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Aptavani-2
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Aptavani-2
idol does not talk to you, at least you can talk. What is wrong in that? You should say, "Lord, why don't you talk to me? Do you not have trust in me?" Do people not laugh if you say the same thing to them? That idol will laugh. Do you have one or two idols?
Questioner : One. Dadashri : Do you bathe Thakorji (the idol)? Questioner : Yes. I do it everyday. Dadashri : With cold water or hot water? Questioner: With warm water
Dadashri : That is good. Otherwise Thakorji will feel cold if you use cold water and hot water can scald. Therefore, you need warm water. Do you feed Thakorji everyday or do you make Him fast (agiyaras)?
Questioner : Even I do not fast.
Dadashri : There is no problem if you do not fast, but do you feed Thakorji?
Questioner : Yes Dadashri : What time do you feed Him?
Questioner: I put Him to sleep after feeding Him at eight in the morning and then I go to work after taking the food offered to Thakorji (prasad).
Dadashri : Do you then eat in the afternoon? Questioner: I eat anywhere I can when I get hungry.
Dadashri : Yes, but do you check up on Thakorji if He is hungry or not?
Questioner: How can I do that when I am at work?
Dadashri : Poor Thakorji would cry then! What can He do if He is hungry? So will you do one thing 'we' ask? Will you?
Questioner: I will definitely do it, Dada.
Dadashri : Whenever you sit down to eat, remember Thakorji and offer him the food first "Thakorji eat first. You must be hungry. I will eat after you.' Then you can eat. Will you do this much? Say yes if you can and no if you cannot.
Questioner : But Dada, I put Him to sleep and then come to work!
Dadashri : No, but even though you put Him to sleep, He would still be hungry would he not? That is why He does not talk! How long will He remain asleep? He will wake up and then go back to sleep, he will do this over and over again. You don't eat anything that is not suitable for Him to eat, do you? You cannot feed Him non-vegetarian food. But if there is vegetarian food, you should tell Him, "Thakorji please accept this offering and have it first." Can you do this much? Then some day Thakorji will talk to you. He will talk to you the day He is pleased with you. Why would He not? Even these walls will talk to you! It is possible for the whole world to talk to you. If you bathe the Lord everyday with warm water, would He remain silent forever? If a man gets married and brings home a wife and she stops talking, then what good is that? What can he do for her if she does not speak? Therefore even the Lord will talk, if your inner intention (bhaav) and wishes are so. This worship that you are doing is because of your family's good values.
Questioner : When I go out of town I take Thakorji along with me.
Dadashri : You should not perform any action without thinking of the Lord. Actually, Thakorji has said not to eat non vegetarian food, but what can one do? The most He will do is not speak with you. But otherwise a staunch Vaishnavs cannot
