Book Title: Atmasiddhi
Author(s): Shrimad Rajchandra, Manu Doshi
Publisher: Manu Doshi

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Page 25
________________ over the same with the objective of achieving self-realization. For that purpose he needs to renounce his preconceived notions and to study the recommended books. It is very rare to come across a true Guru and get his guidance. Even for those, who are lucky to get access to such a Guru, it is not possible to remain in continuous contact with him. Such aspirants therefore need to secure the advice of the knowledgeable ones about the right literature. It will enable them to pursue spiritual development in absence of true Guru. Roke Jiv Swachchhand To, Päme Avashya Moksha; Pämyä Em Anant Chhe, Bhäkhyun Jin Nirdosh. One, who restrains self-indulgence, surely attains liberation. The flawless omniscient Lords have stated that innumerable souls have attained it that way. (15) Explanation & Discussion: Why has the worldly soul not attained liberation? There could, of course, be many reasons, but the most important one is self-indulgence. It is not that the soul would have never tried to learn about liberation. During the innumerable births that it has taken, it must have been oriented towards its well being on several occasions and might even have tried for the same. But whatever it might have understood and done for the purpose must have been according to its own viewpoint. That amounts to selfindulgence. The root cause of self-indulgence is ego or false pride. It is not possible for one to get rid of his own self-indulgence, because his ego and pride do not allow him to see his own faults. It has to be borne in mind that the soul has been indulging in worldly life since the infinity. It has never learnt the truth and therefore did not come across the path of liberation. As such, if one tries to seek liberation on his own, how is he going to make out the right path? Without knowing that path, would not his efforts amount to traveling in the dark? Would it not be like a person looking for an unknown place without having help from someone who knows it? If a person thus tries to find the place on his own, he would wander here and there and not reach the destination. Such effort can be termed as self-indulgence. In the worldly realm, however, it may become possible for one to reach his destination by chance without help from any one; in the spiritual realm, however, such self-indulgence is of no avail. Since it is impossible to gain right insight without proper guidance, the approach selected by one's own intelligence cannot be right. The intellect, which has never even dreamt of the truth, is not competent to overcome ignorance. A spiritual aspirant therefore needs to give up his self-indulgence and go to a self-realized person. Only such a person can show the right path. That would enable him to proceed in the right direction and reach the destination. This stanza therefore states that one, who gives up self-indulgence, certainly attains liberation. The omniscient Lords have stated that infinite number of souls have

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