Eighth Discourse
Page One

Naath sakal saadhan main heena
Kinhi kripa jaani jan deena
So kachhu dev na mohi nihora
Nij pan raakheo jan man chora

Before we complete our discussions, I would like to point out to you that the name "Sharbhang" has a symbolic meaning in "Nisaadhanta".  "Shar"means "arrow" and it is a means to shoot. "Bhang" means "to break". Therefore "Sharbhang" means "one who has broken the arrow", "one who has renounced all efforts".

While Kaagbhusundji calls him "Sharbang", Tulsidaasji, though a great scholar calls him "Sarbhang" because he speaks in the village dialect. However it also has a symbolic meaning. "Sar" means "chita" or "the funeral pyre and therefore the last resting place". "Bhang" as mentioned before means 'to destroy or to break". Sarbhang means "one who has destroyed his funeral pyre" and therefore "won victory over his own death" thereby achieving immortal life.

Sri Ram broke the Bow of Shivji. In other words it means that the Bow was defeated in the hands of Sri Ram. The result was that He won victory over death and achieved immortality.

Dinta va Kripa
Humility and Grace

Humility does not imply to become a coward or a beggar. In front of the world there is no necessity to project such an image. In front of the Lord it is however, another matter. Become so humble in front of the Lord that He is compelled to shower His Grace upon you.

Try to understand the following: While you possess wealth, you possess power, but if you are not wealthy, you have less command, therefore you become more humble as far as money matters are concerned.  Give away your mind and intellect to the Lord. Become poor and humble as far as these two are concerned. Your mind is the reason for your joy and sorrow. If you experience happiness, be sure that you will perceive its opposite.  When you give something away to a beggar, you generally part with something which is of no use to you, but if someone were to steal something from you, you can be sure that it will be something of value. Similarly you might become clever and try to give the Lord a useless mind, but remember the Lord will only steal a good and priceless one.

Udhav man na bhaye das bees

When Udhavji asked the gopis to perceive Krishna in everyone and everywhere as He is God incarnate; The gopis said, "We have only one mind which has already been stolen by Krishna. We do not possess ten or twenty of them to give them away here and there. Now that Krishna has stolen our heart we have become 'deen'. Which means that they are empty, they possess nothing. When this kind of humility takes place, then you are truly fulfilled."

Santon ki charan dhuli
The dust of the Enlightened ones feet

Mahaprabhuji believes that: Man is base by nature. It is the company of saints that elevate his character.

Sahaj paap priya taamas dehi

Which means that the human body is naturally drawn towards vice.  Sri Ram who is Life of Life, and Bliss of Bliss, states that His heart is the embodiment of the saint.  We may not remember but we have been a victim of sin for lifetimes, and yet it does not loosen its hold over us. Evil is destroyed primarily by the company of saints.

Main santon ke peechhe jaaoon
Janh janh sant sidhaare
Sant charan raj ang lagaai
Sant mohi praan piyaare

Which means that; (The Lord states):
I move where my beloved saints dwell
I anoint my body
With the dust of my saint's feet
Who are dearer to me
Than Life itself

Udveg samarpan 
Surrendering your anxieties and worries

This body enamored to negative tendencies cannot be rendered pure, unless it comes in contact with the dust of the feet of the Enlightened.   Mahaprabhuji says: "Do not entertain anxiety". Someone asked Mahaprabhuji, "We are humans, what to do when worry invades us?" He replied, "You have surrendered your mind. So now it belongs to the Lord. Despite the above if you feel anxious, then believe that this foreboding has been sent to you by Him. Consider it His prasad (gift), whatever it is that He sends you, be it joy, sorrow, bondage or liberation. When you are totally surrendered, where is the question of choice? The cool breeze during the night, and the warmth of the sun during the day are all gifts from the Almighty. Accept them. Mind is the cause of joy, sorrow, bondage, liberation. While the mind remains with you, all the above also does. So ask the Lord, the Master of Thieves to rob your mind.

Udhav man na bhaye das bees
Ek huto so gayo Syaam sang
Ko aaradhe Ees

The gopis say: "We had only one mind, which has been stolen by Krishna. Now we have nothing left with us with which to perform any kind of worship."

My Sharbhangji is also totally empty because he does not possess a mind. I believe that man is truly totally fulfilled when the mind is in possession of God. The Ram-charit-Maanas claims that there is no experience of joy and sorrow if the mind is not there. When your mind is totally involved in something, you are not aware of people coming and going, this is because your mind is totally concentrated on something else.

Sharbhang is truly fortunate that his mind is stolen by the Lord. Some people feel sorry that once the mind is gone, one would feel no joy. But the point to remember is that one would feel no sorrow either. You may not be full of virtue, but then you will not be a sinner either. All pairs disappear.

Sharbhangji is such a nisaadhan pilgrim. He burnt away his achievements and degrees. He renounced all his efforts. The Lord stole his mind and he flowed  towards the Lord.  When one reaches this stage then he can truly sing:

Naath sakal saadhan main heena
Kinhi kripa jaani jan deena
So kachhu dev na mohi nihora
Nij pan raakheo jan man chora.

Nisaadhanta ki charam-seema
The supreme peak of nisaadhanta

The powerless sometimes wins over the powerful because of their love and sincerity. However mighty the father may be, his child is able to stop his father on the spot when he holds on to his legs.

Sharbhangji tells Sri Ram, "Now I have only one desire, and that is that you stand right there where you are, until my entire body merges with you." Sharbhangji continues "I know that I cannot order you not to move, but I can implore and cry, and I know that the powerless do sometimes win victory over the powerful in this manner".

Jab lagi milo
Tumahi tanu tyaagi

And what is the body? The body is the "saadhan-dhaam" i.e. the house where all the efforts take place. Sharbhang has renounced all the efforts, so shouldn't he give up the "house of efforts" which is the body?

Saadhan dhaam bibudh durlabh tanu
mohi kripa kari deenho
Hari! tum bahut anugraha kinho

Sharbhang wants to merge with the Lord like water does with water. He wants to give up the body because he knows that while the body remains, a certain amount of desire is bound to be there. Hence he requests the Lord to stop where He is, until Sharbhang's body unifies with Him. Sharbhangji is the ultimate summit of nisaadhanta.