Asserted Topics:
Purush Prayatna and God’s Grace.
Main Points:
- God’s grace is bestowed only upon those who make complete effort.
- The attainment of God’s abode is not achieved through effort but solely through God’s grace.
- Both grace and justice of God rightfully reward the virtues.
Commentary:
This Vachanamrut is about effort and God’s grace. Maharaj explains the extent to which one’s effort contributes to one’s Salvation and the role of God’s grace. Muktanand Swami asked, “Maharaj, It is said in the scriptures that one achieves his ultimate goal by Purush Prayatna (one’s own efforts). Please tell us to what extent his achievement is due to his Purush Prayatna, and to what extent is it due to the grace of God.”
Maharaj replied that if one attains firm vairagya (non-attachment) and has strong shraddha (faith) in the words of the Sadguru (a learned preceptor – a true saint). and the holy scriptures, then he has conveyed a profound message in a single sentence. He showed the triad of feelings. Many seekers and aspirants perform various practices and expend their energy, but Maharaj states that it is not enough to have vairagya and faith on one’s own; rather, it should be achieved through the guidance of the Sadguru and the scriptures. Sometimes, aspirants create their own concepts of vairagya and shraddha or bhakti (devotion) and practice accordingly, but when results are not seen, it leads to disbelief. The fault lies not in vairagya or devotion but in their misunderstanding of these concepts. Hence, vairagya and shraddha attained through the words of the Sadguru and scriptures are necessary.
Often, Sadgurus may mislead their disciples to increase their influence, claiming superiority. Therefore, Maharaj emphasizes that true vairagya and faith should be aligned with both the Sadguru and the scriptures. At times, the teachings in the scriptures like the Shikshapatri or Vachanamrut can challenge even the Sadguru, causing discomfort.
Maharaj, being a provider of the spiritual essence of Akshardham, asserts that firm vairagya and shraddha are essential for attaining Akshardham. Self-conceived vairagya and devotion may benefit worldly life but not spiritual liberation. Maharaj further explains that one should strictly observe the eight types of brahmacharya (celibacy) and have firm adherence to ahimsa (non-violence), which are the essence of dharma.
Maharaj states that true dharma includes all aspects, and in the scriptures, ahimsa is considered the highest virtue and the root of welfare. Hence, one with virtuous inclinations will find interest in dharma and devotion to God. Atmanishtha (self-realization) is the seed for spiritual success. Without realizing oneself as distinct from the body, there is no purpose in striving for spiritual goals. Therefore, one who possesses these five attributes is freed from the cycle of birth and death, just as rice without husk will not sprout. Similarly, one who possesses these virtues is liberated from the eternal ignorance of maya. This much is achievable through Purush Prayatna, and God’s grace is bestowed upon such a person, making him an ekantik bhakta (single-minded devotee). The Shruti says,
‘निरंजनः परं साम्यमुपैति ।‘
‘nirañjanaḥ paramaṃ sāmyam-upaiti‘
“One who is unaffected attains the highest position equal to that of God.”
Then Nityanand Swami asked, “What happens if there is a deficiency in any of these attributes?” Maharaj replied that if there is a deficiency in vairagya, brahmacharya, shraddha, ahimsa, or atmanishtha, one does not attain the ultimate liberation of God’s Akshardham. If such a person still desires worldly pleasures, he may attain other divine abodes but will have to be reborn as a human. Ultimately, one must acquire these virtues to receive God’s grace and attain Akshardham.
This indicates that attaining Akshardham requires a higher price, and it is unique among other divine abodes. Hence, Maharaj’s Akshardham is considered superior among all divine abodes, signifying Maharaj’s superiority among all incarnations. Thus, Maharaj emphasizes that whether in one lifetime or countless lifetimes, one must become fully virtuous to become worthy of God’s grace and attain Akshardham.
Then Nrusinhanand Swami asked, “Is there any way to eliminate all deficiencies in this very life?” Maharaj replied, “Yes, if one strives earnestly to eliminate all worldly desires, he can overcome all deficiencies in this life, or even at the moment of death, if he develops intense love for God, he will receive God’s grace and attain God’s abode.”
Here, a doubt arises: Is God achieved by one’s efforts or divine grace? Does God grant liberation based on effort or His own greatness? The second question is whether God is merciful or fair/just? Now, mercy and justice are opposing qualities. If God strictly adheres to justice, mercy would be reduced, and if He adheres to mercy, true justice might not be upheld. If God grants liberation strictly according to justice, where does mercy stand? This perspective is not accepted in the scriptures because God is described as exceedingly merciful.
The resolution to this doubt is that God is both merciful and just. He harmonizes both qualities without any conflict. The scriptural authors provide an analogy: when farmers cultivate the land, it is said that the earth yields a thousandfold. That is, if one sows a single seed, it results in a thousand seeds. This is the nature of the earth, but the gold, diamonds, and other treasures found within the earth were not sown by anyone; the earth provides these without any effort. The earth rewards the farmer manifold for his effort; this is its justice. On the other hand, the gold, diamonds, and so forth are not the result of anyone’s labor; they are the earth’s grace. Now the question is: does the earth provide these treasures to anyone who merely breaks its surface? No, these treasures are revealed only to those who delve deep. If a farmer labors only on the surface, the earth rewards him based on his labor, but precious metals are not given as per his effort.
Similarly, in the worldly context, as people live their lives, God dispenses results with justice in hand. However, when a soul surrenders completely to God, offering everything for His pleasure and endures suffering like Prahlad, then God’s heart becomes compassionate. God becomes captivated by such a soul, and at that time, He does not assess what to give based on effort. He gives Himself to the devotee. Thus, He also grants His divine abode, which is an act of grace, not dependent on effort. So, has the devotee not made an effort? Has God not rewarded the effort accordingly? No. God is such that He embodies both justice and mercy. He operates both principles seamlessly. While liberation is granted through His grace, the soul’s effort is essential to make oneself deserving. Without effort, one does not become eligible for God’s grace. Thus, for the soul, both are necessary.