With Whom Can We Compare Them?

‘Without being eloquent, suffice it to say that the great-souled person who has come to know the Ultimate Truth is without desire for either pleasure or liberation and is always and every where free from attachment.’

What is the nature of those great personages who have realized the Ultimate Truth? How are they? Where is the need to say much about them? Ashtavakraji says he is ‘Without desire for either pleasures; he doesn’t even desire for salvation. He doesn’t want anything – fame, wealth, heavens, gods, life, death – he has no desire even for liberation.

The masters who teach the path of devotion say that a true devotee of the Lord doesn’t want liberation; he wants only devotion. But the knower of Truth doesn’t want devotion; he doesn’t want liberation; and he doesn’t want sense-enjoyments either. When you and devotion are separate entities (you have not attained oneness with god), you will engage yourself in devotion. If you are in bondage, you will want to get liberated. When there is neither bondage nor separation from liberation. What will be left for you to desire? Ashtavakraji had such experience. When you have no design or purpose, have no axe to grind so to say, when you are free from all desire, nature itself takes care of you and removes all impediments coming your way. When you get to the essence, the real substance, you will have no selfish end; you will have no worries fro yourself. You will be equanimous whichever way things go. You will have fear of neither death nor criticism. You will have no desire for praise. Condemnation and praise, gain and loss, life and death will all appear worthless. So long as you have not attained to the real essence, everything looks real and of worth to you. The mind attributes worth to so many things but finally announces that all is worthless. If one is poor, one thinks wealth is of greatest worth. When one gets some wealth, one finds worth in more wealth. A time comes when one is disillusioned with wealth and seeks solace elsewhere. Somebody finds worthiness in power; another may find it is some other transient thing. But when one attains knowledge of Ultimate Truth, one knows it was all mind’s delusion. The world is delusion and nothing but delusion. What a won derful fact Ashtavakraji reveals:

‘Without desire for either pleasure or liberation and is always and everywhere free from attachment.’

The enlightened one is ‘always and everywhere free from attachment’. It is not that when absorbed in Samadhi he is disinterested in the world or when engaged in worldly pursuits, he is disinterested in Samadhi he is disinterested in the world or when engaged in worldly pursuits, he is disinterested in samadhi. He is dispassionate always and everywhere. He has no interest in the world but the world finds him very interesting. What a surprise! And surprising it is also that he being a non-doer, seems to be a doer. He is unborn and; yet he appears to be born. He doesn’t want to do anything; yet great undertakings are initiated by him! Though a ‘non-initiator’, he is seen to be a great initiator. When Rishi Yajnavalkya was imparting Knowledge to King Janaka, Janaka asked, “Gurudev! Kindly tell me about the Paramahamsa.”

The Rishi said, “Don't ask this question. You will get bewildered.”

“No Guruji! Please tell me about a Paramahamsa Sannyasin.”

“I shall show you tomorrow morning.” In the evening when he went home, he distributed all his wealth between his wives –Katyayani and Maitreyi. The next day he came in a loincloth and bidding farewell to the king said,

“Janaka! Said, “Guruji! Please take a seat.”

“I have said what I had to.”

“Please take a seat Gurudev! You are my Guru.”

“What Guru and what disciple? It is all relational.”

And Yajnavalkya left. Nothing could hold him back ‘Where is the need to say much about them…’ Eloquence is meaningless is describing such great souls. How can we gauge their greatness? Once in Mumbai, Sai Lalashahji went out for a walk. Now, the enlightened ones are carefree. They know everything to be Brahman. Therefore, solitude and crowded places, all are same to them. He went into crowded areas and saw palmist chowpaty. Two-three people were showing their hands to him. Sai Lilashahji too sat there and said, “Sir! Please see my hand also.”

He said, “Babaji! You have grown old; you have renounced the world and become a Sannyansin. You have faith in God. You render devotional service to the Lord but this…”

He went on not realizing the greatness of the Emperor he was trying to beguile and the fact that He was willingly accepting and enjoying his childish prattle. He continued, “Babaji! You work hard for there years and then you will have Darshan of God.”

He didn’t know that Sai Lilashahji had already attained Self Knowledge 40 years ago. Sai Lilashahji said, “Three years! Can you reduce the time somewhat, my friend?”

“You will have to arrange for some japa and puja. Brahmins can make even God to take birth two hours earlier.”

Swamiji said to the accompanying disciple, “Give some money to this poor fellow. Whatever it is, he has had my hand in his.” He was given some money.

He said, “Well, you continue making efforts; my blessings are with you.”

Lilashahji Bapu says, “Knindly bless me.”

What can we say about such fakirs? Sai Lilashahji was about to get up but then he thought, ‘He was given money and I had him place his hand on my head. He should not remain ignorant.’

Sai Lilashahji said, “What were you saying man?”

“I said you will have Darshan of God.”

“Do you know me stupid? I am father of God.”

“Sorry sir! I didn’t know.”
“Touch my feet.”

The man touched Bapuji’s feet and Bapuji blessed him.

‘What more can I say about the saints? They repose in their Home.

They are ever contented: they have no desires or expectations.’

What is their nature...? How can we gauge that? To know the enlightened one, we need to be a little enlightened. If we want to become rich, we need to have some money initially. To attain peace, a small degree of peace is initially required. Therefore, I always repeat Maharshi Vasishthaji’s words. I have repeated the truths expounded by Vasishthaji innumerable times and will continue to do so forever. The same truths are said by Ashtavakraji and I will repeat them as well. The message is only this much – the world is transient; the body is worthless; all this is like a dream going on; you are Supreme Brahman, Supreme Self. Even this is not terse. I only say. ‘Thou art That’ meaning ‘You are God, the Eternal Bliss’. That is all I have to say. All the scriptures have been instructing this till today.