Discretion in food

Page 1


Editor : Deepak Desai

April 2010 Year : 5, Issue : 6 Conti. Issue No.: 54

DADAVANI Discretion in food

Publisher, Owner & Printed by : Deepak Desai on behalf of Mahavideh Foundation, 5, Mamtapark Soc., Usmanpura, Ahmedabad - 380014 Gujarat, India.

EDITORIAL All jivas living beings from one sense developed ekendriya to five sense developed panchendriya, are living according to the dictum ‘jivo jivasya jivanum – all living beings are living their lives by consuming living forms’, in this world. Food is mandatory for maintenance of life. Food for living being is verily a living being. One cannot eat any thing except a living being. One has to eat the thing which has life in it and only through this a body can attain nourishment. Different opinions regarding disciplines in diet prevails in society for the maintenance of life. What is correct in this? What is proper? Because of lack of proper understanding in regards to what kind of diet one should follow, people are getting confused. This is because the act of eating itself involves killing. And killing of living beings happen in act of eating food; as a result, violence is committed; so then what should people, who want to follow the path of religion or spirituality, do? Revered Gnani Purush Dadashri has presented facts according to the spiritual scientific vision and has cleared many misconceptions, about the kinds of foods which may be eaten. How are fruits and vegetarian food beneficial? Why should one renounce root vegetables? Why one should not eat after dark? How drinking boiled water is beneficial? Is there violence in drinking milk or eating yogurt? How eating eggs and non-vegetarian food is detrimental; thus Dadashri has given right understanding regarding such aspects. This will give the right understanding about keeping discretion in proper diet, to the seekers. Those who want to go to moksha, do not have right to eat two-sense developed or more than two-sense developed life forms. There is some violence in eating one-sense developed living beings, but Lord does not forbid the consumption of single-sense developed organisms because they do not contain pus or meat. In providing benefits to humans, these life forms also reap benefits for themselves. This progression into higher life forms is a natural process in the universe. In fact, the entire universe is composed of life forms. Those (jivas) living beings are in the form of vegetation (vanaspatikaya), air (vayukaya), water (jalkaya), fire (teookaya), earth (pruthvikaya) and such innumerable living beings are killed, so then what should we do? So the Lord said to protect trasjivas (the jivas with two senses developed or three senses, which get frightened or feel fear). And beyond this, do not hurt or harass humans and animals who have come under your shelter. Revered Dadashri says that, think of your body, through which you have met a Gnani Purush, as a friend. Your body has brought with it everything for its preservation so you need not interfere. You should completely immerse yourself in your spiritual goal. With all the existing difficulties, you mahatmas are able to experience nirvikalp samadhi; bliss amidst all disturbances in thoughts, speech and acts. All these are verily acquisitions, if one becomes non-acquisitive in this then it can end, and can attain eternal bliss. It is our ardent prayer that let us all understand the science related to food and start commencing real spiritual effort of attaining the Self. ~Deepak Desai Subscription : Yearly SubscriptionIndia: 100 Rupees USA: 15 Dollars UK: 10 Pounds 15 Years Subscription India: 800 Rupees USA: 150 Dollars UK: 100 Pounds Printer/Press : Mahavideh Foundation, Basement, Parshvanath Chambers, Usmanpura, Ahmedabad-380014


DADAVANI

Discretion in food { Please note that ‘S’ Self denotes the awakened Self, separate from the ‘s’ worldly self. The Self is the Soul within all living beings. The term pure Soul is used by the Gnani Purush for the awakened Self, after the Gnan Vidhi. The absolute Soul is the fully enlightened Self. The worldly soul is the self. In the same manner, ‘Y’ You refers to the awakened Soul or Self, and the ‘y’ you refers to the worldly self. This differentiation is unique to critical understanding of the separation of the Self from the self a/k/a the non-Self complex that is accomplished in the Gnan Vidhi of Akram Vignan.}

Is it possible to eat anything without taking a life?

needlessly. So we should give such preferences.

Questioner: Life does not exist without eating food (aahaar) then is it possible to eat anything without taking a life (samhaar)?

Protect the living beings which feel fear

Dadashri: Eating food involves taking a life indeed. Whatever food you take in is verily taking a life samhaar. Questioner: So does the other living being get hurt to the slightest extent in the process of samhaar? Dadashri: Pain (dukha) will happen, will it not? Questioner: So how can we maintain our life without doing samhaar? Dadashri: It cannot happen. Therefore the Lord has allowed to do samhaar. There is no liability in doing killing (samhaar) only that much which is necessary to sustain our life/ which is just enough to live our life. No person should have the slightest fear or the slightest inconvenience on our account; that much verily is the religion of the Self (Atmadharma). The preference in this, amidst all that lives is as follows. First it is for human beings. Second preference is for living beings with five senses. Then the third preference is for living beings with three sense organs and then the life forms who have two-sense organs developed and the fourth preference to these trees and plants which we pull and break 2

Questioner: Everything has life, plants also have life, eggs also have life; so then in matters of eating how much discrimination, are you suggesting, a worldly person should have, in the matter of eating-drinking? Dadashri: That living being (jiva) which does not experience fear and harassment (traas) from us, that food, that being, you can be violent (himsa) with; you may eat that food. If you want to commit violence for eating food then just do to violence with those that do not feel any fear. So when you touch this ant then will it get frightened or not? Do not touch or kill the living beings (jivas) which feel fear. Only such things as wheat, millet, rice do not get frightened; they are in the state of unconsciousness (beybhan), so if you boil them they will not run away. If you plant them, even then nothing will happen. They will leave you alone. All different kinds of grains are there, all kinds of vegetables are there, eat with leisure, whatever you like. You can make such food very tasty; and food of plants and vegetables is the best food. The relation of food with the energy of understanding The life of the one who eats fruits only April 2010


DADAVANI

is the best of all. The one who lives on fruits (fadahari) has tremendous energy of understanding. If one is not able to survive on fruits alone, but eats grains; is a pure vegetarian, does not eat eggs, does not eat potatoes, then his energy of understanding is of a very high level than other people. One’s energy of understanding starts to decrease when he eats potatoes and root vegetables. The one who eats eggs, but not other non-vegetarian foods has better energy of understanding than other non-vegetarian people. And then comes nonvegetarian foods and at last the one who eats human meat. So all this are the categories of foods of living beings, so those who consume human flesh are the lowest in this order of human beings. It is the worst thing to eat human flesh. Such a human being is considered verily an animal and the one who eats animal meat is called a half animal; it is bestiality, such a person is a human being by appearance but has an animal nature (paashavi). Categories of foods to break the veils of ignorance Questioner: Why is eating certain kinds of food prohibited in our scriptures? Dadashri: There are different categories of food. The worst and the most deleterious is the human flesh. Next comes the meat of animals. In this category however, it is better to consume the flesh of the species whose population increases rapidly, such as chickens, fish or ducks, as opposed to eating the meat of cattle and such animals whose population does not increase rapidly. Eating eggs is better than eating meat. But those who want to further their spiritual progress should consume only edible roots e.g. carrots and potatoes. And those who want to progress even further, I say that they should avoid even these and April 2010

consume only foods such as breads, wholegrain, sweet preparations of wheat and ghee. And spiritual progress beyond this would require avoidance of any foods containing unrefined sugar, ghee, butter, honey, yogurt and cream. In this case, people should eat only rice, lentils and vegetables, which is the ideal diet. Foods are categorized in this manner and anyone can choose the category of his preference. The descriptions of the different categories are given to break the inner veils of ignorance, and not for the purpose of enforcement. The Lord had made these distinctions to break the veils (avaran) of ignorance that cover the Self. If one follows this path then the veils of ignorance start to break. The Lord has not insisted that people must follow this. That which is wrong, must for sure be known. Where are the living beings and where are they not? All these grains that you eat, like wheat, millet; are all tiny animate beings. When planted in the ground and given water, they will sprout right away. All these are small creatures. Now this rice is not animate, live. It will not grow, that is why it is not animate. But all these others are living entities. Yet the Lord has said to eat these only. Questioner: When that wheat is on the plant, at that time is there a life in it? Dadashri: Yes, and the life is there even now. When we plant this wheat grain, it will grow. But there is no life in the wheat grains after they become four-five years old. After that if they are planted, they will not grow. Questioner: Is the soul separate in each seed? 3


DADAVANI

Dadashri: Yes, it is separate. Questioner: And this tree which bears fruit; is there a different separate soul (atma) in each fruit? Dadashri: There is no soul in the fruit portion. The seed which is in that fruit, that seed has soul within. There is no harm therefore in eating the fruit. The Lord has given permission to eat the fruit, but do not harass the seed. You may eat the pulp of the mango, but do not break the gotlo (stone in fruit with kernel in it). One cannot eat that which has no life Questioner: So fruits can be eaten? Dadashri: You can eat all the fruits. There is no second opinion about eating fruits at all. Fruits are the best amongst all that is good. No one can meddle in that and say anything against them. This is just that human beings have interfered in wherever they could. Questioner: So you mean to say that there is a life in this fruit too. Dadashri: All fruits have life. Yes, they have only one sense. That which is being eaten, are all (jivas) living beings, and they all have one sense developed. One cannot eat lifeless matter at all. Even an animal will not eat a lifeless thing. Cow, buffalo, no one will eat lifeless matter. Questioner: So then, human beings should not eat anything at all? Human beings cannot eat anything at all? Dadashri: Human beings should eat, but there discretion has been offered that humans eat the one-sense endowed life forms, which are not moving about and do not feel fright. You eat delicious dishes after preparing 4

and grinding grains like wheat, millet, rice, etc., and you are responsible for killing these onesense life forms. So what benefit do you gain from this? The nourishment sustains your life. Say for instance, having eaten them, for whatever progress you made on the path of spirituality towards the Lord, you made a profit of fifty rupees. Ten rupees out of this goes to the life which was killed, and forty will be yours for higher progress. The ten rupees you lose is credited to life lost, and such credit will earn them a birth in a higher life form and you still earn forty rupees. So this sequence is organized. Only the one-sense developed beings can be eaten Questioner: There is a soul in the paddy plant and we have soul within us. So are we not committing sin (karma that will bring adverse result, demerit karma, paap) in eating all these grains? Dadashri: It is like this, what kind of grain do we have the right to eat? If we say, ‘boil this wheat grains’, then wheat grains will not run away. Then you may eat the wheat grains. There is a life in them. But they will not run away. So they do not have fear, they do not feel the hurt, they do not understand, they are in the state of unconsciousness. Therefore, you can eat millet, wheat, rice and all such grains, but do not eat that chicken and all that. When we touch this ant, will it run away or not? Questioner: It will run away. Dadashri: Then you cannot kill it. One cannot kill that which is afraid of us, runs away, panics due to us, and struggles to get away. So we have right to eat wheat, rice, April 2010


DADAVANI

white gourd (doodhi), and all these vegetables because they are ekendriya life forms with one sense. We are allowed to eat one-sense life forms. You can eat by grinding them or milling them to different taste and texture, all it will take is your effort energy, but that is allowed. So we have to live on these onesense endowed living beings. Eat just enough for sustenance These mango trees, Neem trees, mangoes, do not feel fear; therefore you can eat as much you want to. If we cut this white gourd (doodhi- green vegetable), does it run away? No. So there is no harm in eating onesense living beings. But one should not waste it. It should be enough for nourishment. And then just for the sake of enjoyment one should not cook two to four kinds of leafy green vegetables, two to four kinds of chutneys spiced ground up sauces. One should not keep a trait to enjoy (shokha) in this manner; become an epicure. One should keep the rule to eat just enough to nourish the body. Then nothing will become an impediment and bring suffering.

hundred thousand living beings (jivas) in a single potato of standard size. If you remove the seeds from a big pumpkin (kodu) and did not misuse the seeds then there is only one jiva in that entire pumpkin. It tastes just like potato. These Jain people eat vegetable preparation made from unripe banana, they do want to relish the pleasure of taste too, don’t they? Do not get deep into that Questioner: But then in the routine vegetables like eggplant and okra etc., that we eat, so many are eaten, what about them? Dadashri: You do not need to have any concern about that at all. You do not worry about that whatsoever. Questioner: Does one bind more sin (paap), if he eats these sprouted moong (green pulse beans), mutha (brown legume-pulse beans)?

Questioner: Similarly, small living beings are there in eggplant, white gourd and all those vegetables, are they not?

Dadashri: You should eat that more. If someone tells you, ‘One binds demerit karma (paap) by doing that,’ even then you should eat more. This is because there are very few things which give vitamins to the body in this era of the time cycle kaal. So you should say, ‘We will eat according to this kaal. We are not ready to believe your talk.’ And these moong and mutha beans do not feel fear.

Dadashri: No, they are not in there. There is only one living being in white gourd (doodhi). You have to remove the seeds from that. However many seeds are there, that many jivas living beings are there, so you have to remove the seeds. If you do not remove the seeds then at the most you end up eating five to fifty seeds. There is not much value of five to fifty seeds. But there are more than a

And go ahead and eat the boiled chickpea-garbanzo (chanaa) comfortably. Now if someone says, ‘Sir, when you boil chickpeas, then all those jivas will die, will they not? And hyacinth beans (vaal) are bigger than chanaa, so there are less jivas, are there not!’ Hey you! Just eat, do not be overwise! Why are you becoming overwise? He begins an account, that this bean size is small and this

However many seeds, that many life forms are there

April 2010

5


DADAVANI

one is larger and therefore there is lesser life consumed in eating larger size. The Lord has said all this for the living beings that flee from fear trasjiva. The Lord has not said anything about the one-sense life forms. The Lord has remained silent. Those jivas which do not have meat and pus, do not get very deep into that. One cannot eat trasjiva The Lord tells you to take care of human beings first. Here is a guideline: Be aware to not hurt any human being, even in the slightest degree, through your mind, speech and actions. Then comes the five-sense endowed (panchendriya) living beings such as cows, chickens, goats etc. You do not have to worry about these as much as you should about humans, nevertheless you should be careful and not harm them in any way. So you should take care up to this. Five-sense living beings other than humans come in the secondary stage. Then what comes in the third stage? You have to take care of two and more than two-sense endowed life forms. Two or more than two-sense developed life forms are considered trasjivas. Traas means they get frightened and harassed. The whole world is in the form of fear and effects of harassment. When we just touch these beings with our hand they get frightened, and they remain in fear only. All living beings with two and more than two sense organs developed; fear of us. The moment we try to touch, they feel fear and run away. Only onesense developed living beings are not harmful in eating. This wheat, rice do not have fear, because of one-sense development only, they are not conscious of that. One-sense developed life forms are not developed up to the level of feeling fear. 6

Which is the highest of all food? The best kind of food to eat is any food that comprises one-sense developed living beings. Anyone desirous of liberation should not eat foods comprised of two or more sense developed life forms. So we should not take on the responsibility of eating that which is more than two or more sense developed life forms. The higher the numbers of senses of life forms in your food, the more of your merit karma is used up. Our food is verily one-sense developed living beings We humans must eat to survive, but when we consume food, we incur a liability because the food we eat is made up of at least one-sense developed life forms. When we eat this food, we are responsible for the violence that arises from the act of eating. But the Lord has allowed us the freedom to eat because of our high merit karma balance. In the act of eating these life forms, although you incur a liability, the benefits you gain are much greater. The nourishment sustains you and keeps you alive and because you do good deeds, you earn merit karma. For example, if you earn hundred points from your good deeds, in destroying these life forms, you lose ten points. Then ten points you lose is credited to the life forms you kill, which will earn them a birth in a higher life form. This progression into higher life forms is a natural process in the universe. They will progress from a single-sense developed organism to a two-sense developed organism and so on. The evolutionary process takes place in this manner. In providing benefits to humans, these life forms also reap benefits for themselves. But people do not understand this science. April 2010


DADAVANI

The Lord has said not to interfere with the violence in eating of single-sense developed life forms. To do so involves ego. The singlesense developed life forms do not run away from you in fear, so you should not have any qualms about whether or not to eat them. This is the way of life. One cannot survive without eating and drinking. The entire world is composed of life forms. Actually, the whole world is a collection of life forms. The basis of life is at least singlesense developed organism only. You cannot eat anything that does not contain life; moreover there is nothing in this world that is void of life. You can only eat food that contains life because that is the only way you can nourish and sustain your body. Everything we eat is at least one-sense developed life form, if not more. The Lord does not forbid the consumption of single-sensory organisms because they do not contain blood, pus or meat. If you start worrying about the singlesensory life forms, there will be no end to it. In fact you are not to worry about them at all. People on the other hand have become overly concerned with things that have little significance and have altogether dismissed things of greater importance. You should not worry about the violence that occurs at the minuscule level. Vow of not eating green vegetables during paryushan Questioner: Would it make any difference if one eats or does not eat green vegetables during eight days of paryushan (Most important religious practice of the year, of Jains. This is a time of intensive study, reflection and purification)? Dadashri: This is because there are subtle life forms on the greenery, which enter April 2010

the stomach causing disease and affecting the person’s overall health thereby preventing him from effectively practicing religion and one takes on the liability of committing violence against live microorganisms. It is harmful to body and one commits the fault, thus both happen together. How is the effect of parmanu? Questioner: Why should one not eat onion, garlic, etc.? Dadashri: It is a different discovery of Lord Mahavir. The purpose of not eating onion, garlic etc, in Vaishnav religion and Swaminarayan religion is different. These root vegetables have odor and their unpleasant odor tends to spread everywhere. This the Lord has shown, the scientific science to know the rules that if you want to live in the worldly life and if you do not like the severity of short-temper or anger then do not eat certain food like onion, garlic, etc., which makes one emotional. One should not take onion, garlic, etc., even as a last resort, because these onions and garlic lead to violence (himsa). This makes one angry and because of anger other person gets hurt. Other than this, eat whichever vegetables you like. And you want to stay in the worldly life and if you ever feel that you are not as aware as you would like to be, then do not eat root crops like sweet potatoes, potatoes, etc. The Lord had said that these root vegetables are not beneficial. If other food is available then there is no point in filling the stomach with potatoes. One should not be fond of and have a cultivated taste for (shokha) eating root vegetables like potatoes. At some time, if you have to eat then it is a different 7


DADAVANI

matter, but one should not have a shokha for this. Once the parmanu (subatomic particles of matter) enter, the effect (asar) will keep happening. This body is verily built with parmanu. Therefore, the Lord said that keep the awareness (jagruti) in that which is built up of parmanus. Science of renunciation of certain root vegetables Questioner: Is eating root crops (onions, garlic, potato, sweet potato) forbidden? Dadashri: Yes, very major forbiddance, but eating after dark is worse. Eating after dark comes to second place. Questioner: Why did the Lord say not to eat root crops (kandmood)? Dadashri: The root crops prevent the brain from becoming alert. What Lord Mahavir has to say? Root vegetables are nothing but full of living beings, therefore it is better if you do not eat this. Your mind will remain good and clear. He will just tell you, that is all. Gnan means, to show that this is the fact. Do whatever suits you. Tirthankaras will just tell you, that is all. They do not have insistence. Application done with wrong understanding Why one has to renounce kandmood potato, sweet potato etc.? It is to enhance relative awareness. As the relative awareness increases, inner burning increases. What is the thing that must be causing burning in the midst of having such great kingdom and so many wives? It is because of awareness. For example, if your mind takes a turn for the 8

worse, I will know that readily. And how can these stupid ones know anything as they walk around piling in plenty of potatoes? Therefore, the Lord had forbidden eating kandmood. It is systematic not to eat kandmood. These people renounced kandmood. The Lord said one has to renounce kandmood to attain moksha. One has to renounce kandmood so he can attain awareness for moksha. However, people applied this awareness in the worldly life. They attained awareness by renouncing potato and many practice chovihar (no food intake after dark), but the whole day they have quarrel. Quarreling continues the whole day long, on its own. ‘Why did the glass break?’ is what he would ask the servant angrily. Your head broke mooah (the classic awakening term, used by Dadashri for the one who is destined to die)! Where did you get this much awareness from? Instead eat potatoes comfortably. How beautiful path the Lord has shown! Has the Lord shown the path of creating burning and restlessness? Infinite life forms exist in root vegetables Questioner: Aren’t there infinite life forms in a potato? Dadashri: Yes, there are infinite potential bodies developing forms. Questioner: But all these are considered one-sense endowed living organisms, so then why single them out? Dadashri: One-sense living entities are allowed; but that does not mean that you can kill twenty-five lakhs one-sense organisms. Decide that, it is possible to deal with minimum amount. That is why we rejected potatoes. April 2010


DADAVANI

One is veiled via violence Questioner: Jains do not eat onion, potatoes, etc., and there is a scientific reason behind that; is there not? Dadashri: Yes, it is completely scientific. Questioner: What is the reason? Dadashri: Potatoes are the bulbous root verily full with living organisms. It is nothing but full with living organisms. The science of the Jains say to eat vaal (kind of pulse of bean), which has one living organism whereas there are thousands of living organisms in potato as big as a vaal bean piece. Those living beings are killed and that much veil (avaran) remains over the Self, within. Questioner: This statement of, if we pierce a potato with a pin or a needle, there would be an infinite amount of jivas (living organisms) on the tip of the needle and those jivas… Dadashri: Who is all that applicable for? It is for those who want to increase their intellect (buddhi). If one becomes insistent about this, when will it ever end? Whereas this path of moksha is of the one without any insistence (niragrahi). Know all this, and reduce it as much as possible and understand everything and try to reduce doing things as much as you possibly can. What harm is done through root vegetables? Questioner: Then do you advise eating such vegetables? Dadashri: The Lord has forbidden it, and this should remain in your belief for sure. However, if you still end up eating them, then it is as a result of your past karma. In spite of April 2010

this, it should not affect your belief about what the Lord says. Questioner: You are giving a permission of eating these, to us, but Jain religion forbids eating onion, potato, root vegetables, etc. Dadashri: Whether you eat or do not eat kandmood, it is not like eating eggs. Do not eat eggs. If someone asks me, ‘Should I stop eating eggs or kandmood?’ Then I would say, ‘Brother, stop eating eggs, eat kandmood.’ Then if he asks, ‘Should I stop eating kandmood or other vegetables?’ Then I would tell him, ‘You can eat vegetables, quit eating kandmood.’ There is a way for everything. Questioner: It is in the stepping. Dadashri: There is a method of stepping in every thing. It is like this, the most detrimental thing in kandmood is potato. Of all the foods that robs one of his Jain status Jainpanu (being born in a Jain family with Jain ways of religion and practice), it is potato that is the biggest robber. Hence what our people say, ‘Hey, why is this? At least understand my talk. Is your brain stuffed with potatoes?’ Don’t people say this? So then it gets stuffed with potatoes. Therefore, be aware! Be aware a little at least! Eat less potato as far as possible. Whether you like potatoes or not, eat less potatoes. You should continue the effort to make the minimum amount of potatoes enter the body. Potatoes bring a veil over one’s awareness In a way if you look, potatoes are very detrimental. Potatoes are helpful for poor people. But one who has no scarcity of food does not need to eat potatoes. Otherwise they will get stuffed in the brain. People will then 9


DADAVANI

say, ‘Why is your brain stuffed with potatoes?’ Why they don’t say, ‘Why is your brain stuffed with eggplants?’ Thereafter one does not gain anything. The alertness of brains of everyone decreases due to potatoes. Then there is no exactness left. Awareness also decreases. It is very useful for poor people. They get that enough protein and other nutrition from this food. It is very helpful for them. But why should rich people with all the luxuries enter into this problem? And those who eat kandmood are told, ‘Is your brain stuffed with potatoes, speak up!’ When you eat kandmood your brain becomes dull. Now it is not worth totally rejecting either. These (kandmood) potatoes, all this is food of poor people. When they are dying hungry, they can survive through this much food. Therefore, it is not worth being scornful to potatoes. But the one, who is able to get other food easily, should stop eating potatoes. Otherwise, it is the food of poor people. It is a full meal for them. It is possible to fulfill their nourishment from potatoes. Questioner: Half of the population of this world lives on potatoes only. Dadashri: Yes, all the saints living in the Himalayas, they live by eating kandmood only! Therefore we cannot speak negative about kandmood. This is just for those, who want to keep at least some discipline, they need to understand this. Dullness arises by eating root vegetables Questioner: The Lord said not to eat potatoes; was it to protect the lives in the potato, or is there some other reason? Dadashri: The Lord was not concern about these lives in the potato. It is the very kind people who are around that are concerned about the lives in the potato. These people are 10

not avoiding the potatoes to protect the many lives that exist in the potato. They avoid it to let other people know that they are saviors of life. Nowadays people do not like the taste of other foods allowed. What would happen if they were to stop eating even potatoes? Questioner: But they say that there is sin in eating potatoes. Dadashri: You bind sin whenever you hurt any life form, whether it is your husband, wife, child or neighbor. But by eating potatoes your mind and intellect become dull. The reason for this is that there are infinite subtle life forms in root vegetables. In fact, root crops are nothing but a storehouse of life forms, which is why when root crops are eaten, there is violence against these life forms, and as a result dullness and laziness sets in. This lack of awareness results in an increase in one’s kashayas (anger, pride, deceit and greed). It is better if you do not eat these vegetables because they dull your awareness. That awareness is especially needed after you attain the Lord’s path and if your awareness becomes dull, how will you attain (moksha) liberation? The rules of the Lord, without insistence Whatever the Lord has said is true. If you cannot abide by his teachings, do not worry, but simply do your best. It is good if you are able to follow the Lord’s teachings. Otherwise what place is there where there is no life? And the Lord has not said with that purpose. The Lord is not concerned about whether a living organism dies. This food creates obstacle over Gnan – Self-knowledge. Root vegetables are forbidden, because they increase veils over the Self. Otherwise there is no concern about caring for the microorganisms. April 2010


DADAVANI

Living beings, life forms are dying continuously. People have completely botched up everything. On the one hand they obsess about observing ahimsa towards life forms in the root crops and yet at the same time they do kashayas. This is tantamount to making a profit of three rupees on the one hand and a loss of ten million rupees on the other! People remain adamant about trivial issues and yet commit endless violence through their kashayas. Kashayas are the greatest of all violence in the world. There is more sin involved in kashayas than in killing a life form. Whatever the Lord has said is intended for your understanding and not to be taken dogmatically. Do the best you can. The Lord does not tell you to go beyond your limits. See the business of profit and loss The Gnani will tell you to look objectively from the perspective of overall profit and loss. If eating onions has a benefit of twenty-five percent and a loss of five percent for the subtle violence, there is a net gain of twenty percent. This is how the Gnanis assess the situation, whereas nowadays people have ignored this notion and have become dogmatic by preaching that one must stop eating onions and potatoes. For heaven’s sakes! Why? What do you have against potatoes and onions? On the contrary, when one is forced to sacrifice the things he enjoys, he will constantly think about them, instead of thinking about the Lord! Do not forget the original message Questioner: Now after Gnan, is there a need for renouncing root vegetables etc., or not? Dadashri: It is like this; the one who April 2010

has fever, needs medicine. ‘Necessity’ is a relative thing. The Gnani is the One, who does not get any fever; He therefore; has no need. Worldly people, whose fever goes up and down, they need all this for sure. Questioner: Should there be such a thing like edible or inedible in the matter of eating? Dadashri: How can one eat something that is not meant to be eaten (abhakshya – inedible)? Questioner: Can we eat root vegetables? Should we eat root vegetables or not? Dadashri: ‘We’ would never say, ‘eat kandmood.’ And we do not have scorn for those who do eat potatoes and onions. Questioner: Can one say that one should not eat them? Dadashri: You can say that. But you cannot have any insistence. Or if someone is eating kandmood then you should not harbor any scorn for him. Questioner: Can we explain that why one should not eat them? Dadashri: All things are good. What is the main thing that you have to do? Main thing is that one has to attain the Self (Atma). If you did not attain the Self then everything yours goes down the drain. Then all you can do is to cry your heart out in a jungle! Do people go in a jungle and scream! All this is there to attain the Self. Sustain whatever you can Questioner: We have taken a vow not to eat kandmood. Now after taking Gnan – Self-realization, we have to eat after saying, 11


DADAVANI

‘the eater eats and I, the ‘non-eater,’ am the ‘knower’ of this,’ so then, will we not be at fault in this? Dadashri: If the vow has left, then it is gone, and if it remains then sustain it. Questioner: But should we sustain it or not? Dadashri: You do not have to sustain it, if it sustains by itself, ‘You’ have to ‘know’ that. You have to keep the desire to sustain it because there is no need to eliminate that, which used to be there. You do not need to keep that which is going away. Is it sustained or not? If a vow is still there, sustained, then you should sustain it. Questioner: Generally, I do not feel desire to eat kandmood. Dadashri: Then it is enough, on the contrary it is better that you do not feel like eating, it is better if it does not enter. It helps. Questioner: If I were to visit someone’s home, and if kandmood onions potatoes garlic etc., are served in the food then, should I eat or not? Dadashri: And there may be a time, if you were to visit someone’s home and if he insists that you take it; then you may eat, there is no harm in that. It is not poison. And if he does not insist then leave that preparation in your plate. If he tells you that, ‘You will definitely have to eat’, then you should say, ‘All right brother.’ You should go ahead and eat. You should not have insistence, obstinacy etc. But who will put it in the mouth deliberately? If one knows that the powder is a laxative, then who will deliberately take it? It is a different thing if someone makes you eat that purgative powder. 12

So that which is good, you should keep it, sustain it. It is definitely good if one does not eat kandmood, isn’t it? There is no other opinion in that at all. Awareness increases through renunciation of root vegetables This is very beneficial for those who have attained right vision (samkit) and this is beneficial to those who have not attained samkit but they are on the path of samkit. Otherwise all this is harmful to businessmen. Questioner: Why? Dadashri: All these are things, whose avoidance can increase awareness. Renunciation of kandmood increases awareness. In worldly awareness, one is currently ‘sleeping with eyes open’. In that, one will be more aware, more aware in worldly matters. Chovihar (avoidance of food intake after dark), is also a thing which can increase awareness. Questioner: How about boiled water? Dadashri: Drinking boiled water is for the sake of your physical health. But these two things can increase awareness. So what can happen if the awareness of these businessmen increases? Know, but do according to your ability Questioner: Lord Mahavir has said those five vyavahar (worldly interaction): Aagam (scripture) vyavahar, Shrut (knowledge gained by hearing) vyavahar, agna (command) vyavahar, Dharana (mental retention) vyavahar and Jeet (victory) vyavahar. Out of these five vyavahar, agna vyavahar is the vyavahar of the Gnani, and it is beyond the non-Self. April 2010


DADAVANI

Dadashri: This agna vyavahar, there is a talk about agna. It is about vyavahar agna instructions of worldly conduct. Did you understand? So we have to write about everything in vyavahar agna. Questioner: What about Aagam vyavahar? Dadashri: Aagam vyavahar means vyavahar. This agna (vow) and all the things are there, the Lord has showed the state of vyavahar. In that it is taught, do not eat after dark. Questioner: But even then, one should not eat after dark, should one?

Questioner: So is it for the health of the body or the sin involved, that the Vitarags (fully enlightened Ones), advocated not eating after dark? Dadashri: It is meant for the health of the body, as well as for the practice of (ahimsa) non-violence. Questioner: In Jain religion, eating after dark, drinking water without boiling, eating green vegetables on certain lunar days (tithi), are considered sins, so are these sins? Dadashri: All this is not beneficial on the path of moksha. If you eat after dark, then do you not see the small living organisms falling in your meal at the time of eating?

Dadashri: It is a good thing. But the Lord had said to do according to your energy. If other person does it then you do not run, other person will run, he will run if he has energy. And if you do not have energy, if you do not get chance to eat at night or if it is not suitable for the prakruti (mind-body-speech complex), then there is no harm. But this eating after dark is harmful. Potatoes are also harmful, that is what the Aagam vyavahar says.

Dadashri: If you eat those bugs with your meal, then what will be your condition? Do you think people would be eating bugs along with their meal? Therefore, what is the problem if you eat early? Do you have any problem? Microorganisms cause different diseases when ingested in meal, and then knowledge takes a turn, it ruins.

Scientific understanding of not eating after dark

Questioner: But why shouldn’t we eat after dark?

Questioner: In Jainism it is forbidden to eat after dark. Can you enlighten us further on this topic?

Dadashri: According to the principles of Jainism and Vedanta, evening meals should always be eaten while the sun is still present. The Vedanta view holds that your internal organs are more receptive during the daytime allowing the process of digestion to occur. The Jain view, based on what the Tirthankaras have said, holds that all living beings return home when the sun sets. At times, because of the clouds it may be difficult to see whether or not the sun has set, but the embodied souls have an internal energy that allows them to

Dadashri: As far as the timing of food intake is concerned, it is best not to eat after dark. This is the best approach but it has nothing to do with religion. It became incorporated into religion because one makes greater religious progress as one’s body becomes healthier. As far as religion is concerned not eating after dark serves to cleanse the body. April 2010

Questioner: Yes.

13


DADAVANI

sense the day’s end. One can tell that the day has ended when the life forms return home. Even the subtlest of life forms, which are not perceptible under a microscope, enter in home. They settle on the food and remain unseen because they are of the same color as the food. This is why food should not be eaten after dark. All these microorganisms get ingested, and there is no fault because of their death but ingestion of these very subtle living organisms causes heavy veils (avaran) in the brain. Now because of this I am not saying that I am asking you to quit. Keep this in your understanding. This gnan is worth understanding. I am not saying that, ‘You must not do this,’ because even I am also not able to remain completely in such circumstances. If evidence comes late then I eat late and if it is early, then I eat early. As far as possible, this gnan is present that I should follow according to this gnan. We do not want to incur a loss, even then we have to. Even under the circumstances, our decision should be, that we do not want to incur a loss. We should have such worldly interaction (vyavahar). Have a goal of following a religion of non-violence Questioner: It is said that, eating after dark is the entrance to the first hell (narka), yet why do people eat at night? Dadashri: One should not eat after dark, but still people do that. People are not aware about the harm caused by eating after dark and those who know are entangled in other circumstances. Otherwise it is best not to eat after dark. Not to eat after dark is considered a mahavrat (highest religious vow). This can be considered the sixth mahavrat (the five vows given by Lord Mahavir are (ahimsa) non-violence, (satya) truth, 14

(achaurya) non-stealing, (aparigraha) nonacquisitiveness, and (brahmacharya) celibacy. Questioner: If a person has no choice but to eat after dark, will he be binding karma? Dadashri: No. Karma is not bound in this way. Why do you have to break that rule? Someone must have taught you to observe it, right? Questioner: As a Jain, I have been brought up that way. Dadashri: In that case you should do pratikraman in the name of Lord Mahavir. It is the Lord’s instruction, so you must abide by it and if you cannot follow it, you must ask for forgiveness. If you want to practice nonviolence (ahimsa) and keep your body healthy, it is best that you eat before sunset. Do you normally eat early? Questioner: I have started to do so recently. Dadashri: Who made you do it? Questioner: I started doing so because I wanted to, on my own. Dadashri: But from now on you should do it with the understanding that you are following this practice for the sake of ahimsa, as explained by Dadashri. It is useless if it is done without a purpose and a goal. Know the follower of the rule Questioner: After Gnan – Selfrealization, the importance of eating less or avoiding eating after dark, does not remain. Dadashri: Not eating after dark is a right thing; it is a good thing. If it does not happen then it will happen according to the way it has been filled (puran) in the past life. April 2010


DADAVANI

Questioner: Renunciation of not eating after dark, renunciation of seven addictions, why all this is said then? Dadashri: If you are not eating after dark, then do not quit that rule. Are you eating after dark right now? Questioner: Yes. Dadashri: Then you should not worry about that and ‘You’ should tell ‘Chandubhai’ that, ‘Brother, if you do not eat after dark then it is beneficial. If it is convenient then it is better if you follow’, that much You have to say. ‘However we cannot threaten you. You have become a neighbor. We cannot intimidate you,’ You should say. So there is no harm in telling him this. Gnani also observes rules Although I was not born a Jain, I too used to observe the rules of not eating root crops, practicing chovihar (not eating after dark) and I always drank boiled water, whether I was at home or out of town. My business partner and I would always carry a flask of boiled water wherever we went. We observed The Lord’s prescribed rules. If someone finds these practices too rigid and difficult, I would tell him that he is not obligated to follow them, but if he did, he would indeed benefit from doing so. The Lord has given us these rules so that we may recognize their benefits and not so that we become dogmatic about them. The Gnani Purush does not need to renounce or attain anything. Even then I observe chovihar because occasionally someone will tell me that it upsets him to know that I do not adhere to the timings. Sacrifices and renunciation is of no significance when one April 2010

reaches the level of a Gnani. People interpret and practice these rules according to their level of understanding. The Gnani Purush does not lack anything. The Lord calls the Gnani Purush a non-violent One in an ocean of violence. From the very beginning I have observed chovihar. Even now we observe chovihar all the time, but if it gets a little late like this then we do not observe on that day. But we do not have to observe as a vow. We do not need to renounce (tyaga) or acquire (grahan) anything. ‘We’ do not have renunciationacquisition (tyaga-atyaga). An ego is necessary for us to renounce. Nowadays because of my satsang schedule, I am only able to do so on certain days. My intention is to observe it completely, and that is what counts! Faith must not change If someone is following chovihar vow not to eat after dark, then you cannot speak that there is no need to do chovihar. ‘I definitely want to follow chovihar,’ such awareness you should have and if it does not happen then you should do pratikraman. We are not asking you to do pratikraman all the time, but if you do pratikraman once for chovihar then there is no problem. Now, whatever you are doing. If you are following the vow of chovihar then do it and do not if you are not. Do whatever vyavasthit – scientific circumstantial evidences, makes you do. There is no doership in that now. However if someone asks, are kandmood good or bad? Then you can say, ‘Lord has said, that is correct. Kandmood diet is not appropriate.’ If someone says, ‘Then why are you 15


DADAVANI

eating?’ Then you say, ‘Brother, this is a fault of ‘Chandubhai’, I can ‘see’ that,’ you should declare it that way. Questioner: What is paryushan (Most important religious practice of the year, of Jains. This is a time of intensive study, reflection and purification)? Is it some kind of a calculation? Is it a custom of ours and other religions in monsoon season or is there importance of paryushan in any other way? Dadashri: No, there is support of Ayurveda. All religious followers had set practicing penance -austerities in monsoon season, on the basis of Ayurveda. This is helpful for health Questioner: Why are we told to drink boiled water? Dadashri: There are infinite life forms even in just one drop of water. Boiling water kills these life forms. By drinking boiled water, your body stays healthy, and when the body is healthy, your awareness increases. People however have completely misunderstood this concept. The Lord has shown us all the different ways to stay healthy and drinking boiled water is one of them. Drinking cold water is violence towards the infinite live organisms in the water. Yet people insist on not boiling the water (in order to prevent himsa) at the expense of their own health. Instead the Lord has told you to boil the drinking water in order to keep your body healthy. But that water has to be consumed within eight hours, after which you should not drink it because life forms will start to grow in it again. So it is more for the sake of health and not so much for the violence, that people are 16

told to boil their drinking water. Drinking boiled water prevents the accumulation of other organisms in the stomach. This is helpful in increasing your awareness. By boiling the water, the larger organisms are destroyed. Questioner: So does that not constitute violence? Dadashri: This kind of violence does not have much significance because it contributes to the health of your body. With a healthy body one can practice religion. In this world there is nothing but violence. When you eat or drink, you consume nothing but life forms. Yogurt has so many living organisms that one time eating yogurt is equivalent to not doing ten chovihar. It is full of living organisms. The Lord has not given any emphasis on the violence against one-sense developed life forms. People have misconstrued all this. If the Lord had intended for us to worry about such matters, He would have advocated drinking only cold water, since so many life forms are destroyed when water is boiled. How many life forms do you think die in boiling water? Questioner: Countless. Dadashri: You cannot see the life forms but these life forms themselves make up the physical composition of water. Now tell me how can people see them when water itself is the body formed of the aggregate of all these life forms? These life forms are such that their manifest form is water. Now tell me how can you deal with something like this? Understanding about five life forms Questioner: We know for sure that April 2010


DADAVANI

there are subtle life forms in water, which is why we boil the water before we drink it. Dadashri: What you know about the organisms found in water is based on what you have been told, but in reality the facts are very difficult and too subtle for one to understand. Even if you were given a clear explanation, it would still elude you. Not even scientists can understand this. Only the Gnanis understand it. Of the five, only the organisms in vegetation can be understood, the others require a more profoundly developed spiritual level. Questioner: That is what the scientists are researching. Dadashri: They will not be able to understand it even then. They only understand the vegetation, but even that knowledge is limited. Let me explain this to you in the Lord’s language: All the vegetation that you see around you has life (vanaspatikaya). Life is also present in the air (vayukaya), the dirt and rocks. The rocks also contain living organisms known as pruthvikaya. Flames of a fire are really a collection of organisms called teookaya. The water we drink is composed of jalkaya, the organisms whose very bodies are in a glass of water. Water is composed entirely of animate beings. Everything around you, water, food, air, earth and fire is living. Questioner: So all these jalkaya means they are one-sensory life forms. Dadashri: Yes, people do not know that at all that water means it is jalkaya life forms. People think that water comes from the well and we are wasting away. The one who knows this, would follow this rule. April 2010

Egg means it is verily a baby Questioner: We have eaten eggs in our family. Dadashri: Why had you eaten? Questioner: We had eaten to make the body healthy. Dadashri: What weight do you have to lift with the body? Questioner: One doctor said to feed eggs to your son so we started cooking eggs at home. But it was only once in a while. We were not eating on regular basis. Not even for months or years, very rarely we eat eggs. Dadashri: Do you feel good afterwards? Questioner: Not much. Dadashri: You did not like them? Questioner: I do not like them much. I eat them some times, but I cannot, everyday. Dadashri: Eggs and young ones, both are same. There is no difference in eating someone’s egg and eating someone’s young one. Do you like to eat a young one? Would you choose to eat someone’s baby? Questioner: No, no. Dadashri: Why is that? Questioner: I would not like the taste at all. Dadashri: So then eggs are verily same thing, they are babies only. Don’t you feel that they are babies? Only a baby will grow out of it. Questioner: Eggs too are part of a vegetarian diet; people have such belief. 17


DADAVANI

Dadashri: No, it is a wrong belief. They call these eggs (nirjiva) lifeless eggs. You cannot eat the thing which does not have life. Questioner: I feel this is a different talk. Dadashri: Different means, it is exact. This was told to scientists. One should eat by killing a living being. This is one kind of befooling, nothing is like that. One cannot eat a lifeless thing. If there is a life then only one can eat. There is a life but it is certain kind of life. So people have taken advantage of the world, in a way. One cannot touch that at all. And what can happen to children by feeding eggs, the body will become so much effective that it cannot remain in one’s control. Certain vegetarian food is very good. Let it be raw. Doctors have their profession, and they keep telling according to their intellect. It is not a fault of the doctor in this. Doctors would follow according to their intellect and understanding. We have to protect our (sanskar) cultural values. We are from homes with ethical values. Questioner: There is no violence in eating eggs because they are non-fertilized. They are saying that there are two kinds of eggs. They are saying, in one kind of eggs, there is no life. Dadashri: It is not anything like that. These people have made the world foolish. By saying one kind of eggs have life and other kinds of eggs do not have life, they are making the world foolish. There is no such thing in this world that one can eat which does not have life in it, we cannot eat a thing, which does not contain life at all. Only we can eat after killing the life forms. Questioner: Some people even argue that there are two types of eggs. Eggs with life and eggs without life, so can we eat the latter? 18

Dadashri: Yes, they argue that there are eggs, which do not contain life, and therefore technically it is non-violence to consume them. I tell them that it is impossible to eat anything that is non-living. One cannot eat anything that does not contain life. If eggs did not contain life, they would be considered inanimate and therefore inedible. One can only eat living things and moreover, only those living things which are not spoilt. Even vegetables will rot and become inedible a few days after being picked. One can only eat living things. There is no truth in the statement that an egg has no life in it. Why are you trapping people with such statements? It is a wonder that people have created such a concept. Anything that is non-living cannot be eaten. I asked about other kind of eggs, tell me whether the other kind of egg is living or non-living. If it is lifeless then one cannot eat. You made the whole world foolish. What kind of people are you? We cannot eat something which does not have life, it is considered inedible. So there is no such thing as ‘non-violent’ egg. If you say non-violent then there is no life in it, and if it is non-living then one cannot eat. If there is life then that egg is alive. Questioner: But these ‘vegetarian eggs’ do not develop further into a chick. Dadashri: That is a different matter, but there is indeed life in them. People are being misinformed. This issue has become a difficult one for Jain children to accept. So many of them argue with me about this and I simply tell them that they should give this more thought. There is no problem if there is no life in it, but you cannot eat anything that is lifeless. If you are eating the egg with the April 2010


DADAVANI

idea that it is void of life, then you should also stop eating grains and only eat food that does not contain any life. Food that does not contain life will satisfy hunger but it does not have any nutritional value and it will not nourish and sustain the body. The children accepted this fact and agreed to stop eating eggs altogether. People will listen if one takes the time to explain things to them; otherwise there is so much misinformation out there that one’s intellect is led astray. All foods contain life, but the Lord has told humans to consume only certain foods. He has drawn limits as to which foods are allowed and which are forbidden. You must not harm or eat any thing that runs away from you in fear. Questioner: An egg does not run away from us in fear, so is it permissible to eat it? Dadashri: The egg does not run away, but the life contained within the egg is in a state of unconsciousness and dormancy. Will this life not be apparent when the egg begins to hatch? Questioner: Yes, we will discover that immediately. But what if it does not hatch? Dadashri: That is because the life within it is in a dormant state. Whether or not it is going to hatch into a chicken is a different matter. Even the human fetus at four to five weeks, is in the same state as the egg, so you must not harm the egg. As humans we know what happens to the egg after it hatches. Therefore we cannot eat eggs and if you are eating non-vegetarian food then I would say, ‘It is better to eat eggs and quit eating non-vegetarian food.’ April 2010

Questioner: We can eat yogurt. So what is the difference between the living organisms, which are present in yogurt and the living being present in the egg? There is no harm in eating yogurt and what is the harm in eating an egg? Dadashri: It is like this, there are onesense developed organisms in yogurt. And the life that is in the egg is a five-sense developed being. The Lord had said that you may eat all one-sense developed things because there is no other food for you to eat at all. This wheat grains are here, now if we say boil these wheat grains then they will not run away, or move around. Then you can boil that. But we cannot boil those, who scatter away. Those, who feel fear and feel harassed, do not boil them. This is just that people are misled by saying this eggs are lifeless (nirjiva). We cannot eat any thing which is not living. You eat the lifeless or a stone, both are similar things. So eggs are verily living. People are shown wrong methods by giving wrong ideas and have started business. One cannot touch eggs at all. If one feels the hurt and understands non-violence (ahimsa) then he should not touch eggs. Whether they say it is living or non-living, but it is verily living. It is not nonliving. Do not meddle with eggs. There is no such thing as ‘non-violent’ eggs for those who eat them under such understanding. It is just that these people have found the business of making people foolish by doing propaganda. This is because one cannot eat anything that is non-living. Scientifically, one cannot eat that which does not have life at all. One can eat only after life enters. There has to be a life within. 19


DADAVANI

Questioner: That is right. Dadashri: Otherwise one cannot eat at all. One cannot eat non-living thing whatsoever. So all this businesses are there to make people foolish. Yes, therefore one cannot touch eggs. People may say anything that this is a nonliving, but it is a grave danger. Do not eat eggs at all, do not touch them. And because of merit karma punyai you have taken birth in a Jain family and if you misuse it, then what is the meaning of it? Milk is a vegetarian food Questioner: Just as one should not eat the ‘vegetarian’ egg, one should not drink the milk of a cow. Dadashri: You cannot eat eggs but you can drink cows’ milk, eat yogurt and some can even eat butter made from that milk. No restrictions have been placed on these. The Lord had forbidden some people to eat butter, but that was for specific people and for a different reason. You can make puddings and sweets from that milk. Even if some scriptures forbid this, I will tell you that those scriptures are wrong and that there are no restrictions. Go ahead and enjoy them but take care not to overindulge. Questioner: But nature had intended the milk for the calves and not for us. Dadashri: That is completely false. Only the calves of the wild cows and buffaloes drink all their mother’s milk. People however, feed and nurture cows so that both the calves and the humans can benefit from the cows’ milk. This has been the practice from time immemorial. If you feed a cow well, it can produce up to fifteen liters of milk a day. If 20

you feed it well it will produce more than the normal amount of milk so you will not be depriving the calf of its share and making it go hungry. Questioner: What kind of food can we consider for milk? Dadashri: There is not any problem in drinking milk. Those who have shown objection, have shown it without thinking essential and non essential things. We are taking benefit of cow’s milk and we are nourishing cows too. We should nourish the cow well. But people take benefit of these cows and buffaloes, until they produce milk and then they send them to be slaughtered. Rich people should take care of them. Every rich person should have cow-pen of ten cows. Because of this he will become wealthier and will get milk, ghee and dairy products right at home. When rich people will establish cow-pen (goshada) in India then real happiness will arise in this world. Why adulteration in food? Which business is good? It is that which does not involve violence and no one gets hurt through us. If one owns a grain grocery store then he will cheat his customer by weighing less grains than was paid for. Nowadays people have learnt to sell adulterated goods. If one does this for human food, he will be born as an animal in the next life. He will not fall because of four legs, will he? Maintain religion in your business otherwise the devil of evil will enter into it. We do not need to be concerned about unethical behavior but the laws of nature must be heeded with reference to that which is meant April 2010


DADAVANI

for human consumption like food and medicines. A person is not at fault or may be at fault to a lesser extent if he cheats someone by selling pure goods worth thirty-seven pounds instead of forty pounds but the one who gives a full forty pounds of adulterated food material incurs a great liability. Do not adulterate. It is a major crime to adulterate food. One must not adulterate material for human consumption. Questioner: I personally believe that, I should not engage in any activity which keeps hurting me inside. Dadashri: Yes, never do anything that gives you pain. These days there is rampant adulteration in grains, cooking oil and milk etc. This should not be the situation. ‘Sahaj meela so doodha baraabar,’ spontaneously obtained is as good as milk. Even if one obtained a glass of water naturally, without any effort, it is as good as milk. ‘Maang leeya so paani,’ and if one asked for a glass of milk, it will give the effect like water. ‘Khinch leeya so rakta baraabar,’ if it is obtained by snatching it away from someone, it is like drinking blood. ‘Gorakh bole bani,’ in the two sentences, Gorakh has summarized the scripture. Violence caused by antibiotics Questioner: What about the medications taken to reduce fever or infections in the body? Dadashri: You need not worry about the violence to such life forms. Some people do not worry but about such organisms. Questioner: An infant would die if it were not given the medicine to kill parasites in its stomach. April 2010

Dadashri: You have to treat the child. Give the child whatever medications are needed to kill all the parasites. The Lord has not said to practice such non-violence at all. Know the science of Ayurveda Taking a vow (ektanu – the vow of having only one meal in a day) on certain occasion is for the Ayurveda (the medical science of ancient India) purpose. All these taking vow of fasting or keeping discipline for certain food on certain days are arranged to get benefit in Ayurveda. People of old times have done better arrangement. Even stupid people will take benefit from this. So these aatham (eighth day of a lunar fortnight), agiyaras (the eleventh day of a lunar fortnight), pancham (fifth day of a lunar fortnight), all such days are set, and shraaddha (the act of making ceremonial offerings to the dead ancestors or relatives) are set. So this shraaddha is set for very auspicious thing. Questioner: Dada, what is the significance of that? Is it called ignorance? Dadashri: No, it is not ignorance. This is something people had taught that on this occasion they make ceremonial offerings on the death anniversary of a relative. We have a big history of doing these ceremonial offerings on the death anniversary of the relatives. What was the reason for doing these ceremonial oblations? Shraaddha are considered from the full moon day of the eleventh month of Vikrama year (Bhadaravo – the eleventh month of Vikrama year Suda – bright half of lunar month Poonam – full moon) to the no-moon day of the eleventh month of Vikrama year (Bhadaravo – the eleventh month of Vikrama year Vada – the dark half of a lunar month 21


DADAVANI

Amaas – no-moon or last day of the dark half of every lunar month). Shraaddha are performed for sixteen days. Now why these people had introduced this shraaddha? Very intelligent people! This system of performing shraaddha was introduced by people is very scientific. Some years before, in every home, at least one to two patients of malaria would be there in small villages in the month of Bhadaravo in India. So when you go in the village, you would see a patient with malaria in every home. There are lots of mosquitoes in the month of Bhadaravo. So there used to be an outbreak of malaria. Malaria is considered a fever of pitta – one of the three humors of the body. Malaria is not the fever of vayu or capha (two main humors of the body). It is a fever of pitta, so bile increases a lot. In a monsoon season, mosquitoes bite and one gets this fever of bile. Mosquitoes will bite whoever has more pitta (bile). So the investigators had researched to get some way out in India. Otherwise half of the population would go down in India. Nowadays mosquitoes are less, otherwise people would not stay alive. So they had done some research that if they eat doodhpaak (sweet dish of milk and rice), kheer (sweet dish made of rice and sugar), milk and sugar, then pitta intensity will ease off and patient can be relieved from effects of malaria. Now people are such that they will not make kheer or doodhpaak from milk even it is available at home. People are such normal (!) so what can happen, do you know? Now, how can they eat doodhpaak everyday? Now, not even a word is reaching the beloved one who has departed. This people had invented that the people of India are not such who will practice the religion even worth 22

of four aanaas (1 aanaa – 6 paisa). They are so greedy that they will not spend even two aanaas for religion. So people would come and ask, ‘At least do shraaddha for your father!’ This is how the shraaddha was introduced. So people had started performing shraaddha on the father’s death anniversary. And someone obstinate like me, who would not do the shraaddha then what people would say? ‘This one does not even help to perform the shraaddha for his father.’ So people in neighborhood would kick up a fuss and then he would do it and feed everybody. So we get to eat doodhpaak from the full moon day to all the fifteen days continuously. One day my home, next day other person’s home and it was convenient to people. So we used to eat at one after another person’s home. We did not cheat and did the kaagvaasa (word uttered at the time of making an offering to a crow – for the names of shraaddha day). So this was investigated. Pitta can ease off, by doing this. Therefore people had done this arrangement. This is a very good scientific arrangement. Get your work done through spiritual practice Questioner: I understand that the body must be kept healthy for the attainment of Selfrealization, but if many life forms are destroyed in the process, should we continue to keep the body healthy? Dadashri: If you have the intent of health as your main goal then your practice towards Self-realization will be hindered. True spiritual practice towards the Self happens when the aspirant’s primary focus is not in achieving a healthy body. Your body has brought with it everything for its preservation April 2010


DADAVANI

so you need not interfere. You should completely immerse yourself in your spiritual goal. Everything else is as it should be. That is why I am telling you to remain in the present, because the past is gone forever and the future is in the hands of vyavasthit. Think of your body, through which you have met a Gnani Purush, as a friend. Even if the medicine prescribed causes violence, you must still take it, and care for the body. Everything in life is based on the process of profit and loss. If this body were to live two more years, you can accomplish a lot within this time, because it is through this body that you have come to meet the Gnani Purush. You will incur some loss through violence, but your benefits will be twenty times greater! Your benefits will far outweigh your losses; it is all a business of profit and loss. Understand this… There is nothing but life forms in this world. Countless life forms are destroyed in just one breath, so does it mean that one should stop breathing? The problem would be solved if this were possible because as it is people have created absolute madness around this issue. There is nothing here that needs to be critically analyzed. The only thing you need to be cautious about is that you must not harm those life forms that run away from you in fear. Why such renunciation? There was one sthanakavasi sheth (Jain follower who does not believe in idols) a business owner. He was very resolute; he would not touch any root vegetables. One day he invited me for a meal. We all were April 2010

sitting together for a meal. Then a piece of a potato came out from his daal (lentil soup). So he kept looking and peering deeply. I said, ‘What is in this? Is this something to be shown to others?’ I understood that this old man was doing this because of his awareness. If one has less awareness then he would put it aside. Why one has to quarrel for this? Then he shouted, ‘What is this? What is this?’ So his wife got frightened, ‘what happened’? Hey you! Tigers and lions are better than you. See how this woman is frightened to the core! What kind of a person have you turned out to be? All this is to scare women? Why do you have to renounce this kandmood (root vegetables)? It is to reduce kashayas: angerpride-deceit-greed, instead you started doing kashaya. On the contrary kashayas increased! Renunciation is advised to decrease kashaya. Agitation in renunciation No matter what the extent of external renunciation one undergoes, if there is any trace of agitation (vishamata) in that renunciation, then one cannot see his own mistakes, but he will be able to see the mistakes where there is equanimity (samata). An ascetic goes asking for food and if he happens to see a small piece of a potato in his bowl, he would become very upset. Then how can he see his mistake? There must be equanimity in renunciation. Questioner: What is meant by agitation in renunciation? Dadashri: If a person renounces eating garlic and onion, but finds a piece of an onion on his plate, he will go berserk and start yelling. Some even feel repulsed merely at the sight of an onion, so what is their status? Do you call that equanimity? 23


DADAVANI

Questioner: No, that is agitation. Dadashri: Agitation is the result of such renunciation. Instead it would have been better not to renounce anything at all. The Lord says if a piece of a potato ends up in a renunciant’s plate by mistake, does it cause him any harm? Besides, everything that gets consumed is a ‘potato’! Lack of awareness is the reason why such divisions have been made by the intellect. If a piece of a potato or an onion falls in the plate by mistake, that situation has to be simply resolved; should one not be capable of doing at least this much? Equanimity should never be departed from. If equanimity is maintained in renunciation, it can take one to moksha. Is renunciation done for the purpose of increasing equanimity or increasing agitation? Renunciation is to increase equanimity and if one is not able to maintain equanimity in renunciation, then that renunciation is useless. As long as there is egoism, there is no liberation The Lord has said there is no moksha for either the renunciant or the family man. The family man renounces nothing and so he has the ego of acquisitiveness (grahan), whereas the renunciant has ego of renouncing (tyaga). Both have ego of what they do and as long as there is egoism, there is no liberation. Nevertheless, on the Kramic path which does call for renunciation, one has to have the ego of doership in order to purify his ego. In the path of Akram Vignan (step-less science towards Self-realization) however, there is liberation for one as he becomes nonacquisitive living amidst all there is to attain. What was it like for Emperor Bharat? As an Emperor, he had all the pomp and luxuries of an empire, thirteen hundred wives, palaces etc. 24

But despite all the material wealth, Lord Rushabhdev gave him the knowledge of Akram Vignan and because of that he was able to attain liberation despite living amidst all luxuries. Gnani’s equanimity With all the existing difficulties, you mahatmas are able to experience nirvikalp samadhi (bliss amidst all disturbances in thoughts, speech and acts). A piece of a potato may very well end up in your plate, but you have to quietly set it aside, without anyone’s knowledge and with equanimity. But what will a person who becomes agitated say? ‘Where did you get this from? Go, throw it away.’ If ‘we’ were to find a piece of meat in ‘our’ daal, ‘we’ would quietly take it out and put it inside the fold of our dhoti. Let it get dirty, but ‘we’ would not upset anyone. If ‘we’ upset anyone, then anyone who would eat the daal would become sick (kashaya laden). People have eaten so many cockroaches and lizards in this way and then they contract diseases. People develop white leprosy (leukoderma) and many other diseases. Whatever food one eats outside their home, no one keeps an eye on it, so many insects fall in the food and yet people devour that food. ‘We’ would hide the piece of meat and accept it as vyavasthit; ‘we’ would behave as if nothing has happened. Whereas these masters go berserk and start yelling with such intensity that it stuns everyone in the home. ‘We’ have the understanding and would question, ‘Did the woman deliberately put the meat in the food?’ No. She must have walked away to do something and a crow came along to take a piece of rotli and dropped a piece of meat it was carrying in its beak. Just look at all the evidences that take place. Therefore, people should be prepared for all kinds of things. Should you not maintain April 2010


DADAVANI

awareness of all different circumstances that take place? Non-acquisitive amidst acquisitions Gnani do not have any opinion of renunciation (tyaga) or lack of it, (grahan) acquisitiveness. Tirthankara Lord had said ‘the Gnani follows naturally according to prevailing circumstance. They do not have any vikalp (that which arises through, ‘I am this body’), that ‘now I will do this’ because they are not the doer.’ So what happens? They behave as per whatever happens naturally, no other problem. Even the Lord cannot find any fault with them, because they are not the doer at all, they are absolutely in the non-doer state (akarta bhaav). Whatever happens they remain natural. If they get it then it is fine and if not then also they are fine. Let me tell you how it is for ‘us’, the Gnani Purush. Everything is natural. If someone

were to take away ‘our’ dinner plate, ‘we’ would tell him that ‘we’ have not eaten anything since the morning and would request him to leave the plate alone, but if despite this he does not listen, ‘we’ would not object. It is not parigraha to ask for something. ‘We’ may be a Gnani but ‘we’ still have to ask for things. Gnani does not have any attraction for a plate of food. The end can only be in sight if one becomes aparigrahi amidst all these parigraha; only then will he attain the bliss of the Self. But today people have ventured on the wrong path and yet they are not at fault; everything is dependant upon the effect of the current time cycle. ‘We’ do not see anyone as being at fault. The one within, is absolutely the pure vitarag Lord. This science is an absolute wonder. The knowledge of Akram Vignan has manifested within and it is an unprecedented victory. ~Jai Sat Chit Anand

Watch Pujya Niruma on T.V. Channels India

'Sanskar', Everyday 8:30 PM to 9:00 PM (In Hindi) DD-Girnar (Gujarati), Everyday 7:00 AM to 7:30 AM & 3:30 PM to 4 PM Doordarshan Sahyadri - Mon-Tue-Thu-Sat 7:30 to 8 AM & Wed-Fri 7:15 to 7:30 AM (In Marathi)

All over the World (except India) on 'Sony TV' Mon-Fri 7 AM to 7:30 AM (In Hindi) USA : 'TV Asia' Everyday 7 AM to 7:30 AM EST (In Gujarati) USA-UK : 'Aastha International' Everyday 8 AM to 8:30 AM (In Gujarati) Africa : 'Aastha International' Everyday 10:30 AM to 11 AM (In Gujarati)

Watch Pujya Deepakbhai Desai on T.V. Channels India

Zee Jagran, Everyday 9:30 PM to 10:00 PM (In Hindi) DD-Girnar (Gujarati) Everyday, 9 PM to 9:30 PM (In Gujarati)

USA 'SAHARA ONE' Mon to Fri 9 AM to 9:30 AM EST (In Gujarati) USA-UK : 'Aastha International' Everyday 9:30 PM to 10 PM (In Gujarati) UK-Europe : 'MA TV' Everyday 5 PM to 5:30 PM (In Gujarati) Africa : 'Aastha International' Everyday Midnight 12 to 12:30 AM (In Gujarati) April 2010

25


Pujya Deepakbhai's USA-Canada Satsang Program 2010 Venue

Date

Day

Program

From

To

Venue

Contact nos

Atlanta, GA

16-Jun-10

Wednesday

Satsang

6.30 PM

9.00 PM

Gujarati Samaj

678-595-9631

Atlanta, GA

17-Jun-10

Thursday

Gnanvidhi

5.30 PM

9.00 PM

5331 Royalwood Parkway,

229-423-5453

Atlanta, GA

18-Jun-10

Friday

Aptaputra Satsang

6.30 PM

9.00 PM

Tucker,GA 30084

404-538-5000

nilimapatel58@yahoo.com

404-934-7192 (904)743-7327

Jacksonville, FL

19-Jun-10

Saturday

Satsang

6.30 PM

9.00 PM

Twin Lakes Academy Middle School

Jacksonville, FL

20-Jun-10

Sunday

Aptaputra Satsang

10.00 AM

12.00 PM

8050 Point Meadows Drive,

(904)704-6966

Jacksonville, FL

20-Jun-10

Sunday

Gnanvidhi

5.30 PM

9.00 PM

Jacksonville, FL 32256

(904) 737-1674

Jacksonville, FL

21-Jun-10

Monday

Aptaputra Satsang

6.30 PM

9.00 PM

needom@gmail.com

(973) 618-6775 718-849-2530

New York, NY

22-Jun-10

Tuesday

Satsang

6.30 PM

9.00 PM

Gujarati Samaj of New York

New York, NY

23-Jun-10

Wednesday

Gnanvidhi

5.30 PM

9.00 PM

173-15 Horace Harding Expwy,

718-347-0050

Fresh Meadows, NY 11365

718-631-0443

surendralal1@yahoo.com

516-624-7628

Hunt Valley, MD

24-Jun-10

Thursday

Aptaputra Satsang

6.30 PM

9.00 PM

Baltimore Mariott

(301) 351-0510

Hunt Valley, MD

25-Jun-10

Friday

Gnanvidhi

5.30 PM

9.00 PM

Hunt Valley Inn, 245 Shawan Road,

(732) 766-7265

Hunt Valley, MD. 21031

(410) 905-2342

dadabhagwan.shibir@gmail.com

(757) 286-8021

Only for mahamtas and those who have previously registered.

NATIONAL SHIBIR Hunt Valley, MD

26-Jun-10

Saturday

Satsang/Samayik

9.30 AM

7.30 PM

Hunt Valley, MD Hunt Valley, MD

27-Jun-10

Sunday

Satsang/Samayik

9.30 AM

7.30 PM

Hunt Valley Inn

28-Jun-10

Monday

Satsang/Samayik

9.30 AM

7.30 PM

Hunt Valley

Hunt Valley, MD Hunt Valley, MD

29-Jun-10

Tuesday

Satsang/Samayik

9.30 AM

7.30 PM

Closest Airport

30-Jun-10

Wednesday

Satsang/Samayik

9.30 AM

7.30 PM

International (BWI)

Dallas, TX

01-Jul-10

Thursday

Aptaputra Satsang

7.00 PM

9.30 PM

DFW Hindu Temple Auditorium

817-329-4656

Dallas, TX

02-Jul-10

Friday

Gnanvidhi

6.30 PM

10.00 PM

1605 North Britain Road

214-636-4787

Dallas, TX

03-Jul-10

Saturday

Satsang

10.00 AM

12.30 PM

Irving, TX 75061-2608

972-369-3298

dallasmahatma@yahoo.com

214-316-8123

Houston, TX

04-Jul-10

Sunday

Satsang

10.00 AM

12.30 PM

Shree Vallabh Priti Seva Samaj Hall

832-771-8204

Houston, TX

04-Jul-10

Sunday

Gnanvidhi

4.30 PM

8.00 PM

(VPSS Haveli), 11715 Bellfort Village Dr,

832-646-4696

Houston, TX 77031-2629

832-405-5172

Houston, TX

05-Jul-10

Monday

Satsang

10.00 AM

12.30 PM

Phoenix, AZ

05-Jul-10

Monday

Aptaputra Satsang

6.30 PM

9.00 PM Shreenathji Temple Hall, 6300 South 23rd Ave.,

480-209-1472


Pujya Deepakbhai's USA-Canada Satsang Program 2010 Venue

Date

Day

Program

From

To

Venue

Contact nos

Los Angles, CA

06-Jul-10

Tuesday

Satsang with Eng. Translation

6.30 PM

9.30 PM

Anil and Bhavina Patel

714-337-9000

Los Angles, CA

07-Jul-10

Wednesday

Gnanvidhi (Guj/Eng)

5.30 PM

9.30 PM

2164 Rocky View Road

909-510-1258

Los Angles, CA

08-Jul-10

Thursday

Satsang with Eng. Translation

6.30 PM

9.30 PM

Diamond Bar, CA 91765

323-493-3030

boloram@sbcglobal.net

562-201-5700

San Jose, CA

09-Jul-10

Friday

Satsang

6.30 PM

9.00 PM

Vaishnav Parivar - Haveli

408-624-1611

San Jose, CA

10-Jul-10

Saturday

Gnanvidhi

4.00 PM

7.00 PM

25 Corning Ave.,

408-910-6052

San Jose, CA

11-Jul-10

Sunday

Aptaputra Satsang

10.00 AM

12.30 PM

Milpitas, CA 95035

408-978-3938

San Jose, CA

11-Jul-10

Sunday

Satsang

4.00 PM

7.00 PM

mydada@chowlera.com

408-646-4977

Champaign, IL.

12-Jul-10

Monday

Aptaputra Satsang

6.30 PM

9.00 PM

Hotel Hanford Inn & Suites

217-689-1075

Champaign, IL.

13-Jul-10

Tuesday

Gnanvidhi

5.30 PM

9.00 PM

2408 North Cunningham Avenue

217-689-1035

Urbana, IL 61802

217-821-0764

Chicago, IL

14-Jul-10

Wednesday

Satsang

6.00 PM

mehuljk@gmail.com

217-493-8250

8.30 PM

Jain Society of Metropolitan Chicago

847-980-5759

Chicago, IL

15-Jul-10

Thursday

Gnanvidhi

5.30 PM

9.00 PM

435 Rt. 59, Bartlett, IL 60173

847-885-8576

Toronto, Canada

17-Jul-10

Saturday

Satsang

6.30 PM

9.00 PM

Sanatan Mandir

416-731-5236

Toronto, Canada

18-Jul-10

Sunday

Satsang

10.00 AM

12.00 PM

9333 Woodbine Ave.,Markham,

416-675-3543

Ontario, Canada L6C 1T5

toronto.dadabhagwan@g mail.com

Toronto, Canada

18-Jul-10

Sunday

Gnanvidhi

4.30 PM

8.00 PM

Cherry Hill, NJ

20-Jul-10

Tuesday

Satsang/Samayik

9.30 AM

12.30 PM

Crowne Plaza

856-875-4775

Cherry Hill, NJ

20-Jul-10

Tuesday

Satsang

4.30 PM

7.00 PM

2349 Marlton Pike W,

201-229-1483

Cherry Hill, NJ

21-Jul-10

Wednesday

Satsang/Samayik

9.30 AM

12.30 PM

Cherry Hill, NJ 08002

732-322-2639

Cherry Hill, NJ

21-Jul-10

Wednesday

Satsang

4.30 PM

7.00 PM

ccshah@yahoo.com

732-968-6836

Cherry Hill, NJ

22-Jul-10

Thursday

Satsang/Samayik

9.30 AM

12.30 PM

Closest Airport

Cherry Hill, NJ

22-Jul-10

Thursday

Satsang

4.30 PM

7.00 PM

PHILADELPHIA INTERNATIONAL(PHL)

Cherry Hill, NJ

23-Jul-10

Friday

Satsang/Samayik

9.30 AM

12.30 PM

Every evening from 9 PM to 10 PM

Cherry Hill, NJ

23-Jul-10

Friday

Satsang

4.30 PM

7.00 PM

we will have different programs planned,

Cherry Hill, NJ

24-Jul-10

Saturday

Satsang

10.00 AM

12.30 PM

including Garba.

Cherry Hill, NJ

24-Jul-10

Saturday

Gnanvidhi

4.00 PM

7.30 PM

Also Different Exhibitions, Theme Shows,

Cherry Hill, NJ

25-Jul-10

Sunday

Gurupujan

9.00 AM

2.00 PM

Children's World, Puppet Show and more.

NORTH EAST GURUPURNIMA - 2010


DADAVANI

Spiritual Discourses and Gnanvidhi in the presence of Atmagnani Pujya Deepakbhai Amreli 4 May, 8 to 10-30 pm - Satsang and 5 May (Wed), 7 to 10-30 pm - Gnanvidhi Venue : Gymkhana Ground, Nr. S.T. Depot, Amreli (Gujarat). Tel. : 9426985638 Bhavnagar 7th-8th May, 8 to 10-30 pm - Satsang and 9th May (Sun), 7 to 10-30 pm - Gnanvidhi Venue : Shantilal Shah High School Ground, Nr. Crescent, Bhavnagar (Guj.). Tel. : 9824283369 Anand th 18 May, 8 to 10-30 pm - Satsang and 19th May (Wed), 7-30 to 11 pm - Gnanvidhi Venue : Akshar Farm, Vidhyanagar Road, Anand (Gujarat). Tel. : 9825022832 Vadodara st nd 21 -22 May, 8 to 10-30 pm - Satsang and 23rd May (Sun), 7-30 to 11 pm - Gnanvidhi Venue : Parsi Agiyari Ground, Nr. Suryapalace Hotel, Sayajigunj, Vadodara (Guj.). Tel. : 9825032901 Godhra th th 24 -25 May, 8 to 10-30 pm - Satsang and 26th May (Wed), 7 to 10-30 pm - Gnanvidhi Venue : New Era High School Compound, Nr. Science College, Godhra (Guj.). Tel. : 9924343468 Ahmedabad th th 28 -29 May, 8 to 10-30 pm - Satsang and 30th May (Sun), 6-30 to 10 pm - Gnanvidhi Venue : Sanskar Kendra Ground, Nr. Tagore Hall, Paldi, Ahmedabad. Tel. : (079)27540408 th

th

Spiritual Retreat in Hindi at Trimandir Adalaj - Date 3rd to 6th June 2010 Note : This shibir is for only Hindi Speaking people who do not know Gujarati language. If you are of Hindi region and want to register for Hindi Spiritual Retreat, you must register your name on (079) 39830400 or by email to register@dadabhagwan.org after 20th April 2010 but before 20th May 2010. No registration will be accepted after 20th May 2010. Spiritual Discourses (with English Translation) and Gnanvidhi in LA (USA) 6th & 8th July, 6-30 to 9-30 PM - Spiritual Discourses & 7th July, 5-30 to 9-30 PM - Gnanvidhi Venue : Mh. Anil & Bhavna Patel, 2164, Rocky View Road, Diamond Bar, CA 91765. Contact : 714-337-9000, 909-510-1258, 323-493-3030, 562-201-5700

DADA GURUPURNIMA 2010 in UK in presence of Pujya Deepakbhai Date 29 Jul '10 30 Jul '10 31 Jul '10 1 Aug '10

Day Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

Time 7:30 to 10 PM 7:30 to 10 PM 6 to 10 PM 9 AM to 8 PM

Event P.Deepakbhai's Satsang P.Deepakbhai's Satsang Gnanvidhi Gurupurnima Celebration

Venue Wanza Community Centre 31 Pasture Lane, Leicester, LE1 4EY Contact : 01162208081

Contact : Mahavideh Foundation, Trimandir, Simandhar City, Ahmedabad-Kalol Highway, P.O.:Adalaj, Dist.:Gandhinagar-382421, Gujarat, India. Tel. : (079) 39830100, email: dadavani@dadabhagwan.org Vadodara : 0265-2414142, Mumbai : 9323528901, USA: 785-271-0869, UK: 07956 476 253 Websites : (1) www.dadabhagwan.org (2) www.dadashri.org 28

April 2010



Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.