Prasang A Day

There is Nothing Greater than Worshipping God “Everyone please pay attention; today I wish to talk to you about things as they really are. Specifically, there is nothing greater than worshipping God. Why? Because everything happens according to the will of God…” [Jetalpur-5]

The Heat and Frost of the Mind “… I also observed that the nature of the mind is like the heat of summer and the frost of winter. Just as a person can die from heat or frost, similarly, when the mind travels towards the vishays via the indriyas, if those vishays are full of miseries, the mind becomes ‘hot’ like the heat of summer; and if those vishays are pleasurable, then the mind becomes ‘cold’ like the frost of winter. Specifically, when the mind, having indulged in those vishays which are full of misery and having become ‘hot’ like the scorching winds of summer heat, enters a person’s heart, it makes the person extremely miserable and forces him to fall from the path of liberation. Such a person should be known to have died from the effects of heat. When the mind, having indulged in the pleasures of those vishays that are full of happiness and having become ‘cold’ like frost, enters a person’s heart, it makes that person complacent, thus causing him to fall from the path of liberation. He should be known to have died due to frost.” [Gadhadã II-23]

Having Taken the Refuge of God “God, who possesses a definite form, is always present in His abode, Brahmapur. Devotees of God, who also possess a form, remain in His service in that abode. Therefore, one who has taken firm refuge in the manifest form of God should not harbour the following fear in one’s mind: ‘What if I become a ghost or an evil spirit, or attain the realm of Indra or the realm of Brahmã after I die?’ One should not harbour such doubts in one’s mind. After all, a devotee of God who possesses the understanding mentioned earlier definitely attains the abode of God; God does not leave him astray anywhere in between.” [Gadhadã III-7]

Constantly Engage in Worship “… Never allow any lapse in the observance of non-egotism and other vows. Be extremely vigilant. Believe your self to be distinct from your body. Offer bhakti to Shri Purushottam, Shri Narnãrãyan, diligently and scrupulously. Constantly engage in worship coupled with remembrance of God; its bliss will equal the bliss of actually having the darshan of God.” [Jetalpur-3]

One who maligns God or His Bhakta “… But as for perceiving faults in God or His Bhakta, no scripture describes methods to be released from such a sin. Indeed, if one consumes poison, or falls into the ocean, or falls from a mountain, or is eaten by a demon, then one has to die only once. But one who maligns God or His Bhakta has to continuously die and be reborn for countless millions of years.” [Gadhadã III-12]

How Can a Devotee Remain Eternally Happy? Thereupon Shriji Mahãrãj asked the munis, “How can a devotee of God remain eternally happy?” The senior sãdhus replied according to their understanding, but then Shriji Maharaj Himself said, 'The answer is that a devotee of God who, firstly, has firm vairagya; who, secondly, has extremely firm swadharma; who has gained control over all of his indriyas by these two means; who has intense love for God and His Bhakta; who has a close friendship with God and His Bhakta; who never becomes indifferent towards God and His Bhakta; and who is pleased only by the company of God and His Bhakta, but does not like the company of a non-believer - remains eternally happy in this realm and beyond.'  [Gadhadã III-8]

How Can a Devotee Remain Eternally Happy? Thereupon Shriji Mahãrãj asked the munis, “How can a devotee of God remain eternally happy?” The senior sãdhus replied according to their understanding, but then Shriji Maharaj Himself said, 'The answer is that a devotee of God who, firstly, has firm vairagya; who, secondly, has extremely firm swadharma; who has gained control over all of his indriyas by these two means; who has intense love for God and His Bhakta; who has a close friendship with God and His Bhakta; who never becomes indifferent towards God and His Bhakta; and who is pleased only by the company of God and His Bhakta, but does not like the company of a non-believer - remains eternally happy in this realm and beyond.'  [Gadhadã III-8]

Not Desiring Anything but the Service of God “So what are the characteristics of such a devotee of God? Well, except for the service of God, if he does not wish for even the four types of liberation, how can he desire anything else? Such a person should be known as an ekãntik bhakta because he has no desire for anything. A person who is not like this, at times, enjoys engaging in the bhakti of God; but if he encounters evil company, he will forget bhakti and begin to behave immorally. Such a person should be known to be a fake devotee and a person who believes his self to be the body. He is not a true devotee and cannot be trusted.” [Gadhadã III-33]

Suffering of Other Devotees Distresses a True Devotee “… Thus, only an outcast or a non-believer would not feel hurt when a devotee of God encounters some sort of misery, but a devotee of God would definitely become distressed by the suffering of other devotees.” [Gadhadã II-60]

Vital Inclinations “If, however, one does not have intense love for God, one should strengthen only ãtmã-realisation by thought. Why? Because a devotee of God should either possess resolute ãtmã-realisation or extremely profound love for God. If a person is not firm in either one of these two inclinations, he should strictly abide by the niyams of this Satsang; only then will he be able to remain a satsangi, otherwise he will fall from Satsang.” [Gadhadã II-62]