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Aptavani-4
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working) person. He is a very purusharthi person.' Hey! These 'tops' were born to run around all day! How can you call that purusharth?
Purusharth Means Life with Upayog
Purusharth means a life with applied awakened awareness (upayog). Here (amongst the Self-realized) we have pure applied awareness as the Self (shuddha upayog); while everywhere else, there is auspicious awareness (shubha upayog). That which has become inauspicious (ashubha) is turned into auspicious (shubha) through their applied awareness (upayog). So that whatever self-control (saiyam) you might perceive in people, is all natural. They do not realize that they are doing purusharth. That is the nature of their prakruti. That which occurs naturally, cannot be called purusharth. You know that this is purusharth and the rest is prarabdha. Real purusharth starts after one becomes a Purush (Self-realized). You would call this 'real' purusharth, and the other is 'relative' purusharth.
Questioner: What is the difference between samata (equanimity; without attachment or abhorrence) and saiyam (self-control)?
Dadashri: Self-control (saiyam) is purusharth and equanimity (samata) is an attribute attained through Gnan. Yam (following rules and regulations) is considered purusharth, niyam (following principles) is considered purusharth, and saiyam (discipline; self-control) is also considered purusharth. We are not talking about the visible saiyam. Purusharth is never visible.
Questioner: What is the difference between saiyam (discipline; self-control) and penance (tapa)?
Dadashri: They are indeed different. In saiyam there is no suffering involved. In penance however, there is suffering. Someone may tell you that in your eating, you have no selfcontrol. However, when you start to eat normal amounts, that