How can we say an object is better than another object? Only when we compare that object with another object can we say that the object is better than the other. The greatness of an object is measured by observing the difference between that object and all other objects.
One can have immense faith in a person only when he understands that particular person is completely different from everyone else.
When we realize that Bhagwan Swaminarayan is completely different from others, then we will understand that everything Bhagwan Swaminarayan says is unique. But if we cannot distinguish Bhagwan Swaminarayan from others, then we will never be able to realize the greatness of His words.
What makes Bhagwan unique compared to everyone else? How is Bhagwan different from all other souls, including liberated and worldly souls?
Satyam. Gnanam. Anantham.
Satyam: Bhagwan is real, a soul is real, and Maya is real as well. Furthermore, they are all eternal. As a result, Bhagwan, soul, and Maya are similar in being eternal and real.
Gnanam: Bhagwan is full of knowledge. A soul is also full of knowledge. So Bhagwan and soul can be similar in knowledge as well.
Anantham: A soul can be similar to Bhagwan with respect to Satyam and Gnanam but he will never be able to reach Bhagwan in terms of Anantham (infiniteness). No one can ever match Bhagwan in terms of Anantham (infiniteness). Bhagwan is infinite while a soul can never be so.
Hence, Anantham is the unique quality of Bhagwan. No one can completely have this one quality of Bhagwan. And because of His infiniteness, no one can ever reach the status of Bhagwan.
A saint is better than rushis and munis
How is a saint different from a rushi? And how is a saint better than a rushi?
The primary focus of rushis and munis is to find the ultimate truth. They are always in search of the ultimate truth and are always trying to prove the truthfulness of an object. They are always contemplating Paramatma, the ultimate truth.
On the other side, a saint is always contemplating the divine murti of Bhagwan.
Contemplating on the murti of Bhagwan is one step ahead of contemplating on eternal truth. And so, a saint is one step ahead of a rushi or a muni.
When King Parikshit received a curse of dying in the next seven days, he requested and prayed to all the rushis present in the assembly to give him protection.
It is said in Shrimad Bhagwat that all the rushis mentioned in the scriptures were present in the assembly of King Parikshit; even Lord Vyasji was present.
King Parikshit cried, “Please, someone bless me to attain my kalyan.”
Yet, no one had the ability to bless him kalyan within seven days.
The rushis replied, “We can make you achieve your kalyan in one hundred months. At least, we need two months. We can’t do anything less than that.”
At that time, Shukdevji arrived at the assembly. The entire assembly stood up. King Parikshit held the feet of Shukdevji and pleaded, “Maharaj, please give me protection.”
“What’s the problem?” asked Shukdevji
“I was cursed to be dead in seven days,” replied King Parikshit.
“Seven days is plenty of time. I can help you attain your kalyan in a matter of moments. Thousands of souls can be liberated in seven days.”
That is the difference between a saint and a rushi.
Shukdevji is a true saint
King Parikshit begged all the rushis, yet no one was able to help him. Shukdevji was the only one who could really help him who told King Parikshit that he would help him attain his kalyan.
That is the difference between Shukdevji—a saint—and all other rushis.
Even Lord Vyasji, who was sitting in the same assembly, was unable to help King Parikshit.
Who wrote Shrimad Bhagwat? Lord Vyasji. Doesn’t he know how to help King Parikshit?
There is a difference between writing scripture and living one’s life according to that scripture. A saint is one who lives strictly as per scriptures.
No one could explain Shrimad Bhagwat better than Shukdevji could as he lived strictly as per scriptures.
Once Shukdevji was passing by a river in which some women were taking a bath. The women were in no hurry to put on their clothes and continued to take the bath. But when Lord Vyasji was passing by, they quickly put on their clothes.
Why did they do this? They knew what Lord Vyasji speaks and what he knows. They also knew that Shukdevji doesn’t know anything other than speaking about one person, the supreme Bhagwan.
A saint is better than demigods
Once, in a battle between demigods and demons, demons won the battle. Demigods were helpless and requested the warrior king Muchukund to help them defeat the demons.
King Muchukund accepted their request, joined demigods to fight the demons, and ultimately helped the demigods win the war against demons.
The demigods were very pleased with Muchukund and asked him to pick a boon of his wish.
King Muchukund asked the demigods to bless him kalyan.
Demigods replied, “Sorry, we cannot bless you kalyan as we are incapable to do so; we do not have that power. But if you want any sort of worldly luxuries, we can give you as much as you wish.”
Thus, demigods have neither the confidence nor the power to help someone achieve their kalyan. Only a true saint has the confidence and power to help a soul achieve Bhagwan.
A true saint is better than Bhagwan
How? How can a saint be better than Bhagwan?
Bhagwan doesn’t give Himself to anyone. A saint gives Bhagwan to everyone.
Bhagwan empowered true saints to help others attain kalyan.
When a soul prays Bhagwan to bless him kalyan, Bhagwan tells him to associate with a true saint as he could achieve his kalyan quicker with a true saint than with Himself. Thus, Bhagwan doesn’t give Himself but gives a true saint.
Bhagwan has the power to help someone achieve their kalyan. But He doesn’t immediately bless the kalyan. This doesn’t mean Bhagwan is any less than a true saint but is the quality of Bhagwan.
Furthermore, Bhagwan always listens to a true saint and acts as per his words.
When Lord Ram fired an arrow toward Jayant for what he had done to Sitaji, Sitaji requested Lord Ram to forgive Jayant. Lord Ram replied, “I’m letting him free only because of your request to do so. Otherwise, I would have never let him free.”
A saint is unique in their power of helping a soul achieve his kalyan. However, this doesn’t mean that a saint should be worshipped. This only means that a saint is better than Bhagwan in helping people attain their kalyan.
There is no one superior to Bhagwan. Yet, with respect to achieving kalyan, a saint is better than Bhagwan.
When Bhagwan decides to bless kalyan to a soul, He tells one of His saints to help the soul.
Rushis and munis don’t have that power. When King Parikshit Maharaj approached Rushis and Munis to save him, they didn’t know what to do.
Shukdevji was different. He was not a rushi but a saint. Jad Bharat was not a rushi but a saint. Without any doubt, a saint will make sure that a soul indeed achieves his kalyan.
Thus, in the path of kalyan, a true saint is one step ahead of Bhagwan as well.
With that intention, Nishkulanand Swami has said that “Sant te swayam Hari” — a saint is like Bhagwan Himself.
A saint is better than everyone
A saint has a unique quality that no one else has: the power of blessing kalyan to a soul.
That is the reason Nishkulanand Swami has said that serving a true saint includes serving rushis, serving munis, serving devatas, and serving supreme Bhagwan Himself.
Once you find a saint, verify if he is indeed a true saint. Once you are sure he is a true saint, submit your mind and life to that saint; mold yourself in the way that saint wants you to mold.
Bhagwan has said that serving such a true saint is in fact serving Bhagwan Himself; offering food to such a saint is in fact offering food to Bhagwan; helping such a saint is in fact helping Bhagwan.
There is nothing better than finding and serving such a true saint. When one finds such a saint, he can consider that he has already achieved his kalyan.
References: Chosathpadi Katha Part 03 (Pad 03).