The Vachanamrut: An Introduction (Part 3)
This third article discusses the imagery of the Vachanamrut. In all, there are about 497 analogies and anecdotes in the Vachanamrut, incorporating a variety of fields, such as, stories from the Purans and other shastras, agriculture, laundering, animal husbandry, cooking, embroidery, perfumery, warfare, forces of nature, management, diplomacy, Ayurveda, surgery, psychology, cosmic phenomena, astrophysics and many others.
The majority of devotees in the Vachanamrut’s discourses were peasants. Only a few were learned householders like Dinanath Bhatt, Chimanrao Shastri and Shobharam Shastri. Erudite ascetics included Aksharbrahman Gunatitanand Swami, Muktanand Swami, Nityanand Swami, Gopalanand Swami, Shatanand Swami, Brahmanand Swami and other paramhansas. This mixture of the lay and learned would pose a dilemma for any person in explaining profound philosophical concepts and imparting spiritual wisdom. However, Bhagwan Swaminarayan was a teacher who understood the human heart. He therefore amply sprinkled his discourses with anecdotes and analogies, which both groups could easily grasp and identify with. Hence he communicated effectively.
JIVA
In Vachanamrut Gadhada II 12, Maharaj gives an analogy called rajniti — polity of ruling a kingdom — in which he likens the jiva to a king:
“If the king did not know the art of ruling, the people would not obey his orders; rather, they would begin to beat him. Then, his country would become desolate, or he himself would behave miserably because no one would obey his rule.… Similarly, if the jiva were to attempt to rule the kingdom in the form of the body without understanding the art of ruling, then it would never become happy.”
VIGILANCE
The sadhak should always remain vigilant; to prevent the mind from falsely attributing faults in Bhagwan and the Satpurush.
In Gadhada II 57, Maharaj talks about the necessity of developing atmanishtha to help prevent oneself from projecting mayik attributes (doshas) in Bhagwan. He uses the common example of the ever vigilant gecko, gobbling up insects near a divo:
“When a gecko comes near the light of a lamp, it kills any insect that comes near the light. In the same way, the thought that rests within the light of the atma destroys everything apart from the atma.”
The unpredictable nature of our senses, no matter how great one’s control over them, can only be appreciated in its entirety by an eternal siddha like Shriji Maharaj.
In Panchala 3, he advocates treating the indriyas as enemies, with the analogy of how a king treats his enemies:
“One should uproot the indriyas, antahkaran and vishays from the jiva and develop love for Bhagwan — only that is appropriate. As long as one has not uprooted them, one should extract work from them in the form of the darshan, touch, etc., of Bhagwan… they should not be regarded as one’s benefactors — instead, they should be regarded as enemies… a king who has captured his enemy keeps him chained and extracts work from him; never does the king free him or trust him. If he were to free him or trust him, then the enemy would definitely kill the king. In the same way, if one trusts one’s enemies in the form of the indriyas and frees them, not keeping them confined, they will definitely make one fall from the path of Bhagwan.”
Maharaj then gives another analogy:
“For example, if one spark of fire were to fall on a large heap of gunpowder, then that gunpowder would be completely reduced to ashes. Similarly, such a person’s stability is not certain.”
By using such imagery, Maharaj effectively convinces the aspirant to be ever vigilant of his mind and indriyas.
BASE INSTINCTS
The nature of base instincts such as anger, jealousy, ego and others is difficult to understand, more so by the aspirant. A few of Maharaj’s descriptions of such instincts are given here.
Maharaj greatly dislikes one who harbors ill will for a devotee or holds a grudge against him. Some powerful analogies are used to describe a grudge and anger.
In Kariyani 9, Maharaj poses a question about holding a grudge like a pado — male buffalo — against someone. Padas are well known for holding grudges.
In Loya 1, Maharaj likens anger to the lethal saliva of a rabid dog. He further likens anger to a butcher, an assassin, a tiger, a leopard and a venomous snake. Their common factor is their violent ability to kill.
Shuk Muni then asks whether even a tinge of anger is harmful. Maharaj dramatizes his answer:
“If a snake were to appear in this assembly at this moment, then even if it does not bite anyone, everyone would still have to rise and scatter; there would be panic in everyone’s heart. Furthermore, if a tiger were to come and roar on the outskirts of a village, then even if it does not harm anyone, all would be stricken with terror and no one would come out of his home. Similarly, even if a trace of anger were to arise, it would still be a source of extreme misery” (Loya 1).
Ego is another of man’s notorious instincts; the source of many of his miseries. All his activities are fueled by his desire to be appreciated, to boost his ego. Surprisingly, ego surfaces even in devotional worship to Bhagwan, as revealed so succinctly and satirically by Maharaj in Gadhada II 41. He uses an example which is commonly seen by village people:
“The nature of a person, however, is such that he only enjoys doing that which satisfies his ego. Without that, he does not enjoy performing even bhakti of Bhagwan. For example, a dog takes a dry bone to an isolated place to chew on. As a result of the chewing, its mouth is abraded and the bone becomes covered in blood. Then, licking the bone, the dog becomes overjoyed. But little does the fool realize, ‘The taste that I am enjoying is that of blood from my own mouth’.”
CONSTANT ENDEAVOR
In any endeavor in life, constant effort is the key to success.
In Gadhada I 23, Maharaj talks about the importance of offering uninterrupted bhajan — worship to Bhagwan. But if one engages in worldly activities at one time and then tries to do bhajan at another time, then he will not be able to establish a constant rapport with Bhagwan. For this, constant effort is desirable.
Maharaj then gives the analogy of pouring a potful of water irregularly in one place to create a pool of water:
“Consider, for example, a pot that is filled with water and emptied somewhere. If another pot of water is subsequently emptied at the same place on the following day or the day after that, a pool of water will not collect there.… On the other hand, if a trickle of water were to flow continuously, a large pool of water would soon be formed.”
In Gadhada II 33, Maharaj advocates incessant endeavor to remove one’s insuperable instincts of passion, anger, covetousness and others, by giving a different analogy, familiar to those present, who fetch water from a well:
“Due to the daily drawing of water from a well, the constant rubbing of even a soft rope can cause a groove in the very hard rock on the edge of that well. Similarly, for one who is a sadhu and who continuously remains active in his efforts for eradicating his swabhavs, how long can those swabhavs remain? They most certainly will be destroyed.”
In the same vein, how can one be freed from a cursed buddhi — one which induces him to constantly find faults in Bhagwan and his Sadhu? In Kariyani 2, Maharaj takes the opportunity of using the immediate surroundings of the assembly, to select a suitable example (his garments), to support his answer, as he did in Panchala 1 — about the torch:
“This piece of cloth which I wear on my head and a thick cloth like a carpet, cannot be washed with the same effort. Why? Because this thin cloth is cleaned immediately by washing it with only a small amount of soap. On the other hand, to wash a thick cloth, it must be soaked in water for two to four days, then boiled over a fire; only then, after it is washed with soap, does it become clean. Similarly, if a person whose intellect is cursed, observes niyams only to the extent that everyone else does, then that flaw will not be eradicated.”
KUSANG (BAD COMPANY)
In Gadhada I 18, in order to stress the importance of avoiding kusang on the spiritual path, Maharaj vivifies convincingly:
“If he sits in a gathering of materialistic people in a lavish seven-story haveli decorated with beautiful mirrors and comfortable seats, and if those materialistic people are seated wearing various types of jewelry and fine clothes, and are exchanging liquor amongst themselves, with prostitutes performing vulgar dances to the accompaniment of various musical instruments — then the person’s antahkaran will unquestionably be adversely affected… Therefore, if one thoughtfully examines the influence of good company and evil company on the antahkaran, their effects can be realized.”
NATURE OF THE MIND
Even for a distinguished philosopher, it would be challenging to simultaneously describe the nature of the chitt (mind) and interest a group of lay villagers, enabling them to understand its intricate workings. Yet, Maharaj does just that:
“Everyone’s chitt is like honey, or like water saturated with jaggery, sugar or sakar. If, for example, a fly or an ant were to fall in that liquid, it would become stuck in it. If a human touched it, it would stick to the person’s finger as well. The chitt’s nature is similar; it sticks to whatever object it recalls. In fact, the chitt even attaches itself to things that are utterly insignificant, such as stones, or rubbish, or dog excrement — things in which there is not even the slightest pleasure.… Such is its sticky nature” (Gadhada II 6).
To keep the mind occupied, Maharaj uses an example which is familiar to the common peasant, which involves flowers and seeds. Maharaj then links this to recollecting the episodes of Bhagwan’s lila, to subdue the mind.
“The mind is saturated with desires for the world. But, in the manner in which sesame seeds are imbued with scent by padding them between alternating layers of flowers, the mind should be similarly saturated with flowers in the form of the constant remembrance of Bhagwan’s divine actions and incidents — coupled with an understanding of his greatness. The mind should constantly be entangled in a web in the form of these divine actions and incidents of Bhagwan, and thoughts relating to Bhagwan should be constantly conceived in the mind” (Gadhada I 38).
CURBING DESIRES
The desire to enjoy the panchvishays is never-ending. For example, we know that after relishing a food item that we are really fond of, such as, ice cream, in as much quantity as we like, we feel contented. Yet the next day, the craving to eat ice cream remains. The same principle holds true for the other vishays of touch, sight, smell and hearing. One is never contented and the desires remain ever more powerful. Total and lasting fulfillment never results by succumbing to and palliating our desires. Shriji Maharaj explains: Craving for the panchvishays for fulfillment by enjoying them, is like trying to pour water into a fissure which has opened up in the ground, reaching into the bowels of the earth. It will never be filled. Similarly, the indriyas will never be satiated even with the utmost enjoyment of the sense-objects (Gadhada II 47).
ANALOGY OF SWEET MILK AND SNAKE VENOM
Maharaj uses the analogy of milk and snake venom in six different ways. The gravity of what he wishes to convey through this analogy, firmly penetrates devotees sitting in the assembly.
In Gadhada I 35, Maharaj compares the venom to finding faults in Bhagwan and his Sadhu, thus poisoning the otherwise great intellect of a devotee.
In Loya 10, Maharaj makes a subtle concept lucid. He says that when the jiva fully realizes the repugnance of the worldly charms, he then ceases to be attracted by them, just as one who sees snake venom falling in sweet milk will be repelled by it.
Throughout the Vachanamrut, Maharaj reveals his immense dislike of one with ego. In Loya 17, he compares the ego-conscious devotee to a man drinking milk laced with snake venom:
“He who identifies his self with the body will definitely bear contempt for the sadhu and will eventually fall from Satsang — either after one month or two months; after one year or two years or even ten years; or maybe at the time of death or even after death — he will certainly fall” (Loya 17).
“After his death” means that the ego will be hampering the jiva’s spiritual progress even in the births that follow.
One who has no knowledge of Bhagwan’s glory and greatness is not able to liberate anyone and one should not even listen to his discourses. Maharaj calls him, ‘spiritually impotent’ in Vartal 12. Those who listen to such a person are likened to drinking poisoned milk and liable to fall from the spiritual path.
In Gadhada III 12, Maharaj compares devotees who have excessive attachment towards their relations to the saliva of a snake. The attachment will surely hamper the devotee’s spiritual progress.
Finally, Maharaj explains in Gadhada III 19 that, though one may not be attached to his relatives, one can get attached to someone nursing him during illness. This attachment is also likened to venom in milk. It will disturb his devotion to Bhagwan.
A close look at the above examples shows Maharaj’s creativity in using one simple analogy to convey six different concepts, all vitally important for the spiritual progress of a devotee and easily understood by him. In the foregoing analogies, Shriji Maharaj derives one concept using one analogy, a straightforward and common teaching method. However when he draws several different concepts from the same analogy in different Vachanamruts, we are forced to bow down to his supra-normal ingenuity.
These examples are just a few from the treasure trove of analogies that Maharaj used in his discourses. He also used analogies in a series of letters collectively known as Vedras — nectar of the Vedas, written exclusively to his paramhansas and elaborating the panch vartmans. Vedras is replete with imagery, with an average of one analogy every fourth sentence.
From the examples of imagery discussed, one can appreciate Bhagwan Swaminarayan’s immense knowledge. In addition, he possessed a phenomenal flair in using simple imagery to simplify abstruse philosophical truths and imparting them in a form understandable to the layman.
Sadhu Mukundcharandas
