8. Physical Sādhanā (Introduction)

After hearing that there is so much weightage put on brahmabhāva and brahmavidyā in the Svāminārāyaṇa tradition, someone might claim that there is no need for physical endeavors such as kartvya karma, niyamas, sevā, austerities etc. in this tradition, but Svāminārāyaṇa has given a unique and perfect balanced path of spiritual endeavors. In the Vacanāmṛta, Svāminārāyaṇa magnified svarūpaniṣṭhā,^[1] Upāsanā,^[2] knowledge,^[3] brahmavidyā,^[4] brahmabhāva^[5] but at the same time, he advocated austerities,^[6] sevā,^[7] niyamas,^[8] studying of scriptures,^[9] constant effort^[10], etc.

Bhadreśadāsa also elaborates this fact in his commentary:

“yathā aśvo deśāntaragamanasādhanabhūtopi tadgamanākūlasāmagrīkalāpamapekṣate tathaiva paralokasādhanabhūtāpi brahmavidyā gārhastyanibandhanāgnihotrādikarmāpakṣate | ato brahmavidyāniṣṭhairapi gṛhibhirnityanaimittikādisarvakarmānuṣṭhānaṃ na parihīyata iti sūcitārthaḥ |” (Brahmasūtra 3/4/26, p.369)

“A person who wants to travel far to reach the other region uses a horse. The horse is an essential means to reach there; However, additionally, he takes other stuff like food, water, etc., with him for his convenience. In this manner, brahmavidyā is a prominent means to attain liberation, yet, other karmas are also essential to accompany it. Even the brahmarūpa devotees must involve themselves in nitya and naimittika karmas.”

Moreover, a devotee should abjure the niṣiddha karma (prohibited deeds).

Bhadreśadāsa warns:

“tasmād brahmaṇaḥ surāṃ na pibati pāpmanā notsṛjā iti iti | pāpabhiyā brāhmaṇaḥ surāpānaṃ na kuruta iti bhāvaḥ |” (Brahmasūtra 3/4/31, p. 371)

“Devotees of Parabrahman do not drink wine considering it as a sinful act. Thus, devotees should not have liquor.”

Along with this, a devotee must keep his diet pure in order to remain firm on the path of spiritual endeavor.

The Chāndogya-upaniṣad XII states:

āhāraśuddhau sattvaśuddhau dhruvā smṛtiḥ smṛtilambhe sarvagranthīnāṃ vipramokṣaḥ |^[11]

Bhadreśadāsa comments:

“brahmarūpeṇa svātmanā parabrahmaparamopasanānukūlatayā avaśyānuṣṭheyaṃ sādhanamāha | āhāraśuddhau cakṣurādisakalendriyāṇāṃ tattadviṣayagrahaṇarūpāhārasya śuddhau satyāṃ sattvaśuddhiḥ sattvākhyāntaḥ karaṇasya tadupalakṣitasya cātmanaḥ śuddhirbhavati |” (Chāndogya-upaniṣad XII 7/26/2, p.340)

“When the inputs of indriyas have been purified, the ātman becomes purified. When the ātman has been purified, the memory becomes firm. And when the memory (of the Highest Self) remains firm, then all the ties (which bind us from māyā) are loosened.”

The Bhagavad-Gītā shows the way how to control our diet habits in order to become a yogi.

yuktāhāravihārasya yuktaceṣṭasya karmasu |
yuktasvapnāvabodhasya yogo bhavati duḥkhahā ||^[12]

“The yoga destroys all sorrow for the one who is moderate and vigilant in eating, recreation, working, sleeping, and waking.”

yajñadānatapaḥkarma na tyajyaṃ kāryameva tat |
yajño dānaṃ tapaścaiva pāvanāni manīṣiṇām ||^[13]

“Acts of sacrifice, charity, and sense-control should not be abandoned, but should be performed, because sacrifice, charity, and discipline purify our mind.”

Bhadreśadāsa comments:

yajñādīni etāni paramātmaprasannatāhetukāni satkarmāṇi iti yāvad manīṣiṇāṃ matimatāṃ pāvanāni bāhyāntaḥkaraṇapariśuddhikarāṇi |” (Bhagavad-Gītā 18/5, pp.341-342)

“If the acts of sacrifice, charity, and sense-control are accomplished to please Parabrahman, then, the seeker’s inner faculties become pure.”

When one accepts the vartamāna mantra from the Guru, he has to follow certain rules and regulations, codes, and conducts according to one’s āśrama. Though in the Svāminārāyaṇa tradition, there is no discrimination according to one’s caste, creed, culture, color or gender but Svāminārāyaṇa insisted that a devotee must follow the rules given by the scriptures, Guru, and the state where he or she lives. This physical sādhanā ultimately leads him to liberation.^[14]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Vacanāmṛta Gadhadā II/9

[2]:

Vacanāmṛta Gadhadā I/56

[3]:

Vacanamrut Loyā 7

[4]:

Vacanāmṛta Gadhadā II/3

[5]:

Vacanāmṛta Gadhadā III/27

[6]:

Vacanāmṛta Kāriyānī 10

[7]:

Vacanāmṛta Gadhadā II/28

[8]:

Vacanāmṛta Jetalapura 5

[9]:

Vacanāmṛta Gadhadā III/1

[10]:

Vacanāmṛta Gadhadā I/70

[11]:

Chāndogya-upaniṣad XII 7/26/2

[12]:

Bhagavad-Gītā 6/17

[13]:

Bhagavad-Gītā 18/5

[14]:

Mahant swami Maharaj, Satsangdiksha -12-17, Svāminārāyaṇa Aksharpith, Ahmedabad, 2020