This Week In History(1) - 1 to 7 January

Vachanamrut Gadhada I-30
Shriji Maharaj states, “If someone sincerely practises satsang and reflects upon and tries to imbibe the discourses relating to God, then his vile thoughts are eradicated. In this manner, the influence of satsang is extremely powerful. In fact, no other spiritual endeavour can compare with satsang.”

Vachanamrut Gadhada I-31
Describing what makes a person great, Shriji Maharaj says, “Greatness is due to one’s faith in the manifest form of God and the observance of His commands. However great a person may be in worldly matters, if he lacks these two attributes then he is still ordinary.”

Vachanamrut Loya-15
Shriji Maharaj concisely explains the Vedant philosophy, “Vedanta, that is, the Upanishads, expound only Purushottam Narayan Brahma, the ultimate cause of all, as being satya, and claim all else to be false. Just as when one attains the viewpoint of akash one does not perceive the other elements, in the same way, one who sees only Brahma, perceives nothing else. That is the philosophy of Vedanta.”

Vachanamrut Loya-17
Shriji Maharaj describes the qualities of one whose mind remains pure, “If a person is indifferent to his body, has firmly realised his self to be the atma, maintains vairagya towards the panchvishays and has absolute faith in God coupled with the knowledge of His greatness, then his mind will never become perverted – even amidst the most adverse circumstances imaginable.”

Vachanamrut Vartal-6
Shriji Maharaj talks about the effect on society when people offer sincere devotion to God, “When many people become ekantik bhaktas of God, then Satya-yug prevails even in Kali-yug.”

Vachanamrut Gadhada I-33
Shriji Maharaj states, “Accepting the firm refuge of God is the single, greatest endeavour amongst all spiritual endeavours for pleasing God. That refuge, though, must be extremely firm and without any flaws.”

Vachanamrut Loya-18
Shriji Maharaj explains the nature of God, that all avatars are manifestation of one supreme God, “It is that very God who assumes the forms of Matsya, Kachchha, Varah, etc., and the forms of Ram, Krishna, etc., for the purpose of fulfilling some task. He does not, however, abandon His original form to assume the form of these avatars. That God Himself assumes the forms of Matsya, Kachchha, etc., possessing countless divine powers and boundless strength.”

Vachanamrut Gadhada II-66
Shriji Maharaj describes what happens to a devotee who has attained the association of the manifest form of God, “While alive, a person who has attained God and His Sant spends his days and nights engrossed in spiritual discourses, devotional songs, etc., related to God. He also has the direct realisation of his jivatma, which transcends the three states7, as being brahmarup. With the exception of God, he develops vairagya for all other objects. Also, he discards adharma and abides by dharma.
“When that devotee dies, God makes him just like Himself.”

Vachanamrut Gadhada II-43
Shriji Maharaj says, “Only one who has love for God having become gunatit, is brahmaswarup [i.e. brahamrup].”

Vachanamrut Vartal-7
Explaining how God pervades, yet is separate from and untouched by the material world, Shriji Maharaj says, “There is akash in the seed of a tree; and when a tree grows from that seed, akash will still remain within all of its branches, leaves, flowers and fruits in an anvay manner. Yet, when the tree is cut, akash is not cut along with it; and when the tree is burnt, akash is not burnt. In the same manner, God is anvay within maya and the entities that have evolved from it; yet, He is also vyatirek from it just like akash. This is the anvay-vyatirek nature of God’s form.”

Vachanamrut Gadhada III-29
Shriji Maharaj states the understanding devotees should develop so that duties are sincerely performed, “In our Satsang fellowship, since all of the males, females and paramhansas are attached to me, all the other females observe religious vows to the same extent as the two or three senior women. Why? Because in their mind, they realise, ‘If we do not remain alert and observe the religious vows, the love which Maharaj has for us will not remain, and He will become displeased.’ The paramhansas also behave in the same manner. In fact, it is the same for all of the other satsangis, brahmacharis and parshads. All of the male and female devotees living far and wide are also alert in observing the religious vows; they too feel, ‘If we do not behave properly, Maharaj will become displeased.’ Thus, all of them staunchly observe dharma out of affection for me, even though they may possess vairagya to a greater or lesser degree.”