Four folded devotion
Chapter-2
Devotion Vs danger of death
Cause, effect and God
On the eleventh day of the second fortnight of the month of Kartika of
Samvat 1877, Swami Shri Sahajanandji Maharaj was seated on a cot facing south
in the Durbar of Shri Sura Khachar at Loya. He had worn trousers made of red
velvet and had put on a jersey made of black velvet. It was embossed with the
word Narnarayan. He had put on turban of deep blue color in Burhanpuri style
with a border of rich gold fabric. A rich red silk garment was neatly tied about his
waist. Saints and the devotees from the different regions were assembled before him.
Muktanand Swami and other Muni's were singing devotional songs accompanied
by musical instruments.
After finishing with the singing, Shriji Maharaj Addressed, "Oh Paramhamas !
Please hear me. I desire to ask you a question." The Paramhamsas said, "Oh
Maharaj ! Please do so." Whereupon Shriji Maharaj asked them, "When would a
devotee in this life feel totally redeemed and feel completely devoid of the danger
of death ?" Muktanand Swami tried to answer the question but could not quite
succeed Then the other Paramhamsas said, "Oh Maharaj ! You kindly answer this
question."
Shriji Maharaj then said, "So long as you all were singing devotional songs,
I was thinking about this, There are four types, of devotees who in their heart feel
that they have transcended the danger of death and feel completely fulfilled. They
are one who has indomitable faith in me, the other one has fully attained the
ultimate knowledge, the third is the spiritually vigorous and the fourth one has
devotion with exuberant love. These four types of devotees have no fear of death
and they fee fulfilled with their human body.
The one with indomitable faith has: credulity to take the words of God and
enlightened saints as full of truth with such conviction he feels himself out of the
danger of death. He thus feels himself out of the danger of death. He thus feels
fully fulfilled because of the divine contact with God.
One who has by knowledge realized the human form of God, believes himself
to be Atma and with such Atomic Bhav offers dedicated devotion to God; such a
one has transcended the danger of death.
One who is spiritually Vigorous would overcome the powers of his lndriyas
and Antahkarans and never violate the rules of ethical conduct. He remains fully
fulfilled, since his behavior is in complete accord with the code of ethical con-
duct, which alone can win the pleasure of God.
The fourth-a dedicated devotee - offers devotion with indomitable fidelity.
Just as a faithful woman is never attracted towards anybody excepting her hus-
band. Similarly such a devotee offers unreservedly exuberant devotion to God.
He, therefore, feels fully fulfilled aid has no danger of death.
One who has developed one of these tour aspects of devotion overcomes the
danger of death; but one who has not developed any one of these four finds himself
always in the jaws of death "
Then Shriji Maharaj told to the Paramhans, "Now tell me which out of these
four is predominant amongst you all ?" All the Paramhans then related their innate
nature of devotion, hearing which Shriji Maharaj was pleased with them. Then
again Shriji Maharaj said, "Now those who are brave and have overcome the
resistance of the inner enemies may come to me and touch my feet. Whereupon
those with such characteristics came near Maharaj and took the imprints of the
lotis feet of Maharaj on their chest.
Then Shriji Maharaj bade the Paramhams ask him some questions, where
upon Brahmanand Swami said, "One which is the cause should be greater than the
effect. Why then is the seed of the banyan tree is smaller than the tree." Replying
to the question Shriji Maharaj said, "One which is the cause is always subtler than
the effect, but has the potentiality to produce great results. That is the greatness
of the cause. Primordial Prakriti is in the form of a woman and the evolution of
the cosmos, of which Prakriti is the cause, is very much greater. Smell, the quin-
tessence of the earth, is very subtle and imperceptible, but its effect, the earth, is
greater in the dimensions. Again word, touch, charm, and taste which are the
essence of space, wind ire and water are imperceptibly subtle but their effects are
immeasurably great. Therefore, one, which is the cause is always subtler than the
effect but possesses the great potentialities of producing greater results. The God
of ire has a form like that of human being and resides with this form in his Loka,
but his flames are wider and greater. Again, Varuna, the God of water, also has
the form of a human being, but his effect which is water is seen in great abundance.
The Sun sits in his chariot in the human form but the light which pervades the
whole universe is immense.
Shri Krishna Purushottam Narayan - who is the Primordial cause appears
before you in human form, but he is the cause of the creation of the infinite
macrocosms. It is the conception of the foolish to judge from the greatness of the
effect the same of its cause, which according to him should he great beyond any
measurement. God - the Primordial cause of everything - every though he looks
like a human being, yet possesses - potential power to create millions of macro-
cosms from his divine form and again to merge them into him. Just as Fire, Water,
Sure in their effect appear great and yet they merge their effects into them, and
appear in their individual entities, similarly, millions of macrocosms, each sur-
rounded by eight spheres, appear like atoms before the immeasurable greatness
of a single particle of his body. Such is the inconceivable greatness of the cause.
Therefore, the wise only can know that even though God now appears in the
human form, yet he is the Primordial cause with infinite potential powers." So
saying Shriji Maharaj returned to his chambers.
Thus Ends Vachanamrit : Loya - 2.
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