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I am the Soul
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spite of receiving an advice from the Sadguru that can enable the attainment of the soul, it does not get absorbed within. The disregard for the Sadguru will keep the jiva away from his good words. In fact, the feeling of worldly pride and prestige will keep him from getting close to a Sadguru.
Brothers! What is the value of the prestige that is earned today? What brings you prestige? Pardon me for saying this, Brothers! But I have to say that however filthy be the attitudes lying within, even if one is terribly rotten inside, with ill-desires and passions boiling over, if he has some wealth to his account, he gains prestige. You start praising him, 'Look, this is a great person in our community'.
How do you define prestige? Being attached to several institutions and having an annual budget of some four-five lakhs for charity? The society as well as the prestigious person himself know very well how shallow he is. A big zero in the name of principles and good conduct. You amass sins while earning your wealth and then divert it to charity. But of what good is this prestige? Tell me do you like this prestige? Why this farce? Why strut about wearing this false prestige? Is it to earn respect from the society? ... No?
But Srimadji has not minced words here while saying what needs to be told such people. He doesn't say - “Well, even if you have these qualities and if you have wealth, you are an Atmarthi!” "You have authority, so you are an Atmarthi!”
No, not so. “You may well have wealth and authority, but if you are caught in the web of false prestige and if you are not making any effort to get away from it, then you are a Matarthi”. Here, you cannot get false prestige. If at all you get, it is genuine. If there are the qualities of an Atmarthi in you, only then you are labelled an Atmarthi. Not otherwise.
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