166
Aptavani-1
But otherwise my relationship with this body is one like that
with a neighbor.
I do not have any rights over this body. Whoever has the
right will come and make their claim and take it. You have to
treat this body of yours as a friend and get your work done.
There is no telling what can happen to this body at any time.
Nothing however can happen to the territory of the Self. The
body that will take you to moksha is very strong. The body
through which liberation is attained is called the ‘charam sharira’
(the ultimate body).
How long does God reside in the body? God resides
only as long as the pratishthit atma (charged atma) remains in
it. But the main support is that of the pure Self. The one that
depends on air (breathing) is mortal. If the nose were to be
pinched shut for eight minutes, the life within would cease. This
is all machinery.
Awareness of the body is considered a state of stupor
and ignorance; ‘I am Chandulal’ is ignorance. The awareness
of, ‘I am pure Self’ is liberation.
The gross body is free from any attachment and
abhorrence (vitarag). It is as detached as this wooden stool.
The Self too is vitarag. It is the subtle body (that which is not
seen, it is not to be confused with the subtle electrical body
described above) that is responsible for everything. The subtle
body is made up of certain special atoms. None of the activities
or behaviour of the gross body have anything to do with the
Soul. The subtle body alone endures all suffering. The subtle
body is the manifestation of the soul. It is through the subtle body
that one does the projection (pratishtha) of ‘I-ness’ in the wrong
place. Therefore the subtle body is like the pratishthit atma.
The higher the number of karmas the smaller the body
and as the karmas become lesser the body becomes bigger, for