Aptavani 09

Author(s): Dada Bhagwan
Publisher: Mahavideh Foundation

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One must uphold the intention of 'Let no living being be hurt through this ego'. Yet, if someone gets hurt one should do pratikraman for it and move on.
What is the difference between pride (maan) and selfrespect (swamaan)? Pride is ego with my-ness and self-respect is pride with a boundary, pride for which one is qualified. Selfrespect is engaged in protection of this pride. In the worldly life, self-respect is a virtue but the one who wants liberation will have to let go of this self-respect also. To set up protection against insult is self-respect.
An abhimaani person will exhibit all his possessions but the person with false pride with my-ness (mithyabhimaani) will boast 'we have this and we have that'; when really he has nothing.
Insult is the 'thermometer', i.e. a gauge to measure pride. When insulted, if one gets affected, that verily shows the existence of pride.
A nirmaani person i.e. one who claims or holds the belief within of 'I am without pride' will have the ego of, I am without pride.' This ego is very subtle. Such ego too will have to go if he wants liberation.
The Gnani Purush is with and without inclination (spruha). He is completely disinclined towards the non-self of others (nispruha) and completely inclined (saspruha) towards the Souls of others.
There is no unmattata (reaction of swelling with pride) in the Gnani Purush. People swell with pride when they have money in their pockets and in the Gnani, there is no such reaction even when he is surrounded with luxury.
The Gnani Purush does not have any 'I-ness' (potapanu). He is not the owner of the mind, speech or body at all.
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The Gnani Purush has no ego of doer-ship (garva). I am doing this' or 'I have done that' is all ego of doer-ship. There is no doer-ship in the state of the real Self. Garva-ras is 'juice' of doer-ship; it is very sweet. The instant one feels 'I did it', he tastes the sweetness of the ego of doer-ship. It is also, tasting the ego of doer-ship if one maintains from within 'It happened because I was there'. In this world, there is nothing sweeter than the taste of the ego of doer-ship.
How does the taste of the ego of doer-ship go away? It goes away by knowing the science (Vignan). Which science? To know, 'Who is doing all this?' This science will make you know that you are not the doer. After that the taste of the ego of doership of 'I am doing' is not there. The Gnani Purush does not have 'I did' with any of his actions.
The intoxication of 'I know' is a terrible danger! That disease will never go away without the Gnani's help. It is more dangerous than poison. If you want to have an ego, have the ego of, 'I don't know anything."
When people praise you and you are in an intoxicated state for the whole day; that is called praise intoxication. And garavata is, I did such a great job!' Doer-ship as in 'I am the doer' creates the habit of further tasting the ego of doer-ship.
What should one do to not taste the ego of doer-ship? Nothing is to be done. The awareness of, 'I am the Self,' separates one from, I am the doer,' and the taste of doer-ship. The one who has acquired Self-realization simply needs to know 'I am not the one tasting the ego of doer-ship'; he simply needs to maintain that awareness.
There is no wallowing in worldly pleasures (garavata) in the Gnani Purush. The garavata of human beings is like a buffalo sitting in the comfort of cool wet mud on a hot summer day. Nothing would make it budge. Similarly, those who are
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