Assorted Topics:
Leela (exploits/pastimes) of God should be remembered, and relationships with Santos, Brahmchāries and Satsaṅgis should be developed.
Key Points:
At the time of death, if one cannot visualise the divine image of God, remembering the Leela Charitras (exploits/pastimes) of the Supreme Lord and recalling the memories of Sadhus, Brahmacharis and devotees will help remember the devotee, Murti of Maharaj. It will ultimately help devotees attain Akshardhām.
Explanation
In the first discourse of the Vachanāmrut, Shreeji Maharaj shows that a person, who can visualise the divine image of God, should also remember the Leela Charitras of God, Holy Santos and Satsaṅgis. It is because death is unpredictable. When a person dies, he loses awareness and relies upon their old habits and memories within their subconsciousness.
Further, clarification needs to be provided on the Laws of Karma. When a person dies, If one has not reached the state of Mukta (liberated soul), i.e. still has some desire or attachments, then one will have to rebirth to new life, and as per the Karma performed in the current life, he will have rebirth. The determination of second life is known as the laws of Karma. At the very last moment of death, a decision is made about where the next birth will be. How is this determined? It is determined based on the Karmas of the individual.
Here the point to think about is there are infinite karmas performed in the past countless births. So which of the infinite Karmas takes precedence? i.e. which karma would step forward at first?
The following options would clarify the above thoughts in detail.
- In general, it is considered that karmas committed first must be eligible earliest – as first come, first serve; But this may not be possible. It is because, as karmas are infinite, there would not be an end to suffering and rebirths. Thus the salvation of the soul would never be possible.
- Can part of karma from previous lives be used to create a new destiny? This is not possible. People would not experience the highs and lows of life; instead, it would be a single line of happiness or sorrow, which is not correct.
So how is destiny created? During one’s last moments, all the karmas of previous lives and karmas of current life come forefront and get ready to give their fruits. So, while laying on the death bed during the very last moment of death, all these karmas gather around and attack the mind to render it unconscious. A devotee will receive God’s divine darshan (glims or to see), and a non-devotee will get the darshan of Yam (God of Death). In this manner, an individual’s mind is rendered unconscious, and with the wish of God, karmas take charge of the soul’s faith. The more powerful karmas, i.e. the karmas performed very intensely – the most intense/strong karmas will come forward and take charge, and all other weak karmas follow the strong karmas. By which if one feels, why bother to think about God now when all we must do is remember him during the last moments? Remembering God directly at the last moment is not that possible because, during these last moments, the discretion of the mind becomes unconscious, i.e. unable to judge or determine what is right or wrong and what to be done or whatnot.
The next question that arises is, how does the strength of karmas measure? There are two means to measure it on the scale
- The degree of intensity and attachment by which the Karmas have been committed.
- The degree of relationship between Karmas and God.
Among these two, the relation of Karma to God makes it much more vital. Karma with a fraction of a relation to God is stronger than materialistic Karma of higher intensity. This is why in the Gita, it is mentioned
स्वल्पमप्यस्य धर्मस्य त्रायते महतो भयात् (गीता २/४०)
svalpamapyasya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt (gītā 2/40)
Even a small Karma related to God would protect a person from the clutches of the materialistic world. Hence, to escape from evil karmas while breathing our last, we need to perform Karmas in the present time related to God and remember Leelas performed by God and maintain affectionate relation with the devotees who have an attachment to God. Such karma will predominantly overcome our past evil karmas, even in our unconscious state and help us join with the Supreme God Swaminarayan. Those are not defeated by materialistic Karmas. This is the law of Karma. Therefore we should remember the Leela and have affection towards the devotees. This will help us in our last moments.
गहना कर्मणो गतिः
gahanā karmaṇo gatiḥ
Through this Vachanāmrut, Maharaj tells His disciples how a devotee can overcome very strong materialistic Karmas by remembering God and by performing God related Karmas at their time of death, thus illustrating the miraculous nature of the law of God and Karma.
-Swaminarayan Chintan