How do we know if God's remembrance will come to us at the time of death or not? // 24/08/26

Satsang of Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj — To hear the complete satsang, watch the video above.

The Complete Discourse

Jai jai Shri Hit Shri Radha Vallabh Lal ki jai. Everyone is born for the attainment of God. Only those attain God. God said in the Shrimad Bhagavat Gita: "Antakale cha mamev smaran muktvā kalevaraṃ yah prāyah samad bhāvam yā na sanśaya." God is saying: "Antakale cha mam eva smaran muktvā kalevaraṃ" — when the remembrance of God comes at the final moment, when the body is being shed at the time of death, and the remembrance of God has come, then He says: "Yah prāya samad bhāvaṁ yā na sanśaya" — that person will certainly attain Me. There is no doubt about this.

But if throughout your life you have not done any bhajan or sadhana, how will remembrance of God come at the final moment? Goswami Tulsidas Ji wrote: "Janma janma muni jatan karahī aur ant rām kah āvat nāhī."

This has two meanings. One is that through births and births, the rishis and munis, through tapasya and bhajan, develop such a mind that the remembrance of God comes at the final moment. But at the final moment, there is such a flow of maya that the intellect and mind become unconscious.

So the remembrance of God does not happen at all. The first meaning is: through births and births the munis strive, and at the end the name of God does not come forth from the mouth. The name of God cannot be remembered at the final moment. The second meaning, which is the true and deeper one connected to this, is: those rishis and munis who have endeavored to do bhajan of God through birth after birth, they do not return saying "Ram" at the end.

At the end, having remembered God's name, they do not take birth again. "Āvat nāhī" — they do not return to this mortal world again.

God said: "Antakale cha mam eva smaran muktvā" — remembrance alone is liberation. Through remembrance alone one is freed from the bondage of birth and death in this world.

What is necessary for liberation from birth and death? The remembrance of God. And when should it come? At the final moment.

But if someone has not practiced throughout their life, by God's grace sometimes such a circumstance arises. Like what happened with Ajamil — his son was named Narayana, and at the final moment he called out his son's name: "Narayana!" He called it for his son, but the name belongs to God, doesn't it? Narayana. Through the remembrance, God's companions came and stopped the messengers of Yama. They gave him the opportunity to remember God and he attained the abode of Sat-Chit-Ananda.

If you have not practiced bhajan throughout your life, bhajan will not happen at the time of death. It is very difficult to do bhajan.

You are all travelers on the path of bhajan. You have taken refuge in our Shri Ji. Look how difficult it is to do bhajan.

Even those with much practice — the mind makes them forget.

Those with practice for many years — if in eating, in any activity, in meeting others, in conversation, or through any lapse, if there is no inward focus but outward focus, then bhajan falls away.

At the final moment, whatever we do in life begins to dance before us.

If we have indulged in worldly pursuits and committed sins, then those will come to remembrance at the final moment.

And whatever comes to remembrance becomes the form of your next life.

We must practice. God is saying: "Antakale cha mam eva smaran muktvā kalevaraṃ" — what a beautiful thing this is! The body is being shed. And it becomes: "Radha Radha Radha."

When does this happen? When you are awake, in dreams, in the state of deep sleep — the remembrance of Radha becomes established.

When you do bhajan well while awake, people experience this themselves. Look, you are sleeping and yet the name continues, the mantra continues, some verse continues.

Those who do good bhajan will experience this. When you turn, the name is still going, the verse is still going. You don't even know if you are asleep or awake, if it is drowsiness or a state of transcendence. Such is the state.

Those who do bhajan extensively — remembrance happens in many ways.

At the final moment, once while doing parikrama, there was a fox that had been left by dogs in a state of near death. At that time, around 2 o'clock in the night, the parikrama path was not paved. It was dust and earth. Covered in blood in that dusty place, at the final moment it just sat there. Someone waved their hand and sang "Radha Radha Radha" for just a few minutes, and it departed.

It departed. This teaches us that even hearing is considered remembrance at the final moment.

If someone is dying and you go near them and make them hear "Radha Radha Radha," the fruit you will obtain is greater than all the sacrifices that exist. You will receive God's grace. That life will be saved.

Whether it is a dog, a cow, any creature, or a human — if you get the opportunity to do this, you should do it. You should not miss it.

Any animal, bird, or human — if they hear, if they are made to utter "Radha Radha Radha Radha" in the moment of death, they will attain God.

They cannot remember themselves. But you have made them remember.

You have made them hear the name Radha or written it — they are dying in a place where the name Radha is written. Their sight falls on it and the remembrance of Radha comes. That is enough.

Making someone hear the name Radha or reading the name — through remembrance alone one is liberated.

And there is one more gracious thing mentioned: suppose someone has gone into a coma — now they cannot hear, cannot read, cannot even remember.

A coma is a state — often at the final moment there is a comatose, unconscious state.

Even if eight hours before going into a coma you heard or read the name Radha, or ten days before you heard, read, or spoke the name Radha, and then you went into a coma, and after ten days in the coma your body shed, you will attain God.

There is this forgiveness because after that you cannot think or act — you cannot speak anything. The final word of your consciousness should be Radha, or whatever the name of Ram, Krishna, Hari or God — through that very name, attainment of God happens. Through maddha bhav, through bhagvat bhav, those who live this way attain God while still living. Now, those who have done bhajn their whole life — it concerns them: will our remembrance of the Divine come at the final moment or not? Because — abhyas yoga yukt cheta nyagamina divyam shaswatam purusham — or partha chint — the Lord Himself is saying: when we do bhajn throughout our life, then at the final moment only our bhajn will dance in our mind, will be there in us.

Like this: when we are in great distress, only the memory of Shri Ji comes. Because except for Him, there is no one for us. [throat clearing sound] We believe this in life, and when this belief is held for a very long time, it becomes established. Established means it takes over. Once it takes hold, that conviction never leaves. Just as a worldly person becomes established in attachment and possessiveness — he is not ready to acknowledge that nothing is his, that God is mine. He has become established in that. So at the final moment, that very established state, that very attachment and possessiveness, will drag him to hell.

Why will he go to hell? Brother! You kept providing for your family, kept working hard, kept arranging marriages for your daughters and sons. This was only for this reason — you were sent because you received a human birth: "You should do My bhajn and in the end attain Me." This is why it is said: jo na tare bhavesagar as samaj nar pae, swati nindak mandmati aatman gati jae — one who does not cross the ocean of worldly existence after getting this rare human birth, one who criticizes the satsang, such a foolish one brings ruin to their own soul — such a person attains a terrible fate. One who gets a human body but does not keep company with saints, does not do bhajn, does not listen to God's stories, does not serve God, and while doing all this does not attain bhagvat bhav, maddha bhav — such a one attains a terrible fate.

Because the Lord, watching you wander through so many births, stopped you in between and gave you a human body. Shri Sev Ji Maharaj says: sanskruti man baryai ke payo manush deh, vathakat dhart sanskruti ke chakra ko rok kar, kabhu ka karunaya nar dehee — the Lord, stopping the wheel of karma, out of compassion gave you a human body. Without cause, with love — the Lord who loves without cause gave us this human body to do bhajn. When a soul is in the womb and nine months pass, at that time through the Lord's grace its memory awakens. It sees the sins and karmas of countless births, and the terrible fate that results from those actions.

Such terrible suffering comes to it. Then it prays to the Lord: "Once, take me out of this mother's womb. From now on I will only do bhajn, and by doing bhajn I will attain You." A firm promise, but a big lie. Bhumi prat bhavar pani tim jivh maya laptani — like pure water falls to earth and becomes impure, so when we are born, maya's influence is such that mother, father, brother, sister-in-law, aunt, uncle, grandmother, grandfather — all these fill our mind, and we forget the promise we made to God. Then childhood, youth, old age — through such phases, for one seeking God consciousness, a sadhak or worshipper — as quickly as you can abandon other feelings, you should.

Whether you are a householder or renounced. If you want to attain God, then maddha bhav — its meaning is this: as was said in yesterday's satsang, "The Lord is mine and I am the Lord's." This is a very great established mantra. Priya mere main priya, koi apna nahi yar — my Beloved is mine, I am my Beloved's, no one is ours, friend. There is such a false illusion of maya that what we are saying, you will not understand it. When Shri Ji explains it, then this understanding comes: that no one is ours, and truly no one is foreign either, because everyone whom my Lord dwells in — my Lord dwells in everyone — therefore no one is foreign. And if that feeling doesn't come that God is mine, then everything has become worthless, everything has become worthless, the whole life has become worthless. So a sadhak should attain maddha bhav, the bhagvat bhav of God.

They say one who has attained bhagvat bhav — in the words of Pujya Pad Shri Devra Baba, the media person was asking. He said: "State by state, God-merged state, God-merged state — we received such intense joy from this — the God-merged state." Baba is telling us about our state. This is what is called maddha bhav, attainment of bhagvat bhav. The great soul in the God-merged state — at all times awakened in God, in sleep, in dream, in deep sleep, seeing in all these. So God is within, turned inward, so God. Sleeping, so God. Awake. In dream, in deep sleep, in all states, so Him. That is called the God-merged state. That is called maddha bhav. So until we do worship of the Lord, body consciousness and worldly consciousness do not leave. And if body consciousness doesn't leave, then attachment to worldly pleasures and worldly relationships — family, relatives — attachment remains.

In God consciousness you can be alone only in a room when there is God consciousness. Not: in solitude alone your mind will become very sad, or it will make you think of pleasures, or trap you in the mobile, or make you talk to someone. That is not called bhagvat bhav. That is worldly feeling. In society there is God. In solitude there is God. When active there is God. When sitting quietly there is God. Maddha bhav — this comes through doing the worship of God. Like you all are engaged. From early morning to evening, from evening to early morning, serving the Beloved for all eight watches — singing the vani, doing naam jap, doing naam kirtan — those who are engaged sincerely: bin vivek vairag bhakti bin satya na ek ko mano, bhagvat vimukh kapt chaturai so pakhande jano — without discrimination, renunciation, bhakti, accept no one as truthful. One turned away from God through deception and cunning — know him as an imposter. Without discrimination, the one full of discrimination, full of renunciation, full of bhakti — continuous service to God with the body, doing firm bhajn with the mind, not even a moment of worldly involvement — then such a one, gradually, gradually becomes established in God consciousness. Body consciousness is removed, worldly consciousness is removed, then maddha bhav, attainment of God — through what?

There is this principle, mother - in birth, death, and liberation, mother. Yesterday we had discussion, today it's happening again. My devotion, my remembrance - then at the time of death, when my remembrance comes, I obtain that which I have remembered. Those who do not practice worship - how will remembrance of God come to them at the time of death? It won't come. It is very difficult for remembrance of God to come at the final hour without bhajan.

This is why Goswami Tulsidas Ji, thinking deeply about it, wrote: "Whether there is ghee on the forehead or oil lamps, without worship of Hari there is no crossing of the ocean of samsara."

This principle is shown in Bharat Ji Maharaj, who is the son of the Lord Rishabhdev.

He is the direct son of God. God makes no distinction - son, friend, enemy. If you remember a deer, you become a deer. We are far away. God is the avatar Rishabhdev, and his son is Bharat Ji, and if the remembrance that comes is of a deer, you become a deer. And whichever remembrance comes is that which is most dear. At the final time, that remembrance which is most dear to you. Like in the story of Puranjana - Puranjana thinks of a woman, so in the next birth he becomes a woman. If in your life you practice bhajan and sadhana, even at an ordinary pace - there is ordinary pace and there is rapid pace.

In rapid pace there is intense dispassion. Neither food tastes good nor sleep tastes good. Nothing tastes good. Constant remembrance of God. That is rapid pace. Ordinary pace is to eat and drink with joy, to maintain your daily life. You are not doing any wrong actions. You are not saying anything against God. But the thing is - if you don't enjoy food, if soft spring doesn't appeal, all subjects taste bitter to you, the lover of Hari is free of attachment - that is intense, that is best. But even if that is not so, and there is a medium pace, but there is no inauspicious conduct, no wrong action, then God says: at the final moment when that soul becomes unconscious, I become his remembrance.

This is the grace of the Merciful One. This is why we say God is obtained through God's grace. Whatever bhajan and sadhana we practice all our life, we build that foundation, but at the final moment God's grace will act because we are under God's shelter. At that time God causes us to remember, or the soul connects with some saint and receives the saint's grace. The grace of saints comes in many ways. One is grace through proximity, and one is grace through hearing. His health has become very bad. The body is about to end. He became peaceful. He became completely absorbed in the thought of God and prayed, so in his heart, through contemplation, through his insight, through his words, through his touch - in every way - the saints bring about salvation.

Your remembrance of the saint may not come, but if the saint's remembrance of you happens, then remembrance of God will begin in your heart. This is the glory. At the final time, either there is abundant company of sadhus and service to sadhus, or there is firm bhajan. For one who serves sadhus, there is no need to do separate bhajan. His salvation happens through that. Now, those engaged in service - there is such concentration that nam jap is not happening - that is their contract. They are in a contract. It's not that you were swinging a hammer or spade, so that's your contract. They are in the contract of grace.

Certainly their salvation will happen. One with a mala might make a mistake, but that one won't make a mistake because they have given their life to the command. Either bhajan, or service to some sant - even small service to a sant, by taking shelter - a little service will itself bring about attainment of God. There is an incident from the Gita Vatika. Around the hut of Pujya Radha Baba, a sohni, a mai, would come every day and sweep. She never spoke with Baba. No one even knew that Baba was aware of her. Saints have such a gaze. They see while walking about. Even in service, even if you didn't see them, they are seeing all of it. Saints and the divine are one.

Ram sits in the window looking out and watches everyone's situation, and to whoever gives service, He gives accordingly. For years that sohni came daily and swept regularly. Then one day she didn't come. Baba asked: that mai who used to come sweep the sohni is not showing up. They said: she is very sick; we don't think she will survive. He said: okay, he stood up and said: take me to her. She only came to sweep. Baba went. He just placed his hand on her forehead and said: are you seeing something? She said: yes, Priyaju and Lalu - Radha-Krishna both are standing in front, saying "come." She said: let's go, Baba. He stood up and left. Straight to the attainment of God. Either there is such company of sadhus, such great souls, their service, or else within oneself such bhajan - and bhajan also only happens when there is company of bhajan-loving saints.

However God is worshipped, it certainly brings supreme welfare. But to attain devotional love for God is difficult. This is a very difficult matter. That is why there is only one remedy: mother, the dance of God, the shelter of Priyalal - taking the refuge of Vyasa, getting the grace of the beloved. Now you yourself see - I don't have the capacity to remember you at the final moment, so you be merciful. This faith is firm: at the final moment Shri Ji will come, at the final moment some sakhi of Shri Ji will come, at the final moment remembrance of Shri Ji will come, and we will certainly attain Shri Ji.

Make this faith firm. "Firm is the faith in these feet - Shri Vallabh is the moon of the night; without Shri's radiance the whole world is darkness." If we have taken shelter of Shri's feet, firm, then there is no remedy greater than this. Sadhana is done for attainment through faith, and the sadhana that comes from faith is very powerful. Faith is a very great thing. You practice bhajan and worship, do service. But make firm faith in the beloved Mother. Our Mother Shyama. This firm faith. Our Shri Ji is very full of compassion. "Even if faults become like an ocean, I do not count them as faults. I consider worship even the size of a grain like an ocean. Even if offenses become like an ocean, Shri Ji does not regard [me] as an offender."

A mustard seed is a tiny grain. If even that much becomes devotion, one regards it as a mountain. Through the grace of such a merciful beloved and the glory of Harivansh, we have all received shelter. May we remain in such remembrance, such service, such devotion that it becomes our final moment. If the final moment is spent in remembrance of God, then we will win the game of our life. The goal will be attained. Do not fall short. In the world, in looking here and there, in criticizing one another, in seeing faults in others—why waste your time?

तेरे भावे जो करे भलो बुरो संसार नारायण तू बैठ के अपनो भवन भाग कुम नाम जप करो सेवा प्राण रो श्री राधा वल्लभ लाल की जय
Whatever pleases you, good or bad in the world, O Narayana, sit in your own home, free from sorrow, chant the name, with devoted heart do service. Glory to Shri Radha Vallabh Lal.

This text is taken from the video's auto-generated captions — there may be errors in the words. Please listen to the video for the authentic discourse.

Original video: Shri Hit Radha Kripa (YouTube)