Asserted Topics:
Overcoming the fear of death despite having a physical body.
Main Points:
- Death is the day of reckoning for all the good and bad deeds performed throughout one’s life.
- The fear of death vanishes when one improves their life by standing before Bhagwan.
- Life improves through faith, Gnan, bravery, and love for God.
Commentary:
This Vachanamrut is about overcoming the fear of death. Maharaj posed a question: “When does a devotee in Satsang become free from the fear of death, and when does he feel that he has achieved his ultimate good during his lifetime?” To better understand this, let us raise another question: Maharaj spoke of the fear of death being dispelled, but why do people really fear death? After all, death is a certain event in life. When we reflect on this, we realize that people are not truly afraid of death itself, but rather of their own weak deeds. Even a devotee might not fear death itself but may be anxious about their weaknesses or attachments.
Here, by using the term “devotee” (Haribhakta), Maharaj includes all those dependent on Him. The question of death and its fear applies to all, whether they are a Sadhu, a Brahmachari, leaders, or followers in Satsang. Everyone is included in Maharaj’s use of the word Haribhakta. People are not necessarily afraid of death, but they do fear the reckoning of their life’s actions — the judgment of all the good and bad deeds they have committed and the clear outcome that follows. Similarly, in this world, people don’t fear the government, police, or courts, but rather, they are afraid of their own hidden or public crimes. If a person has committed no crime, then these authorities, like the government, are established to protect and assist the people. Honest and helpless individuals rely on them for support and thus become fearless. But for those who have committed crimes, just the sight of the authorities induces panic, even before they are caught. The same applies to life and death. People do not fear death itself; they fear how they have lived their lives.
Death is the day of reckoning for all the good and bad deeds performed throughout one’s life. Just like a student who prepares for an exam feels confident and excited for the results day, knowing that the outcome will be positive, someone who has spent their time in wrongdoing will be filled with fear when results are announced. This is because everything they have done throughout the year will now be revealed. Similarly, the day of death is the day for accounting all actions in one’s life. If a person’s balance sheet is positive, there’s no need for worry, but if they know it’s not, they will fear death. Even a Haribhakta is afraid of their attachments, weaknesses, and bad deeds. How does one get rid of that fear? Maharaj discusses that in this Vachanamrut.
Maharaj personally surveyed scriptures and people and came to the conclusion that, in His view, there are four types of devotees who are free from the fear of death: the faithful, the knowledgeable, the brave, and those with love for God. These four types of devotees are not afraid of death and feel that they have attained their ultimate good even while they are still in their physical bodies. Maharaj addresses two points here: one is the fear of death, and the second is the feeling of fulfillment before death, even while one is still alive. When the bad deeds are removed from life, the fear of death disappears, and one feels a sense of fulfillment within.
Among them, the faithful devotee has immense faith in the manifest Bhagwan and His Santo. Through unwavering adherence to the commands of Bhagwan and His saints, the devotee’s life becomes free of wrongdoings and weaknesses. His life becomes pure and divine through the virtues of Bhakti and other noble qualities. In this way, the fear of death is eliminated, and even while alive, the devotee feels a sense of fulfillment. However, this transformation doesn’t happen simply through faith alone; it is through the impact of Shreeji Maharaj and His true Santo on whom the faith is placed, that the devotee’s life becomes pure and divine. Therefore, the object of faith must be true.
Death is the day of reckoning for all the good and bad deeds performed throughout one’s life. Just like a student who prepares for an exam feels confident and excited for the results day, knowing that the outcome will be positive, someone who has spent their time in wrongdoing will be filled with fear when results are announced. This is because everything they have done throughout the year will now be revealed. Similarly, the day of death is the day for accounting all actions in one’s life. If a person’s balance sheet is positive, there’s no need for worry, but if they know it’s not, they will fear death. Even a Haribhakta is afraid of their attachments, weaknesses, and bad deeds. How does one get rid of that fear? Maharaj discusses that in this Vachanamrut.
Maharaj personally surveyed scriptures and people and came to the conclusion that, in His view, there are four types of devotees who are free from the fear of death: the faithful, the knowledgeable, the brave, and those with love for God. These four types of devotees are not afraid of death and feel that they have attained their ultimate good even while they are still in their physical bodies. Maharaj addresses two points here: one is the fear of death, and the second is the feeling of fulfillment before death, even while one is still alive. When the bad deeds are removed from life, the fear of death disappears, and one feels a sense of fulfillment within.
Among them, the faithful devotee has immense faith in the manifest Bhagwan and His Santo. Through unwavering adherence to the commands of Bhagwan and His saints, the devotee’s life becomes free of wrongdoings and weaknesses. His life becomes pure and divine through the virtues of Bhakti and other noble qualities. In this way, the fear of death is eliminated, and even while alive, the devotee feels a sense of fulfillment. However, this transformation doesn’t happen simply through faith alone; it is through the impact of Shreeji Maharaj and His true Santo on whom the faith is placed, that the devotee’s life becomes pure and divine. Therefore, the object of faith must be true.
The second type of devotee is jnāni (knowledgeable). He considers himself to be brahmarup (in the form of Brahm) and understands that he is an exclusive devotee of God. His knowledge of the ātma (soul) and the immense glory of God is his greatest strength. He possesses nothing that can be destroyed by death, and therefore, he has no fear of death.
The third type of devotee is the brave (śurvir). Here, the term śurvir refers to bravery on the path of devotion to God; it does not refer to someone who is unafraid of fighting with others. The word śurvir is formed from two components: shur (valiant) and vir (heroic). A person who defeats enemies is called shur. One who does not fear enemies but is unable to defeat them and is instead defeated by them may be called courageous but not truly heroic. A true śurvir is someone who destroys his enemies. The term shur means “to vanquish enemies” (śṛṇāti arin iti śur). A person who defeats many enemies is called a virpurush (heroic man). When both virtues—bravery and heroism—combine, the person is considered a true śurvir.
However, in the spiritual path, śurvir refers to something different. As mentioned in the Bhagwat, “svabhāv vijayo śauryam” (bravery is the conquest of one’s nature) and “jihvopasthajayaṃ dhairyam” (true courage is the control of the tongue and the genitals). A person who conquers his nature and overcomes his inherent flaws is called a brave person. One who controls his senses — particularly the tongue and sexual organs — is considered both patient and brave. Such a śurvir is devoted to Maharaj, desiring to please Him. His senses and antahkaran (inner faculties) tremble with fear in his presence, and they abandon their path of weakness, naturally moving towards the path of God. Therefore, even this devotee is free from the fear of death.
The fourth type of devotee is the one filled with love (pritivālo). His love for Bhagwan is like the unwavering devotion of a faithful wife to her husband. Just as a chaste woman’s heart does not waver upon seeing any other man, this devotee’s heart does not sway towards any worldly temptations because his love for God is so strong. As a result, he has no fear of death and, even while alive, feels that he has attained fulfillment.
Maharaj explains that if a devotee possesses one of these four qualities predominantly, while the other three are secondary, he will still be able to transcend the fear of death. However, if none of these qualities are present, even if he is a haribhakta, the fear of death will not be eliminated. Maharaj then tested the devotees to see which qualities they possessed and praised those with bravery, allowing them to touch His lotus-like feet to their chests.
Then Brahmanand Swami asked, “The cause should be larger than its effect. How is it, then, that the seed of a vata (banyan) tree is so small, yet it grows into such a large tree?” Maharaj responded, “The belief that the cause should always be larger than the effect is not necessarily true. People may hold that belief, but that is not the opinion of the scriptures. The scriptures explain that, even if the cause is small and subtle, it still has the capacity to produce a large effect. That itself is the greatness of the cause, and its causal power lies in that ability.”
The underlying intent of the question is this: You (Shreeji Maharaj), who are the Paramatma (Supreme Being), are described by all the scriptures as the ultimate cause of creation, and yet you appear in the form of an ordinary human. How, then, can you be the cause of innumerable universes? Such doubts often arise in the minds of devotees of God, and Brahmanand Swami has given voice to these thoughts.
Maharaj clarified that it is foolish to believe that the cause must be larger in size than the effect. Maharaj explained, “Only a fool would think that if the effect is so grand, the cause must be even larger. In other words, how big should Maharaj be? How could Maharaj appear to be the size of an ordinary human being?” This is the thinking of an ignorant person. Maharaj continued, “Even though God appears in the size and form of a human being, through His yogkala (divine creative power), He is capable of creating innumerable universes from His own being. During pralay (cosmic dissolution), He merges those universes back into Himself and remains alone. At that time, countless universes, including the eight coverings and the fourteen worlds, remain like atoms in each and every hair on the body of God. In this way, the cause — Maharaj — possesses both extraordinary greatness and divinity. A wise person understands that, even though God appears like a human, He is the ultimate cause of everything, the creator, and all-powerful.”