28
Aptavani-4
Questioner: What is the origin of dhyan?
Dadashri: Dhyan is that first one determines one’s goal
(dhyeya), so the connection with the goal is dhyan. Dhyan
will remain as long as that connection is maintained. If you
decide to go to Mumbai, when you buy a ticket, your dhyan
for Mumbai will remain naturally, while you are sitting in the
train.
In dhyan (meditation), the dhyata (one who meditates on
the goal) has to be determined, and the goal (dhyeya) has to be
decided. You are the dhyata, and that which has been decided;
is the goal (dhyeya). Maintaining the connection between the
two is called dhyan. When dhyeya and dhyata become
absorbed (tanmayakar) with each other, then it is called dhyan.
You are evidently the dhyata so what do you have as your goal
(dhyeya)?
Questioner: The ‘concentration’ that I have to do, it has
to be done on the ‘Swa’ (the Self), right?
Dadashri: Yes, you have to focus your concentration
(meditate) only on the ‘Swa’ (the Self). But unless you
understand what ‘Swa’ really is, how will you do it? Won’t you
have to understand what it is first? The ‘Swa’ is not found in
books, neither has it been written in scripture. It may have been
written in word form, but the Self is not in the form of a word.
So then how can you determine the Self as your goal?
Questioner: Can’t we just use supposition to decide it?
Dadashri: When you want to go to Ahmedabad, and
through just supposition, you head South instead of North, how
will that work through supposition? Supposition should have its
limits. Supposition should stay within its boundary, and not
outside of it.
Meditation (dhyan) can only occur when a person
acknowledges the goal (dhyeya), and he himself becomes the