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48
N. M. KANSARA
SAMBODHI
exactly the same despite the influence of extremely adverse places, times, actions, and company, then the force of good deeds and merits previously performed by one must be extremely powerful. If, on the other hand, one's intellect becomes polluted despite extremely favourable places, times, actions and company, then it is because one must have committed a grave sin or spited a great devotee of God, either in a past life or in this life.
If the extremely great saintly person becomes pleased upon a person, ten regardless of how unfavourable the persons saņskāras may be, they are all destroyed. Moreover, If he is pleased, a beggar can become a king; regardless of how unfavourable a person's prārabdha may be, it becomes favourable; and regardless of how disastrous a misfortune he is to face, it is avoided.
The activities of the guņas are caused by the karmas. Specifically, the type of the karmas one has performed previously determines the guņa that will prevail. Hence, if a person in whom rajo-guna and tamo-guna are prevalent attempts to concentrate and meditate on God, he will not be able to do so. In such situations, he should utilize the strength of Self-realization and God's greatness.
Some children have a mature nature like elder people, whereas some have an extremely fidgety nature. For the most part, a good nature is due to company, but in some cases, it is due to past karmas.
Each of the eight factors of place, time, company, etc., has a force equal to that of the past saṁskāras. Thus, when one encounters them, they overpower the force of the past saṁskāras. After all, if good deeds and bad deeds are performed only by the influence of one's saņskāras, .then all the moral prescriptions and prohibitions of do's and don'ts, as found in the Vedas, śāstras and Purānas, would become meaningless. But these scriptures, which have been written by the great men, can never become false.
Either due to very strong samskāras from the past lives, or by serving and thus pleasing the Saint who has such firm attachment with God, these two methods help create deep attachment towards God. Besides these, there are no other methods. 10
If one were to displease God and His Saint, then despite the fact that one had performed such karmas that would have led one to heaven, all those karmas would be destroyed and one would be consigned to hell. Conversely, if one were to perform a karma by which God and His Saint are pleased, then even if one were destined to fall into hell, all of one's impure karmas would be destroyed and one would instead attain the highest state of enlightenment." Only those who have
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