Who am I? by Dada Bhagwan (if you liked this book txt) 📕

is the one that seeks liberation. It is the ego that suffers the pain of bondage, so it is this very ego that wants to be liberated. Now unless ignorance is removed, the ego cannot be liberated. When you attain Gnan from the Gnani Purush, ignorance will be lifted and the ego will be liberated.

 

ONLY GNAN CAN END ALL MISERY

 

 

This world is trapped in the well of suffering. What is this suffering due to? This suffering stems from ignorance of the Self. All suffering in this world is because of ignorance. This ignorance leads to raag (attachment) and dwesh (abhorrence) and suffering is experienced as a consequence. Only Gnan can cure this suffering. There is no other remedy. Gnan insulates you from suffering.

 

(8) WHAT IS ‘AKRAM PATH’ ?

 

 

THE EXTRAORDINARY POWERS OF AKRAM GNAN

 

Questioner : Is it possible to acquire Atma Gnan (Self-Realization) so easily, as a married householder?

 

Dadashri : Yes, there is such a way. It is possible to attain Atma Gnan even while living with your wife and your children. You can attain Atma Gnan while living the worldly life and fulfilling your parental and other duties. I myself, who is living this worldly life, can make this happen for you. You will have the freedom to do whatever you wish. Go to the cinema. Get your children married. Wear beautiful clothes, etc. What other guarantees do you need?

 

Questioner : Then it is worth looking into. If I can have that kind of freedom, I am very interested.

 

Dadashri : All the freedom you desire is yours. This is a shortcut path to Atma Gnan. It does not require any effort on your part. I will give you your Atma in your hands, so all that remains, is for you to enjoy the bliss of the experience. This is the elevator path. Stay in the elevator (the shortcut path as opposed to the traditional kramic step by step path to liberation). You will not bind any new karma. The only karma you bind will be through following my aagnas (five cardinal principles), and they will result in one more lifetime. I give you these aagnas to protect you from any deviations or obstacles on this path.

 

Questioner : Is there another lifetime for me after this Gnan?

 

Dadashri : You have had a past life and you will also have a future life too. This Gnan is such that it will give you moksha in a couple of lifetimes. First, comes freedom from ignorance, then, after a couple of lifetimes, comes the final Moksha. The current time cycle is such that one more birth still remains.

 

Come back to me again. We will set a date for the Gnan Vidhi.

 

On that special day of the Gnan Vidhi, I will cut the ropes of ignorance that have kept you bound for infinite lives. They need not be cut everyday. If that were the case, one would have to go and buy new blades each day. Whenever you decide, on that day I will sever only one twist of the rope, nothing else. Then immediately, you will realize that you are free. The experience of the sense of freedom is enough. You should experience the awareness that you have been freed. This liberation is no joke. It is very real. I will give you just that.

 

What happens when you receive this Gnan? During the Gnan Vidhi, the fire of knowledge (Gnan Agni) destroys two of the three forms of karma. The three forms of karma are analogous to steam, water and ice. During Gnan Vidhi the first two types of karma (steam and water) are destroyed. One feels light and his awareness is increased.

 

The only karma that remains, are those in the form of ice. You have to suffer the effects of these karmas (good or bad) because they have solidified and are at the point of fruition. You cannot escape them. The karma in the form of steam and water will evaporate in the fire of Knowledge. This makes you feel light and your awareness will increase. Until one’s karmas are destroyed, his awareness will not increase. Only the karmas that have solidified will have to be endured. To make these solidified karmas easier to endure and to minimize the suffering that they may entail, I have shown you all the ways. Repeat, “Dada Bhagwan Na Aseem Jay Jaykar Ho”; say the Trimantra and the Nav Kalamo etc. (See appendix)

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO DISPELL DARKNESS ?

Along with the destruction of these lighter karmas during the Gnan Vidhi, many of the aavrans (layers of ignorance over the Soul) are broken down. At that time, through Divine Grace, one becomes aware of the Self. Once awakened, the awareness never leaves. Pratiti (the conviction that, “I am Pure Self”) will always be there along with the awareness. Pratiti will only remain as long as there is awareness. First comes the experience of awakening and then comes pratiti. Pratiti is the conviction, “I am Pure Self.” Anubhav (the experience), laksh (awareness), and pratiti (conviction) all take hold. The pratiti is constant, whereas laksh is wavering, and lasts for short periods. When we become distracted or engrossed in our work, we may lose that sense of awareness for that amount of time. But whenever we have a moment’s respite from our work, it will return.

 

Anubhav of The Self is the experience that is felt when one is relieved from his work and duties and when he sits in a meditative state. It will continue to grow because he will perceive what ‘Chandulal’ is now, as opposed to what ‘Chandulal’ was before. What makes this difference? It is the experience of the Atma. Before, one was in dehadhyas (conscious only of the actions and temperament of the physical body) whereas now, one is established as the Soul.

 

Questioner : What happens during experience of the Soul?

 

Dadashri : The experience of the Self is the destruction of the belief, “I am the body.” When the belief, “I am this body,” goes, new karma cease to bind you. What more could you want?

 

Questioner : I want you to show me this path of Gnan. That is all.

 

Dadashri : Yes, I will show you this path. Not only will I show you this path, but also I will give you your ‘Atma’ (Soul) in your hands.

 

Questioner : Then the purpose of my human birth is fulfilled. What more can I ask for?

 

Dadashri : Yes, completely fulfilled. That which you cannot find through efforts of countless lifetimes, I will give you in just one hour. Then you will feel that you have achieved your goal as a human being. Otherwise you cannot achieve this even after effort of a thousand lifetimes.

 

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO DISPELL DARKNESS ?

 

 

Questioner : Many different ways to attain Self-Realization have been described in the Vedic scriptures. One must achieve Vivek (conduct), vairagya (renunciation/ loss of interest in worldly things) and mumukshata (intense desire to know one’s true Self), all of which require time and effort. How is it possible then, to receive this Gnan in such a short time?

 

Dadashri : It does not take time to receive Gnan. It is like turning on a flashlight in pitch darkness. The light will appear instantly. Likewise, it takes no time at all for a Gnani Purush to dispel ignorance with the light of Knowledge (Gnan). After this you will not stumble.

 

Questioner : Should one be spiritually elevated to receive Gnan?

 

Dadashri : Man has reached this spiritual level many, many times in previous lives. Due to his ignorance about his Real Self, he has been led astray by his ego. As he progresses to a higher spiritual level, his ego becomes heavier. He practices vairaagya and vivek. However it has only served to enhance his feelings of superiority, through this sense of spiritual accomplishment. Why does all this happen? He still keeps on stumbling. Even as he continues to stumble, he continues to say, “I am something.” He has undertaken many spiritual practices, but he has not attained the realization of his Real Self.

 

Your astitva (your existence) is present. There is no doubt about this fact. You do not have the knowledge of vastutva (the knowledge of your real identity), but you do have the knowledge that you exist. When the Gnani Purush washes away your sins, you will have the knowledge of vastutva (Self-Realization). Once you attain Self-Realization, you will automatically progress towards purnatva, the state of total Self-Realized. Then you do not have to do anything and you will be independent. The only difference will be the direction of your ‘vision.’ At this moment, all of you are looking in one direction, and I am looking in the other direction. All I do is change the direction of your ‘vision’ (drashtipher). This is the task of a Gnani Purush. Without Divine Grace, it is not possible.

 

THE LINE OF DEMARCATION BETWEEN SELF AND NON-SELF

 

 

It is because of Akram Vignan that you are able to achieve this samkit state (Realization of the Self) in such a short time. In these times, it is impossible to achieve this state of samkit through the traditional Kramic path. Akram Vignan is the Science, which draws an exact line of demarcation between that which is yours and that which is not yours; the Real and the relative. It clearly defines their properties and characteristics. The result of this exact demarcation is immediate and experiential. In the Kramic marg (traditional step by step path), this line of demarcation is not clearly defined and therefore, it is very difficult to reach the goal. Once this distinction is made, the Real will never be relative, and the relative will never become real. Unless they are separated, they cannot stay within their own nature.

 

PATHS: KRAMIC OR AKRAM

  

The Gnan of the Tirthankars is Kramic Gnan, (i.e. The Realization is achieved gradually, one laborious step at a time). One goes higher with each step he takes. As one’s parigrah (feelings of, “This is mine.”) diminishes, he progresses further spiritually, towards moksha. This may take innumerable lifetimes.

 

But this is Akram Vignan. There is no need to climb the steps. One simply has to get on the elevator and go to the twelfth floor. Such is the beauty of this Akram path. One only needs to find this ‘elevator’ and his salvation will be at hand. I am simply a nimit (instrumental) in showing you this path or pointing you in the right direction. Anyone that boards the elevator will have all the answers. Surely one must find the answers. After entering this elevator, how does one know that he is going towards moksha? Your assurance is that your anger, lust, greed, and pride (krodh-maan-maaya-lobh) will go away. The internal suffering will go away. There will not be anymore artadhyan (adverse meditation that affects the relative self) or raudradhyan (adverse meditation causing harm to others). This will be your confirmation. Then this task is completed, is it not?

 

Questioner : Is the Kramic path not the main path? The Akram Marg is fairly new is it not?

 

Dadashri : Yes, the Kramic marg is the main path, but it is grueling and it involves much penance, renunciation, etc. A lot of suffering is involved in reaching your goal