Naturalness in Life

Editor : Deepak Desai

DADAVANI

December, 2005, Vol. : 1, Issue : 2, Conti. Issue No.: 2

Naturalness in Life

Publisher & Owner : Mahavideh Foundation, 5, Mamtapark Society, Usmanpura, Ahmedabad-380014 Gujarat, India.

EDITORIAL All human beings are living their life, but what is the goal of this life? Does one keep living his life with a goal or just live like the rest of the people in the world? From morning till evening one is caught up in the stress of the chores of the daily routines, bathing and breakfast, commuting to the office, work routines at the office, hurried lunch, returning home, evening meals, minimal relaxation, sleep and the same routine the next day. Without having made any decision about the goal of life, one goes through their whole life. There is no real earning in a life thus lived. Instead, one binds the new karma for doing more of the same in the life to come. Precious human life is thus wasted. In this struggle to make money, one fails to realize that money it does not come by struggling hard to earn it. One fails to realize that this is not under his control. And the money earned stays here only. The conflicts created in the process come as karma along with him, as he leaves this world.

The highly revered Gnani Purush Dadashri says, ‘money is a by-product’, so it will automatically come to you from the main production. It will come naturally. People today have misunderstood this and instead have started to produce money as the main product of the factory.

Then what will happen to the main product? But does anybody know what the main product is? This is only possible if one has decided a goal in life. Money comes in this life as a result of merit karma performed in the past life. Merit karma performed in this life will bring money in the next life. The purpose of this life is to attain liberation after attaining Self-realization. Once life is turned towards the Self, money will come as necessary, as a by-product, with ease.

Just as it is necessary to understand how money comes to us in this life, it is equally necessary to know how we meet, our wife, children, parents, in-laws, and all these worldly relations in life. Pujya Dadashri says that, all these relations are the accounts from the previous life, but people have never known this. They therefore believe these relationships to be real. In their roles as the father, the wife, the mother-in-law, the friend, they assume full ownership of the role, and proceed to make other people work according to their expectations. However, these are the accounts of attachments and abhorrence from past life. If one realizes this then one would start paying off the accounts one by one, clear them all and attain liberation. If there is an account of attachment they will give happiness to each other and in the account of abhorrence, they will make each other unhappy and miserable. Once these accounts of credits and debts are paid in this life, one dies.

However, as the accounts are being paid, one carries with him the new accounts that are being created within, without his knowledge. These will be paid in the next life. Thus, one is trapped in bondage, life after life.

In the following compilation of actual satsangs with Dadashri, the keys that give the understanding about life after life are presented. By applying these keys the reader’s entanglements start to disentangle and one learns how to attain naturalness in life and progress towards liberation.

Jai Sat Chit Anand.

- Deepak Desai Subscription : Yearly Subscription - India: 100 Rupees, USA: 10 Dollars, UK: 7 Pounds 15 Years Subscription - India: 800 Rupees, USA: 100 Dollars, UK: 75 Pounds Press : Mahavideh Foundation, Basement, Parshvanath Chambers, Nr. RBI, Usmanpura, Ahmedabad-380014

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Naturalness in Life (This is a humble attempt to present to the world the essence of the teachings of Dadashri, the Gnani Purush. A lot of care has been taken to preserve the tone and message of the satsang. This is an elementary introduction to the vast treasure of his teachings. Please note that any errors encountered in the translation are entirely those of the translators. ‘You’ or ‘Self’ refers to the awakened Self or the Self. For glossary of the terms, pl. refer to: www.dadashri.org/glossary.html)

Life flows away without any purpose Questioner : Every human being has a duty. He may be a doctor or a lawyer or have any other vocation, but should the aim not be to help other human beings?

Dadashri : Yes, but one keeps living in

life without any resolution, ‘I want to do well for others.’ One has not taken any decision.

The life goes on without a goal. One has not decided where he wants to go and where he should get off. The breaks on the way are also not planned. Just keep running, running and running. So everything becomes entangled.

One should proceed in life after deciding his goal in life.

Money is a by-product. One cannot produce it. If it were possible to produce money then one would have opened factories of money. However, no, money is a byproduct. The whole world needs money. So how can one get money? One needs to understand this. Money will come by its own nature. People have opened ‘factories’ for money and have made money the main product.

Money is a by-product Do you worry whether your arms or legs will remain functional? No, why not? Do we not need our hands and legs? We need them, but we do not have to think about them.

In the same manner, there is no need to think about money. If your arm hurts, you have to think about getting treatment for it but you do not have to worry about it. You should never be exclusively involved with money. If that 2

happens, you will lose your attention to other matters in life. Exclusive attention, not only towards money but also towards a woman is to be avoided. If you devote your attention exclusively (dhyan) to a woman, you will become like a woman. If you become obsessed with money, you will become restless. Money roams and you will too. Money is the highest raudradhyan (adverse internal meditation that hurts the owner and also others around). It is not artadhyan (adverse meditation hurting only one having it). It is raudradhyan because although a person may have food and everything else in his home, he still covets more wealth. When a person runs after money, other people are deprived of their share of wealth.

Do not break the proportion of distribution of wealth in a way that will cause shortage for others. Otherwise, you will be liable for it. If money comes to you spontaneously, then you are not liable. 500,000 or even 5,000,000 rupees may come to you effortlessly. Once it comes to you, you should not obstruct it from leaving. What is the natural law of money?

‘Do not detain me. Circulate me. Give away as much as comes your way.’

How much money should one try to earn?

Questioner : What is the amount of

money that one should earn?

Dadashri : There is no such rule. Do you think about how much water you will get for your shower every morning? Similarly, one should not think about money. Whether you will get one or two buckets of water, it has already been decided. No one is able to add December 2005

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or take away from this. Make all efforts to earn money through your mind, speech and actions, but do not hold any desire for it.

Money is a bank balance, if it is meant for you then only you will get it. If there is a ‘bank balance’ (merit karma, punya), then you will get it. If someone desires money, then Laxmiji says, ‘I was coming to you this July. Instead, I will come in July, next year.’ Desire for money will further delay the money coming to you.

Nor should you shun money. If you were to say, ‘I don’t want any money’, that too is a great offence. There should be neither rejection nor desire for money. One should have only respect for money, because Laxmiji stays in the head office. Desire for it will create obstacles for its arrival. Laxmiji (the Goddess of wealth) says, ‘when your time and place comes, I will be there. Accept that situation for that time and from time to time, I will send to you whatever is due to you. Whatever is due to you will come to you at its predetermined time; however do not harbor a desire for me. I will send with interest what is rightfully yours. Those who do not harbor desire, to them I send their money on time.’

What else does Laxmiji say? She says that if a person wants to attain liberation, then he may take only the money which is rightfully his, he must not cheat or deceive anyone for money.

An inner intent to earn more money The intent (bhaavna) to earn more money is raudradhyan. Intent for earning money means intent to create shortage of money for others.

That is why the Lord has said, ‘do not have any intent (occupy yourself) to earn money.’ Do you ever plan and occupy yourself (contemplate, dhyan) about taking a shower everyday?

Questioner : No Dada.

Dadashri : Even if you do not do that, don’t you get a bucket full of water?

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Questioner : I do get it.

Dadashri : Just as you get one bucket

of water for your shower without planning, similarly everybody gets enough money for his or her need. This is the law. There is no reason for a person to become occupied with money.

Do you ever think whether you will get a mattress to sleep on tonight? Whereas here, one is preoccupied day and night with money, money and money! How did you find the stupid guru who has taught you to chase money all day long? Due to this, people have lost their home values and health, and have invited ruin. We now see more people having high blood pressure and heart attacks.

What the world does is mediated by worldly knowledge (loksangnya). This worldly knowledge becomes the leader for one who has not found the right spiritual teacher. The world believes that happiness lies in money.

The disease has got in because of this worldly knowledge. Now, with which knowledge can this disease be eradicated? The Lord says that this disease can be eradicated through the knowledge of the Gnani (gnanisangnya).

That is why I am trying to tell you this; even without thinking do you not get water for bathing or a mattress to sleep on or all the other necessary things? This is your spontaneous state (sahaj) for your routine needs. This level of naturalness (sahajata) needs to be there for money also.

Money and sleep are the same One wants to accumulate money, but does not know on what basis it comes. One person asked me, ‘Dada, how does the money come?’ I said, ‘money comes just like sleep.’

Just as some people cannot go to sleep at all, similarly some cannot get any money. Money and sleep are similar. Money comes the same 3

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way as sleep comes. You do not have to do anything to go to sleep. It just comes. If you try to go to sleep, it will go further away. The same is true with money.

Why worry about money?

A person should not be very hasty in attempts to earn money. One should employ laziness in the business of earning money. If you hurry too much to make money then whatever money was going to come in 1988 (after 10 years) will come today (1978), then what will we do in 1988? Therefore, you do not need to do any tricks or employ devious means to earn much more money.

You should keep doing business peacefully without any tension, and with honesty. In this era, one should keep doing business as much as he can to maintain integrity. Who needs to worry? Only the one who is deprived of food and shelter needs to worry.

Will you be facing any day without any food, clothes or shelter?

At the time of profit and expenses When you earn money, you then need to be concerned about how you will let go of it and spend it. In addition, when the time comes to pay expenses, then you have to be strong and appreciate the chance to pay off your debt. To earn money is a responsibility and to pay expenses is the means to get rid of your responsibility. You do not need to keep a burden of money. One feels good if money accumulates in the bank, and feels unhappy when it leaves. In this world, there is nothing that you can take permanent solace from, because everything is temporary. If money comes naturally then let it be, but do not depend on it, because there is no telling when that support will move away. So beware from the beginning and you will not suffer when it is not there.

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The fragrance of wealth Even the Lord has accepted wealth associated with purity. There are many wealthy people in Mumbai, but have you seen anybody with the fragrance of purity?

Questioner : There may be someone

out there?

Dadashri : To use the words, ‘maybe’ is dangerous. One should say either ‘no’ or ‘yes’. To say, ‘maybe’ is very dangerous. To say such hollow and non-committal words is very dangerous. It is due to this deceit that this world exists. Investigate and then say as it is, and then say that in my entire life I have not found any wealthy person with purity. In this era, you would not find any money with the fragrance of purity. If at all it exists, then it is very rare.

Questioner : Please describe the wealth with the fragrance of purity.

Dadashri : Pure money will never bring a trace of stress or tension. Even when there is only a hundred rupees in the home, it does not cause any externally induced suffering. Your mind will be at peace even if someone announces that sugar is going to be rationed from the next day. The one with purity of wealth will have a very pleasant speech and his actions will also be very pleasant. He will not have any thought about earning money. Here what we have all around us is the money of the wrong kind, which will lead to sin and demerit karma. This cannot be called money in the true sense. The thoughts that arise with such money are evil and have demerit. The thoughts are, ‘how to get more money, and how to accumulate more money?’ That sin; is the karma of demerit. People ask me, ‘did the rich people in the past have such money?’

Yes, they did. Their money accumulated December 2005

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naturally. They did not have to accumulate it, whereas, people today are struggling to accumulate it. The pure money of the past came in naturally, even when they begged the Lord for it not to come. Even when they asked for spiritual wealth and not material wealth, money would still flow in their direction. That merit karma (punyanubandhi punya) brings abundant amount of pure money. They would not have any shortage of money; money flowed in for them naturally. When tons of such money comes what do we need to do? We need to deal with it, right? It takes lots of effort to deal with it ideally. Can you throw away that money?

The ideal settlement of such wealth is to let it flow along the paths of beneficial use to others, path of purity, and it will multiply and return.

Types of people with merit karma In the past, all these great emperors ruled, without knowing whether it was night or day. They had tremendous effective merit karmas. Their rule went on very well.

Questioner : Is it true that, the celestial beings were helping Sheth Shalibhadra by sending him bags full of golden guineas?

Dadashri : Yes, they would give

everything. What would they not give to the person who had earned merit karma? If one has an account with a celestial being in prior life, they would settle the account thus. If merit karma (punya) is there, what cannot come?

The person with merit karma effects (punyashadi) will get a lot with minimal effort.

This is the effect of karma. One has to merely think of some things, and without even moving around to acquire it, results in those things coming to him. This is natural effort (sahaj prayatna). The effort is an evidence (nimit).

To call this as ones own real inner endeavor (purushaarth) is wrong.

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All effort to obtain money is due to the obstructions for inflow of money. Why is it necessary to work hard for money? The lesser the effort to get money, the lesser are the obstructions for money.

Who in this world is considered the one with the most merit karma (punyashadi)? The one who gets a thought for money naturally, and decides, and then without any effort or desire the money keeps on flowing in for years to come. Second place, is for the one who desires for something and has to decide on it over and over again, and he will acquire it easily at the end of the day. Third place is for the one who desires for something. He has to make an effort to acquire it and his wish fulfilled. Fourth place is for the one who desires for something and has to work very hard and will acquire it in the end. Fifth place is for the one who desires something and never gets it despite working very hard.

These labourers have to work very hard, in addition to their hard work, they face abuse at the hands of others and still they do not get any money. And when they do get any money, there is no certainty that they will have anything to eat at home. They work the hardest and yet they do not get anything.

Some say that the demerit karma (paap, sin) created unknowingly does not create any results or effects. Why would there be no result? If you touch a hot plate unknowingly, would it spare your hand? Demerit karmas carried out knowingly or unknowingly bring their results. Both carry the same weight. The only difference between the two is that, the consequences of the deed carried out unknowingly (unaware) will have to be experienced with unawareness and the consequence of a deed carried out intentionally (aware) will have to be experienced in an 5

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aware state. For example, there are two brothers, one is sixteen and the other is two years old. Their mother dies. Both have to suffer the consequence of their past demerit karma. But the older one has to suffer consciously and the younger one suffers in a state of unawareness.

What is natural effort?

Are you running this whole business?

Questioner : Yes. Dadashri : Are you not facing any

tension in your business?

Questioner : No, I do not have any

problems.

Dadashri : Enjoying the business, right?

See! A person with lots of merit karma does not have any problems!

Questioner : The money of merit karma may or may not come to me. Should there not be a little, natural (sahaj) effort on my part to attain this money?

Dadashri : What kind of effort

(purushaarth) should one make to acquire money with ease? It should be simple and easy. Because of wrong understanding in matters of money, one makes the thing which is simple and easy, difficult and uneasy.

Questioner : Sometimes it seems that it is not so easy and simple but it is hard and difficult to make money, then should I give up? I think that, I do not have the merit karma to let money come with simple and easy efforts.

So in this event, should I take it easy and let events unfold naturally (become sahaj)?

Dadashri : No, no. If you remain patient, everything will unfold with ease. But one spoils everything by becoming impatient and running around.

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Questioner : I cannot remain patient

and think, that I should do this and that.

Dadashri : Yes, one thinks that I want

to do this and that, and thus creates all the confusions. He will not have any patience.

While waiting for the train to come on the platform, he does not drink even a cup of tea peacefully; instead, he is restlessly looking at the tracks waiting for the train. If you ask him to talk with you, he will not listen. This impatience and stressed attitude brings only fatigue, exhaustion and clash.

Then sin will stop Hey you! Are you going to earn money?

Yes, he will earn and lose money, for sure. No one has control over flow of money, profit or loss. Why are you obsessed with money for no reason? The nature of money is to come and go (puran and galan). Everything is controlled by nature. It is under nature’s control that someone is earning hundred thousand rupees. It is not under your control, why are you meddling in this? Money comes free of cost. A person keeps having desire (bhaavna) to earn more money due to greed. It is the illusion that, ‘if I work then only I will get money, otherwise I won't.’

Questioner : If I do not go to the factory then I will lose money.

Dadashri : Yes, but the one who goes also incurs loses, right? So what does it mean?

You do not have to have the desire (bhaavna) for earning money. Let your efforts continue.

What happens when you keep having a desire for making money? If you take a lot more money, other people fall short in their allocated quota. So accept whatever quota has been allocated to you naturally. What is the need to have this deep desire to earn money? People will stop committing sins by this understanding.

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Gnani explains economics Questioner : Which is better, to be greedy or to be economical?

Dadashri : To be greedy is a crime; to be economical is not.

What is economy? When harsh times come be tight (frugal), and when the times are good, relax and be free with money. Never get into debt to do any work. You can take a loan for business but not for luxuries. When is it acceptable for you to get into a debt for food? When you are dying of hunger you may borrow money, but not for restaurants and gourmet foods.

Questioner : Dada, Is there any

difference between miserliness and thriftiness?

Dadashri : Yes, there is a big difference.

To spend 800 when you earn 1000 and to spend 400 when you earn 500 is being thrifty.

A miser will spend 400, regardless of whether he earns 1000 or 2000. He would not pay for a taxi. Thriftiness is economics. It helps to maintain awareness of future financial problems.

People get irritated the moment they see a miser, whereas people do not feel that way about a thrifty person. The thrifty or the miser, both, is relative. A frugal person irritates a generous person. A thrifty person will find it hard to become generous, and a generous person cannot become thrifty. Stinginess and generosity are natural attributes. What ever you do, it will not change. All these relative properties are inherent in nature. One needs to stay in normality in every situation.

The money that is placed in my pocket will be used only for the taxi fare or the train fare. For me there is neither the opinion to spend nor the opinion to save. There is no decision either way. Money is not to be wasted. It is to be used as circumstances arise.

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This Dada is precise, economical and also very generous. He is very generous but completely adjustable. He is very generous where others are concerned, and for himself he is frugal, and in satsang (where he teaches spirituality), he is very precise. People notice that I am very precise in satsang. My economy is adjustable; it is the finest. I am frugal even when I use water. For me these attributes are natural and spontaneous.

Should one expand the business or not?

Questioner : Should I keep seeing the

thoughts about business or should I make an effort to increase the business?

Dadashri : ‘You’ (the Self) need to see the effort that happens. If the effort happens, ‘see’ that, and if it does not happen, it is fine.

How are you going to do it? ‘You’ just have to keep ‘seeing’ what Chandubhai (the nonSelf)) is trying to do for the business.

Questioner : Should I then not make

any effort to expand the business?

Dadashri : Just see what happens, what

efforts are being made, keep ‘seeing’ them.

The efforts of Chandubhai that are being made, or not being made are to be ‘seen’. Both are correct. Sometimes, you work so hard, go around four miles in the city to get your work done, but you do not accomplish anything and at another time you just walk through once and your work is done. So how is the work done, by running around or something else?

Not knowing the reality, all these aggravations and confusions arise.

How much effort is needed in the business?

The glory and energy of the light of these eyes are beyond words. If someone were to say that in order to see, you need to make an effort, then one would become blind in just three days.

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The maintenance of the eyesight is under the control of nature. The nutrient that maintains vision circulates through so many microscopic channels, even thinner then this hair! If these were given to a doctor to maintain he would make you blind in three days. This nature is so beautiful and we should be very grateful to it.

You have to make an effort in your business, and scientific circumstantial evidences (vyavasthit) will organize everything. However, you still need to persist in your efforts and not become lazy. The Lord has said that everything is vyavasthit. Whether you make a profit of thousand or a hundred thousand, your scheming will not increase your profit by a single cent.

On the contrary, your dishonesty will bind new accounts for next life.

Whatever exceeds naturalness is all scheming. Whatever breaks normality and naturalness is all manipulation and conniving.

The secret of allowing others to cheat oneself Questioner : You let the other person cheat you knowingly, but what happens to him, the one who overcharged you for your dhoti (a long plain lower garment of males)? Will he have a profit or loss?

Dadashri : Whatever is going to happen to him will happen. He did not do this according to my teachings. I have satisfied his inclination. If someone came to get something from me, whether it rightfully belongs to him or not, it is all right with me. He is the loser in this, because he took what is not his.

However, he opened the door of liberation for me. ‘The Vitarag (One without any attachment) walks away after nourishing everybody’s ego.’

People will not let us go if we do not satisfy their ego. They will stop you, ‘this is incomplete, and this is not done, and take care 8

of this first.’ Will anybody let you go further?

Oh, even the old parents will not leave you alone. They will complain, ‘you did not do well for us. You did not fulfill what I expected of you.’ Hey, are you looking for this kind of return? If you get the returns (of having raised a son) with naturalness, it is fine. Should parents be looking for something in return for raising their children? Such parents are not parents but ‘renters’ (bhadut). Those who allow themselves to be cheated by others deliberately are very rare, are they not?

The principle of sahajata(naturalness) Infinite, unlimited energies exist in every human being. A person who has not attained the knowledge of the Self (Gnan) also possesses infinite strength. In the state of ignorance (not Self realized) the ego is there.

When one ‘cleans’ this ego, one does not use anything for himself, one gives what he has to others, and lives a life of avoiding public display and worldly interaction, then many inner powers (siddhis) will express.

Questioner : The current times are such, that if a person is having his meal with his own hard earned money and does not protect it, it is likely to be snatched away by some one else. Now if one does not protect what he has, then he will remain hungry. Such are the bad times now and in this situation, you are telling us to share and let go.

Dadashri : Yes, in these times, one snatches away with insults, ‘hey! Bring it here.’

Saint Gorakh says that, ‘sahaj mila so doodha barabar, maang leeya so pani, khinch liya voh rakta barabar’ meaning:

That which comes naturally is like milk, that which comes after asking is like water, and that which snatched by force is like blood.

Who is following this law?

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Questioner : If one obeys this law then

the wife and kids will starve to death.

Dadashri : But then he will be granted

and blessed with other spiritual powers.

Questioner : But what should one do in the meantime while waiting for all these special spiritual powers to manifest? One has worked hard for something and it is being snatched away by others. If one does not protect it, it will all be taken away.

Dadashri : No. Nobody can snatch it

away. This Gnan (the knowledge of the Self) of ours is very scientific and without any contradiction. It is such that if you leave some gold outside and go to sleep, it will be there for you in the morning. Nothing can happen, if it is rightfully yours.

The definition of sahajata in two sentences The worldly meaning of naturalness has been well clarified in Saint Gorakh's verse, that says: ‘sahaj mila so doodha barabar, maang leeya so pani, khinch liya voh rakta barabar, Gorakh bole bani’ meaning: That which comes naturally is like milk, that which comes after asking is like water, and that which snatched by force is like blood. Thus says Gorakh.

‘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. And if one asked for a glass of milk, it will give the effect like water. If it is obtained by snatching it away from someone, it is like drinking blood. In the two sentences, Gorakh has summarized the scripture.

If we are sitting on the dinner table and ask for more food, that is not called asking as December 2005

specified above. If the host replies, there is no more food and you keep asking for it, that is called asking and what you get will be like water. And if you snatch something from anyone (cheating, deceiving, conniving) then it is like blood. How can there be any happiness in these times when only snatching goes on?

If someone is thirsty, will he not beg for a glass of water? Or he may even snatch away a glass of water, right? By snatching anything, even nectar will become poison. Do you think nowadays anybody does such a thing?

Questioner : Everybody acquires only

by snatching.

Downfall by spending the overdraft Dadashri : The owner of four houses moves with hardly five rupees on his hand and yet shows off as if he is the King of Bhavnagar!

What is the use of this kind of ego?

Questioner : Dada, but many times a person keeps everything like this and he also finds such things in worldly interactions.

Dadashri : He will get everything at the expense of binding new demerit karma (paap, sin) for the next life. It is the rule. If you spend all your merit karma, and then on top of that you exercise your ego, cheat others and covet what is not yours, you have created an overdraft for which you will have to take birth in the animal kingdom. Anything acquired by snatching is useless. Only that which comes to you naturally from your own merit karma effects (punya) is worth receiving.

Business through natural effort Would you like it if someone deceives you and takes away your hard earned money?

Likewise the other person will feel the same if you do this. We should not do anything that will hurt another person.

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In this world, if you give happiness then you will get happiness and if you give unhappiness then you will get unhappiness. What are you giving? Are you giving a mixture of both?

Questioner : I am trying to give

happiness to others.

Dadashri : So why then do you end up

giving unhappiness? Why is your attempt not successful?

That is why I am telling you to enjoy what comes to you as result of your merit karma. What is the definition of merit karma?

Someone will come and wake you up at 5:30 am in the morning and will ask you, ‘Sir, I would like to build a house and I would like to give you the contract!’ Such is the Scientific Circumstantial Evidence (Vyavasthit). This will happen even if you make no efforts to look for a contract. And if the owner is running around looking for somebody to give him a contract what does ‘Vyavasthit’ say, ‘Relax, it will happen!’, and one will have to wait.

Nothing is going to happen beyond Vyavasthit (scientific circumstantial evidence).

Yet, you should not take Vyavasthit to mean, ‘let me take it easy, everything will be done’.

If you want to say, ‘Vyavasthit’, then your effort must be there. The efforts to be made have to be made as dictated and prompted by Vyavasthit. But what should be our intent?

Our intent must be to make the effort. What do I mean by efforts ‘prompted by vyavasthit’?

Say you go to collect money due to you, at 10 am. You do not meet him, and then you go looking for him at noon. Even then, you do not meet him. Then again, you go searching for him at 1:30 pm. You are not to do this. To make an effort means you just need to go once to collect the money and then don’t need to think about it. The effort should be natural. This natural effort means that you will 10

encounter the person on your way back the first time you went looking for him. All my work is accompanied with this naturalness.

No effort is necessary. That is how the account has been for me. This is because I never created any interference.

Impure money creates clash Questioner : Are the clashes that occur in certain homes due to the way they have earned money?

Dadashri : It happens only because of money. Always if the money is pure then your life will be good and you will have peace of mind. Clashes in the home are caused by entry of impure money. From a very young age, I had decided that as far as possible impure money must not enter my home. For the past sixty-six years, not a trace of impure money has entered my home and that is why there have never been clashes in my home. We had decided that we would run the household within a certain budget. The business may make hundreds of thousands of rupees but if this ‘Patel’ were to work for someone, then how much would he earn? At the most he would earn anywhere between six to seven hundred rupees. Business is a play of merit and demerit karma so we (my wife and I) should spend only the amount that would be my salary if I were employed elsewhere. The rest of the money would be retained in the business, in case of an income tax audit. One never knows when an attack from an income tax authority will come and if all the money is spent, the attack from the tax office will cause you to have a heart attack! Have such attacks not entered everywhere? How can we call this life? What do you think? Is this not a mistake?

We need to break this mistake.

Natural effort for money I desire the Self (saspruha) and want December 2005

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nothing in the world (nispruha). The Lord was the same. But his followers have become nispruha only. They reject money but they have not become saspruha (not found the Self, yet).

One has to take action as the necessity arises.

Questioner : Where are your desires?

And where are you devoid of any desires?

Please explain.

Dadashri : I do not have any desires in

the relative world and I am desirous of the Self. Only with such a combination, can one attain moksha. So welcome gladly every occasion as it comes in front of you. Take action as the circumstance dictates without seeing your gain or loss. Deluded intellect will not let you see reality. The Lord says, there is no problem if you stay in the theory of relativity (worldly life), but live your life without any contradictions. You have to obey the rules of Laxmiji (The goddess of wealth). Do not earn money through deceptive business practices.

You would have to make easy efforts to earn money. You should go to the shop everyday, but you should not harbor any desires for money. If you borrow money from somebody then you should return it as soon as possible.

You should have inner intent that you want to pay it off, and then you will be able to pay it off certainly.

The right understanding of business Questioner : If someone owes us money and does not pay it back when he is supposed to, at that time should we make the effort to collect the money from him or do we accept it as having fulfilled our past life debt and be content with the situation?

Dadashri : Not like that. If that person is rich then you should pursue the matter but if he is poor then do not make the effort to collect.

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Questioner : Should I make the effort

to collect or just sit at home and assume that if he is going to return the money, he will do so on his own and if he does not, then do I assume that my past debt has been paid off?

Dadashri : No, no don’t assume so much. You have to make necessary efforts.

You tell him, ‘At the moment I am a little short of cash, if you have little extra money, can you please make arrangement to send it to me?’

Speak to him with respect and discretion. As much respect the borrower would have for you when he came to borrow the money, you should keep the same respect at the time of asking the money back from him. If you keep the old idea in the mind that he is the debtor, it would hurt you.

Naturalness versus habit Questioner : Would not the naturalness change into a daily routine habit?

Dadashri : If naturalness changes into a habit then we cannot say that there is naturalness. What is naturalness? One is natural when one adjusts to the changing situations. In habit one resists the change saying, ‘this does not suit me, this is no good, etc.’ In naturalness one never makes a fuss.

Questioner : Nowadays, life is so busy

that people do not get any time to go to the temple. Therefore, one has to fix and decide a specific time.

Dadashri : There is no problem if one

decides a specific time to go to the temple, but one need to keep awareness that, it should not become a habit. It should not become a habit, making one unnatural and not adjusting with others. One should also have the focused awareness (upayog jagruti) of what one does at the temple.

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Questioner : Yes, that is the main thing.

Dadashri : We cannot say not to decide about a specific schedule, but one needs to know, ‘is this simply a habit or have I come here to do darshan?’ The man had replied, ‘I go there because I am reminded by the habit.’

Is this not important? So I said to him, that is why I am reminding you. What else do I need to do? I am sitting here and hammering, so he will remember to have the right awareness.

The path of sincerity is for heartily people and that is the natural path (sahaj). The path of the intellect is for those who are not natural (asahaj). If one becomes spontaneous and natural, then only will one accomplish his task.

The harmful naturalness I asked one man to get involved in religion and devotion. He said, ‘how can I get involved in religion and devout worship with all these household relative responsibilities, with business, wife and children? I do not get any time to rest.’ Then his brother-in-law, who was a millionaire, expired. Therefore, his sisterin-law told him, ‘my husband is gone now, who will take care of all of this?’ Then he promptly told her, ‘Don't worry, I am here.’

She asked him, ‘are you going to take care of your business or mine?’ He told her, ‘my children will take care of my business, so don't worry.’ Therefore, he took care of his brotherin-law’s business his whole life.

Questioner : You asked him to come into religion, but he did not listen to you.

Dadashri : He did not have any

opportunity. That woman just said, ‘who will take care of all this?’ So his ego woke up and rose and it (the ego) signed the agreement to help her.

12

Account of this one life You have brought with you all these ready ‘luggage’ of office, business, wife and children. This is the account of the past life.

The Self does not have any father or son.

Everybody gets together to settle the debts of the past lifes account. One does not have any knowledge about what one needs to do further, and therefore one keeps opening new accounts.

Everything is preordained and ready, so one does not need to pay too much attention in relative dealings. One has to do his relative dealings naturally with awareness. Everything from birth until death is mandatory. If one enjoys doing something then he thinks it is optional and when he does not like it then he thinks it is mandatory. One will need to know all these things. For how long can one carry on these false assumptions? One should keep some record to evaluate and review where he goes wrong. To bring vegetables is mandatory, but on the way if someone pays you respect then the ego gets inflated, and you suffer the loss. So you need to check your account to make sure where you are taking losses. If you go to a wedding and someone said, ‘Welcome sir, come take this front sit here’ and you become elevated then You (the seer) would understand that you (Chandulal) have taken the loss. It is his duty to pay you respect but you should not be weak at that time. You should become such a strong person that you will not lose anywhere. You may lose once, twice or even twenty times but You need to evaluate and know that the one he is giving respect to is Chandulal (relative self), not to You (the pure Self). The Lord within all is the Self.

Relations are accounts One has to understand these worldly relationships. Who are these people, uncle, December 2005

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husband or wife? These are the accounts from the past life. One has never known about these accounts. In this life, one pays off the old debts and keep creating new accounts because one does not know the consequences of the new accounts created, and how the new accounts are created. If one finds out the risk in creating new accounts then he would start clearing all the accounts before him with equanimity. All accounts will be settled, one way or the other.

This world does not exist for us to suffer miseries, but to enjoy the pleasures. As many charged karmas one has brought in this life from the past life, those will come in to effect.

This is the reason that some people only enjoy pleasures and some only suffer miseries.

Everyday we read in the news that, ‘two robbers robbed a person while traveling. Some robbers strapped a woman and robbed her house.’ After reading all these news, do we not need to fear, ‘what if a robber robs me?’

It is a crime to have a doubt like that. Nobody is going to bother you unless you have an unsettled account. So take it easy. The fault is of the sufferer, so roam around fearless. These news reporters’ job is to report all kinds of news, so do people need to become fearful reading all these news? Nowadays the divorce rate has decreased. People will start doubting, ‘what if I also get a divorce if the divorce rate starts increasing?’ A million people maybe robbed by a robber, but you need not fear.

There is no boss (bapo) up there.

The final release from the ego effects What do you need? The world takes over your welfare, if you do not have anything.

You will not have to tell anyone. The world will take over automatically. The nature of the world is very different.

For how many years have I not been able to walk?

December 2005

Questioner : For the past eight years.

Dadashri : Even then, do you think I get around more than you all do?

Questioner : A lot more.

Dadashri : What is the reason for that?

The one who is devoid of all ego, including all traces of the discharge ego (potapanu), in Akram Vignan, you will meet with all the circumstances without asking or thinking.

When you feel fear, ‘what will I do?’ regarding your future, this is the arrangement that I am suggesting for you. Distribute your wealth, or let the organization know that I am giving you whatever I have. From now on if I will need anything for myself, then I will get it from the organization. All that I receive in future, I will hand over to the organization.

For me everything is the natural unfolding of the past life karma (udayadhin, where there is no interference of the discharge ego). If you do as I have advised, you too will come close to this state. Your ‘doing’ this is to follow the liberating speech (deshna purvak). And for me, it is just natural unfolding of the karma.

Only the unsheltered are miserable The worldly relative life is evolutionary (samsaran) by nature. The form changes at every furlong and every mile of life in the world.

A human being feels miserable due to his involvement in each continuously changing circumstance. The entire evolutionary path (sansar) is natural, but only human beings suffer because of unnaturalness. Human beings undergo sufferings and miseries. Do these birds and fish need any hospitals? Do they need to take a shower everyday? Yet, how beautiful do they look! Do they need to acquire anything? They all are dependent (ashrit) on God (nature). Human beings have no 13

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dependency or protection. It does not matter whether one is a sadhu or a renouncer, if one feels, ‘what will happen to me?’ one is without shelter (nirashrit). All those who do not have any dependency on God and accumulate things are without a shelter and that is why they have worries and tension.

Remove all conflicts with understanding A human life should be without the conflicts. Conflicts do not occur in the animal life forms. These animals would cry during internal suffering because of pain. Conflicts do not occur in any other life forms except human beings. Would it be appropriate to have conflicts amongst human beings? Yet some mistake remains, that creates the conflicts. The Lord has said that, one can avoid conflicts with the intellect and Gnan is not required for this. The right use of intellect can destroy conflicts. However, people have started factories of conflicts! Now where can we export this? Foreign countries are very prosperous with all material things; still they need to use sleeping pills to have sleep. They own gold and wealth of the entire world, yet they have to resort to taking sleeping pills.

Sleep is that which comes naturally. Taking a sleeping pill is like making one numb and dull, like taking an anesthetic. Instead, why not stay awake? Is this not better than becoming numb and dull?

The definition of awareness (Jagruti) First, awareness should come in the pudgal (the non-Self). After Self-realization as one lets the pudgal be, does not interfere with pudgal, the awareness as the Self (atmajagruti) increases. Little children do not quarrel over spilled milk due to ignorance (lack of awareness). As the child starts to grow up he becomes aware of the pudgal and then his conflicts begin. Much later, the 14

issues of awareness of the Self arise. Children do not have awareness for relative life interactions (vyavahar jagruti). Nobody has awareness in relative life interactions. A person with the relative awareness would not have divisions due to difference of opinions at home or in the relative dealings. He would avoid all clashes. The one with worldly awareness will not let any circumstance arise that would create conflict in his home. The three kashays: greed, deceit and attachment play a very powerful role in relative awareness (vyavahar). In real awareness (nischay jagruti), anger, pride, deceit and greed have come to an end. What is sleep? What is awakening?

One will need to understand this. The world acclaims a ‘PhD’ as a very ‘aware’ person.

The One who is aware (as the Self) is a very rare and extraordinary being. This awareness (jagruti) is defined by the presence, as the Self, during the functioning of each of the four internal components of the mind, intellect, chit and the ego.

What is awareness? The beginning of awareness starts when a person does not enter into a conflict with the self (anger, pride, deceit and greed do not arise; absence of adverse meditation, absence of arta and raudra dhyan) at any time and in any situation.

In the second stepping, the awareness exists in which such kashaya (attachment and abhorrence) does not happen on account of any one else, and this awareness then proceeds on to the natural state of continuous uninterrupted bliss (sahaj samadhi). One should get the result of awakening if he has attained the Self. How can we say that a person is awakened, if he still encounters conflicts in life? How can we say that one is aware if he still hurts others? To have arrived at the state of a life without conflicts is a very great state indeed.

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The state without conflicts: with Gnan, without Gnan Questioner : What can we say about

a home where one has not taken Gnan and conflicts do not occur?

Dadashri : That is like the home of a

divine person, but such a thing is not possible in this era. Conflict works like an infectious disease. Conflict has spread in every home.

Questioner : What is the difference

between the absence of conflict where one has not attained Gnan and where one has attained Gnan?

Dadashri : Absence of conflicts before Gnan is due to settlement by the intellect. With Gnan there is absence of the conflicts because one settles with equanimity. After attainment of Gnan the doership leaves, so one can settle conflicts with equanimity.

Nature’s guest

Dadashri : You are a guest of nature.

You get everything readily at home.

The portrait of unnaturalness Dadashri : Is everything getting lighter

day by day?

Questioner : Yes, Dada.

Dadashri : One progresses towards

naturalness. Otherwise, one is always uneasy, uneasy, and uneasy. There is unending unnaturalness. One is always involved in something else during the time of dinner, the time of taking a shower or even at the time of smoking.

Did you have any experience like this?

Did your mind wander while you were doing something? Everybody would have such experience.

The world is not remembered, where one is natural Questioner : I have a question, how

Everything in the world is spontaneous and natural. All these efforts are useless.

Everybody is a guest of nature. Now, being a guest if one goes in the kitchen and starts to stir the soup (kadhee), he is disqualified to be a guest. Being a guest one should behave like a guest. One should eat dinner without commenting on the food. One should not complain, if it is salty then do not drink, leave it. Do you get air wherever you go?

Questioner : Air is available

everywhere.

Dadashri : Do you get water too?

Questioner : I get water too.

Dadashri : Do you get food and drink

or not?

Questioner : I do get it.

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can we be free from the memories of this world? How can we forget?

Dadashri : It is impossible to lose the

memories of this world for even an hour if you spend thousands of rupees. Many different things come in your mind. One would only remember sick relatives at the time of dinner.

Why does a sick person comes in mind at the time of dinner? Therefore, memory is the main thing, which harasses people.

Questioner : But again, I think that if the world remains out of my mind, then will I get into trouble settling the cases of sales tax and income tax?

Dadashri : It is not like that. It is possible

for the world to remain out of your mind and your relative dealings are going on. If the world remains out of your memory, your task at hand 15

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will get on very nicely and naturally.

Mental peace through naturalness Questioner : Nowadays my patients commonly ask how to attain mental peace.

Dadashri : How can these people achieve peace of mind? They are looking for only restlessness. They cannot achieve peace of mind from anywhere. Peace of mind would remain if one stays in his natural state. Instead of taking a nap for a little while, one sleeps for four hours after lunch. This is unnaturalness.

This leads to restlessness and ruins surrounding situations. One ruins everything with egoism.

One would not have come up with this condition, if his ego was within the normal limit.

The bliss of the Self Mental peace exists as the worldly self (vyavahar atma). After Self-realization, one attains the bliss of the Self. One cannot attain the knowledge of the Self with the verbal or the worldly knowledge. For this, one has to know the true nature of the Self as it is, in reality (yatharth).

Moksha means to remain in constant bliss. Even if someone abuses you or picks your pocket, if bliss remains, that is moksha.

The Gnani Purush remains in a state of constant bliss.

The nature of the Self is supreme bliss.

The liberated Supreme beings (Siddha Bhagwant) are in infinite supreme bliss. As much as one minute's worth of bliss of these liberated Supreme beings would be equal to the bliss of a whole year for the people of the entire world. This is still a gross simile to give you an idea of the nature of the bliss of the liberated souls.

The happiness one experiences from 16

the external sources is pudgalic (integrating and disintegrating through intake and output).

The happiness one experiences from the external source, from the pudgalic subatomic particles, is not the bliss of the Self. The effortless, natural bliss within is the bliss of the Self. People experience happiness reading the scriptures. This is not the bliss of the Self. It is only pudgalic (non-Self) happiness.

It is similar to the temporary pleasure that one experiences when coming underneath the shade of a tree after being exhausted from the heat. The happiness arises from the hard work. Bliss should be spontaneous, self sufficient and independent. People experience happiness by watching movies or attending weddings, but it is all temporary and transient happiness, because it turns into unhappiness later. This is entertainment of the mind (manoranjan) and not the bliss of the Self (atmaranjan). Once the unchanging bliss manifests then one should know that the Self has been attained.

Eternal bliss is the goal Questioner : Does it mean this is a

shortcut?

Dadashri : This path is direct and is a

shortcut.

Questioner : But what is the ultimate

goal of this path?

Dadashri : The ultimate goal of this path is to attain eternal bliss, become liberated, and be free from any dependence on the non-Self (niralumb) Questioner : What is eternal bliss and what is the definition of eternal bliss?

Dadashri : The bliss for which no effort is required. It is attained naturally and stays with you forever. Eternal bliss is such that it is December 2005

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never associated with any misery.

A person without weakness Did you like these talks so far? It is not an ordinary thing that we all have been sitting here for so long happily. It is wonderful that you have engaged for so long in the satsang without being upset. A person who is weak would become upset.

Questioner : If he gets upset, then he does not have any right to come here.

Dadashri : No, others do get upset.

But I am satisfied with you, that not one weakness arose.

Questioner : I have met many saints

and renouncers but I have not discussed anything anywhere. One such sadhu had become very angry and upset with me.

Dadashri : Yes, It is right. I am very

happy to see that the weakness has not arose.

I marvel when I find that such people still do exist here.

If someone is falling then one does not need to become excited and say, ‘hey he fell, he fell, he fell. Hold him, hold him, and hold him!’ Take it easy and be natural.

Worrying ruins a task Nature says that make an effort, even a very tremendous effort to accomplish a difficult task. However, do not worry. By worrying your work will receive a jolt. The person who worries takes the rein into his own hands, ‘I am the one who is running this.’ There is a punishment for taking on that kind of control.

The consequences of worries: lower life forms In these worldly interactions, ego is December 2005

always there as a by-product. This type of ego is natural. This much ego is enough to run life normally. Brand new factories of ego as ‘main production’ have been started. And this extra ego has expanded to such an extent that there is no end to the worries. The ego has been allowed to increase more and more. The world is capable of functioning with a natural, normal ego. However, the inflated ego of an old man says, ‘I am very worried.’ What are the consequences of these worries? The next life will be in the animal life form. So beware.

While you are in this human life form you must be cautious, otherwise you will receive the fruit of animal life if you carry on worrying.

Worries bind obstructive karma By worrying, one binds an obstructive karma, and this prolongs the work. If someone tells you that at such a place you will find the boy for your daughter, then you can make an effort to meet him and his parents. The Lord has said not to worry. Worries create more obstructions. The Vitarag Lord has asked, ‘are you the one running this world? You are worrying so are you the owner?’ In a way, when you really look at it, you do not even have independent strength to empty your bowels. You have to call a doctor when you become severely constipated. Until then you feel that everything is under your control, but that strength is not yours. Shouldn't you know who controls this universe?

The Drama of the Gnani If the father is enlightened, what will he do if someone kidnaps his one and only daughter? Did Lord Mahavir have a daughter or not?

Questioner : Yes, He did. He would try to stop the kidnapper. If he fails, he would not be sad.

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Dadashri : He would make an effort.

His effort would be ‘dramatic.’ He would say, ‘what do you think you are doing? How dare you? I will file a lawsuit against you. I will complain against you in the court. I will do this and that.’ All this is said as if in a drama.

Know how to get your work done After the attainment of Gnan if a single worry arises, then I am responsible. But you must follow the Agnas (Dadashri’s five divine dictates). These Agnas are not difficult. You start practicing them.

Questioner : I have started to practice.

Dadashri : Have you started to follow

them? Keep practicing from now. Otherwise, it is not so easy a thing to follow, because it is not natural to you. It is like a new engine, until all the parts are well worn and smoothened, it will not work efficiently. So the engine needs to be driven. It’s the same with a new wife.

One needs to smooth out the rough edges. If on the first day the wife becomes upset, you need to make her feel good, by saying gently, ‘do not worry, my dear, we are together.’ One needs to get the work done by persuading her. If both get upset with each other, then what is left? One should know how to take care of things and interact with others.

If she refuses to budge, you have to move When you get married in the presence of family, friends and relatives, with the sun and the priest as your witness, and the priest uttered the vow, ‘samay varte savdhan,’ (exercise caution according to the event in time), you went ahead and got married. But, do you know how to take caution? When the priest says, ‘samay varte savdhan’, the priest knows the meaning of this. What does the person getting married understand? What is 18

the meaning of this vow? It means that when the wife loses her temper you should remain calm and alert. Now if both get in to a quarrel then won't the neighbors rush to see the scene?

Will there be a fiasco or not? If you two do not have to unite in future, then go ahead and quarrel! Oh, distribute everything! But you will say, ‘no, where would I go?’ Why are you quarreling if you are going to unite again?

Should you not take the caution?

The solution to solve divisiveness between husband and wife Everyday you sit together on the dinner table and still quarrel with each other. One starts bickering over a meal if that is a particular serving in the dinner plate. Then look at them having real fun! He will quarrel over yogurt, ‘Why did you not serve me yogurt?’

She will insist on preparing yogurt soup (kadhee) and you want her to prepare lentil (daal) soup then the conflicts will increase. If she wants to prepare soup then you should allow her to do that. Then some day if you ask her to prepare rice-pudding (sweet dish), then she will say, ‘allowed!’ Do not obstruct anybody’s opinion! Can you sleep well at night if you had a quarrel from difference of opinion with your wife? You are a boss yourself. You are the only whole and sole responsible.

Therefore, one needs to investigate the way to become happy in the life.

Unlimited happiness in being spontaneous People in the past days would manage to deal with situations even if they did not have any food, drinks or clothes to wear.

Nowadays we have plenty of material things and yet people have so many clashes, clash and clash! In that too, a husband would have trouble with income tax and sales tax, so he December 2005

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would be afraid of those officers. In addition, if you ask his wife, ‘why are you afraid?’ Then she will say, ‘my husband is a very difficult person to deal with.’ Do you like to live in such a worldly life?

Questioner : At this time, I like this

worldly life.

husband are not dependent to the unfolding karma, you are dependent upon your awareness (jagruti, relative awareness), and she is dependent upon her unfolding karma.

Women are spontaneous and natural (sahaj).

Such naturalness (sahajata) is not a trait of men. If it becomes your nature, you will be very happy.

Dadashri : Don’t you feel this life bitter

Nagging at meal-times

or unpleasant?

Questioner : I feel the life is unpleasant

when I view it closely.

Dadashri : Even if one finds this worldly

life very bitter, yet what is the nature of this human being? One is having a mango and goes to sleep! Hey, how can you eat this mango, if you had a quarrel with your wife just now?

What is the use, when you just had a quarrel with your wife and she serves you a mango?

Do you let it go or not? Then if you quarrel with her, she will also let you go. However, what can she do? Both are ‘magistrates (judging each other)’!

Oh, you should eat quietly even if the cook abuses you and scolds you, so you do not have to cook, at least!

The husband should be the one first to apologize. The husband has a broader and more open mind by nature.

Questioner : Since you said the

husband has a more forgiving nature due to an open mind, he is pleased, Dada.

Dadashri : Men really do have a broad

mind. They have a very open mind and women are more natural and spontaneous in their acts.

This means that if it comes to their mind from within to ask for forgiveness, then they will, if not, they will not apologize. However, if you as a husband initiate and ask for forgiveness, then she will immediately follow. You, as a December 2005

Questioner : You can say something if they are your own people, can you say it to others?

Dadashri : So does it mean that you can abuse your own people?

Questioner : If you tell her, then she would do a better job the next time.

Dadashri : Whether she does a good

job or not, such talks are not needed. Why do these things happen? It is neither under the control of the maker nor is it under the control of the person who says anything. Under whose control is all this? I know the cause behind all that, so it is better not to say a word.

Questioner : What is the reason behind

this?

Dadashri : It is not under the control of the maker. Control is very different thing. This is all useless talk. We cannot accomplish anything by just telling them.

I do not complain, I let it go naturally.

Mistake does happen but it would have happened naturally.

Questioner : No, but I do need to tell her, if she does not prepare a good meal, right?

Dadashri : What is the reason that she had prepared a good meal? Did you taste the meal in the past? Is she preparing a good 19

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meal because of your words?

For many years, I have not told her (Hiraba) anything. Whatever she prepares naturally is all right for me. We do not need to scold women over a meal. By nature, women have awareness in the kitchen.

When they speak with natural intent…

One man asked Hiraba, ‘Dada’s nature is very nice! Was it like this from the beginning?’ Then she said, ‘He has changed now. In the past he used to be hot tempered.’

She will not forget what she had seen before.

(Women tend to remind their husbands of their past, by nature). I keep changing the film; I would not reopen the past film. She would reopen the past film also. I would just show this present running movie.

I would not say anything that would hurt Hiraba, because even if a little something happens, it hurts her. Because of purity of her nature (lack of deceit), she would say anything that arises without caring about who was around listening.

One doctor was taking care of Hiraba without taking any fees. Yet she will say, ‘this doctor is very short tempered.’ I told her, ‘we cannot say such a thing.’ However, she had said this naturally (without ill feelings), so even the doctor would smile at her. Because of all that purity within, whenever she said anything, nobody felt bad.

The naturalness in women With one ‘eye’ one should see the divine in a woman and with the other ‘eye’ one should observe her womanly conduct (stree charitra).

With love in one and sternness in the other, you will be able to maintain a balance.

Questioner : Therefore, someone has

mentioned in Sanskrit, ‘Yetra naryastu pujyante 20

ramante tatra devta!’ That means, wherever a woman is worshipped as a goddess, there is the presence of celestial beings.

Dadashri : Yes, enough! Therefore, when I say something like this, then people tell me that Dada, you are siding with women, you are partial to women.

Now what I am trying to say is that you should worship a woman, but that does not mean you need to do a devotional ritual (arati) in the morning. If you do that then she will wear and tear you down. What do I mean by this? I will tell you to have sternness in one eye and love in the other eye. In the past, how did they consider women? They considered them worth worshipping. But when we take a literal meaning of that, then people will do her arati. Oh, do not do this, otherwise she will get intoxicated with ego and dominate you.

Indeed, they have some high intrinsic qualities, but it is also easy for them to become intoxicated with ego and then dominate. So do not worship her. She is not qualified for that. Just praise and honor her in your mind.

Questioner : Naari tu Narayani!

‘Woman thou are the consort of the Supreme Lord.’

Dadashri : Yes, Narayani. One should

not aggravate a woman. Women help you in so many ways. For you, even if she does not help you, she has inherent energies (shakti).

She has divinity within her. If you spoil your interaction with her, then she will react and make it rough for you.

That is why wherever a woman is worshipped like a goddess, there is the presence of celestial beings. So then onwards, our mahatmas change their approach towards women. A mahatma stops unnecessary interference with his wife. He treats her as his December 2005

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equal and equanimity. He replaces negative thoughts about her with positive ones. The pluses replace the minuses and the balance comes to zero. Thereafter his life with her improves. One should treat her in such a way that their life moves on with mutual understanding. One should be a friend with his wife.

Wife is a counterweight Questioner : I really try to adjust with

my wife, but I am unable to do so.

Dadashri : Everything is according to

the previous accounts. It is simply a matter of nuts and bolts. Both have to match to fit each other. You cannot use a straight nut to fit a bolt with angled threads. You may think, ‘why are women like this?’ Women are your counterweight. Her obstinacy is proportional to your own fault. I see this and therefore I say that everything is Vyavasthit, scientific circumstantial evidence.

Questioner : It seems as if everyone has come to straighten me out.

Dadashri : You need to be straightened

out, otherwise how will your world function?

You will not be a good father if you do not improve.

Complaints from the wife Questioner : Why is it, that everywhere the women are blamed and not the men?

Dadashri : For the women it has been like this. Men used to control the laws so women have been victimized.

Men have written the books and so the importance has been given to the husband.

Recognition has not been given to women.

These people have done away with any importance of women. Now, men have also December 2005

suffered in the process. These very people go to hell. From here, they go directly to hell.

Women would not have to suffer like this. Their nature is different. They are spontaneous and natural. The next life result for women therefore, is according to this nature. They are not as aware (jagrut) as men are. The lack of awareness (ajagrut) is the naturalness of women.

The useless ego to improve others By saying, ‘it is my mistake’ can I improve my wife?

Questioner :

Dadashri : You have to improve yourself

first before you improve others. Those people who try to improve others are egoistic. If one has improved himself, others would improve too. I have seen the ones who have come out to improve everything in the world, but not his own family, he does not get respect from his wife and his own mother. What kind of people are these? First, you improve. ‘I will improve her’, ‘I will improve her’, is wrong egoism.

You are so way off yourself, how are you going to improve others? First, one has to become wise and humble. All efforts of Lord Mahavir were to become a mahavira (an enlightened One). And this has led to so much spiritual light for the world. The light of this glorious sun has not dimmed for the past 2500 years! I do not make an effort to improve anybody. Do not try to improve anybody.

However, try to improve yourself. The Tirthankars (The 24 Enlightened Ones) had never attempted to improve anybody. They were here to take millions to moksha.

Improve, and the other will improve Questioner : What is the definition of the one who has improved?

Dadashri : Even if you scold someone, 21

DADAVANI

he sees love within you. If you reprimand him, still he sees love within you. Oh ho ho, how much love and affection my father has for me!

Reprimand him, but do it with love and affection, and then he will improve. In these colleges, if the professors try to reprimand the students they would get beaten up.

Our effort should continue in such a way that the other person improves. However, one should not make those efforts which would be reactionary. You cannot say that effort is done when you scold someone and he gets hurt by you. One should make an effort internally, in a subtle manner. If you are not comfortable to make an overt effort then you should try by subtle means. If you do not want to scold him then use your words sparingly like, ‘this is not appropriate for us.’ Just say this and keep quiet. You should warn him but there has to be a way. If you say something to improve a person, and if you say something to another person with the same intent, know that if there is any hurt caused to either of them, its reaction will come and affect you. So use words, if you have to, that would not cause any hurt and there would not be any effect of those words back to you. You should make a decision that you do not want to hurt anyone to the slightest extent.

We should not hurt our family members to the slightest extent. The one who does not understand this is the one who hurts his family members.

Questioner : We make every effort to

improve him, but even then if he does not improve, should we as parents leave it to his fate or destiny (prarabdha)?

Dadashri : Are you not making these efforts in your own way? Do you have a certificate (qualified parent)? Can you show it to me?

22

Questioner : Our efforts are based on

what we understand through our intellect.

Dadashri : Your intellect means, let me

ask you this, what kind of justice prevails when a person himself is the judge, the lawyer and the defendant?

Do not abandon him to fate, ever. Take care of him and keep an eye on him. If you give up, then he will be ruined.

Children bring with them what they are going to become, at birth, but you have to help and nurture them so that they flourish.

Questioner : Yes, we do all that but

ultimately should we just leave him to his fate?

Dadashri : No, you cannot leave him like that and if it comes to that then bring him to me and I will do an operation (special vidhi of the Gnani) and help him. You cannot just let go of him. It is too dangerous.

Every parent should make an effort to improve his child, but these efforts should be beneficial. Although you have become a father, are you willing to relinquish that authority in order to improve your child? Can you give up your ego, ‘I am the father’?

Questioner : If there is a possibility for

improvement, all attempts to improve him must be made without an ego, a sense of ‘doer ship’ or abhorrence.

Dadashri : How many children did you

leave behind in your past life? Why is nobody saying anything? In each lifetime, you have left your children behind. You were trying to improve those children in your past life. Now in this life you are doing the same thing. Did anyone improve? Not a single child has improved. The improvement has to occur within. You have to improve before others can December 2005

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improve. Once your conduct has improved, the other will improve automatically.

I do not know anything Questioner : Please give a little more

clarification about the mistake. What will be the attributes if that mistake destroys? What will be the attributes if that mistake is prevailing? In addition, how can I keep awareness against this mistake?

Dadashri : These children are afraid of

older people. A little child feels fear because of the heat of the intellect of the elder person, so what does one need to do? One has to become like a child. One has become like a child without understanding. One has to interact with children like a little child then it will play with you. Even a one and half year old child would play with me, as if we were of the same age. Should we not be able to see some kind of result, at least? Think about this and one day you will be able to understand. Once it comes into your understanding then you will be able to find it. And one needs to have an impartial approach. This ability to see it from the viewpoint of the child may be difficult for you (awareness) but it will come to you eventually.

All these wrong things in the worldly dealings happen due to ‘this’ mistake only.

This, ‘I know’ is a very grave fundamental mistake. Consequently, all other mistakes follow. All other mistakes arise from this main mistake. Obstinacy persists due to this mistake only. Otherwise, one would be simple and straightforward. It is easy to be simple and accepting of Dada, in front of you. Here you are in harmony. Does this require any effort (pursuant) on your part? You need to have the same kind of harmony with a person with whom you do not get along. That is your purushaarth.

December 2005

The disease, ‘I know something’ exists within every person. Gnan also is there. The intoxication of ‘I know’ keeps increasing even as Gnan increases. The intoxication is the obstruction. If it is not there, then the Gnan would fit in very nicely.

Improvement with equanimity Questioner : I did not have any skills to improve my son when he was disobedient and troublesome.

Dadashri : If you know the skills then

you should improve. If you do not know how to improve and still try to change him, then he will become worse. If you try to improve him, and he lifts a weapon to hurt you, that is something you should never attempt.

Questioner : Should I then keep inner intent (bhaavna) and the effort to improve him?

Dadashri : You should make an effort, which should be helpful to him and not harmful.

It is very difficult to make an effort with equanimity. To remain unaffected in this situation is very difficult.

You should not make an effort to improve him. By such excessive attempts, it ruins everything. If your son is happy with your efforts, then you should try. If he is unhappy and you try to change him, it is not going to give any result. If you like to improve someone then improve yourself first. All these young men and women have become wise and sensible by coming into satsang with me. It would not have happened if I had not improved my self. Would you become wise and sensible near me?

Questioner : Yes, We would definitely

become wiser.

Jai Sat Chit Anand 23

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All are Heartily Invited.... In Rajkot (Gujarat, India) A Grand Pran Pratistha Mahotsav of Non-Sectarian Trimandir (In presence of Pujya Dr. Niruma)

From January 04 to January 08, 2006 Jan 4-7 - Spiritual Retreat - 9 AM to 12 AM, 4 PM to 7 PM Jan 7 - Gnanvidhi - 3.00 PM to 6.30 PM Jan 8 - Pran Pratistha (Early morning) & 8 PM to 10 PM Bhakti Venue : Trimandir, Rajkot-Ahmedabad highway, Near Targhadia Chokdi, Between Maliyasan & Kuvadava villages, Rajkot, Gujarat. Tel. : (0281) 2238924 ( 13 kms from Rajkot on the Rajkot-Ahmedabad highway)

Spiritual Discourse in presence of Pujya Dr. Niruma at Kolkata 9 to 11 Feb. & 13 Feb. 2006, 5-30 to 8 PM - Questions-Answers Sessions 12 Feb. 2006, 5-30 to 8 PM - Gnanvidhi (A Scientific Experiment on Self-realisation) Venue : Vidhya Vihar, 1, Moira Street, Kolkata-17. Tel : 22342495, 24549551

Spiritual Discourse in presence of Pujya Dr. Niruma at Mumbai 16 to 19 Feb. 2006, Questions-Answers Sessions & Gnanvidhi For more information about this, please contact on (022) 24137616

Watch Pujya Dr. Niruma on T.V. Channels India : l Doordarshan (National), Mon-Fri 8-30 AM to 9-00 AM (In Hindi) l Zee Alpha Gujarati, Everyday 7 AM to 8 AM (In Gujarati) l Doordarshan DD-1, Everyday 3-30 PM to 4 PM (In Gujarat, in Gujarati)

Watch same prog. at same time, outside Gujarat on Doordarshan DD-11 U.K. : l 'ATN (827)' Mon-Sat 7 AM to 8 AM GMT (In Gujarati/Hindi) U.S.A. : l 'TV Asia' Everyday 7 AM to 7-30 AM EST (In Gujarati) l 'Aastha' Mon-Fri 4-30 PM to 5 PM East Cost, 1-30 PM to 2 PM West Cost l 'TV 39 (NJ)' Mon-Fri 6 PM to 7 PM & Sat 6 PM to 6-30 PM (In Gujarati) Canada: l 'ATN' Every Wed-Thu 8.30 A.M to 9.00 AM EST

All over the World (except India) on 'Sony TV' Mon-Fri 7 AM to 7:30 AM (In Hindi)

Watch Aaptputra Deepakbhai Desai on T.V. Channels India : l 'Zee Alpha Gujarati' Everyday 6 AM to 6-30 AM (In Gujarati) U.K. : l 'ATN' Everyday 6-30 AM to 7 AM GMT (In Gujarati) Contact : Mahavideh Foundation, Trimandir, Simandhar City, Ahmedabad-Kalol Highway, P.O.:Adalaj, Dist.:Gandhinagar-382421, Gujarat, India. Tel. : (079) 23974100, Email: dadavani@dadabhagwan.org Mumbai : (022) 24137616, USA: 785-271-0869, UK: 020-8204-0746 Websites : (1) www.dadabhagwan.org (2) www.dadashri.org (3) www.ultimatespirituality.org 24

December 2005