Devka – Gujarat Bhagavat Katha 4th Day

On the 4th day of the katha, 13th May, being Mother’s day, Pujya Bhaishri first paid his respects to his mother, then his birth place Devka and the river Jolapuri Maa. He then said the Devka has connected to the world via Sanskar channel and the live web telecast. The whole world is one family. Only those with a small heart see the difference between yours and mine. For those with a big heart the world is one family. Even now it is seen in villages that the difference between me and you and low and high society getting stronger. Shrimad Bhagavat teaches us to have big hearts. Shrimad Bhagavat is for everyone and everything in this world, including the living and non-living. God is present in everything in this world. A sleeping chetna (consciousness) exists in the non-living. An example of this is Shri Narsingh Bhagavan emerging from a pillar to save Shri Prahladji.

Shri Tulsidasji says: ‘Siya Ram mai sab jag jaani, karhu pranaam jori jug pani’. If a daughter-in-law would see God in her mother-in-law, she would perform great seva and similarly, a mother-in-law should see God in her daughter-in-law. The purpose of katha is so that we see God in everyone. Let us do seva of everyone. Let others sorrows become ours. Once, Shri Ram Krishna Paramhans Dev, at the banks of Maa Ganga, saw three people beating up a poor sailor with a stick. The sailor was begging to let him go. Seeing this Shri Ram Krishna Paramhansji was overwhelmed. His consciousness became one with this sailor and he felt the pain from the sailor. That evening, when the Shri Ram Krishna Paramhansji’s disciple, Hradaynath, touched his back while doing seva, he said, “slowly, I am hurting.” Hradaynath saw the bruises on the back and asked who had hurt his Guru. Shri Ram Krishna Paramhans then replied how his consciousness had become one with this sailor who had been beaten.

There was another incidence where Shri Ram Krishna Paramhans saw a man with heavy shoes step on green, soft grass and he was overwhelmed with pain the grass must be facing.

Maya (illusion) is me, mine and yours. In Ramamyan, Shri Ramji explained to Shri Hanumanji that the ego in us makes us hard-hearted which then leads to anger. Illusion leaves once with unite with God.

In Shrimad Bhagavad Geeta, Lord Shri Krishna said to Arjun, you are not killing anyone, Kaal kills everyone. Shri Krishna showed everyone his main form (viraat swaroop) and showed Arjun, all that happens is my wish. I am the form of kaal. Remember ones age reduces breath by breath.

Human beings do not need to be egoistic that a task is successful due to them. God has made the human being a means to lead to success in the task. Hence, everyone who has contributed to this Devka Vidyapeeth is a means to the success of this task, but the main person behind it is God.

Why are we so adamant that things should happen our way all the time? Morari Bapu says that if things happen our way, then consider this as Hari kripa (mercy) whereas if they don’t, consider it as Hari iccha (desire). When you ask something from God, rather than make it a must, turn it into a desire. Tell God, if you agree let my desire achieve fruition.

Moreover, it is difficult to be happy on seeing someones happiness. Majority of the people will be jealous. Ansuya means one who has no jealousy. Atri means one who has no lust, anger or selfishness. More often, women possess the jealousy quality and men anger, lust and selfishness. Therefore, women should aim to be like Maa Ansuya and men like Shri Atriji. Lust, anger and selfishness are the doors to hell. People commit sins due to them. Anger does not represent courage, it represents one’s weakness. When we calm down after being angry, we should realise, why did I get angry? On realisation, we should ask for forgiveness and then be careful not to repeat the same mistake again.

Always watch your actions, thoughts, behaviour and emotions. Every action has its own impact on you. Think, no one can remain angry for 24 hours in a day, but is completely possible to be peaceful 24 hours a day. This is because your true form is of peace. Before we commit a sin, think, if I perform this, my dear God will be upset. Let us not perform a deed that will lower us infront of God’s eyes.

An egoistic person cannot experience God. It is important to take refuge of a Guru in order to get rid of ego. Ensure that in your life you can bow to someone and take refuge. For example, whenever Shri Dashrathji had a problem, he would take refuge under Shri Vashishtji Guru.

In the Shrimad Bhagavat, a thief is one who considers the extra wealth he possesses his own. Any wealth we possess, which is more than that which fills our satiety, is not ours. Such wealth actually causes stress in trying to protect it. For instance, when Hanumanji first visited gold-made Lanka, he saw many soldiers!

Daily satsang leads to the awakening of vivek (what is good and bad). Shrimad Bhagavat causes the spread of light. Pujya Bhaishri strongly advised everyone to keep doing satsang otherwise we will be caught by illusion which will lead to entangling in this world.

Shri Sutji said that bhakti (devotion) causes our welfare. Bhakti is the best way to achieve emancipation. Performing daily prayers, yagya, pooja etc causes the birth of bhakti in us. Hence always do your daily pooja and prayers. A guru does not try to bond one with him but tries to bond a disciple with God.

There are 24 incarnations of God described in the Shrimad Bhagavat.

1. Sanat Kumar

2. Varah Bhagavan – who rescued the earth out of water.

3. Narad Rishi – who spread bhakti.

4. Nar Narayan Bhagavan – who meditated at Badrikashram.

5. Kapil Bhagavan – who narrated Sankhya Shastra to his mother Devhutiji.

6. Dutta Bhagavan – who imparted knowledge to Shri Prahlad ji.

7. Yagya Narayan – spread the path of karma.

8. Shri Rushabhdevji.

9. Pruthu Bhagavan – explained the dharma of kings.

10. Matsya incarnation – protected the Sapta Rishis.

11. Kurma incarnation

12. Dhanvantari Bhagavan – appeared with nectar and medicines.

13. Mohini incarnation – gave nectar to the devtas and took it away from demons by deceit. However, the motive behind this deceit was the welfare of this world. Demons represent bad vices while devtas represent good qualities. Good qualities can get defeated but will never die. Each and every soul is potentially divine.

14. Narsimh Bhagavan – the biggest fruit of bhakti is fearlessness as seen by Prahladji.

15. Vaman Bhagavan – king Bali offered everything he had to God in two steps through which his attachment left and In the third step, offered himself, through which his ego was destroyed.

16. Parshuram Bhagavan – although God is peaceful by nature, when there is an increase in adharma, God gets angry, which led to this incarnation. This anger is for everyone’s welfare. Shri Haribhai Kothari used to say that when towering personalities fail to follow dharma, it leads to a large damage in the society.

17. Shri Ved Vyas ji – once Shri Parshuramji had punished those guilty, it was realised that people did not know what the right path was. Therefore, Shri Ved Vyas ji created the Vedas, Puranas and Shrimad Bhagavat to guide everyone on the correct path.

18. Shri Ram ji – thereafter, people questioned that it is easy to write how to, live the right path in scriptures but difficult to practice. Shri Ram ji showed the world how to live and follow the scriptures.

19. Shri Balbhadra ji

20. Shri Krishna Bhagavan – after Shri Ram ji’s incarnation people felt that life was full of restrictions, which is why God incarnated as Shri Krishna and Shri Balbhadraji. Lord Shri Krishna never panicked however massive a problem he faced. He always maintained his smile and remained in bliss. He showed the world how to live life as a festival.

21. Buddha Bhagavan.

22. Kalki Bhagavan to incarnate in the future – here Pujya Bhaishri warned everyone against the hypocritical so called ascetics claiming to follow dharma when they don’t. He warned that such people cause harm in the path of religion. Pujya Bhaishri recalled many saints in Gujarat who have maintained our religion, such as, Shri Krishna Shankar Dada who was down to earth, Pujya Mamaji, Amar Maa, Jalaram Bapa and many others. He summoned everyone to be careful that our faith remains strong and does not change to blind faith or is not contaminated.

The 23rd and 24th incarnations can be said to be God’s seen and unseen forms in this world. They could also be considered as the two incarnations of Shri Hari ji in Gajendra moksha and who provided darshan to Shri Dhruvji. There are many other incarnations of God and as such can be counted as more than 24. Shrimad Bhagavat mentions that there are countless incarnations of God.

Shri Sut ji said that Shri Ved Vyas ji narrated the Shrimad Bhagavat to Shri Shukdevji who narrated it to Shri Pareekshitji. I was present during this katha narrated to Shri Pareekshitji. Shri Shaunak Rishi said that you are so lucky to have heard this katha. Also you are a great preacher, so please narrate to us what you heard. Also please inform us, when did Shri Vyas ji create Shrimad Bhagavat, why did he do so, when and with whose inspiration? Shri Shukdevji was a learned saint, why did he need to learn the Shrimad Bhagavat? Also, why did Shri Pareekshitji leave his kingdom and sit at the banks of Maa Ganga without food and water to listen to this katha?

We shall discuss this in tomorrow’s katha when we will also celebrate the arrival of Lord Shri Krishna. Let us all welcome today Shri Devi Prasad Bapu and Shri Laalji Maharaj from the Swaminarayan lineage that have graced us with their presence.