Asserted Topics: Multiple
Key Points: Multiple
Explanation
In this Vachanamrutam, Shreeji Maharaj asks, “place, time, action, association, mantra, meditation, initiation and scripture are 8 elements that when present purify the mind. If these 8 elements are bad, then it pollutes the mind. Do these 8 elements have any impact from a past life’s deeds or not?” The munis answered, “It seems that the karmas of past lives do play a role. If a person’s past karmas are pleasant, he is born in a pleasant desh. However, if the past karmas are unpleasant, he is born in an unpleasant desh. In the same way, the other seven factors are also determined by past karmas. Therefore, past karmas appear to play a major role in all of them. The eight influences may be predominant in certain circumstances, but past karmas are predominant in all circumstances.”
Here Shreeji Maharaj counters, “Per which shāstras have you concluded that the deeds of the past life hold a precedent in dictating the circumstances of a person in a new life?” Show me such a statement. Deeds are precedent according to Jain scriptures. In other scriptures, associations with God and His devotees are precedent. Based on your conclusion that only past deeds are precedent factors, are you a true devotee or a hidden atheist?”
There are many pious Kings in the Marvad community. Based on their past deeds, the community should be flush with clean water and yet that is not the case. Hence, those who want their ultimate salvation should not hold past deeds precedent like the atheist. Instead, they should find strength in associations with God, devotees and saints. As per one’s past deeds, if one is faced by unfortunate circumstances, they should leave the company or situation and seek refuge in the company of favourable times, places and associate with pious individuals who will ultimately lead them to their salvation.
Here Shreeji Maharaj has a question for the saints, “Are time-place and the other 8 elements affected by previous deeds or are they more impacted by good or bad associations?” This can be reframed to add more depth in the question by saying, for the salvation of the soul, is the impact of past deeds or association more influential? Here the saints reply that the impact of the past deeds is greater on the time-place elements. Here Maharaj raises the point of atheism. In reality, there is a material impact of past deeds on time-place and other 8 elements, but Maharaj takes it a step further and asks how past deeds and association impact the salvation of the soul. Hence the doubt rose by the response of the saints.
God says in Gita,
चातुर्वण्य मया सृष्टम् गुणकर्मविभागशः
chāturvaṇya mayā sṛṣṭam guṇakarmavibhāgaśaḥ
Thus based on one’s past deeds one gets birth as a son of Brahmin or as a poor. So, pleasant and unpleasant places are according to one’s birth. Hence the impact of the Karma still stays with the person. In Majority, As is the place and based on its impressions, so will be once actions. In this way, one cannot be completely detached from place, time etc. in any situation. Not only that but previous karmas are absolutely most decisive in above. Santos have also answered from the same scriptural point of view. Then why did Maharaj objected and said it to be atheist? What is the intention behind? Let’s think about it.
Shreeji Maharaj accepts actions. In Vach.G.P.42, Maharaj starts the discussion on the moral grounds of right and wrong. The saints had responded that morally right and wrong is true. Otherwise, how can one differentiate between good and evil, heaven and hell? Here Maharaj had responded by praising that the understanding is in the right action. So then why in this situation did Maharaj say that actions are atheist? Its meaning is that believing in past deeds is not atheist, moreover it is theist. However, believing that the path of salvation is determined solely on deeds committed in a past life is what Maharaj says is atheist.
The salvation of one’s soul is based upon the association of God and His devotees, and not on the past deeds. Astrology and past deeds put time-place as precedent and then hold the virtues and sins as secondary. Where the survey balance is shown; however, what it does not show is that towards the end the final judgement will be made by past deeds or not is not demonstrated. This decision is determined by good association and ill association. Earlier whatever is achieved based on past deeds can be changed by satsaṅg. For the salvation of the soul, past deeds and time-place etc. eight elements can be completely against each other. However, decisions can be made, and salvation can be achieved. This is demonstrated by the many stories of the devotees in the shāstras.
Aside from birth and caste, the 8 elements can be changed through association into something good to help the soul attain salvation. While past deeds firstly impact the time-place elements, for personal salvation devotees should emphasise association and not rely solely upon the impact of past deeds. Ignoring satsaṅg-kusang and relying only on past deeds for the salvation of the soul is atheism. Believing in Karmas itself is not Atheism. By doing Good and bad actions once achieves happiness and sorrows. Such a belief the devotee of God should have.
Here Shreeji Maharaj has discussed past deeds which influences place, time etc. the eight elements and association of devotees. Here sang (association) is one of the eight elements then why did the Maharaj take it separately? The answer to this is the sang which is impacted by past deeds which is affected from birth in form of Mother-Father, family and relation with society is the sang in eight elements. The sang which influences or changes the eight elements is the sang (association) in the form of satsaṅg (association with the true devotees and saints of God) and kusang (association with worldly people). If this is understood, then the Vachanamrutam will be easier to understand.
Maharaj continues by saying time and place can be good or bad. The place informing one’s physical body can also be Good or bad. So, one should also know this. Have a Good sang (association/company), don’t have a bad company. When can one say that association happened? There would remain no distance from within with the one to whom we are associated. In this manner wholeheartedly association by mind, action, and desire should happen only with God’s devotees, and not with an evil-minded person. By doing so, the soul will experience its ultimate good.
Thus concludes the Gadhada Pratham Chapter.
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