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Prakruti: The relative self
There is infinite energy in each Soul. There are infinite Souls and there are infinite prakrutis (non-self complex).
Within there are two components. They are: the Self (purush) and the non-self (prakruti). When one resides in the non-self, one is weak. Once the Self is realized, then he is the supreme Self. Ignorance of the supreme Self is why he is overcome with weaknesses of anger, pride, illusion (deceit) and greed.
As the Self we all have the same nature, but as prakruti, we are all different. Some people may have a sweet disposition, some temperamental, some may have an angry disposition; nevertheless these are the faults of the prakruti. A person will be able to renounce when the prakruti makes him renounce and when it makes him acquire, he will be able to acquire. One dances according to the dance of the prakruti, and yet he says, "I danced." Is this not an illusion (bhranti)? This is the amazing thing: it is the effect of past karma that drives one to do things and yet one claims, "I did this. I did that." This verily is the illusion. Unless one becomes the Self, he is merely a top that is spinning as dictated by his prakruti and his past karma. How can he claim to be the doer when he has not even realized who he really is? Who is the doer? Who are you? You do not know this. So how can you say, "I did it?" You cry because the prakruti makes you cry, and yet you say, "I am crying." You laugh when the prakruti makes you laugh, but you say, "I am laughing." You get angry when the prakruti makes you angry but you say, "I am angry." Prakruti forces you to do things and yet you say you are the doer, how can you say that? And yet this is exactly what
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Aptavani-2
everyone says; that is a wonder in itself.
The phase (avastha) of the prakruti is temporary. All that is perceived through the five senses are phases of the prakruti. There are eternal elements (tattva) in the world and these elements (dravya) have their properties (guna) as well as phases (avastha, paryaya). The elements are eternal, but their prakrut phases are temporary.
Prakruti is productive by nature (prasavdharmi), which is why it has become so prolific.
Questioner: What do you mean by prakruti is prasavdharmi?
Dadashri : Let me explain. If you put up mirrors all around this room, you will see a hundred and fifty people in the reflection. Did someone go in there and create one hundred and fifty people? Thus one can project into infinity. So countless more effects are created from just a single effect. Then the suffering ensues. Everything in this universe is in the form of vibrations (spandano). Just a single vibration will create countless new ones. But if one stops emitting vibrations altogether, none will come back to him in return.
The properties of the prakruti are of the non-self; they are not of the Self. The world believes the properties of the non-self as being that of the Self. They will say, "That man is very nice", but if that man becomes sick and delirious, they will say, "He is not a nice man." Prakrutik properties will disappear in time. The Lord has said no matter how great a person's disposition, whether he is compassionate or ill tempered; they are all traits of the prakruti. There is no telling when they will change. Prakruti itself is made up of kapha, pitta and vayu. With the onset of imbalance in the three properties there is no telling when a person will become mad; he will have no awareness of what he is saying. That is why the Lord has said, "You should remain