Asserted Topics:
The reason for perceiving faults in Bhagwan and His Bhaktas in one’s intelligence.
Main Points:
- If someone has wronged a poor person, neglected to serve their parents, or hurt a true Bhakta, their buddhi (intelligence) becomes cursed. As a result, they consistently perceive faults in Bhagwan and His Bhaktas.
- If they have pleased such individuals and received their blessings, their buddhi becomes purified, and they only perceive the virtues of Bhagwan and His Bhaktas.
- Even if someone has a cursed buddhi, with intense repentance and greater effort, it can be purified. Otherwise, it will turn demonic.
Commentary:
This Vachanamrut is about cursed intelligence. Following Shreeji Maharaj’s instruction, several young paramhansas came forward to engage in questions and answers. Shreeji Maharaj then asked them a question. He described a person who, from the day they joined Satsang, starts seeing faults in Bhagwan and His santo, but soon forgets these faults. This process of finding and then disregarding faults continues. Another bhakta, however, never perceives faults in santo or Bhagwan. Both have the same buddhi and the same conviction in Bhagwan, yet one perceives faults, and the other does not. What flaw exists in the buddhi of the one who perceives faults? This question was posed to Shivanand Swami. When he could not provide an answer, Bhagwadanand Swami responded that such a buddhi is cursed. Shreeji Maharaj affirmed this response, explaining that someone may have caused harm to a great sant, wronged a poor person, or failed to serve their parents, and in return, may have been cursed. This is why their buddhi becomes like this.
A similar question was asked by Shreeji Maharaj in Vach.G.F.35. There, too, Maharaj pointed out that the person’s buddhi is corrupted because they have perceived faults in a great sant or Parmeshwar. As a result, they cannot walk the path of liberation. On the contrary, even those who listen to their words may fall away from Satsang due to the influence of their buddhi.
In this manner, two important factors operate in a person’s buddhi: one is its brilliance, or productivity, and the other is its purity. A person may advance in worldly matters, scriptures, or politics through the brilliance of their buddhi, but this brilliance alone does not necessarily lead to progress on the path of liberation. Purity of buddhi, which comes from the blessings of Bhagwan and great santo, is what truly facilitates spiritual progress. Such purity can also be cultivated by serving the poor or pleasing one’s parents or elders. The nourishment of a sharp buddhi is different from that of a pure buddhi.
Here, Maharaj explains that although both devotees have similar buddhi and the same level of conviction, and both receive equal nourishment from remaining in Satsang, one perceives both faults and virtues, while the other only perceives virtues. Maharaj clarifies that the difference lies in having hurt the feelings of Bhagwan or pure souls, which leads to a cursed buddhi. This is why one perceives faults, while blessings purify buddhi, leading to the perception of only virtues.
Then, Bhagwadanand Swami asked, “Maharaj, how can one purify a cursed buddhi?” To this, Shreeji Maharaj responded that they must make more effort than others. Such a bhakta must follow stricter vows and engage in more intense spiritual practices than the other devotees. By doing so, even if their buddhi is cursed, it can be purified. They should also continuously engage in the praise and prayer of Bhagwan.
Later, the senior Shivanand Swami asked a question, “Is karma tangible or intangible?” To this, Shreeji Maharaj replied that karma is indeed intangible, but the fruits of karma, whether auspicious or inauspicious, are tangible, as they manifest in ways that are directly experienced.