In the Samvat year 1876 on the twelfth day of the bright half of the month of Magh in the morning. Shreeji Maharaj was seated on a wooden bedstead laid on the platform under the neem tree near the temple of Shree Vasudev Narayan in the Durbar of Dada Khachar. in Gadhada. He had put on all white garments. Saints and devotees from various places had gathered before Him in an assembly.
Then Shreeji Maharaj snapped the thumb of His right hand with the fingers and said. “I want to tell you something today. Hence all of you. carefully listen to me. It may appear to be simple and ordinary on the face of it. You will be able to understand only if you listen to me carefully. Otherwise you will not understand anything”. There upon every one in the assembly said with one voice, “Please tell us. Maharaj. We are listening.”
Shreeji Maharaj then said. ‘There are devotees and devotees of God. Every devotee possesses dharma, gnan, vairagya and bhakti [moral integrity.know1edge. non-attachment and devotion]. For some. faith in moral integrity is predominant. For some faith in knowledge is predominant. for some faith in nonattachment is predominant and for some faith in devotion is predominant. When one is predominant the other three are in
a subordinate position. but they are there in every devotee.
Now one who has faith in moral integrity observes ahimsa [non-violence] and brahmcharya [celibacy]. and follows the codes of conduct ordained for him according to his particular Varna and ashram (caste and stage of life). He renders service unto God and His devotees lovingly without making a show of it. He takes great interest in constructing temples of God and in laying out gardens and orchards for God’s pleasure. He loves to offer God all sorts of tasteful dishes. He loves to sweep the temples of God and to apply cowdung plaster on the floors of the halls of the residence of the saints. He worships God in all the nine ways such as listening. singing, etc. without any show on his part.
He loves to listen to and read the scriptures pertaining to Bhagawat Dharm (Religion based on the tenets of morality, knowledge, non-attachment and devotion).
And one who has faith in knowledge thinks that he is the self, and that he is different from the three types of bodies. and that he is free from the three attributes of Maya. He thinks that he transcends the three states of wakefulness. Dreams and deep sleep. He behaves as if he is sattaroop [mere spiritual existence] and is free from all attributes. He knows that his Ishtadev [beloved idol of worship] Shree Krishna Paramatma transcends everything, and that God is the purest of all, and that God possesses a divine form. Such a devotee always talks about the subjects which establish the extreme purety of the soul and the Lord.
He listens to such talks only. He likes to read such scriptures that establish these truths. He behaves as if he is the soul, a mere spiritual existence. If he meets with
disturbance in doing so, he will not be able to tolerate the disturbance because his nature is such.
And one who has faith in non-attachment dislikes all objects of Maya and loves only the divine image of the Lord. He knows that the objects of Maya including the family and the relatives are unreal. And having once discarded them like filth he never remembers them. He always keeps company of other devotees who have themselves faith in renunciation. He worships God in such a way that it does not become a hindrance in his practice of renunciation. He always talks about subjects in which renunciation is predominant. He likes to read such scriptures only in which renunciation is predominantly established. He very much dislikes to acquire objects of the senses like rich clothes and tasty dishes which are likely to detract him from his practice of non-attachment.
And one who has faith in devotion has a very intense love for the divine image of God only. He does not allow his mind to stray into objects of Maya, and keeps it firmly fixed upon the divine image of God. He offers garments and ornaments to God with love. He likes to hear about the episodes of human behavior of God. He very much likes to read such scriptures that describe the divine image of God. He loves only those devotees who are themselves full of intense love for God, and never displays love for his sons and relatives. He always remains engaged in such activities only as are related to God.
Thus I have described to you the four kinds of devotees, and the four ways of worshipping the Lord. Now tell me after proper thinking which of the four is predominant with you. The discourse that I held just now is like a mirror. Look into it and
you will know which is predominant with you. A devotee of God must have one of them predominant. But perhaps he may not be aware of it and therefore he does not know how to strengthen his predominant feature. And as long as he has not strengthened his predominant feature, that feature is likely to get adulterated by loose talks. You must think over this and try to ascertain which is your predominant feature and then
tell me.”
There upon all the saints and devotees declared their respective predominant features. Then Shreeji Maharaj asked the devotees with similar features to stand up. Thereupon all those with similar features stood up. Then Shreeji Maharaj I asked them to sit down. Then Nityanand Swami asked, “Is it possible that there are some faults also in the four kinds of devotees? what are the good points in them ?”
Shreeji Maharaj replied, “I will tell you the faults as well as the good points. Listen to me carefully. I have already described the characteristics of each one of the four kinds of devotees. If a devotee behaves in the way I have described for each one it is a good point in him. If he does no
In the Samvat year 1876 on the twelfth day of the bright half of the month of Magh in the morning. Shreeji Maharaj was seated on a wooden bedstead laid on the platform under the neem tree near the temple of Shree Vasudev Narayan in the Durbar of Dada Khachar. in Gadhada. He had put on all white garments. Saints and devotees from various places had gathered before Him in an assembly.
Then Shreeji Maharaj snapped the thumb of His right hand with the fingers and said. “I want to tell you something today. Hence all of you. carefully listen to me. It may appear to be simple and ordinary on the face of it. You will be able to understand only if you listen to me carefully. Otherwise you will not understand anything”. There upon every one in the assembly said with one voice, “Please tell us. Maharaj. We are listening.”
Shreeji Maharaj then said. ‘There are devotees and devotees of God. Every devotee possesses dharma, gnan, vairagya and bhakti [moral integrity.know1edge. non-attachment and devotion]. For some. faith in moral integrity is predominant. For some faith in knowledge is predominant. for some faith in nonattachment is predominant and for some faith in devotion is predominant. When one is predominant the other three are in
a subordinate position. but they are there in every devotee.
Now one who has faith in moral integrity observes ahimsa [non-violence] and brahmcharya [celibacy]. and follows the codes of conduct ordained for him according to his particular Varna and ashram (caste and stage of life). He renders service unto God and His devotees lovingly without making a show of it. He takes great interest in constructing temples of God and in laying out gardens and orchards for God’s pleasure. He loves to offer God all sorts of tasteful dishes. He loves to sweep the temples of God and to apply cowdung plaster on the floors of the halls of the residence of the saints. He worships God in all the nine ways such as listening. singing, etc. without any show on his part.
He loves to listen to and read the scriptures pertaining to Bhagawat Dharm (Religion based on the tenets of morality, knowledge, non-attachment and devotion).
And one who has faith in knowledge thinks that he is the self, and that he is different from the three types of bodies. and that he is free from the three attributes of Maya. He thinks that he transcends the three states of wakefulness. Dreams and deep sleep. He behaves as if he is sattaroop [mere spiritual existence] and is free from all attributes. He knows that his Ishtadev [beloved idol of worship] Shree Krishna Paramatma transcends everything, and that God is the purest of all, and that God possesses a divine form. Such a devotee always talks about the subjects which establish the extreme purety of the soul and the Lord.
He listens to such talks only. He likes to read such scriptures that establish these truths. He behaves as if he is the soul, a mere spiritual existence. If he meets with
disturbance in doing so, he will not be able to tolerate the disturbance because his nature is such.
And one who has faith in non-attachment dislikes all objects of Maya and loves only the divine image of the Lord. He knows that the objects of Maya including the family and the relatives are unreal. And having once discarded them like filth he never remembers them. He always keeps company of other devotees who have themselves faith in renunciation. He worships God in such a way that it does not become a hindrance in his practice of renunciation. He always talks about subjects in which renunciation is predominant. He likes to read such scriptures only in which renunciation is predominantly established. He very much dislikes to acquire objects of the senses like rich clothes and tasty dishes which are likely to detract him from his practice of non-attachment.
And one who has faith in devotion has a very intense love for the divine image of God only. He does not allow his mind to stray into objects of Maya, and keeps it firmly fixed upon the divine image of God. He offers garments and ornaments to God with love. He likes to hear about the episodes of human behavior of God. He very much likes to read such scriptures that describe the divine image of God. He loves only those devotees who are themselves full of intense love for God, and never displays love for his sons and relatives. He always remains engaged in such activities only as are related to God.
Thus I have described to you the four kinds of devotees, and the four ways of worshipping the Lord. Now tell me after proper thinking which of the four is predominant with you. The discourse that I held just now is like a mirror. Look into it and
you will know which is predominant with you. A devotee of God must have one of them predominant. But perhaps he may not be aware of it and therefore he does not know how to strengthen his predominant feature. And as long as he has not strengthened his predominant feature, that feature is likely to get adulterated by loose talks. You must think over this and try to ascertain which is your predominant feature and then
tell me.”
There upon all the saints and devotees declared their respective predominant features. Then Shreeji Maharaj asked the devotees with similar features to stand up. Thereupon all those with similar features stood up. Then Shreeji Maharaj I asked them to sit down. Then Nityanand Swami asked, “Is it possible that there are some faults also in the four kinds of devotees? what are the good points in them ?”
Shreeji Maharaj replied, “I will tell you the faults as well as the good points. Listen to me carefully. I have already described the characteristics of each one of the four kinds of devotees. If a devotee behaves in the way I have described for each one it is a good point in him. If he does not it is a fault.”
Then Muktanand Swami asked, “Out of the four kinds of. devotees can we consider any one to be superior and the others inferior? Or are they all equal ?”
Shreeji Maharaj replied, “As long as each devotee has faith in any one of the four, i.e. dharm, gnan, vairagya and bhakti, all are equal. But if any devotee practices all the four with equal faith, he is to be considered the greatest of all. We may call such a devotee param bhagawat, an eminent devotee of the Lord. He is the only devotee whom we can call an ekantik bhakta [a single minded devotee.]
t it is a fault.”
Then Muktanand Swami asked, “Out of the four kinds of. devotees can we consider any one to be superior and the others inferior? Or are they all equal ?”
Shreeji Maharaj replied, “As long as each devotee has faith in any one of the four, i.e. dharm, gnan, vairagya and bhakti, all are equal. But if any devotee practices all the four with equal faith, he is to be considered the greatest of all. We may call such a devotee param bhagawat, an eminent devotee of the Lord. He is the only devotee whom we can call an ekantik bhakta [a single minded devotee.]
