Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Itasca

Jay Shree Swaminarayan

Instinct of anger

Chapter-1

Gyan and it's categories

Attributes of a true satsangi

On the tenth day of the second fortnight of the month of Kartik of Samvat 1877, Shri Sahajatiandji Maharaj was seated on a cot in the camping house of Paramhmsas at the Durbar of Shri Sura Khachar at Loya. He had put on trousers with cottonwool woven in between. He had puton a white jersey and had put on a white turban. Muni's and the Bhaktas from the different places were assembled before him.

Then Shriji Maharaj said to Munis, "What is the meaning of the word Shankar?" Muni's then said, "One who gives happiness is Shankar." Hearing this, Shriji Maharaj said, "In the early part of this morning, Shivji appeared before me in my dream. He was seated at Naidishwar. He was of about 40 year's age and looked very healthy. He had his hair nicely matted over his head. Parvati was beside Shiva. Parvati had put on all white clothes. Shivji was very calm and appeared very saintily. He seemed to bear great affection for me, however, I could not quite reciprocate, suice Shiva is considered to be the presiding deity of Tamas, whereas we are the devotees of Shri Krishna Narayan who is the repository of all calmnesrs. Therefore, we can not bear any affection for such deities like Brahma( Shiva, lndra and others who personifies the instinct of Rajas and Tamas. The instinct of anger is the most deterred, and I would remain miles apart from one who is possessed of this instinct - whether he be a man or a deity.

However, I respect Shivji because he has renounced the world and is greatly devoted to God. The instinct of anger is like the contengious saliva of a mad dog. If this poisonous saliva touches an animal or man, each dies in agony. The infec- tion of the instinct of anger is, therefore, like a dog's-poisonous saliva, and would deflect a saint from the path of saintliness. This instinct of anger can be compared to the vicious nature of a bakher, an assassin, a tiger, a leopard or a poisonous snake. They are extremely harmful and are likely to take, life if one comes in contact with any of them. Such harmful instinct of anger, if imbibed by a saint, would deprive him of all his saintly virtues. A Sadhu should always be calm, but if infected by the infected of anger his demeanor would change, and he would look Cruel. The anger would make his appear ance violent"

Shuka muni then asked, "Oh Maharaj ! If a slight tinge of anger appears and is soon removed, would it harm anybody ?"

Shriji Maharaj said, "If a serpent suddenly appears in this assembly and slips away without biting anyone, the whole assembly would run helter skelter and would feel terrified. And if a tiger is heard roaring on the outskirt without killing anybody, nobody from the village would come out, and all found be struck with the fear. Similarly, the slightest tinge of anger would definitely create its devastat- ing impact."

Then the younger Nirmananand Swami asked, "How can one remove the carnel appetite, root and branch ?" Shriji Maharaj said, "Feeling and behaving totally as Atma, implicit observance of eight fold celibacy, observance of five injunctions - Nirman, Nirswad, Nishkam and Nirlobh, and realising the infi- nite glory of God in human form, would help one to eradicate carnal desire in full. Even when one has so successfully removed this instinct, still one should never falter from the observance of the vow of celibacy. Realization of the glory of God is the only remedy to remove carnal appetite in full."

Again Bhajananand Swami asked, "Oh Maharaj ! How can one realize whether the intensity, of Vairagya in one is more, less or least ?" Shriji Maharaj said, "One who has outwardly renounced the five sense-objects would be perfect in the ob- servance of the vow of celibacy as prescribed in the scriptures, but if perchance he happens to see a naked woman, his mind will irresistibly be drawn towards her. It will then involve him in physical enjoyment and will spell his ruin. His intensity of Vairagya is therefore the least. One who has a still higher intensity of Vairagya would never be drawn towards a woman, ever if he sees her in a naked state. Just as seeing an animal does not have any impact, upon one's mind, similarly seeing a naked woman would not even slightly arouse any instinct of carnel desire with in him. He is said to possess Vairagya of a lesser intensity.

The one who possesses and values most the glory of Vairagya is not affected even by staying closely and in loneliness with woman. He is said to possess Vairagya of great intensity."

Bhajananad Swami then asked, "Now-please explain to us the attributes of common, medium and subtle types of knowledge of God."

Shriji Maharaj said, "When God exhibits his divine features, a devotee feels elated and knows that even though he appears in human form, he is still God with all divinity. But when God does not exhibit his divine powers and shows human attitudes, and even when the wicked malign him and flourish, such a devotee experiences - bewilderment and loses his conviction. He is said to be deficient in the intrinsic knowledge of God. A devotee with scant understanding of the knowl¬ edge of God gets deflected by the judicious or injudicious acts of God. And a devotee who has realized all actions of God, whether they seem scrupulous or unscrupulous. He would not falter from the knowledge that he has realised, ever if one who may have initially introduced to God tries to dislodge him from his indomitable position. He is a devotee of the highest calibre possessing such immu¬ table knowledge.

The devotee of the third category will take many births before he is redeemed. One higher than him is redeemed after two or three births. And one having an immutable knowledge would be redeemed during the same birth.

Again senior Shivanand Swami asked, "In spite of the full and indomitable knowledge of God within, why does one not enjoy the fulfillment ?"

Shriji Maharaj said, "It is because the instincts of anger, carnal desire, cov- etousness, taste, affection, ego etc, prevail in him and create an irritating impact within him. He, therefore, does not experience a sense of fulfillment inspire of his knowing fully God in human form.

Again Nityanand Swami asked, How can these vices within one be annihilated fully ?"

Shriji Maharaj said, If one remains awakened and tries to drive out such thoughts and just as Dharmraja mercilessly inflicts punishment on sinners, similarly, one punishes the lndriyas by imposing austerities and if the Antahkaran so indulges, it is also demied its desires by such awakened thought-consciousness; One should punish his lndriyas by Krichhachandrayan Vratta and should Runish Antahkaran by the thoughts, only then will one be able to drive out these baser instincts of carnal desires. One should resolutely resist such forces and continue to remain fulfilled."

Muktanand Swami asked, "When should one feel that one has fully accom- plished and attained fulfillment, this Satsang. Shriji Maharaj said, "One who firmly feels and behaves as Atma - separate from body, lndriyas, Antahkarans etc and remains totally unaffected by their vicious influences, experiences a feeling of non-attachment even when the body and the body organs are involved in physical activities and in spite of each non-attached indulgence in physical activities, ob- serves implicitly the code of Panch Vartaman and behaves totally with Brahm- Bhav without forgetting for a moment the transcendental greatness of God and exhibits absolute servility at his lotus feet - is a true devotee. Besides such, a devotee who has attained blissful culmination that this holy Satsang offers, hails God even in human form as totally detached like space which being concomitant in all the four Bhutas is yet separate and non-attached to them. Such a devotee also has realized the infinite glory and lordship of the human God, who with great compassion on the Jivas has appeared before him in human form. He always takes him as the prime mover and primordial cause. He also has the realization that God appearing before him is the Lord of Golok, Vaikunth, Shwetdweep and Brahmpur, the divine abodes, and also the Lord of the infinite released souls. With such sense of dedication if such a devotee listens to the nectarine words from the mouth of God and realizes the glory of his devotees and serves them with devotion, he is said to have accomplished best the this Satsang offers.

The younger Shivanand Swami said, "It happens that at times the glory of the devotee of God is greatly felt within and at times a low sets in. What can be the reason ?"

Shriji Maharaj replied, "The Sadhu who practices Dharm can not tolerate those who indulge in Adharma. He would, therefore, reprimand them. But those who do not take his words sweetly would feel hurt at such reprimand, and would think adversely of the Sadhu. So long, therefore, as such words of wisdom are not uttred, and the ego is not hurt, one retains the glory of the saint in one's heart. But when one is so hurt, such respect or the saint is lost and one begins to think adversely of him. One who is so adversely affected by such words of wisdom and loses respect for such a saint can never be redeemed of his sin by any atonement. One who indulges in adultery, a sinner, can be redeemed. However, the sin of throwing calumny at such a saint is irredeemable. One who suffers from tubercu- losis can never be cured by any medicinal treatment and would definitely die of the disease; similarly such a pervert one can be said to have significantly contracted this disease and is to leave this Satsang. A man whose fingers, or hands or legs or other limbs are cut yet so long as his head is safe, he would surely survive. And if the head is cut, he dies. Similarly, one who uses such calumny for the saint is sure to be detected from the spiritual path. If, however, one has loosely behaved and violated the rules of Panch Vartaman, he is said to have cut his bodily limbs, but is sure to survive, but if he has developed disrespect for the saint, he is sure to leave this holy Satsang. His head is said to have been separated from his body."

Bhagwadanand Swami then asked, "Is there any remedy to resuscitate the Jiva from such condition?" Shriji Maharaj replied, 'Every disease has a remedy. But it is very difficult to be administrated. However, one who has such mettle can successfully adopt this remedy. Wherever a derogatory idea a about the saint creeps into one's heart, one must feel that one has committed a great sin to have so perversely thought of the saint, with such penitent thoughts, he would feel uneasy. In the agony of such sin, even though he may take food, he would not feel its taste and would not be able to sleep at night. So long as such agony burns his sin within and purifies him, he would feel like a fish out of water. Only when he is redeemed of the sin, would feel resuscitated He should then approach the saint about whom he had nourished such thoughts, with absolute humility, and should try to please him. One who can sustain such penitent thoughts within will surely be redeemed of his sin and will establish a strong foothold in this Satsang. Excepting this, no other remedy can help in resuscitating a damned soul. This is the only remedy.

Thus Ends Vachanamrit : Loya - 1.

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