The 3 levels of Vairagya Gadhada 1-2

Key points of this Vachanamrut

Date : 22 November 1819

Who is mentioned:

Shriji Maharaj

Mayaram Bhatt

King Janak

So when reading this vachanamrut, a few points come to mind

Vairagya - Detachment of not just what but when

Balance of Living life and Satsang

So when i read this vachanamrut, i felt that this vachanamrut takes what we deal with on a day to day basis to the next level. We have different scenarios in our life that change our thought process and maturity level. As a child, we want every toy that comes out to play with. We play with it and then 5 minutes later.....we are bored and look for something else to do. 5 years later, we see our sibling doing the same thing and we say....wow i cant believe i used to be like that.

As a teenager, we are waiting for that new phone, that new car, that new tablet to come out so we can get one. And this continues through out our life.

I feel that vairagya helps us control what we need and what we want. I think it pushes us to realize that sometimes we become our own enemy in wanting things. In this economy, many people and financially unstable. Yet i see some kids still trying to make their parents get the latest gizmo. This vachanamrut made me realize that its not just about detaching yourself from what you want and living the life with what you need. 

When it talks about the 3 levels of viragya, Shriji Maharaj talks about living in the worlds using all the worldly pleasures but not being attached to them. This is really hard. King Janak exemplified it in the time of kings and in those days. Today, we see many people live the life of a millionaire but they keep their life simple. 

One of my good friends, left to go become a sadhu, studied at Emory University. Emory each year costs about $40,000. Not just that, but living expenses and since he didnt eat out, he would spend money to get his food prepared and everything. He had it set for him. He was well off already. Even if he didnt attend college he could be rich from all the businesses his family owned. Yet he kept it simple. He wasnt like oh, look i got this, oh i got that. He lived his life by the need and not the want of everything. He exemplified how to balance his satsang living of vairagya and his social living. You can be socially active and still imbibe the quality of vairagi.

We have that mind set that its either or. NOT TRUE. Its something we have to sit down and see that people in this world dont have everything and still live. Some people have nothing and still get along on society. When we see how to balance social life and satsang life we truly can be more successful.

Our friend circle is important in this. I think it helps when we create the right friend circle. There are 3 types of friendship. Friendship based on utility, pleasure and goodness. Utility is an impermanent things: it changes according to circumstances. Friendship between the young is thought to be grounded on pleasure, because the lives of the young are regulated by their feelings, and their chief interest is in their own pleasure and the opportunity of the moment. Only the friendship of those who are good, and similar in their goodness, is perfect. We have to see what our friends are about. Are they a true friend? Can they accept who i am for what i do. WIll they continue to be my friend at a low point in my life? Will they be my friend when i dont have the best of best car? You will see those kinds of friends that really affect in a positive way of negetive way. Friends can help us realize what we are attached to and what we are not attached to. 

A true friend will be helpful to you at your low point. He will also shoot you down when your too high up there.The bond that creates is unbreakable. It helps us realize what we want and need.

Pramukh Swami is a friend to me. He ensures that who ever he meets, whether a 2 year old or 85 year old, they leave happier. His motto of, "In the joy of Others, Lies our own." 

He helps me realize what i live my life for. What do i need. What do i want. He helps me realize this all the time. 

The Call of Duty of all Vachanamruts Gadhada 1-1

Key points of this Vachanamrut:

Date : 21 November 1819

Who is mentioned:
Shriji Maharaj
Dada Khachar
Govardhanbhai Sheth
Muktanand Swami
Harji Thakkar

So when reading this vachanamrut, a fews points come to my mind

Focus

Goals

Practicing walking the "Path of Success"

The vachanamrut always begins with a scene setter. A way of getting the reader to understand the scenario so they become more engrossed into the passage. Shriji Maharaj then talks abouts a concept on constantly engaging ones mind on the form of God.

Yes. I know. Its hard. Thats why He said there was "no spiritual endeavour more difficult."

So how does one go about doing this? I think we already do it, just not at a level that we can say is the best.

When it comes to studying for an exam, we focus all our energy on those notes that we took, those homework assignments that we did and didnt do. The amount we focus on this, if we spent focus on our puja, or just as maansi during a kirtan or after the arti in mandir. I was listening to a seminar about focus and relaxation. It was talking about the concept of yoga. In the morning if we spent 5-10 minutes just clearing our minds and focusing on whatever we wish, our minds will set that day. If you focus on Pramukh Swami, then your day can go like his. If you focus on the boxing match that will be on tonight, then your mind can be set in aggression. Some of us even focus on our next love, then the minds sets to that. It set to do what ever to think like that. Sometimes we hear that person is crazy for him/her. Well that is because the thought has set in of that special someone. This is why focus on what we NEED to focus is important. I think this vachanamrut really pushes us to understand this. Thats why when focusing on God image, we can think of his qualities and the mental thought kicks in of how the day will go.

The second thing that I thought about was to set goal of what we want to accomplish. In this day and age, to succeed we have to have a plan. That plan has sort of a mental checklist. Oh I want to wake up early to be on time for class. The Plan is to wake up early to achieve the goal of attending class. When we set this mental checklist, or for people like me, i write everything i need to accomplish down, we go about our day following what we need to get done. Need to finish this assignment, need to pay this bill, need to attend tonights social function. This helps us create an idea of how busy we may be.

The third thing is "the walk". Its not some new dance step that everyone is talking about. Its walking the path of success.

"The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will." Vincent T. Lombardi 

In the game of Call of Duty, to succeed, we have to complete the tasks of that mission. So in certain missions, they have set goals for us, while trying to kill of the enemy(maya?), and if we get shot at we have that weird red vein looking thing come around the screen. Okay, in real life if you get shot once you are dead. There is no 2nd chance, level replay or anything like that. But it teaches us one thing. It shows that the things that we want to accomplish always comes with distractions. On my way to class and my friends are texting me that they about to head out to apple bees. These are the distractions that take us away from that success we desire. Not to say that its your friends. Its the idea of going with your friends. Your friends are well intentioned most of the time. Its what we do as the outcome that helps us or hurts us on our way to success. Knowing who or what your enemy is in everyday scenarios is important because sometime we swerve off the road and never get back on. Vince hit it correctly, having that will of getting it done helps.

The closure to this is remembering that we can be successful and go on as far as push ourselves. To go further, we need that coach, that teacher, that guru to go even further.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbgBXXCugy8

A coach that pushes he player just a little further, he completes the entire task. Pramukh Swami today is that coach. He always talks about the importance of eduction. He always talks about the importance of family values. He always helps us realize how we can be a better person tomorrow. So who better to focus on anytime of the day than Pramukh Swami. At the age of 91, he still inspires thousands to be a better person tomorrow. This vachanamrut shows the importance of a sant, a true spiritual teacher, and how important it is to be in his company. When we keep constant contact, we realize that we can achieve more.

Applying the vachanamrut in the 21st Century

Jai Swaminarayan


Ive decided that I need to move to a digital copy of noting what i think about when reading the vachanamrut. Over the next few weeks, I will be moving all my notes to this blog and want to see what you guys thought about when seeing this vachanamrut.


Thanks to Pramukh Swami Maharaj for making the vachanamrut a part of my life.


Thanks to P. Santo for guiding me in the right direction of how and when to read the Vachanamrut.


Thanks to my friends and family for helping me get to the idea of making a blog.


The Vachanamrut of Swaminarayan is a foundational scripture of the Swaminarayan faith. It is considered one of the most sacred scriptures by Swaminarayan followers.


I pray to Shriji Maharaj to give me the strength and guidance in which i can make the most of this blog.