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Once when Asakaran went off to battle, he continued to contemplate upon his Bhagwan’s divine seva. While he was mentally offering curry to his Thakurji, he spilled the bowl and even though he was riding on a horse, the curry spilled all over his pants. Asakaran had perfected his Thakurji’s Manashi seva (mental services) and from the above-mentioned incident we can clearly see that such Manasshi seva were not imagination, for mere imagination could not cause the curry to spill.
Asakaran remained aloof from the world and was not enticed by his rule and kingdom. Padmanabhadas, even though a great religious scholar, did not use his learning in order to make money, nor did he sell his religion. He only acquired what he required for his bare necessities. Kumbhandas, Shri Nathji’s temple singer, would not accept a jewel-studded mirror, which someone had given him because he was a talented singer. Kumbhandas was contented with his work, worship and pure life style.
He was not greedy for other people’s money nor would he use religious practices as a source of income. Damodardas Harsani heard the Shrinathji’s voice, but was not proud of his experience. In this incident the truth is revealed that we cannot understand everything, which we hear, and without Grace, we cannot comprehend the inner purpose of the Shrinathji’s speech. Here the difference between one who humbly receives knowledge from the Guru, and one who obtains knowledge while cherishing pride is clearly defined. From the Vaishnavas life stories, as well as from the speech of accomplished devotees, we are able to distinguish such differences.
When we ignore our traditional Vedic knowledge and spiritual style of living by adopting novel knowledge and unwholesome customs, the results can be observed in our present society. When our inspiration does not originate from the glorious spiritual past, our outlook becomes unbalanced and unsatisfying, and even upon re-evaluation we are not able to find true values. Amidst such a situation, it is difficult to obtain divine inspiration.
Because in Shri Mahaprabhuji’s Way, the caste code is not believed in, the Muslim devotees Alikan and Rasakhan remained Alikan and Rasakhan even after becoming Vaishnavas. The different sections and codes of life in India should not be understood as a caste system, but rather as Ashram Dharma, that is, as different grades of life and means directed towards spiritual life. This point the author of these vartas has clearly explained.
To run blindly after other means and ways only increases imbalance and anxiety, while if we take what we happen to obtain, not considering whether or not it is expensive, and use the same purely in the Thakurji’s worship, then our minds and hearts can achieve their true position. By looking and copying, one is not able to become an accomplished devotee. This has been revealed in the story of one elderly lady Vaishnava who put sticks into bowls of foodstuffs she was going to offer to the Thakurji because she did not have any spoons. Other Vaishnavas seeing her do that, started to copy her but they did not realize that the reason she was using sticks was because she did not have any spoons. Even with today’s scientific methods are we able to copy and think like this.
By carefully considering the above-mentioned facts, one can easily understand that varta literature is a graphic approach to Mahaprabhuji’s principles and is very useful in our study of life. These “vartas” are the proper media to understand the reality of how religion and social outlooks are adoptable in our daily affairs. It is my hope that these vartas will be helpful for the philosopher as well as for the general public.
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