Is there fall from Akshardham ?
Chapter-14
The Characteristics of Maya. Gross and subtle body. Result of the identification with the Gross body.
On the third day of the first fortnight of the month of Bhadrapada of
Samvat 1877, Shri Sahajanandji Maharaj was seated on a cot in the verandah
near the hall in the Durbar of Shri Jiva Khachar at Sarangpur. He had covered
his person with a white cotton showl and about his neck a folded side cloth
with black side" ends. His ears were adorned with the curls of yellow flowers.
Nosegays of yellow flowers were hanging from his white turban. He was
garlanded with large garlands of yellow flowers hung up to his navel. He was
seated facing west. Saints and the devotees from the vaious regions were
assembled before him.
Then, at that time, Swayamprakashanand Swami asked/ "Lord Shri Krisna
has said in the Geeta that a devotee who has been transmigrated to; the
Vaikunth Lok - the divine abode of-God - does not incarnate here on earth and
therefore never fall. Then due to what faults does one fall from that divine
realm?" Then in reply, Shriji Maharaj asked, "Please let me know, who has
fallen from this divine realm?" Whereupon Swayamprakashanand Swami said,
"Jay and; Vijay. the personal attendants of God had to revert here from
Vaikunthloka. Radhikaji and Shridama fell from Goloka." Then Shriji
Maharaj said, "God desired that Jay and Vijay should be derogated from their
position as they belittled the Sanaks, who were dearest to God. It was God's
wish as he desired that the spiritual greatness of the Sanaks should be realised.
Even his personal attendants. were displeced when they slighted the Sanaks.
However, since they reverted back Vaikunth" Loka in their third birth, they
can not be said to have fallen. It was God's wish. He is said to have fallen
who has for ever lost rapport with God. Radhikaji also descended on the earth
but that too was wished by God, as God had desired to incarnate himself on
earth. If, therefore, Radhikaji is said.to have fallen, Lord Krishna also may be
said to have fallen with Radhikaji. Such phenomenon of appearing on the
earth js a divine will, according to which, even from the highest abode
Akshardham - the released souls may appear on earth.
"God, who is all-powerful, is not governed by any rulers excepting his own
will, by which he would convert non-sentient into sentient and sentient into non-
seintient. Without his, no released soul can ever appear on the earth. However,
only those who are immature are likely to be defeated from this path. They are
said to be deficient their Yoga. Proficiency in Vairagya, Atmanishtha, Bhaktil
and complete observance of celibacy, would culminate in a fully accomplished
state of Brahm, from which no reversion is ever possible. They attain the
catagory of the released souls of Shwetdweep." Discussing the topic this much,
Shriji Maharaj said further "Now I desire to ask you a question." The Munis
with the gledness said, "Please do so." Shriji Maharaj then asked "Sanaksujat
Rishi has spoken to Dhritarakshtra in the Udyoga-parva of Mahabharat, that
one who desire to transgrace Maya should discard the instincts of Pramad and
Moha. Those devotees of God who offer worship to God but are hot particularly
keen- id discard these two instincts and/rely merely on the greatness of God,
who thby believe would definitely redeem them inspite of these instincts, how
do they enjoy the bliss of God during their state-of embodiment and in the state
of their disembodiment i.e. release ?"
Swayamprakashanand Swami said in reply, "One who is a true devotee of
God and has known the greatness of God need not necessarily be worried to
root out these two instincts." Whereupon Shriji Maharaj asked further, "To
what extent is a devotee who remains conscious to eradicate these two instincts
stands to gain and the other who does not possess such clarity stands to
lose ?" Swayamprakashanand Swami replied, "One who absolutely relies
upon God's grace and not upon his spiritual endeavours is always the greater
one." Then-Shriji Maharaj asked, "You pronounce the greatness of a devotee
who has not realised the dangers of these two instincts which are his enimies.
Just as a woman who is absolutely faithful to her husband and with sense of
consciousness to preserve her fidelity, does not indulge rv any amorous talks
with other man, similarly, a devotee who remains conscious to eradicate these
two instincts in order to preserve his fide lity towards God, is according to your
judgement, lower in status than; one who ignores the dangers of these two
instincts, which will ultimately break the bondage of fidelity and cause his
spiritual regress. How do you reconcile this, even thought one, who, in a state
of unawareness to the dangers of these two instincts, offers worship to God,
is sure to beat retreat some day ? An intoxicating drink, When it is taken by
a non-devotee or a devotee, is sure to have its effect on the body similarly
these two instincts, if not fully discarded, will cost a denigrating influence
upon the devotee. However, if a devotee is conscious enough to eradicate
them, Gods grace will help him in his efforts, whichis a special favour done
to him, whereas a non-devotee is not favoured by such divine grace.
Therefore, a devotee who, is aware of the working of these two instincts within
him and and endeavours to uproot them is greater than the other who simply
relies upon God's greatness and remains negligent to the dangers of these
vicious instincts.
Again Shriji Maharaj asked, "Of how many elements is the gross body
composed and of how many elements is the subtle body composed ? Are
these elements equal in both the bodies or not ?" Swayamprakashanand
Swami tried to reply but could not do so, satisfactorily. Then the Muni's,
requesting Maharaj said, "Oh Maharaj ! You may -please reply this
question." Then Shriji Maharaj said, "The gross body in composed of five
elements, e.g.- earth, water, fire, wind and space. The subtle body is
composed of nineteen elements, e.g.-the five cognitive organs, five conative
organs, five Pranas and four Antahkarans. When the five elementsof the
gross body and the nineteen elements of the subtle body remain
concomitantly associated, the whole body would.then function. The empty
cavities of the ears and eyes become active and function only when the
particular elements of the subtle get assimilated with them. But mere empty
cavities of the gross body cannot function. Therefore, the gross body is
said to be composed of twenty-four Tattvas. Again, the five elements of
the gross body have to be associated with the nineteen elements of the
subtle body, which makes the subtle body of twenty-four Tattvas. The
subtle body remains fully in concomitance with the gross body which
becomes evident when sexual intercourse in dream results in the discharge
of semon through the physical body. Therefore, the gross body is in
absolute oneness with the waking state and dream state of the subtle body."
Then the Munis asked, "Oh Maharaj ! When the gross and subtle bodies
have such oneness, do the actions performed through the subtle body have the
same impact as the actions performed through the gross body or is there any
difference ?" Shriji Maharaj said, "If the consciousness that I am the body
persists in the subtle body, actions performed through the subtle body have the
same impact as those performed in the gross body. It is said that the actions
performed through the subtle body do not yield fruits but this is only to boost
the spirit as the aspirant. And one who ais bereft of such ego consciousness,
booth of gross and subtle bodies, is not bound by the actions performed
through these two bodies, in as much as such a devotee behave with Atmic
Bhav. Such a devotee as he is in a state of physical embodiment, experiences
the fruits of his past actions, but in his Atmic state, he believes that he is not
the enjoyer of the fruits but his body enjoys the fruits. One who has not
attained this Atmic Bhav enjoy the fruits of the actions and feels the itches
of the miseries and the thrills of pleasures. Since his Atma through ignorance,
is fully identified with his body., at the time of death. The embodied Atma
is overpowered by the devils of hell, whose fearfull appearence takes away his
consciousn ess. These devils extract his soul from the body, who then assumes
such body composed of four elements to undergo the miseries of hell. Whereas
one who has overcome such ignorance and has attained the Atmic state is
graced by God and his saints, who give him divine vision at the time of
death. Under the overwhelming joy of such divine vision, he also loses
consciousness, and leaves the body. He gets the new body of the divine
elements in the divine abode and serves God.
Thus Ends Vachanamrit : Sarangpur - 14
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