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Aptavani-8
159
Dadashri: The Atma is itself the Absolute Soul (Parmatma). One only has to realize this. When you realize that, even for a single minute, you have the realization of, 'I am the Absolute Soul', and then you start to become the Absolute Soul.
Questioner: So can we say, 'I am the Absolute Soul'?
Dadashri: If you say, 'I am the Absolute Soul', people will rebuke you, swear at you and ridicule you. And when they do not ridicule you, and they do not swear at you, then you can say, 'I am the Absolute Soul (Parmatma)'. If you take an artificial mango, will you get any juice out of it? No, it will not come out! You understand that, do you not? That is why you are indeed the Absolute Soul (Parmatma). But you have not become the Absolute Soul. You have not realized that state (swaroop). At the moment, your awareness is, 'I am Chandubhai'. You should have the awareness of, 'I am the Absolute Soul (Parmatma)'. So now, can you say, 'I am Parmatma'?
Questioner: No, I cannot say that.
Dadashri: Yes, otherwise people will ridicule you. These people will even make fun of something that is true, or someone who is right. This is the world. You cannot grapple with it.
Now are you convinced that you are Atma? What have you experienced from, 'you are Atma'? How did you become convinced?
Questioner: That at least I am certain that there is Atma
within.
Dadashri: But what makes you so sure? Is there not some sort of thermometer you can put in place, that immediately tells you that there is an Atma inside? Is there such a thermometer?
Questioner: When a man dies, his hands become useless, everything is useless.