One can see the virtues of ‘nirmamaha’ and ‘nirahankãraha’ imbibed firmly in the life of the brahmaswarup satpurush. Let us take the example of brahmaswarup guruhari Pramukh Swami Maharaj. He is the president of a worldwide spiritual organization. He has inspired many educated well-off youths to renounce and walk the spiritual path. He has built hundreds of mandirs. Dignitaries from all over the world have honoured his unique spiritual personality. He has received many international awards. By his grace, many have been freed of vices and have developed virtues. Yet, one never sees the slightest ego in his words or actions.
In 1985, he was being honoured in a suvarna tula at the Queens Park Rangers football stadium in London. Swamishri was first weighed against sugar crystals, which were in turn weighed against gold. All the devotees were singing his praises. The words he spoke during his blessings reflect hi ‘nirahankãraha’ state, as described in the Gitã. He said, “First, I bow to Parabrahman sarvãvatãri Purushottam Narayan Bhagwan Swaminarayan, who gave me this body. Thereafter, I bow to my gurus Shastriji Maharaj and Yogiji Maharaj, who blessed me and accepted me. It is due to their grace and blessings that I stand before you today. I bow to them a million times. They gave me their blessings and the chance to serve. There are many who stand with folded hands before Paramãtmã, but it is my great fortune that I was given the chance to serve in this manner. This is beyond my ability, but they gave me strength so that I could serve...”
Wherever there is no ego, how can there be attachment! That is why Swamishri does not covet anything for his body. He never thinks of accumulating anything, nor is he attached to staying at any one location.
Once, in Bochasan, some sadhus were sitting around Swamishri engaged in a light discussion. It was the last day of Swamishri’s stay there. Therefore, one sadhu said to Swamishri, “After staying here for so long and having settled down, do you feel like going elsewhere?”
“Why not? We are settled wherever we go! There is no question of getting settled,” Swamishri said, and thereafter added softly, “Wherever we go, we engage in discourses and worship Paramãtmã. If one is settled in that then one is settled in everything. What is the need to be settled in accommodation, etc.? That one can only be settled in certain locations is nonsense. However much we engage in discourses of and serving Paramãtmã is how much happiness we attain; that is true settlement, understand?” Swamishri’s words echoed the words of the Gitã, ‘sa shãntimadhigachchhati’.
This is the State of Brahman
Thus, Arjuna’s question, “स्थितप्रज्ञस्य का भाषा समाघिस्थस्य केशव। स्थितघीः किं प्रभाषेत किमासीत व्रजेत किम्॥” – “Sthitapragnasya kã bhãshã samãdhisthasya keshava, sthitadheehi kim prabhãsheta kimãseeta vrajeta kim.” – “O Krishna! What are the characteristics of a stable-minded person? In what way does such a person speak? In what way does he sit? In what way does he walk?” (Gitã 2.54) has been answered extensively and completely. The conclusion of this adhyãy of the Gitã states:
एषा ब्राह्मी स्थितिः पार्थ नैनां प्राप्य विमुह्यति।
स्थित्वाऽस्यामन्तकालेऽपि ब्रह्मनिर्वाणमृत्व्छति॥
Eshã brãhmee sthitihi Pãrtha nainãm prãpya vimuhyati,
Sthitvã’syãmantakãle’pi brahmanirvãnamruchchhati.
“O Arjuna, this is the brahmic state. Having once attained this state, one is never again subject to infatuation. If this state is attained even at one’s last breath, one attains Brahmadham” (Gitã 2.72).
The brahmic state! These two words encompass spiritual endeavour in its entirety. They provide an acquaintance of the highest spiritual state. A state that encompasses all the virtues of the sthitapragna in one is the brahmic state. The brahmic state marks the completion of sprititual endeavours. It represents the peak of purity. It is the ornament of a pure ãtmã. Once one has attained the brahmic state, one has crossed the finish-line of endeavour and become fulfilled.
The brahmic state is the state of Brahman, the state of Aksharbrahman. Shedding the desires of the mind; equality in pleasure and pain; free of attachment, fear and anger; turtle-like control of one’s senses; control of the mind; remaining tranquil like the ocean; not being tied by mãyã in the form of ego and attachment; being content with the grace of Paramãtmã and ever appropriately doing his upãsanã with humble service, etc. are the characteristics of Aksharbrahman. These qualities are ever present in Aksharbrahman, hence this collection of virtues is called the brahmic state here. This state can be attained by serving the manifest form of Aksharbrahman by word, thought and deed. Without attaining this state, it is impossible to be freed of misery and experience supreme bliss. This is why Shri Krishna advises Arjuna to attain that brahmic state, i.e. become brahmarup.
The Fruits – No Infatuation; Attainment of Brahmadham
Revealing the fruits of this brahmic state, Shri Krishna Bhagwan says, “Nainãm prãpya vimuhyati” – “One who attains it is never subject to infatuation.” This is living proof of liberation. Arjuna is bound by infatuation because he has not attained this state. Infatuation was the cause of his grief. His grief was the cause of his tears. Hence, there is no option but to attain this state. Once attained, there is nothing left to worry about. And that is why Shri Krishna has put such a great emphasis on attaining it. He further stresses, “Sthitvã’syãmantakãle’pi brahmanirvãnamruchchhati” – “If this state is attained even at one’s last breath, one attains Brahmadhãm.”
Thus, jivanmukti – the experience of liberation here on earth – and videha mukti – liberation after death – are the fruits of the brahmic state.
Epilogue
Thus, the brahmic state is the ideal of the Gitã. The second chapter of the Gitã concludes by giving the message of this ideal. From hereon, whatever spiritual precepts follow are to clarify that ideal.
Pramukh Swami Maharaj is manifest Aksharbrahman. His life is the embodiment of the brahmic state and is a living example of the words of the Gitã. He is ever engrossed in Paramãtmã and the virtues of the sthitapragna state are ever wedded to him. We are fortunate that he is our guruhari. By profoundly attaching ourselves to him, we too will be able to attain that brahmic state in our lives. We will become ever engrossed in Paramãtmã and become sthitapragna. We will be rid of the desires of the mind. Our grief will dissolve. We will be freed from material desires. We will be able to effortlessly control our senses. We will realize Paramãtmã. We will be able to focus on Paramãtmã without any hindrances, benefit from his upãsanã and be ever blissful.