2.1 In the Samvat year 1882, on Fãgan sud 11 [20th March 1826], Swãmi Shree Sahajãnandji Mahãrãj was sitting on a mattress with a cylindrical pillow that had been placed on a wooden bedstead on a square platform in front of the mandir of Shree Nar-Nãrãyan in Amdãvãd. He was wearing a white khes and had covered Himself with a white chofãl. He had also tied a pink feto around His head, with tassels of roses dangling from it. Also, two bunches of roses adorned His neck. In addition to this, bãjubandh and gajarã of roses had been tied around His arms. In this way, His entire body had been decorated with roses. A sabhã of munis, as well as haribhaktas from various places, had gathered before Him. 2.2 Then, addressing all the paramhans, Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “I would like to ask you a question. Suppose there is a bhakta of Bhagvãn who behaves above the influence of jãgrat, svapna, and sushupti. He has shed the influence of polluted rajo-gun, tamo-gun, and sattva-gun, and acts within pure sattva-gun. That is how he worships Bhagvãn. Another bhakta behaves under the influence of the three gun but he does have intense love for Bhagvãn. Of these two bhaktas, who is better?” 2.3 Then, the sãdhus replied, “The bhakta with love for Bhagvãn is better.” 2.4 Shreeji Mahãrãj then questioned, “Now, consider the following: One person performs pujã of Bhagvãn after washing, bathing, and becoming pure; and another performs pujã in an impure state. Of these two, who is better?” 2.5 The munis replied, “The person who performs pujã after becoming pure is better.” 2.6 Hearing this, Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “You claim that the person who worships Bhagvãn after overcoming mãyik influences is inferior, and the person who expresses love for Bhagvãn with mãyik influences is superior. But, how is he superior?” 2.7 Since no one could answer the question, Shreeji Mahãrãj said, “Of the four types of bhaktas (ãrta, jignãsu, arthãrthi, and gnãni) described in the Geetã, Shree Krishna Bhagvãn had called the only bhaktas possessing gnãn His own ãtmã. Therefore, the person who becomes brahm-rup after having discarded mãyik influences, and then worships Bhagvãn, is the best bhakta. 2.8 “This is because nitya-pralay is the jeev’s sushupti state. Nimit-pralay is Brahmã’s sushupti state. Prãkrut-pralay is when all the entities that have evolved from Prakruti merge back into Prakruti. In ãtyantik-pralay, which is gnãn-pralay, everything up to and including Prakruti is hidden by the light of Brahm. Furthermore, in nitya-pralay, all of the jeev’s responsibilities are absorbed; and in prãkrut-pralay, all of Purush’s responsibilities are absorbed. However, when the creation process is initiated, all three are again engulfed by their respective responsibilities. 2.9 “However, a person who has overcome mãyik influences by way of ãtyantik-pralay, also called gnãn-pralay, is never engulfed by those responsibilities again. If at any time he does assume a physical body, then just like Bhagvãn assumes a body by His own will, he also assumes a body of his own will; he does not assume a body due to Kãl, karma, or Mãyã. 2.10 “Therefore, the person who worships Bhagvãn after becoming brahm-rup is definitely superior. Only a person who is a faithful bhakta of Bhagvãn and possesses the characteristics of an ekãntik bhakta can understand this fact.”