Asserted Topics:
The essence of understanding for worshiping God (decisions, determinations)
Key Points:
- If one makes these decisions within oneself to worship God, then they can worship God in the right way.
- Māharāj is the sovereign ruler of the entire universe.
- When faced with difficulties in worshiping or keeping the Lord, one should decide to endure them with a smile on their face and be prepared.
- The significance of worldly possessions and prosperity should be diminished in the heart.
Explanation
In this Vachanāmrut Māharāj has explained how a devotee should perceive the act of worshiping God. Māharāj states that everyone desires to worship the God, but there is a difference in understanding (decisions, determination) among individuals. Being a devotee of God implies having the desire to worship God, but it does not necessarily mean that one can worship. It is not just about one’s own desire for worship; there may be others who desire to worship as well. Not everyone can perform the worship, so the question arises: Who can do it? And who can make others do it? The Maharaj addresses these points in this discourse.
Māharāj says that “God resides in the heart of those who understand that it is God who keeps this Earth steady and moves when He wants it too. He has kept this star-studded sky high above us without any support. Under His command, the God of Rain sends rain and the Sun and Moon rise and set…. Etc many such miraculous are there.
The creator, sustainer, and destroyer of the universe is my Ishtadev (beloved God). Unless and until there is no firm conviction within, one cannot truly perform devotion. The devotee of God should have a strong conviction within that my beloved God is the central governance of all existence in the universe, including the cosmos. Unless such a strong conviction is established within, one cannot truly perform the devotion of God. If the soul once accepts the power/governance within, it automatically becomes their servant through mind, actions, and words. It does not require any explanation. The question is, do we believe Maharaj as the center of governance in a way that requires? Perhaps there is doubt within or a lack of firmness in conviction.
There cannot remain even a hint of doubt in worshipping God, and in inspiring others to worship God. If a devotee has an extremely firm conviction that Māharāj is the sole sovereign controller of an infinite number of Universes. The Brahma Sutra, as essence of Upanishads, declares the attributes of God’s divine form (transcendental form of Supreme God Shreeji Māharāj) and greatness as a जन्माध्यस्य यतः ( १:१:२ ) – janmādhyasya yataḥ (1:1:2) The creation, sustenance, and destruction of the universe, as mentioned in the Bhāgwat and also in the auspicious invocation by Lord Vyāsji, are indeed attributes of God. The divinity of God is also present in this. Other virtues, powers are mere ornaments of God.
The above discussed point should be truely believed within only then it can be manifested in the hearts of other beings as well. During Māharāj’s period, this topic was given the most importance. Māharāj says to the Santos in Purushottam Prakāsh:
“Nirbhaya niśaṅka tha’ī sahu kahējō rē, vāt pragaṭ maḷyānī kahējō rē” Santos, be fearless and tell people that “We have met Pragat (in persion) Supreme God Swaminarayan”. Just say this message while preaching to others. When people start to believe in this message, I will take care of them.
Another topic Māharāj says is that one who wants to worship God or has the desire to inspire others, should take the firm decision that even if someone insults them by throwing mud or dust, badly dishonours me or gives a ride of elephant or insults my and rides me on a donkey both would be equal to me. This means that one who heartily wants to worship God should fully prepare themselves to bear both honour and insult brought onto them with a smile and prepare themselves to endure or accept it completely. Such individuals truly have the readiness to remain unaffected. Therefore, they can indeed worship God or inspire others to worship. Otherwise, even if they desire, they cannot worship or inspire others to worship. This is the saying of Maharaj.
Thirdly, Maharaj says that Maharaj will come to reside in the heart only if the importance of worldly enjoyment and worldly prosperity diminishes to some extent.
If a person’s mind is completely absorbed in seeing or listening to the great subjects or prosperity of the world to the extent that their mind becomes completely engrossed in it, then that person cannot worship God.
Maharaj says the one who sees beautiful young women and a old women with the same sight, have same emotions for both that is to have a disregard. Secondly, considers a pit of Gold and a pit of stones to be the same only then one please God or Maharaj all the ways statys in his heart.
The one whose innermost desire is immersed in worldly pleasures and who considers worldly prosperity as the utmost importance, how can their mind be devoted to the Maharaj (the Supreme Being)? And from that state, how can they give importance to the Maharaj? The essance of soul is already taken. Having pleasures and prosperity is not an offence but being attached to it is. And such a person should not wish to devote God or cannot guid others to the path of God.
Generally, Maharaj has stated that those who are immersed in worldly pleasures and consumed by material prosperity often possess a strong desire to inspire others to worship God. This is because if one inspires others to worship God, it also serves to fulfill their own purpose in life. This desire arises from the understanding that by inspiring others, one can cultivate a sense of righteousness. Therefore, in Vachanamrut Vadtal 15, Maharaj emphasizes the importance of worshiping God and engaging in satsang over worldly pursuits.
God resides in the heart of a devotee who possesses knowledge, devotion, non-attachment, and other auspicious virtues. Such a devotee receives immense grace from God Himself through His divine power. Such a devotee has the ability to uplift countless souls. Furthermore, despite possessing such great power, the devotee remains patient and humble in the face of honors and insults. This is the true greatness of a devotee. Once someone attains such power and is able to endure insults from ordinary beings, by this one can easily understand their sole intention is in only advancing the work of God.
Maharaj says that no one can carry out such extraordinary actions. The one who has God residing within their heart and has made a firm decision to please God can accomplish it, while it is not possible through any other means. Such person should ber considered as great. Such devotees are capable to connect all the soules of the universe with God. They are capable of empowering power of all senses.
It is their greatness that they bear the insult of even insignificant persons. They are great people who show such forgiveness. But those who browbeat the poor and frighten them and consider themselves very great are in fact inferior. Those who frighten people by showing their powers cannot be called true devotees of God. They are mere creatures caught in the grip of Maya. They deserve to go to Yamapuri i.e. the place of punishment after death. Their greatness can workout only in this world. In this world a person’s greatness is measured by the material wealth they possess. True greatness on the path of God is determined by how much the devotee can bear troubles for worshipping God.Māharāj says that those who emphasise achieving worldly greatness are lacking in intelligence and cannot liberate others or inspire others on the path of God because they cannot liberate themselves. So how can they liberate others? Therefore, Māharāj says that “Anyone who thinks in his mind that, this woman is a very beautiful woman, or this cloth is a very fine cloth, or this building is magnificent or this bowl is very nice, or this vessel is very nice, such a person may be a householder or a rennounciate, they are all people with very low intelligence”. Those who have such understanding lack intelligence because they chase after insignificant objects. Māharāj says that “If you ask me whether such a person will achieve the ultimate good or not My answer is, ‘Even an insignificant soul will achieve the ultimate good if he stays within the fold of our holy fellowship, but that man will never acquire the quality of saintliness which I have described above, The capability to lead other beings towards God does not arise within them. They fulfill their entire life based on the pursuit of worldly pleasures and material prosperity.
Asserted Topics:
The essence of understanding for worshiping God (decisions, determinations)
Key Points:
- If one makes these decisions within oneself to worship God, then they can worship God in the right way.
- Māharāj is the sovereign ruler of the entire universe.
- When faced with difficulties in worshiping or keeping the Lord, one should decide to endure them with a smile on their face and be prepared.
- The significance of worldly possessions and prosperity should be diminished in the heart.
Explanation
In this Vachanāmrut Māharāj has explained how a devotee should perceive the act of worshiping God. Māharāj states that everyone desires to worship the God, but there is a difference in understanding (decisions, determination) among individuals. Being a devotee of God implies having the desire to worship God, but it does not necessarily mean that one can worship. It is not just about one’s own desire for worship; there may be others who desire to worship as well. Not everyone can perform the worship, so the question arises: Who can do it? And who can make others do it? The Maharaj addresses these points in this discourse.
Māharāj says that “God resides in the heart of those who understand that it is God who keeps this Earth steady and moves when He wants it too. He has kept this star-studded sky high above us without any support. Under His command, the God of Rain sends rain and the Sun and Moon rise and set…. Etc many such miraculous are there.
The creator, sustainer, and destroyer of the universe is my Ishtadev (beloved God). Unless and until there is no firm conviction within, one cannot truly perform devotion. The devotee of God should have a strong conviction within that my beloved God is the central governance of all existence in the universe, including the cosmos. Unless such a strong conviction is established within, one cannot truly perform the devotion of God. If the soul once accepts the power/governance within, it automatically becomes their servant through mind, actions, and words. It does not require any explanation. The question is, do we believe Maharaj as the center of governance in a way that requires? Perhaps there is doubt within or a lack of firmness in conviction.
There cannot remain even a hint of doubt in worshipping God, and in inspiring others to worship God. If a devotee has an extremely firm conviction that Māharāj is the sole sovereign controller of an infinite number of Universes. The Brahma Sutra, as essence of Upanishads, declares the attributes of God’s divine form (transcendental form of Supreme God Shreeji Māharāj) and greatness as a जन्माध्यस्य यतः ( १:१:२ ) – janmādhyasya yataḥ (1:1:2) The creation, sustenance, and destruction of the universe, as mentioned in the Bhāgwat and also in the auspicious invocation by Lord Vyāsji, are indeed attributes of God. The divinity of God is also present in this. Other virtues, powers are mere ornaments of God.
The above discussed point should be truely believed within only then it can be manifested in the hearts of other beings as well. During Māharāj’s period, this topic was given the most importance. Māharāj says to the Santos in Purushottam Prakāsh:
“Nirbhaya niśaṅka tha’ī sahu kahējō rē, vāt pragaṭ maḷyānī kahējō rē” Santos, be fearless and tell people that “We have met Pragat (in persion) Supreme God Swaminarayan”. Just say this message while preaching to others. When people start to believe in this message, I will take care of them.
Another topic Māharāj says is that one who wants to worship God or has the desire to inspire others, should take the firm decision that even if someone insults them by throwing mud or dust, badly dishonours me or gives a ride of elephant or insults my and rides me on a donkey both would be equal to me. This means that one who heartily wants to worship God should fully prepare themselves to bear both honour and insult brought onto them with a smile and prepare themselves to endure or accept it completely. Such individuals truly have the readiness to remain unaffected. Therefore, they can indeed worship God or inspire others to worship. Otherwise, even if they desire, they cannot worship or inspire others to worship. This is the saying of Maharaj.
Thirdly, Maharaj says that Maharaj will come to reside in the heart only if the importance of worldly enjoyment and worldly prosperity diminishes to some extent.
If a person’s mind is completely absorbed in seeing or listening to the great subjects or prosperity of the world to the extent that their mind becomes completely engrossed in it, then that person cannot worship God.
Maharaj says the one who sees beautiful young women and a old women with the same sight, have same emotions for both that is to have a disregard. Secondly, considers a pit of Gold and a pit of stones to be the same only then one please God or Maharaj all the ways statys in his heart.
The one whose innermost desire is immersed in worldly pleasures and who considers worldly prosperity as the utmost importance, how can their mind be devoted to the Maharaj (the Supreme Being)? And from that state, how can they give importance to the Maharaj? The essance of soul is already taken. Having pleasures and prosperity is not an offence but being attached to it is. And such a person should not wish to devote God or cannot guid others to the path of God.
Generally, Maharaj has stated that those who are immersed in worldly pleasures and consumed by material prosperity often possess a strong desire to inspire others to worship God. This is because if one inspires others to worship God, it also serves to fulfill their own purpose in life. This desire arises from the understanding that by inspiring others, one can cultivate a sense of righteousness. Therefore, in Vachanamrut Vadtal 15, Maharaj emphasizes the importance of worshiping God and engaging in satsang over worldly pursuits.
God resides in the heart of a devotee who possesses knowledge, devotion, non-attachment, and other auspicious virtues. Such a devotee receives immense grace from God Himself through His divine power. Such a devotee has the ability to uplift countless souls. Furthermore, despite possessing such great power, the devotee remains patient and humble in the face of honors and insults. This is the true greatness of a devotee. Once someone attains such power and is able to endure insults from ordinary beings, by this one can easily understand their sole intention is in only advancing the work of God.
Maharaj says that no one can carry out such extraordinary actions. The one who has God residing within their heart and has made a firm decision to please God can accomplish it, while it is not possible through any other means. Such person should ber considered as great. Such devotees are capable to connect all the soules of the universe with God. They are capable of empowering power of all senses.
It is their greatness that they bear the insult of even insignificant persons. They are great people who show such forgiveness. But those who browbeat the poor and frighten them and consider themselves very great are in fact inferior. Those who frighten people by showing their powers cannot be called true devotees of God. They are mere creatures caught in the grip of Maya. They deserve to go to Yamapuri i.e. the place of punishment after death. Their greatness can workout only in this world. In this world a person’s greatness is measured by the material wealth they possess. True greatness on the path of God is determined by how much the devotee can bear troubles for worshipping God.Māharāj says that those who emphasise achieving worldly greatness are lacking in intelligence and cannot liberate others or inspire others on the path of God because they cannot liberate themselves. So how can they liberate others? Therefore, Māharāj says that “Anyone who thinks in his mind that, this woman is a very beautiful woman, or this cloth is a very fine cloth, or this building is magnificent or this bowl is very nice, or this vessel is very nice, such a person may be a householder or a rennounciate, they are all people with very low intelligence”. Those who have such understanding lack intelligence because they chase after insignificant objects. Māharāj says that “If you ask me whether such a person will achieve the ultimate good or not My answer is, ‘Even an insignificant soul will achieve the ultimate good if he stays within the fold of our holy fellowship, but that man will never acquire the quality of saintliness which I have described above, The capability to lead other beings towards God does not arise within them. They fulfill their entire life based on the pursuit of worldly pleasures and material prosperity.
-Swaminarayan Chintan