Swami Shreeji
We have attained the ultimate in the manifest form of Param Pujya Pappaji and His current day swarupo. The feeling that we had the first time we met Pappaji, the conviction that we had that He is God and the feeling that I want to live in Him and for Him should remain forever. We often feel such exuberance when we do puja or when we go to a samaiyo, but it is difficult to sustain that level of momentum or intensity.
In order to maintain that momentum, we should keep three things as constant companions:
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His manifest form that we have attained (pratyaksh swarup)
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Chant the Lord’s name (jap yagna)
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Adhere to His instructions (vachan)
Seva and smurti are automatically included in these three.
Our religion is that of the living manifest God: to remember His physical form, to meditate on His murti whilst doing jap or dhun and to adhere to His wishes and instructions. However, out of these three, vachan is the greatest. This is explained in the brahm sutra, “Brahmswarup na deh karta tanu nam ane nam karta tanu vachan anant ganu kam kari chhe.” (“There is greater spiritual power in His name than in His physical form but there is still greater spiritual power in adhering to His wishes”).
The sant who is the physical form of God is very important because this provides a tangible God with whom we can develop a personal affinity. In addition, such a swarup’s prayers and sankalp helps us to progress spiritually as explained by Guruhari Pappaji in Param na Pathik ne Chapter 2. However, the physical form of God still remains external to us unless we make efforts to place Him in our heart, mind and soul. How many people recognised Ram or Krishna as bhagwan? How many people realised Swaminarayan Bhagwan as the true supreme God, the cause of all the previous manifestations of God?
Shreeji Maharaj explains this wonderfully in Vachanamrut, if someone offers poison to God, then even though it has been offered to God it does not lose its intrinsic nature. That is, if a sinful person has the darshan of God in person then even though he will attain the royal road to redemption, he does not automatically become purified just by being in the presence of the physical form of God.
There is a bhajan that has the words, “Our eyes see You in front of us, but our minds are far away” Similarly, Maharaj talks about a bhakta in Vachanamrut G I 35 stating, “He has stayed with me for many years, but has not developed the virtue of renunciation.” That is, even though God is physically with us, if we do not keep Him within ourselves then we will remain attached to the material world!
Practising jap yagna or dhun by focussing on the murti of the manifest form of God has the power to change us from within, and our spiritual progress will be considerable. The Swaminarayan mantra is extremely powerful, Gunatitanand Swami has explained that not only can it protect us for dire circumstances but it has the power to transform us into brahmrup.
Greater still is the power of pleasing the pratyaksh Gunatit swarup by adhering to His wishes (vachan). Once, a haribhakta became despondent with a feeling that Maya was too strong for him to overcome, Pappaji inspired him to pick up a book and open it up at a particular page where it said, “Act as per God’s wishes and the veil of Maya will be pierced.”
If we live in accordance to Pappaji’s inner wishes then Pappaji will never be far from us. Maharaj explained in Vachanamrut that if a bhakta lives in daily contact with Him but does live according to His wishes, that is, if the bhakta does not adhere to His true wishes and principles, then the bhakta is as good as being a million miles away from Him. On the other hand, even if a haribhakta physically lives a long way away and does not have regular contact with Him but he never falters in living in and for the manifest God, then Maharaj is not even an iota of distance away from him. This is the spiritual level that we all must all attain, that is, to feel the constant presence and bliss of God from within at every moment, and to be in constant communion with Him.
Once, during the time of Gunatitanand Swami, there was to be a great spiritual gathering in Junagadh, the celebrations were to last two weeks. It so happened that at this time crops would be harvested awaiting collection from the fields for storage. If the harvested crops were left unattended then they would be stolen. So Gunatitanand Swami asked a number of haribhakta to stay in the fields and guard the crops during the celebrations; everyone refused because they wanted to be part of the festivities. Finally, Swami humbly asked Jaga Swami if he would stay and guard the crops. Jaga Swami with great servitude said to Swamiji, “What fault have I committed that You have to ask me so humbly to do this seva? I would do whatever you ask of me.” Therefore, Jaga Swami kept guard of the crops. Gunatitanand Swami was so pleased with him that He gave Jaga Swami omniscient powers such he could see and hear everything!
In the same way, Guruhari Pappaji served Yogiji Maharaj selflessly adhering to every command and wish (as described in His autobiography – Fragrance of Devotion) through many testing times with total spiritual equanimity and nirdosh buddhi, believing Yogi Bapa to be the inspirer and controller of all events. After many incidents finally Yogiji Maharaj blessed Pappaji by rubbing His hand on Pappaji’s chest and saying, “Swami Shreeji will be with you constantly” – Pappaji was granted the highest attainment of constant communion with God.
In this way if we contemplate on Guruhari, if we truly put Pappaji into our heart, mind and soul simply by keeping Him through His physical form, doing jap yagna but more importantly living each and every moment as per His wishes, then we need not do anything else. All of our shortcomings, our crude nature, desires and attachments for the material world will automatically be replaced by the presence of Swami Shreeji; we need not have to undertake any arduous spiritual endeavour. May Pappaji Maharaj give us the strength to live in this way.
Sahajanand Swami ni Jai.
Author: Pujya Sunil Gandhi