Dirt Cannot Wash Dirt, and Water Cannot Be Churned into Ghee
Uttara Kanda, Chaupai 47
Doha 49 · Movement 1 of 2
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Vashishtha names the immense field of sacred practice: repetition, austerity, discipline, yoga, rightful duty, knowledge, compassion, self-restraint, pilgrimage, and every auspicious action taught by revelation.
Agamas, Vedas, and countless Puranas may be read or heard, but their beautiful fruit is one: unbroken love for Rama's lotus feet. Practice reaches completion when knowledge becomes devotion.
Can dirt be cleansed by more dirt? Can anyone obtain ghee by churning water? Without the water of loving bhakti, the inward stain does not leave. The all-knowing, truly wise, learned, skillful, virtuous person is the one whose heart loves Rama's feet. The images strip away spiritual pretense. Labor alone cannot produce a substance absent from the vessel. Love must be present as the cleansing element and the hidden richness within the milk.
No amount of churning makes ghee from water, and no accumulation of practice ripens without love for Rama's feet.
Read the passage from the Manas
जप तप नियम जोग निज धर्मा। श्रुति संभव नाना सुभ कर्मा।। ग्यान दया दम तीरथ मज्जन। जहँ लगि धर्म कहत श्रुति सज्जन।। आगम निगम पुरान अनेका। पढ़े सुने कर फल प्रभु एका।। तब पद पंकज प्रीति निरंतर। सब साधन कर यह फल सुंदर।। छूटइ मल कि मलहि के धोएँ। घृत कि पाव कोइ बारि बिलोएँ।। प्रेम भगति जल बिनु रघुराई। अभिअंतर मल कबहुँ न जाई।। सोइ सर्बग्य तग्य सोइ पंडित। सोइ गुन गृह बिग्यान अखंडित।। दच्छ सकल लच्छन जुत सोई। जाकें पद सरोज रति होई।।
Japa, tapas, observances, yoga, and one's own dharma; all the auspicious deeds born of the Shruti. Knowledge, compassion, self-mastery, and bathing at holy tirthas; whatever dharma the Vedas and saints describe. The Agamas, the Vedas, and countless Puranas: whether read or heard, O Lord, their fruit is one. Constant love for Your lotus feet. This is the beautiful fruit of every spiritual practice. Can dirt be washed away with dirt? Can anyone obtain ghee by churning water? Without the water of loving devotion, O Raghurai, the inner impurity can never be washed clean. He alone is all-knowing. He alone is truly wise and learned. He alone is the home of virtue and unbroken vijnana. He alone possesses skill and every auspicious mark, in whose heart there is love for Your lotus feet.