I have or my saint has reprimanded some one owing to his drawbacks
and expelled him from here, and if another one who is totally excommunicated
appoches him and speaks to him in indecent words against us, one should not hear
such words and should exhibit great love for us. He should deal with him squarely
and should say, "l am the lowest of the low before Maharaj and his saints and even
if lam cut to pieces, I shall bear no ill feelings for them because they only would
redeem me." He should exhibit such affection for us."
Then Shnji Maharaj asked, "Which is the true code of behavior you should
accept by which even if I order you to obey certain of my orders, you should not
obey them and thus displease me, and even if..I am so displeased, you should
continue to behave in such manner ?" Then answered, "If my orders are not in
consonance with the observance of your Dharma, you should not immediately
carry them out, but should pause for a while and think about them. Shri Krishna
ordered Arjuna "Cut the head of Ashwatthama". Arjuna hasitated for some
time and ultimately did not carry out the orders of Shri Krishna. Even if I am
displeased, evne if I desire you to do so. Even if God is displeased, let him be so
displeased but in no way should one obey such orders which tend to violate the
principles of ethical conduct."
Then Shriji -Maharaj asked, "When a devotee sits in meditation, the mind
immediately plunges in the ocean of repulsive thoughts. Now should the mind be
retrieved out of such entanglement ?"Answering the question Shriji Maharaj said,
"When such thoughts arise in the mind and they can not be suppressed, one should
leave meditation at once and should at the top of his voice chant the Swaminarayan'
mantra. He should pray to God, pray to such great saints like Muktanand Swami.
With such chanting of the name of Swaminarayan and prayer, the mind will revert
in its placid state. There is no other remedy to drive out such evil thoughts from
the mind."
Then Shriji Maharaj said, "Strict observance of the holy tenets is a great
virtue appreciated by all and yet the same should be discarded and the apparent
drawback of non-observance should be accepted. Which is this virtue and which
is such drawback ? How should such apparent anomaly be accepted discarding the
virtue and accepting the drawback ?" In answer to this, Shriji Maharaj said, "Strict
observance of the holy tenets is no doubt a great virtue. Muktanand Swami - the
great amongst the Paramhamsas - has been implicitly following such a traditional
way of behavior.. However, if such strict observance accepted by Muktanand
Swami tends to frustrate all other disciples who in fact are not able to observe it
strictly, such strict observance, even though in itself a great virtue, should be
discarded and the drawback' of the observance of the rules at par with others
should be accepted."
Shriji Maharaj then asked, "Which is the great evil which when discarded, all
evils are discarded, and which is that virtue which if imbibed, all virtues are
imbibed ?" In reply to this Shriji Maharaj said, "The ego of one's own self is the
source of all evils. If that is discarded, all evils go away. And the great redeeming
virtue of believing and behaving as Atma - separate from the body - if imbibed
perfectly, brings in all other virtues.
Then Shriji Maharaj asked, "Which sense objects when enjoyed would en-
lighten the Budhhi and the sense objects which when enjoyed would denigrate
it ?" Then in reply Shriji Maharaj said, "Those sense-objects which have a bearing
on God, when enjoyed, would enlighten the Buddhi and those mundane objects
which have no bearing on God, when enjoyed, would pervert Buddhi."
Then Shriji Maharaj asked, "Which type of Desh, Kala, Sang and Kriya
should not be sought even if God orders any one to do so ?"' Replying this, Shriji
Maharaj said, One who is a renounced one, should avoid such Desh, where
association with one's family relations is frequent. And if I summon you to a place
where I have been addressing women - and order you to sit along with me to
enjoy my Darshan, you should not obey such orders of mine and avoid it to leave
such a place immediately under some pretext. Again, one should leave such place
where law and order are in chaos and murders are committed or the riots apring
up, as such atmosphere vitiates better conditions of thyme. One should not insist on
remaining there and suffering injuries."
Shriji Maharaj asked again, "Which scriptures should be studied and which
should not be studied? " Replying himself, Shriji Maharaj said, "Such scriptures
which do not describe God as having a divine form, which do not recognize his
various incarnations, should not be read, even if they discuss pure Vedana sup-
porting the theory of absolute but Nirakar Brahm, irrespective of whether they are
composed by the learned or not. the Kirtans composed by Ranchhod Bhagat
which describe the divine form of God should be sung and such scriptures which
describe the divine form of Goad should be read and heard."
Thus Ends Vachanamrit : Loya - 6.
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