This Week In History(37) -10 to 16 September

|| 10 September ||

Vachanamrut Sarangpur-14 Shriji Maharaj describes the consequences of laziness and infatuation, "If a person remains careless, then even if he is a devotee of God, the two enemies of laziness and infatuation would not fail to hinder him. For example, when one drinks alcohol or bhang, then just as a non-believer becomes intoxicated, a devotee of God would also become intoxicated and delirious. In the same manner, just as alcohol and bhang in the form of laziness and infatuation hinder a non-believer, they hinder a devotee of God as well. The only difference, however, between a non-believer and a devotee of God is that a non-believer cannot eradicate these two enemies, whereas a devotee can overcome them if he remains vigilant in his efforts. That is the advantage a devotee of God has. Nevertheless, he is not better if he remains careless, even if he is a devotee of God."

|| 11 September ||

Vachanamrut Sarangpur-15 Shriji Maharaj narrates an analogy to explain the effect of bad company, "When it has not rained, the seeds of different types of grass cannot be seen anywhere on the earth. But when it does rain, so much grass grows that even the earth cannot be seen. Similarly, when one who does not possess the virtues of atma-realisation and vairagya meets with bad company, though he may seem to have no desire for vishays other than God, he will begin to harbour desires for those objects. Furthermore, his mind will become corrupted, and he will not remember God in his heart. Instead, he will constantly crave for the vishays. As a result, that devotee who loves God but does not possess the virtues of atma-realisation and vairagya will feel, ‘I do not have even the slightest love for God.’ Thus, a devotee who has love for God but does not possess the virtues of atma-realisation and vairagya is extremely inferior."

|| 12 September ||

Vachanamrut Sarangpur-16
Shriji Maharaj has narrated a total of 18 Vachanamruts in the darbar of Jiva Khachar at Sarangpur. [Photo of Jiva Khachar's darbar]

Vachanamrut Gadhada III-5
Muktanand Swami asks, "By what means can such bhakti coupled with the knowledge of God's greatness be developed?
Shriji Maharaj replied, Bhakti coupled with the knowledge of God's greatness arises in one's heart by serving and profoundly associating with eminent sadhus like Shukji and the Sanakadik.

|| 13 September ||

Vachanamrut Sarangpur-17 Standing up and holding the branch of a tamarind treee, Shriji Maharaj looks at the moon and discourses, "From here, the full moon appears like a small plate. But as one approaches it, it appears to get increasingly larger. Then, when one comes extremely close to it, it becomes so vast that one is unable to see its limits. Similarly, as obstacles in the form of maya are overcome, and one increasingly attains the proximity of God, one realises the unlimited greatness of God, and one's sense of servitude towards Him is increasingly strengthened."

|| 15 September ||

Vachanamrut Sarangpur-18 Shriji Maharaj explains how bad company can wash away one's virtues, "Large flames of a fire are extinguished when water is poured over it, whereas even a slight flash of lightning can never be extinguished, even though it is in the midst of dense rain clouds. Similarly, regardless of how much vairagya one may have, or how much love for God one may have, if one does not have understanding, then like the flames of the fire, all of one's virtues will be lost due to water in the form of bad company. In comparison, one who has vairagya and love compounded with understanding is like the fire of lightning. It may be slight, but it is never destroyed."

|| 16 September ||

Vachanamrut Gadhada II-35 Shriji Maharaj reveals, "Observance of one’s dharma, upasana of the form of God, listening to and narrating the divine incidents of God’s avatars, and chanting His holy name – these four are the only attributes fundamentally necessary for the jiva’s liberation."