A Viveki and a Vairagi, one on top of the other

– Pujya Bapuji

Two sadhakas, who had taken diksha from Guruji, went on a pilgrimage. They had taken diksha and accepted the order of sadhu. One of them was Viveki (a man of discrimination) and the other Vairagi (a man of dispassion). They listened to satsang and developed dispassion; they became sadhu. The brother disciples arrived at their destination on the eighth day of their journey. Vairagi said to Viveki, “I am going to beg for alms. You rest as you feel more tired today.”

When he went for bhiksha, a beautiful naughty girl approached Viveki. He looked at her: “O, God please save me….”

He bowed his head and started crying. She was speaking sweet words, while Viveki was crying continuously. Meanwhile Vairagi returned with the alms and upon seeing him, she fled.

He asked, “O brother-disciple! Why are you crying? I have come with the alms, are you hungry? Has an insect or animal bitten you or has somebody harassed you? Speak up my brother-disciple! Speak up.” The brother-disciple looked upwards, “Have you brought the alms?” “Yes! Why were you crying?”

He again started crying and said inarticulately, “When you left ‘the maya’ which means that which appears but does not stay, which does not accompany us forever, came assuming strange forms.

N>moQ>r-_moQ>r H$m{_Zr, g^r {df H$s ~ob &
d¡ar _mao Xm±d go, dmo _mao h±g-Iob &&

“All attractive women - small or big, are poisonous creepers. The enemy kills by tricks, but she kills merely by her coquettish gestures.”

The Lord’s maya (illusion) who drags me towards carnal pleasures and worldly attractions by praising the mortal perishable body, came and was saying, “you are very handsome, you are like this, your eyes are like that, your forehead is like this…’. I have not yet trodden the path to God and this attractive maya came and so I am crying.”

Immediately upon hearing this, Vairagi started crying and they were both sobbing. Viveki said to Vairagi, “I am still sobbing, and I am trying to stop you from crying. What is the matter? Why are you not stopping crying?”

“Brother! You possess discrimination. Maya came and you bowed your head and started crying continuously. You just bowed your head and got rid of her by crying. I am not even that intelligent. Had she come near me, then what would have I done?”

Viveki said, “Brother! I cried when she came near me but you are crying on this point even before her coming. You possess more discrimination and dispassion than me.”

Both of them arrived at the door of their Guruji. Guruji said, “Sons! Your meditation and japa have become fruitful. You both have sought the support of discrimination and dispassion. The one who seeks the support of discrimination and dispassion, God considers even their little practice of Japa very big. Son sit! Now I consider you worthy of God-realisation.”

Guruji’s heart overflowed with grace on both of his true disciples.