50
Aptavani-2
life. Where else can those who have not known the formless, not
seen the formless, and not heard the formless; and not even
aware of the existence of the formless, go? Where will they go,
Maharaj?
Maharaj you are calling this idol inanimate, so show me
the animate (chetan) that you have seen. Have you seen the
chetan that you are calling the idol inanimate? You yourself are
inanimate; a mechanical soul!
The maharaj replied, “But the Guru is chetan, is he not?”
‘We’ said, “No. Everything that is seen, heard and
experienced through the five senses is nothing but inanimate. The
Navkar Mantra you recite has a form too. People have
tremendous faith and feelings for the idol of the vitarag Lords,
so do not look upon it with abhorrence.”
“But our principle does not believe in idols!” said the
maharaj.
‘We’ said, “Maharaj, think a little. If what ‘We’ are telling
you is wrong, then ‘We’ will accept it as such. If you feel
offended or hurt, then ‘We’ will do your pratikraman
(apology), but at least think a little! Let the people of the primary
standard be and you do what suits you. One is a true
Sthanakvasi only when he has established the visual form of the
Lord in between the eyebrows (the location of the subtle mind);
when a mental image has been established.”
The Maharaj said, “I am not able to accept what you are
saying.”
‘We’ said, “Maharaj, how can you believe what ‘We’ are
saying? ‘We’ are even willing to accept that you find what ‘We’
are saying is wrong, because a person believes whatever he
does as being the right thing. A butcher cannot see any sin in
what he does, because whatever actions a doer does, they
invariably create a veil (avaran) over the act itself, in the doer.