As the roots of a tree keeps it green and fresh, sense objects keep the soul in the cycle of life and death.
Maharaj compares life of a person with a banyan tree. If there is a banyan tree with many branches, and all the roots are disconnected to the earth but only one root is connected, that keeps the vast banyan tree alive.
Similarly, contemplating on one sense object is enough to keep you in the cycle of birth and death though you gave up the thinking of all other sense objects.
Enjoying sense objects is not the reason of the life and death. Contemplating the sense objects is the reason.
When we visited London recently, we met an old Dada who was a Gurukul student from the initial batches of Gurukul. He said that in those days Purani Premprakashdasji Swami used to take all the students to the tour of all temples. Once he took us to Madan Mohanji Maharaj temple in Dholera. Then Swami distributed us Churma Laddu Prasad of Madan Mohanji Maharaj. That laddu was so tasty that even after five-six decades I am unable to forget the taste of Laddu and thus the incident.
Once we enjoy a sense object, how long do we remember it? Remembering the sense objects is the cause of life and death, not enjoying them. If we enjoy and don’t remember it, we are free. If we enjoy and remember it, we are bound by it.
Devotee of God also enjoys sense objects, others too enjoy sense objects. How does devotees doesn’t go into the cycle of birth and death?
King Janak too enjoyed the sense objects. He had queens, parties, and grand treats. One fine day, Shukdevji visited King Janak. The King well honored him and arranged for a grand reception. King requested Shukdevji to enjoy the food at his queen’s palace. Shukdevji and King Janak reached the queen’s palace. King Janak and Shukdevji sat opposite to each other on the dining table. When Shukdevji was eating, he observed a grand sculpture made of high-quality stone standing just above in the air without any support. It looked like it might fall over them anytime. He did not enjoy the taste of food but was wondering how it stood there without any support, and if it would fall on them while eating.
King Janak was serving the food, and asked “Maharaj, how is the food?”
Shukdevji replied, “Maharaj, forget about the food. My mind is on that sculpture. What is that standing over there without any support?”
King Janak replied, “Shukdevji Maharaj, it represents me in a way. I rule the kingdom like that sculpture without getting attached to anything and without the support of any sense objects. I never contemplate on the things that I enjoy.”
During Shastriji Maharaj time, there were many devotees from Mumbai participating in Rajkot Brahmsatra to listen to Swamiji’s katha. On the last day, they used to go to Bazar for shopping. They used to buy ‘Bhagat Na Penda’, ‘Chewda’, and other items that are famous in Rajkot, and then they used to leave for Mumbai. When they plan for next year Brahmsatra, what do they remember? They don’t remember the katha they heard in all the days of Brahmsatra. They remember the ‘Bhagat Na Penda’ they bought on the last day of last year. They think ‘That sweet was so delicious. I will buy it once the Brahmsatra gets over.’
Maharaj said that the memory of sense objects is the real reason of birth and death. Sense objects is not the reason. Naradji, Shukdevji, Sanakadik sages, King Janak, and all our great Saints used to eat, drink, listen, see, and do all the activities. They enjoy, and then they don’t give it a thought again. While opposite is true for us, once we enjoy something, we don’t leave it at all.
Eating is not the reason. Thinking is the reason. After eating, we should not remember it. After seeing, we should not remember it. After enjoying, we should not remember it.
Is there any way out to not remember after enjoying? Yes. Maharaj made a system here.
If we offer the food to Maharaj before eating, then we remember Maharaj and not the food. That becomes part of our devotion.
If you wanted to use something, offer it to Maharaj and use. If you wanted to do business, offer a part of income to Maharaj. Even business becomes the cause of your liberation. In all these activities, you are thinking of Maharaj. When you think of Maharaj, it becomes devotion.
We take bath to do puja of Maharaj. We make the food to offer it to Maharaj. We offer all the activities to Maharaj with the only intention of pleasing Maharaj.
Maharaj made this wonderful system of doing all the activities you are doing now and still get ultimate good.
Live as per the world and get liberated by following the system designed by Maharaj.
References:
16th June 2017: Orlando, FL
Swami Ni Vato and Vachanamrut Gadhada Madhya 11