On the second day of the first fortnight of Margshirsh month of Samvat 1881, Swami Shri Sahajanandji Maharaj graced cot on the verandah near the hall facing north in the Royal palace of Shri Dada Khachar at Gadhada. He had put on a white turban and had covered his body with a cotton shawl. A white side cloth was placed about his shoulders. Munis and devotees from various places had assembled before him.
Shriji Maharaj then sent for his nephews, Ayodhyaprasadji and Raghuvirji. He then told them to ask him questions. Whereupon, Ayodhyaprasadji asked, ‘Can one who totally remains engaged in worldly affairs and in such a state commits sins be redeemed of such sins if he engages himself in the devotion of God for a while or so ?
Shriji Maharaj replied, ‘Though one remains engaged in worldly affairs for the whole day, yet during such a few moments of his devotional mood, if he remains fully drawn within and loses all worldly consciousness with total concentration attachment to God, he will be redeemed of all the sins committed while performing his worldly activities and duties. But if his Indriyas and Antahkaran are not withdrawn within and the mind if not concentrated fully in God, then he will not be redeemed of his sins. He attains liberation only if- God showers his grace upon him.
Then Raghuveerji asked, ‘Oh Maharaj ! Please tell us how this soul attains final redemption ?
Shriji Maharaj replied, ‘One who desires such redemption, has to dedicate fully his mind, body, relations, wealth etc at the lotus feet of God. He should discard all such objects which do not help in devotion of God. One who so behaves and acts, and even if he is a householder, will attain Parampada and will attain divine status enjoyed by Narada, Sanaks and others.
He then with desire to reveal some esoteric truth said, ‘There are three pleasent modes for ultimate redemption of soul. First and foremost is Atmanishtha like Shukji. Shukadevji attained Atmic Bhav and offered devotion to God. Second is devotion of God like a faithfull wife. This we can see in Gopies in regard to their devotion of Lord Shri Krishna. Third is total dedication take a servent. The mode of devotion adopted by Uddhavji and Honumanji comes under this. Without adopting any of these three modes for offering devotion, the soul cannot attain ultimate redemption. I have adopted all these modes in my life. And any one who adopts any one from these three modes, for offering devotion to God will surely be liberated for ultimate salvation.
Now I shall narrate to you the characteristics of each one of these three modes. Atmanishtha is thought consciousness and is the inherent attribute of soul. It springs up between soul on one side and the body, sense organs and mind with Maya, five sense objects and evolutes of Maya, the other side. It is rock steady flame of ultimate knowledge, disallowing inter relation amongst body, thought, sense organs and mind. It disconnects soul from those disturbing, elements. The soul awakened to his truest form and the mind diffused if put graphically, the thought which spread as extensively as the city of Kashi (Benaras) gradually withdrawn and comes as nearer as the town of Vadtal. Again from Vadtal it comes closer to Gadhada, and shrunk again it withdraws within the body and then into the cavitis of the sense organs. From the cavities of sense organs it goes to the heart. From the heart again it withdraws and enters the soul. Here it becomes one with the soul. Then at this stage when mind gets thus assimilated with the soul and loses it’s separate entity, the soul becomes separate from his body. Thus causal body is discarded.
When the thought-consciousness so awakened gets assimilated to soul, the soul illuminates with the light of the knowledge of ultimate, and soul becomes visible as Brahm in it’s divine luminosity. In this divinity of Brahm, Parbrahm Narayan gives Darshan. He then realizes his truest form of Atma wherein Paramatma manifests. Such realized state state of soul with supreme power is the most elegant state of Atmanishtha – inherent power of the soul.
Faithful devotion demands the faithfulness of a devoted wife, in the manner of the Gopies of Vraj who on attachment to lotus feet of Lord Shri Krishna, became totally averse to all other enjoyments of the world, as one becomes repulsive to poison. One who offers such devotion, will never be lured by beauty, glamour of demi- Gods like Indra or of earthly kings. If by chance casts eyes on such one, would imediately withdraw it if had fallen on the decompased body of a dead dog. One who is attached to God in such manner like a faithful wife would never cast his eyes on others.
Thirdly, one who has resigned solely to the service of God would like only to have Darshan of his God-his master. He loves to listen to the stories of the life and acts of his God. He likes only the nature and company of his God. He has so much love and attachment for his personal God that always and all the time he longs for the orders from his God – his master to serve him in some way. Such devotee will always be ready to act upon the orders from his God. He would not feel the pang of separation but shall be satisfied in obeying to the orders of his God. such total resignation to the will of God is now being observed in the devotional fervour of Gopalanand Swami and Muktanand Swami.
These three modes of offering devotion are again of three degrees. Most intense, intense, and ordinary. Those who are not covered by any one of these three are spiritually poor. Therefore, one should leave his causal body only after possessing atleast any one act of these three degrees. The human mind and it’s ways are very strange. At times it finds happiness in a life of renunciation while living a householder’s life, and at times it finds happiness in the life as a householder while living a life of renunciation. A devotee, therefore, should stabilize his mind and should discard all his mental reservations. He then should surrender totally to God and offer him unflinching devotion. All worldly desires should be eleminated, and desire only for devotion to God should be predominantly nourished within. One who can not develop such devotion to God should develop Atmanishtha to accomplish pure devotion. One who cannot so develop even Atmanishtha should implicitly observe all the rules, as otherwise he is likely to be deflected from the spiritual path. The devotee who suffers pains should never consider time, action or Maya as the impelling forces of such pains and hardships. Those are sent by God to test the tolerance of the devotee. God-like a person behind the screen, looks from within, whether the devotee succumbs to or resists them. In short, time, action and Maya have no powers over the devotee of God.’
Hearing this discourse, Muktanand Swami asked, ‘Oh Maharaj ! Those three modes are very subtle and difficult to practice. Only a very few can adopt. Such a way of devotion. As it is very difficult to understand and we have millions of the followers in this Satsang, please tell us how should they all behave for their redemption ?’
Shriji Maharaj replied, ‘One who can not develop any of these three modes, should stay in the service of such devotee who has developed any of these three modes. He then, in spite of such flaw, will attain the status of a servant of God during present life and will experience fulfilment. The glory of God and also of his true devotee is so infinite that one who takes refuge in God or the devotee, would enjoy all fulfilment. Therefore one who is accepted for such service by a true devotee of God, becomes free from all fears. I have narrated to you the details of all three modes, the significance of which must specially be realized by Muktanand Swami. I have great love and attachment for Muktanand Swami, and he in these days ailing, therefore there should not stay any misunderstanding in his mind in regard to these modes.’ Then Muktanand Swami added, ‘Oh Maharaj ! I have also realized that this subtle discourse is for me.’
