Aptavani-4
47
speech is broken, and that is why the differences between
purusharth and prarabdha prove wrong. It is not completely
wrong, but it is ‘relative’ truth.
Questioner: I understand prarabdha, but I still do not
understand purusharth properly.
Dadashri: Circumstances coming together is prarabdha,
and to maintain equanimity when that circumstance is negative or
painful, is called purusharth. Whatever circumstance arises, is
all prarabdha. When you pass with a ‘first class’ grade, it is
prarabdha. And when another person fails to get a ‘first class’,
it is also prarabdha. From these words, recognize that any
circumstance that you encounter is all prarabdha. Waking up in
the morning is also a circumstance. If you wake up at seven
thirty, then it is considered a circumstance of seven thirty. That
is called prarabdha.
Questioner: If a man speaks negatively about me, right
in front of me and I make an effort (purusharth) to maintain
equanimity towards him is that really prarabdha or not?
Dadashri: What happens is that when a person encounters
a negative circumstance, like an insult, he does not do
purusharth there, but he instead returns the insults and displays
expressions of disgust and all that. If someone insults you, and
you perceive it as being the fruit of your own karma; the other
person is just an instrument (nimit) and that he is faultless, then
it can be considered the purusharth that follows the Lord’s
agna (special directive). Maintaining equanimity at that time is
purusharth.
Questioner: For those that do not have the right vision of
the Self (samyak darshan), is this the only purusharth for them?
Dadashri: Yes. For the people at large, that is purusharth.
And what kind of purusharth is it? It is a ‘relative’ purusharth.
Because, in their worldly life (sansar) they have ‘relative’ gnan.