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Aptavani-4
349
Questioner: Baal-avastha (childhood), youva-avastha (adolescence), praooddha-avastha (maturity) and vruddhaavastha (old age).
Dadashri: Are there only the four avasthas? Isn't death also an avastha?
Questioner: That is a full stop (a period).
Dadashri: Even death is considered a situation (avastha). When a living being (jiva) enters the womb (garbha), it is a state in the womb (garbha avastha). Prior to this there was the avastha of death (maran avastha). So the wheel of avastha keeps moving. You think that there are only four avasthas, don't you? But all this changes every five minutes. One moment, you will be thinking about your home, and the thought may last for two or three minutes, then you will think about something else. All these avastha keep changing. You have given me the names of all the major situations (avastha) in one's life. But one continues to dwell only in avasthas. "All these are temporary adjustments."
Questioner: Right now we are certainly in an avastha.
Dadashri: Those situations are not the kind that will bring peace and closure. Gnan is something which allows you to remain nihshank (doubt-free) in every situation (avastha). Our Gnan is such that in every avastha (situation) it will give you nihshank samadhan (doubtless inner satisfaction). Whereas here, you have people who get 'depressed' when their pockets get picked, and so 'tight' (conceited) when they are given an accolade.
Questioner: What is avastha (situation) and paryaya
(phase)?
Dadashri: Relative knowledge is all the knowledge of avastha. Paryaya is a very profound and subtle thing. And
