Asserted Topics:
The significance of a determined goal.
Key Points:
- A firm resolve to reach Akshardham (the divine abode of God) after death.
Explanation:
In this Vachanamrut, Maharaj begins with words of compassion. This is a Vachanamrut meant to help establish a firm goal. Maharaj explains that when two armies are ready to fight, with their flags raised opposite each other, each army is determined to tear down the opponent’s flag and replace it with their own. They do not think about how many heads will roll or how rivers of blood will flow before the enemy’s flag is captured. For the brave, there is no fear of death, but the coward is filled with a thousand thoughts of retreat and has many strategies in mind to flee quickly. The coward may even think that if they win, they can loot the enemy’s wealth and weapons. On the other hand, the brave warriors on both sides have no fear of death and no greed for loot; their sole focus is on capturing the enemy’s flag and achieving victory. The cowards, however, are both fearful and greedy, and thoughts of victory never truly enter their hearts. They instead ponder that if the others win, they will benefit from their victory.
Maharaj states that this is merely an analogy. The lesson to be drawn from it is that the ultimate goal is to reach Akshardham, which represents the enemy’s flag. The brave are the determined bhaktas (devotees) of God. These devotees do not concern themselves with whether they are honored or insulted, whether they are happy or unhappy, whether they are healthy or sick, or whether they live or die. Their hearts are unaffected by these matters. Their sole determination is to attain the divine abode of God and reside there, without getting distracted or enticed by anything else along the way.
In contrast, the cowards are the devotees who are overly attached to their bodies. They are plagued by endless doubts while worshipping God. They worry whether they will be able to maintain their Vartman (sacred vows) if the path is difficult, and they think they can do so only if the vows are easy. Such individuals may also believe that by ensuring their happiness in this world, they can comfortably remain in the holy fellowship and still manage to worship God, thinking that there is no harm in such an approach. Such people are considered cowards. True, determined bhaktas have no attachment to either their physical body or the entire universe.
Maharaj then shares a personal anecdote. After completing the pratishtha (installation) ceremony in Ahmedabad and feeding the eighty-four Brahmins, He traveled to Jetalpur. From there, He moved on to Dholka, staying there overnight before heading to Ganesh Dholka. He stayed in the groves there and began reflecting on His activities, contemplating that He should forget all the people and actions He had witnessed. As a result of this deep contemplation, He became physically ill, losing all awareness of His body, but He continued to forget everything He had seen and done. In this state, He turned His attention inward and witnessed the pleasures of the devtas (deities), but none of this appealed to Him. The pleasures seemed insignificant, and the devtas praised His indifference. Hearing their praise, His heart grew stronger, and He chastised His antahkaran (inner faculties) sternly. Thus, Maharaj shared this incident to offer a lesson to His devotees.
Maharaj shared His personal experience to emphasize to His devotees the importance of firmly resolving that they must go to Akshardham after death, and nowhere else. When such determination is made, virtues like vairagya (detachment), discernment, and Dharma (righteousness) naturally settle into one’s life. Consequently, efforts aligned with this resolve are made enthusiastically. On the other hand, if a firm goal is not set, even if one possesses virtues like vairagya, they remain underutilized, serving merely as ornamental qualities.
When one’s goal is firmly established, virtues like vairagya become essential tools, and one will strive to acquire them at any cost. This is why it’s said that necessity is the mother of invention. However, one does not make as much effort to acquire something that is merely ornamental. Therefore, if a person firmly resolves that they must reach Akshardham after death, even if they don’t already possess virtues like vairagya, they will begin to develop them. If they do possess such virtues, they will be fully utilized, and the necessary efforts will follow naturally.
Without a fixed goal, virtues like vairagya remain unused, and efforts are misdirected or wasted. Moreover, if worldly goals like wealth or sensual enjoyment take precedence, the tools of vairagya become useless.
Maharaj also used the analogy of cowards to demonstrate that devotees without a clear goal are the ones who fear obstacles and become entangled in greed. True devotees with a goal are filled with determination and resolve, focusing on their target. Devotees without a goal, despite their efforts, never feel a sense of completion. They cannot control or conquer their senses. Thus, Maharaj emphasizes that a devotee of God must keep the goal of reaching Akshardham at the end of this life.Maharaj explains that a devotee must always have a grand vision. Upon reaching Akshardham, the devotee will attain the same divine opulence and grandeur that God enjoys, along with the riches of all realms. Therefore, one must abandon the craving for worldly pleasures and focus solely on the goal. Maharaj gives the analogy that just as the king’s wealth is also considered the queen’s, so too is God’s opulence and grandeur equally shared by His bhakta. Hence, Maharaj concludes that the goal of reaching Akshardham is like possessing a Chintamani (a wish-fulfilling stone). The devotee must hold on to this goal, without letting go in the face of tempting or frightening circumstances, to ensure the success of all endeavors.