Asserted Topics:
…… Characteristics of Yagna.
Key Points:
- By renouncing the worldly food of the senses, the soul gains the strength to destroy internal vices.
- Without Yagna, one cannot attain salvation.
Explanation:
In this Vachanamrut, Maharaj narrates the story from the Puranas regarding the origin of Ekadashi. The son of Nadijangh, Murdanav, performed intense austerities and received a boon from Brahma that he would not be slain by any being created by him. He also could not be killed by Vishnu or Shankar. After obtaining this boon, Murdanav fought with and defeated the deities. To uphold Brahma’s boon, Bhagwan Vishnu fled to a cave in the Himalayas, where He reclined to rest. While Murdanav pursued Him and challenged Him to a battle, Bhagwan, having retracted His ten senses and the eleventh, the mind, lay with His focus turned inward. From the divine light of His eleven senses, a maiden emerged. Seeing her, Murdanav was enchanted and proposed to her, saying, “You should marry me.” The maiden replied, “I have taken a vow that I will only marry the one who can defeat me in battle.” Following this, a fierce battle ensued between the maiden and Murdanav, in which the maiden beheaded him with her sword. Pleased with her valor, Bhagwan asked her to request a boon. She asked, “Since I was born from the light of your eleven senses, let me be known as Ekadashi, and on my day, no one should eat food. Let all eleven senses — including the mind — abstain from their respective enjoyments.” Bhagwan granted her this boon.
This story carries a profound meaning. Bhagwan demonstrates that when the worldly enjoyments of the senses are restrained, and the focus is directed towards Bhagwan, the soul is illuminated, and a divine power is born within. Only then can one vanquish internal demons like lust, anger, greed, and others akin to Murdanav. Without purifying the senses and making them divine, it is impossible to destroy internal enemies and demonic tendencies. The intake of food by the pran (vital energy) and the worldly intake by the senses bring countless seeds of impurities along with them. Therefore, even if one abstains from food, unless all the senses are properly restrained from their worldly objects, the inner vices like lust and anger cannot be eliminated. According to the scriptures, appropriate fasting, which involves the abstinence of both physical and mental indulgences, greatly assists in overcoming all forms of impurities. Maharaj emphasizes that observing Ekadashi in this manner, as described in the scriptures, helps to eradicate impure thoughts and behaviors associated with lust, anger, and greed. Maharaj asserts that according to the scriptures, only when one refrains from the enjoyments of all eleven senses can the fast be considered a true Ekadashi; otherwise, it is equivalent to the fast observed by animals. Simply refraining from food while allowing the senses to indulge in worldly pleasures is akin to a beastly fast. Thus, one must abstain from both food and the enjoyments of all senses during the fast. Maharaj states that this fast occurs once every fifteen days, and it must be observed vigilantly, as Bhagwan is pleased with those who observe it correctly. As long as the senses are attached to worldly enjoyments, they are under the influence of Maya. However, when they are restrained from these enjoyments and directed towards Bhagwan, they become divine and are able to grasp Bhagwan. The liberated souls residing in Shwetdweep observe this fast eternally and are thus known as Niranna (those who deny all eleven senses their food). We, too, should aspire to become Niranna like them, without losing courage in the process. By observing the fast in this manner, engaging in Katha, singing Kirtan, and staying awake at night (Jagaran), the fast is deemed properly observed.
The second topic Maharaj discusses is that when Brahma first created the world, he instructed all beings to perform Yagna (sacrifice). By performing Yagna, one would attain all four Purusharth (the goals of human life), and the world itself would prosper. Therefore, he stressed the necessity of performing Yagna, as it is essential for salvation. Yagna is the seed from which both prosperity and liberation sprout.
In the Bhagavad Gita, it is stated:
यज्ञशिष्टाशिनः सन्तो मुच्यन्ते सर्वकिल्बिषैः।
भुञ्जते ते त्वघं पापा ये पचन्त्यात्मकारणात्।।
Yagnashishtaashinah santo, muchyante sarva-kilbishaih.
Bhuñjate te tvagham papaa, ye pachantyaatma-kaaranaat.
(Gita 3.13)
“The virtuous who eat the remnants of Yagna are freed from all sins, but those who cook only for themselves eat nothing but sin.”
यज्ञार्थात्कर्मणोऽन्यत्र लोकोऽयं कर्मबन्धनः।
तदर्थं कर्म कौन्तेय मुक्तसंगः समाचर।।
Yagnarthaat karmano’nyatra, loko’yam karma-bandhanah.
Tadartham karma, kaunteya, muktasangah samaachara.
(Gita 3.9)
“Actions performed for the sake of Yagna do not bind a person. Therefore, O Arjun, perform your duties free from attachment for the sake of Yagna.”
एवं प्रवर्तितं चक्रं नानुवर्तयतीह यः।
अघायुरिन्द्रियारामो मोघं पार्थ स जीवति।।
Evam pravartitam chakram, naanuvartayati yah.
Aghaayur-indriyaaraamo, mogham Partha sa jeevati.
(Gita 3.16)
“He who does not follow the cycle thus set in motion lives in vain, for he is attached to the pleasures of the senses.”
The same sentiment is expressed in “Niṣkriyaḥ puruṣaḥ śocyaḥ” (the man who does not perform Yagna is deserving of pity). Thus, the Gita and the scriptures highly extol the importance and obligation of performing Yagna. There are various types of Yagna, as mentioned in the Gita. Yagna refers to the sacrifice of material offerings made for the pleasure of deities. The highest form of Yagna is directed towards Paramatma, the Supreme Soul. The sacrifice or offering made to Paramatma is the most exalted form of Yagna, and without it, one cannot attain salvation. The scriptures mention different kinds of Yagna for people of varying dispositions — Tamasi, Rajasi, and Sattvik Yagna — as well as those performed in a Nirgun (beyond the qualities of Maya) manner. Tamasi Yagna involves the sacrifice of animals, while Rajasi Yagna is performed with the desire for material gains. Sattvik Yagna and Nirgun Yagna involve meditative offerings and are performed without desire.
Maharaj has also commanded us to perform Yagna (sacrifice). Maharaj says that we follow the Nirgun Marg (the path beyond attributes of Maya), so we must perform Sattvik Yagna (pure sacrifices). In this Vachanamrut, Maharaj has shown us some Yagna that we should regularly perform. Among them, Maharaj says that those dependent on us should perform Yog Yagna. Yog Yagna means that when the ten senses and the eleventh, the antahkaran (mind), are drawn toward their respective objects of desire, we uproot those incomplete desires and redirect them toward Bhagwan’s form. This offering of the senses to Bhagwan is called Yog Yagna. As one continues this, they will have the darshan (vision) of Bhagwan in their heart. Here, Bhagwan is in the position of the sacred fire, and the incomplete desires are the offerings that need to be burned to ashes. The sacrifice involves renouncing these desires for the sake of attaining Bhagwan’s form, which is why it is called Yagna.
The second Yagna that should be performed is Gnan Yagna (sacrifice of knowledge). Maharaj explains that directing one’s mind internally and living according to the will of Bhagwan is known as Gnan Yagna. What is Antardrushti (inner vision)? It is focusing one’s mind on the image of Bhagwan, either outwardly or inwardly. Without this focus, even if one turns their thoughts inward, it is still considered Bahyadrushti (external vision). Therefore, all actions related to Bhagwan — whether it be darshan, worship, listening to Katha (spiritual discourses), or singing Kirtan (devotional songs) — are part of Antardrushti and constitute Gnan Yagna. This Yagna should be performed continuously. The energy of the senses should be connected to the form of Bhagwan, making it a true Yagna.
Offering everything to Bhagwan — complete self-surrender — is also considered Yagna. This is a Nirgun Yagna (transcendental sacrifice), because Bhagwan’s form is Nirgun (beyond the attributes of Maya). In this world, some fools say that one should not sing devotional songs that describe the physical attributes of the Gopis (cowherd maidens), but instead, only sing Nirgun songs. They also claim that those who roam about unclothed are Nirgun souls.
In society, the more extreme the renunciation, the more it is considered as Nirgun, but this is foolishness and ignorance. According to the scriptures, true Nirgun is when there is intense devotion and surrender to Bhagwan or when something is done purely for Bhagwan’s sake. If one could become Nirgun simply by renouncing clothes and roaming about naked, then dogs and donkeys would also be considered highly Nirgun. But such an understanding is utterly foolish. The correct understanding is that Bhagwan’s form itself is Nirgun, and the one who abandons personal self-interest and lives solely for Bhagwan’s sake is truly on the Nirgun Marg. Therefore, even in Katha and Kirtan, whatever is related to Bhagwan is considered Nirgun, and whatever is not connected to Bhagwan, even if it is pure Vedanta, cannot be called Nirgun. Instead, it is still associated with the attributes of Maya and is considered Sagun (with attributes).
Even if one has not attained Bhagwan — meaning, they lack the true recognition and refuge in Him — and they practice extreme renunciation, roaming about unclothed, they still cannot be called Nirgun (beyond attributes). However, if one has firm refuge in Bhagwan, even a householder is considered Nirgun. Thus, the path to attain Bhagwan is the true Nirgun path, and all who walk that path are considered Nirgun and will eventually become Nirgun. Therefore, all activities related to Bhagwan are Nirgun and are in the form of Yagna.
The connection with Bhagwan comes as a result of virtuous deeds accumulated over many lifetimes. To attain the direct experience of Bhagwan — that is, to truly recognize Him — is the highest spiritual state (Parampad). In this way, those who perform Gnan Yagna (the sacrifice of knowledge) for Bhagwan’s sake and walk the Nirgun Marg are considered to be part of Bhagwan’s essence. As Bhagwan says in the Gita:
ममैवांशो जीवलोके… Mamaivāṃśo jīvaloke… — meaning, “the souls in this world are My eternal fragments.
Those who are not drawn by their senses, but instead control their senses and direct them toward Bhagwan, are truly Bhagwan’s fragments. The rest, who are driven by their senses toward the five sense objects, are fragments of Maya (illusion).
Therefore, one must sacrifice all the tendencies of the senses into Bhagwan’s form and continuously perform Gnan Yagna. By performing Gnan Yagna in this way, one will eventually realize their own form as Brahm, and within that form, they will have the darshan of Parabrahm (the Supreme Being). This is the true fruit of Gnan Yagna. One must maintain a strong desire to become like the liberated souls in Akshardham, but should never lose faith. One should not consider themselves to be incomplete as a devotee and should continuously engage in Gnan Yagna.Just as the Gita declares Jap Yagna (sacrifice of chanting) as Bhagwan’s divine manifestation (Vibhuti), Maharaj says that among all Yagna, He considers Gnan Yagna to be the highest and deems it His divine manifestation. Thus, one should regard it as His divine form and continuously perform it.