In the Samvat year 1876 on the fifth day of the dark half of the month of Margashirsh. Shreeji Maharaj was seated in the Durbar of Dada Khachar in Gadhada, in the hall facing the west and was listening to the reading of some holy texts. He had put on a white upper garment over His shoulder and covered His body with a white cotton shawl. He had put on a white turban on His head. A garland of yellow flowers adorned His neck. A tassel of yellow flowers was hanging from His turban. He seemed to be in an extremely pleasant mood.
Then He called for Muktanand Swami and Gopalanand Swami and other saints. Addressing the assembly He said, “I feel there are some traces of unholy elements still lingering in our holy fellowship. Today 1 want to drive away these unholy elements and start a new chapter. I want to see that the new chapter spreads among the great saints, and followers of Sankhyayog [path of renunciation], and the followers of Karmyog. [path of action].
I will tell you who are these unholy elements and how they proliferate in our holy fellowship. They are engaged in loose discouraging talks such as, ‘Commands of God are hard to obey, and observance of the sacred vows is also very hard. Hence one should try to obey the commands of God, and observe the vows according to one’s own capacity. He is the redeemer of the lowly and grants ultimate good. They also say. ‘It is not in our hands to hold the image of God in our hearts as we desire. It is after all the merciful God who enables us to do so.’ Talking loosely like this, they discourage others in their observance of dharma, gnyan, vairagya and bhakti [moral integrity, knowledge, non attachment and devotion], which are the means of realizing God. Those who are engaged in loose talks like this are the unholy elements in our holy fellowship. Hence from today no one in our holy fellowship should engage himself in such discouraging talks. You should always be
courageous and brave. Anyone who talks in such a discouraging manner should be considered a eunuch. And if anyone ever talks in such a discouraging manner even
unconsciously he should observe a fast for that day.”
