In the Samvat year 1876, on the sixth day of the dark half of the month of Margashirsh. Swami Shree Sahajanandji Maharaj, was seated on a wooden bedstead laid in the open space in front of the verandah of the hall facing the west in the early morning when the last quarter of the night was still to go, in the Durbar of Dada Khachar in Gadhada. He had put on all white garments.
Then He called for the saints and the devotees. and sat before them engrossed in deep thoughts for a long time. And then began to address the assembly. He said. “Listen to what I have to say today. I rather feel like not telling you. But you are all dear to me. So I have decided that I must tell you what I think. Only those who understand what I am going to say now. and act accordingly will be freed from the bondage of Maya. Without such understanding, even if one studies the four Veda and six scriptures, and the eighteen puran and the historical volume like Bharat and understands their meaning or listens to them from others. he is never going to be free from the bondage of Maya.
There are innumerable distractions round about us. But if the mind is not disturbed by them I would not worry about them. But if the slightest desire for worldly objects creeps into my mind, I would not feel at ease. I will feel at ease only when I drive away that desire from my mind. My nature is such. Hence I thought over the question: What is the reason that the mind of a devotee is disturbed? Then I thought of mana [mind], buddhi [intelligence], chitta. [consciousness], and ahankar [ego], to be the reason. But I found that even the antahkaran. [conscience], is not responsible for this disturbance. There is the force of conviction in the divine image of God. or the power of Aatm-gnan [knowledge of self] behind the conscience. But because of this it does not remain on guard, and thinks that it has now nothing more to achieve. when God is realized. The conscience can be held responsible only to this extent. In fact the five cognitive senses are more at fault. I will explain this in detail.
Suppose a person relishes various kinds of tasteful dishes. The different items have different tastes and different qualities. These different tastes and qualities influence his conscience and body differently. Even a devotee of God, if he consumes bhang [hemp] forgets his punch vartaman [five sacred vows] under its intoxicating influence and forgets the worship of God.
The influence of different types of food is also harmful like the influence of bhang. There is no end to its harmful effects. Similarly the various kinds of sounds heard by a person also have innumerable qualities which influence the conscience of the person.
Suppose a person is an assassin, or an adulterer or an adulteress or someone violates the bounds of good conduct as prescribed by the holy scriptures. You should not listen to the
talks from the mouth of such a sinful soul. His talks are like consumption of ‘bhang’ or liquor. He degenerates the conscience of the listener also, He makes the listener forget his
sacred vows and worship of God.
In the same way there are innumerable kinds of touch, and there are its innumerable qualities also. The touch of a sinner is like consuming ‘bhang’ or liquor. A devotee of God loses his consciousness and discretion if he touches a sinner.
Similarly there are innumerable objects of sight, and there are its innumerable qualities also. The sight of a degenerate person also harms like consumption of ‘bhang’ or liquor. It degenerates one’s intelligence also.
Similarly there are innumerable kinds of smell, and there are its innumerable qualities also. If a person accepts a flower or sandalwood paste from a sinner, its smell degenerates one’s intelligence like the consumption of ‘bhang’ or liquor. Just as the intelligence degenerates by the contact of a wicked person. it is purified also by the association of God and His saints. The degenerated intelligence becomes pure by listening to the talks of God and His saints and also by touching them. If it is not possible to touch a saint due to the restriction of the sacred vows, one can take the dust from the feet of great saints and apply on his forehead and purify his intelligence. Mere sight of a great saint also can purify the intelligence. But one must observe his sacred vows very strictly. Intelligence can be purified even by partaking the remains of the food offered to God and His saints. While partaking the food one should be careful that he does not violate the restrictions of varna [one of the four main divisions of Hindu society], and ‘ ashram [one of the four stages of human life]. If food from a person is not acceptable. one must offer only sugar and partake the remains. Even the fragrance of a flower offered to a great saint, or the smell of sandalwood paste applied to his body can purify one’s intelligence. If one enjoys the objects of the five senses indiscriminately and does not distinguish between good and bad. His intelligence is sure to be polluted even if he is a saint of the category of Narad or Sanak. Then what to talk of ordinary persons who are attached to their bodies. Hence if one lets loose his senses without restrictions, and without thinking about propriety or impropriety, his conscience is sure to be polluted. If the objects of senses are pure his conscience will become pure, and if the conscience is pure he will constantly remember God. But if the object of anyone of the senses happens to be impure, his conscience also becomes impure. Hence the objects of the five cognitive senses are responsible for the distraction of the mind of the devotee in the worship of the Lord. and not the conscience. .3
The conscience of a person is moulded according to the company he keeps. Suppose a person sits in an assembly of lustful persons in a beautiful mansion with ‘seven floors studded with beautiful mirrors on the walls, and lovely carpets are spread all over the floors. and lustful persons wearing beautiful ornaments and costly garments, are crowding there, and bottles of wine are being passed from one to another, and other bottles full of wine are lying by the side, and the dancing girls are whirling rhythmetically, and musical instruments are producing lovely tunes. If any person sits m such an assembly, the other hand if the person sits in an assembly of great saints – assembled in a straw cottage of thatched grass on ragged mattresses, where discourses on moral integrity, knowledge.
non-attachment and devotion are conducted along with discussions about God, his conscience turns towards God. If one ponders over the effects of good company as well as bad company he will be able to decide the proper course of behavior. But a blockhead will not understand anything. If a person behaves like a senseless animal he will not understand this thing, but if he is a little discriminate, and devotes himself to God even a little, he immediately understands all these subtle things. Hence the saints and the recluse devotees and the householders should never move in a bad company.
But if a person is immoral. before he joined the holy fellowship, he should be made to take the sacred vows and then taken over into the fellowship, however immoral he might
have been. But if after entering the fold of the holy fellowship any man or woman who does not give up immoral conduct, should be driven out of the fellowship and if such action is not taken, the evil will be multiplied. If a serpent bites a finger, or if a part of the body is decaying, the finger or the part of the body has to be immediately cut off. Only thus the person can be saved. If he does not allow this out of his attachment to body, the poison or the rot will spread in the whole body. Hence if you come across such an unworthy person, you should immediately abandon him. This is my advice to you. All of you please, be good enough to act according to it. I will treat this as service rendered unto me. I will be very much pleased with you and will bless you if you do so. as you have fulfilled my intention. I assure you that all of us are going to stay together in the divine abode of God. If you do not pay heed to my advice. Your destination will be far away from mine. And You may perhaps become a ghost or a demon in your next life and may have to undergo great sufferings. Whatever worship of God you may have done in this life may perhaps bear fruits some time in future after many births. But even then you will be able to reach the divine abode of God. only if you follow my advice and act according to what I say to day and become free from the bondage of Maya.
You should never try to imitate me. If anyone tries to do as I do, he is sure to meet with misfortune. Lord Purushottam Narayan resides in my heart as I am an eternally redeemed soul. My redemption is not caused by sermons of other persons. I hold mind. intellect, conscience and ego in the clutches of my hands. I can grasp the conscience as the lion grasps the goat. Others will not even be able to perceive their conscience. If anyone does as I do and thinks that he can remain unaffected inspite of his getting engrossed in worldly affairs, he is mistaken. It is impossible for him to do so. Even Narad and Sanak and other sages could not remain unaffected. Then what to talk of others? There have been innumerable redeemed souls already and innumerable redeemed souls will follow. but not one of them could remain spotless and no one will remain spotless if he gets engrossed in worldly affairs. No person exists even now. who is spotless and no one will be able to be spotless even after striving for a hundred million kalps. [kalp – a day of Brahma].
You will be happy only if you pay heed to my advice. When I call a person near me out of love. or lovingly look at a person. or partake tasty dishes offered by some one. or sit on a bedstead laid by some one. or accept rich garments or costly ornaments or garlands from others. I do all these things only for their good and not for my own pleasure. I swear in the name of Shree Ramanand Swami that I do not do so for my own pleasure. Hence never in your mind think like that and never imitate me. Always be careful to preserve the purity of the objects of enjoyment of the five senses. I repeat my words and beseech you again and again to follow my advice. What I say today is very simple to understand and easy to follow. Every one can understand it. You should spread this message in the holy fellowship and I will be very much pleased with you.” With these words he concluded His discourse uttering ‘Jaya Sachchidanand’ and left for His residence.
