• Conviction Determination in Divine form of God (Part - II)

1. 63rd Vachanamrit of Gadhada first chapter was being read. Imperfection in conviction was being described in it. Bapashri explained, a seeker whose conviction is not perfect feels delighted watching divine characteristics or attributes of God, but he gets confused in his heart watching worldly attributes of God in human form and feels suspicious if He is really God or not. 2/9/30.

2. When unity with divine form of Maharaj is our destiny. We must think twice before cursing anybody. Because joy and misery are attained as per Shriji Maharaj’s will. If we wish bad for someone means we do not have firm belief in Shriji Maharaj and we do not believe Maharaj as cause of all. If a young son dies, we must realize that it is Shriji Maharaj’s divine sport of creation, sustenance and destruction. We must realize that all the tasks performed by Indra, Brahma etc. deities are as per Shriji Maharaj’s command. If someone falls sick and takes medicine, it does not mean that he was cured by medicine. Whenever Maharaj participates, we are cured. Similarly, in every activity, Shriji Maharaj should be considered as doer. But authority of Maharaj as doer of all should not be underestimated. Without His will (inspiration) nobody can pluck even a dry leaf. Therefore, for physical comfort, teachings of Shriji Maharaj should not be ignored. This would please Maharaj and His great Muktas immensely. 2/35/99.

3. Our conviction towards God should be based on realization of the personified divine form of God. A seeker whose determination is based on means, has shaky convictions. What are the means? The saints, religion, renouncement, great Yagyas, traditions etc. are all means. If the trust is developed by understanding bliss, splendour and glory of Murti, then that conviction is eternal. It cannot be reversed, evenif it is derived by observing the means. 2/35/100.

4. A seeker who has firm conviction in Maharaj may not have realized Murti. But his words are always related to Maharaj, which appease a living being a lot, whoever can absorb these words in his heart can attain unity with divine form of God and attain the state of Mukta. Maharaj and Muktas are pleased with them. 2/36/106.

5. Concept of conviction is very complex. One with weak conviction gets attracted in miracles and may also be influenced by sensual pleasures, anger, lust. Therefore, a seeker should be firmly determined. Murti of Maharaj only can shower bliss. If a seeker is running after material objects or craving for splendour then there is a flaw (fault) in his conviction. If conviction is ripened (total) then he is pulled into Murti. A seeker whose conviction is firm cannot be deceived by Brahma evenif he comes in disguise of Maharaj. I am also sitting with great saints like saint Swaroopanand Swami. This congregation is held in Akshardham. We are sitting right in the middle of Akshardham. This idol is none other than divine Murti of Akshardham. Such conviction could help to attain bliss of unity with Maharaj. 2/38/112.

6. Unity with divine form of Shriji Maharaj is our destiny. As destiny of kids is their parents, similarly Shriji Maharaj is our destiny. As parents protect their children from fire, flood etc. Shriji Maharaj protects us from Kaal, Karm, Maya. If required, Shriji Maharaj Himself would punish us. Therefore, we must understand that Shriji Maharaj is our destiny. 2/38/112.

7. As long as the conviction of a seeker is not matured, he behaves in childish manner. We have to struggle a lot to sustain the body and support the family, but we do not forget God while doing so, if the conviction is firm. If conviction is not total, then one fails in understanding the glory of God and consequently one lacks faith in God. 2/38/113.

8. Conviction in divine form of God should be total (complete). Conviction is important. A devotee whose conviction is firm, cannot be defeated by troubles of three types. For example there could be hundred consecutive famines and he may not have food to eat or soldiers of king would come and say let us arrest him and they tie him and beat him up and it seems that he would die soon. Even during such troubles of three types he has understanding that there is no other doer than will of Maharaj. If he feels happy on his deathbed, his conviction is total. While dying he does not regret his death thinking that all other are here and he has to go. On the contrary, he feels happy that he is going to Maharaj in His abode. Such conviction is perfect. 2/41/124.

9. 10th Vachanamrit of Loya was being read in assembly. In the answer to a question asked by Chaitanyanand Swami in that Vachanamrit, it has been mentioned that when time and place are not favourable, devotee of Maharaj should not live there. This is mentioned for those whose conviction is not ripened. But for a seeker whose conviction is firm, there is no other doer than Maharaj. He has not been asked to shift somewhere else. There are two types of unfavourable time. Company of evil and sinful people is considered as bad time. Prolonged illness etc. troubles are also considered as bad time. When there is bad time in form of company of evil people, a seeker should not reside there. But he should not run away from prolonged illness, because a devotee would consider death auspicious. A real devotee of God does not consider medicine, doctor, time period etc. as doer. For him Maharaj is the cause of all. If certain treatment, processes (efforts) are to be performed, they should be performed, but with the attitude that they are not the Ultimate remedy. The ailment would be cured, if there is God’s will in those efforts. Only Maharaj should be considered as doer. Maharaj always acts for our welfare but we are unable to realize it. When a saint of Muktanand Swami had severe stomachache, all other saints requested Muktanand Swami to pray to Maharaj to cure the stomachache of the saint. Swami prayed, Maharaj! Pain is unbearable for the saint. Maharaj responded, I will make him suffer for four days for the sins committed by him during last four births. If someone is ready to take his sins of last four births, I will cure him immediately. Swamishri replied, Maharaj! If it is so, let him suffer. It should be understood that whatever Maharaj does, it is for our betterment. 2/41/128.

10. Conviction in Maharaj and Muktas, which has evolved out of trust, is better than the conviction, which is formed after watching miracles-splendour performed by Maharaj or His Muktas. 2/78/248.

11. When a seeker has no faith in anyone other than Maharaj and His Muktas, he is considered devoted to Satsang. He is not influenced by anybody else. Once we have identified a mango tree and are sure about it. If someone tries to justify that mango tree as a neem tree we would not believe it though it is day time or night. Similarly, we should have firm conviction that Purushottam Shri Swaminarayan is the only Ultimate Supreme God and there is no other God. And His Muktas and saints are also eternally united with Murti. 2/84/265.

12. Bapashri spoke, conviction should be firm and of highest quality. If a seeker visualizes divine luminous Murti of Shriji Maharaj in his heart, his conviction is flawless. By visualizing in this manner, he could attain God-realization. As long as the conviction in Purushottam Narayan is not of highest quality, a seeker wanders here and there like a washerman’s dog. That dog had decided that the person with wet legs was its master, but it was not aware of anything else. Then during monsoon, noticing wet legs of each and everyone, it ran after one person to another and finally died. We should not behave in this manner. We must know Purushottam Narayan in His real divine form and strengthen our conviction. 2/97/308