The Soul Will Certainly Attain Liberation — But When?

In the thirty-fifth chapter we saw how Dnyaneshwar Maharaj made the bull recite the Vedas. He did not merely command the bull; he awakened in the bull’s soul the memory of its past seven lives and gave it the authority to speak the Vedas. The bull understood the command and spoke accordingly.

A similar event occurred in the era of the *Gurucharitra*. There was once a city named Vidura, ruled by a cruel Yavana king who hated Brahmins. He would summon Brahmins and ask them to recite the Vedas before him, offering rich gifts to any who could explain subtle points of the *Yajna-kanda*. His true intention, however, was to create confusion and division among Brahmins and accuse them falsely of advocating animal sacrifice.

Two Brahmins came to him declaring, “We know three Vedas. None is equal to us. Let anyone debate us; otherwise give us a certificate of victory.” The king, pleased with their arrogance, granted permission. Soon the two Brahmins defeated every scholar in the city and collected certificates from all.

When they reached Trivikrama Bharati, he recognized their pride and decided that only Sri Guru at Ganagapur could correct them. He said, “Let us go to Ganagapur. With the Guru’s permission, either we will give you the certificate or debate as you desire.” The two Brahmins rode in a palanquin while Trivikrama Bharati walked.

At the serene banks of the Bhima, Sri Guru was seated. He advised the Brahmins gently: “Do not carry false pride. Misusing knowledge leads only to ruin. Selling the Vedas, insulting Brahmins, and boasting of your own learning are self-destructive acts. You say you know three Vedas, but even Brahma Himself could not fully comprehend the Vedas. The Vedas are vast and sacred.”

He warned them that misuse of Vedic knowledge leads to the fate of becoming Brahma-rakshasas. Still they insisted, “If we lose the debate, the king will humiliate us. Debate with us or give us the certificate.”

To teach them the fruits of karma, Sri Guru outlined the *architecture* of all four Vedas. He did not recite mantras; he described their structure—knowledge that only a true knower possesses. Even the most educated often know concepts but not the entire index. The two so-called “Trivedis” did not understand the difference.

A man of a lower caste happened to pass by. Sri Guru said, “Bring him here.” When asked who he was, the man replied humbly, “I am of a backward caste. I am blessed to be called before you.” The Brahmins scoffed silently, thinking he could know nothing of the Vedas.

Sri Guru drew seven lines on the ground, applied sacred ash to the man, and told him, “Cross the first line and speak.” As he crossed, he said, “In that birth I was a Kirata, a forest tribesman.” Crossing the second line he recalled the next birth. Crossing the third, he said, “I was a boatman.” Across the fourth, he described his present birth. Across the fifth, he said, “In my next birth I will be a Vaishya named Somadatta.” Across the sixth, he said, “I will be born a Kshatriya—my name will be Godavari or Govardhana.” Across the seventh, he declared, “I will be a Brahmin, a learned teacher of Vedic grammar.”

Sri Guru said, “If you will be a teacher, then debate with these two Brahmins,” and again applied sacred ash upon him.

According to karmic law, the soul takes birth according to its actions. Because this Shudra received Sri Guru’s grace in his fourth birth, he would rise through Vaishya, Kshatriya and finally Brahmin births. The two Brahmins were stunned. Seeing a Shudra recall past and future births, they trembled with fear and remorse. They cried, “Forgive us, O Lord!”

Sri Guru replied, “You insulted Trivikrama Bharati and humiliated many Brahmins. You must therefore take birth as Brahma-rakshasas. Only after your karmic suffering is exhausted will you be freed. After twelve years, a Brahmin will release you.” Thus Sri Guru removed their arrogance and taught them the truth of karma.

That a man recalled multiple births simply by crossing lines was possible only through the supreme power of Lord Dattatreya. A Sadguru knows all the births of his disciple and reveals them when needed. Once, Sri Sadguru Vyankatnath Maharaj told Narendra, “Your wife Kunda was not destined to be your wife in this life. But we changed the arrangement for a larger divine plan.” An astrologer had earlier told Narendra the same: “Your wife was not meant for this birth. Why it changed, I cannot understand.”

Such examples show how deeply the universe keeps account of every soul’s journey.

Every soul will ultimately attain liberation. But how soon liberation comes depends entirely on the karma one performs. Therefore one should follow the actions prescribed by the Sadguru, serve and stay near the Guru as much as possible. The more time one spends in the Guru’s grace, the faster the soul’s purification and upliftment. In this alone lies the true fulfillment of life.