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350
Aptavani-8
Questioner: That is true, but did you not say that the energy of matter (jada shakti) has bound it?
Dadashri: What it means is that the Atma's energy (shakti) has become covered, and that energy has become mixed with the energy of matter (jada shakti); therefore, the energy of matter (jada shakti) has taken over. Therefore even if you wanted to be free you could not. You can only escape from it, if you go to a Gnani. Otherwise you could never be free, even after a hundred thousand avatar (lifetimes). Instead you would be better off, if you were bound by iron chains; at least you could break the chain and free yourself. Alas, this chain will never break! And just as one becomes influenced by alcohol; here a person is influenced by the ego (ahamkar). That is how the wagon rolls.
Questioner: Even though the influence (amal) is there, does the Atma still not remain pure (shuddha)?
Dadashri: The Atma is completely detached and indifferent (udaseen). As long as you exist in the ego (ahamkar) the Atma is detached (udaseen). The Atma has no attachment (raag) in this, nor does it have any abhorrence (dwesh) in this. It says, 'Come to me, when it suits you. When you have cleared all your karmic accounts (hisaab), and you have done everything you like, you can come to me,' did you understand that?
Questioner: What I was trying to say is that if the Atma was pure, then no one can make something that is pure (shuddha), impure. So how did it become impure?
Dadashri: It has never become impure (ashuddha). It is just that its one energy - the energy of vision (darshan shakti) - has been covered up. Just like the sheth (businessman) himself is pure (shuddha), but once he drank the alcohol, one of the energies became covered up, which is why he speaks nonsensically. So in the same way this, 'I am Chandubhai' is speaking. People called you Chandubhai and you believed it, so
