On the first day of the second fortnight of Paush of Samvat 1881, Swami Shri Sahajanandji Maharaj was seated on a cot on the verandah facing east in the Durbar Gadh of Shri Dada Khachar at Gadhada. He was dressed in all white clothes. He was profusely garlanded by the yellow and red flower garlands. Nosegays of yellow flower were suspended from his turban. Munis and devotees from various places were assembled before him in the assembly.
The saints were singing devotional episodes of Vishnupada (hymns on Lord vishnus life) to the accompaniment of musical instruments. Then Shriji Maharaj said, ‘I desire to ask questions to the senior saints.’ Saying so, Shriji Maharaj asked Anandanand Swami, ‘One devotee is slightly weak in intelligence but is wise enough to perceive his own weakness and in other devotees, he does not perceive faults but apprehend the virtues; the other devotee passesses a sharp intelligence, but does not perceive his own drawbacks or weakness but immediately apprihends the weakness of others irrespective of their other virtues. What is the reason that a person with less intelligence cognises his drawbacks and an intelligent one can not ?’ Anandanand Swami tried at his best to reply but could not do so.
Then Shriji Maharaj said, ‘The intelligent devotee has spoiled his intelligence either in this birth or in previous birth by maligning a great devotee. Therefore, his intelligence has been vitiated and shows drawbacks of the other devotee but not his own.’
Then again Shriji Maharaj asked Nityanand Swami, ‘ Is God attained only by one Sadhan (means) or by many Sadhan ? If you say that Dharm (religion) Vairagya (detachment), Gyan (knowledge of the absolute) and Bhakti (devotion) are the means to attain God, then there would be no room for the absolute surrender to the lotus feet of God for attaining him ?’ Nityanand Swami tried to reply to this question but could not satisfy.
Shriji Maharaj then said, ‘Absolute redemption is attained only by absolute surrender to the lotus feet of God. But God is supreme in his divine powers and the deities like Brahma obey to this commands, and Kala (time) Maya (one of the five eternal entities) etc. who are the cause of the evolution of this universe, fear him and follow the commands more attentively. Therefore, a devotee of God should observe all the sacred injunctions. That only is the sign of a true devotee. As such, the devotee should observe these injuctions. Only God is the giver of absolute redemption and the Sadhans (means) are just to please our God. This is the solution of this riddle.’
Then Shriji Maharaj asked Brahmanand Swami, “Does the soul, residing in this body passesses a form or is formless ?’ Then Brahmanand Swami said, ‘The soul has the form.’ Whereupon, Shriji Maharaj added, ‘If Jiva (soul) has a form, he should possess all the limbs of a body, whereas in Vedstuti in the tenth Skandha (of the Bhagwat) it is said, that God creates Buddhi (intelligence) Indriya (sense organs) Man (mind) and Prana (vital air) for the soul for his redemption. If soul it self is with form then why Buddhi, Indriya, Mana, Prana are to be created for him ? Therefore, in the light of the scriptures, the Jiva by mature is Chaitanya and is all powerful, and is enwrapped by Avidya or the causal body. Just as a magnetic stone attracts iron and sticks to it, in similar way the soul has the inherent nature to be attached to gross and subtle bodies. And due to ignorance, he identifies himself completely with his physical body, but in reality the soul is not at all indentical with the body.
Then Brahmanand Swami asked, ‘When the Jiva is liberated from his ignorance by his devotion of God, the soul becomes free from all three bodies – gross, subtle and causal. Then, in what form does the soul reside in the divine abode of God ?
Then Shriji Maharaj replied, ‘When the soul is released from the bondage of ignorance, he becomes free from all three bodies and assumes it’s real from, whis is Chaitanya (consciousness). In the divine abode of God he gets the form of consciousness which is absolutely separate from the eight evolutes of Prakriti- such as earth, water, wind, fire, space, Manas (mind), Buddhi (intelligence) and Ahankar (ego). This is the answer of your question.’
Then Shriji Maharaj asked Gopalanand Swami, ‘The culmination of Ashtang Yoga or the absolute realization of soul is attained by the grace of God or his saint. However, after such enlightenment, the devotee tries to relax the contact of God or his saint who were the couse of such enlightenment, and remains much more engrossed in the blissful state of self realization. What can be the reason for such change ?’ Gopalanand Swami said in reply, ‘It seems that such devotee experiences ego of fulfillment and therefore becomes indifferent towards God.’
Then Shriji Maharaj countered, ‘On self realization a devotee becomes all consciousness, therefore there in such state there is no room for ego. Therefore, your answer is inconsistent.’ Then Gopalanand Swami expressed, ‘Oh Maharaj ! I have not understood it well, therefore, you please explain the anomaly.’
Then Shriji Maharaj said, ‘When the Yogi finds such drawback within him, he should do probing for the cause of such difference with the help from the words of the greats from the past. As one consults wise people to accomplish the task under their counsel in his household problems, in like manner, there in that case, it is counsel such as of Shukdevji who attained supreme consciousness and attained oneness with supreme consciousness (Brahm), but studied Shrimad Bhagwat with great devotional love and attained absolute devotion of God. And the eighty eight thousand Rishis (Sage) like Shaunaka have attain supreme consciousness but listen to the divine episodes from the life of supreme God, delivered by Sut Purani. The testimony of such words should be received for strengthening the devotion, and should pray to God for such drawbacks which are not being known. ‘ Oh Maharaj! please remove the drawbacks from me.’ As an innocent man, having no means to prove his innocence and purity, but one to lift with his bare hands a hot and red iron ball, and declares one self innocent if it does not burn his hands. Thus he proves his purity. In similar way, when such drawbacks are not visible or known, then one should submit worship to his lord for the removal of such drawbacks. It is like holding a hot red iron ball in the hands. Thus, one should remove his drawbacks, and this is the answer to your question.
Then Shriji Maharaj asked Muktanand Swami, ‘The devotee has attained God and has devotional attachment, but God manifesting on this earth would not perform miracles, whereas some others, having attained mastery over the science of Mantra – Mantra Vidya – perform astonishing miracles to captivate minds of people. Does a devotee who has attained God and has known his powers, get his faith in his god desturbed or not ?’ Then Muktanand Swami said, ‘ Oh Maharaj !’ One who has developed firm faith in his God, would not be attracted to any body else. And one if distracted, is not a devotee with a firm faith in his God. Such devotee may be called a person with love for such astonishing miracles. He may not be called a true devotee of God.’ Then Shriji Maharaj accepting the answer said, ‘That is the answer.’
Then Shriji Maharaj asked Shukmuni, ‘What does the devotee one who has known God manifested on this earth and has known his saint achieves during this life and also after death ?’ Shukmuni replied, ‘ Oh Maharaj ! This question can best be answered by you only.’
Then Shriji Maharaj said, ‘One who has attained God manifested on this earth and has known him and his saints, passes his days and nights in the devotional atmosphere of the discourses on episodes from the life and Leelas of God, Kirtans, Dhoon etc and realizes his soul which is free from all three states and attains it as pure consciousness. He develops total detachment towards material or earthly objects and becomes free from the non-religious activities. He engages his mind fully in the religious activities- and God makes such devotee like his divine self, when such devotee leaves this earth. As God has said to Brahma, ‘ Oh Brahma (creator) ! May you know me through my grace in all my majesty.” As God has said so to Brahma, God’s grace immunes the devotee to the fear of Kala (time), Karma (action) and Maya (eternal entity) like his divine self. And the devotee in such state remains in constant service at the lotus feet of God.’
