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180
Aptavani-8
Questioner: So is the element of Atma (chetan tattva), the same in all of them?
Dadashri: Yes, it is the same. But by same, we mean that they are the same by nature (swabhav)!
Questioner: But upon death, when the Soul (chetan) goes away, does it not reunite? How can it survive a separate existence?
Dadashri: Everything in this world is separate. The separation that is felt over here, is the same separation that is over there! The separation over there, means that by nature (swabhav) everything seems to be as one, but by existence (astitva), they are separate. To experience one's own (of the Self) bliss (sukh); one is separate.
By their inherent nature (swabhav), they are one, but they appear different through the differentiating intellect (bhed buddhi). As long as you have this intellect (buddhi), there will be interference. When the intellect comes to an end, is when you will experience the oneness (abhedta). What does the intellect do? It creates division. Once the intellect is gone, you will be able to understand this.
If what you said was true, about there being a reunification up above, then no one would ever go to the final liberation (moksha)! If that is what is really going to happen, and we were all going to merge into a single light, then what would we get out of it? Instead of that, here your wife may berate you, but at least she will make you savory fritters (bhajiya)! So what is wrong with that? Therefore, you do not become one over there. There is no kind of suffering there. You just live in eternal bliss (parmanand) over there. And moreover, each Atma is independent. Their nature (swabhav) is the same, but they are all separate entities. So if they all became one over there, then what would happen to the Atmas over here?
