Aptavani-6 Aptavani-6 | Page 158

Aptavani-6 127 casually, you have wasted the upayog (awareness). If you see the pure Soul (Shuddhatma, the Self) in them as you are walking, that is called pure awareness (shuddha upayog). Shuddha upayog is so precious that if one remains in it continuously for an hour, he will attain the life of Indra - the king of all heavenly beings! Questioner: Can pure awareness be maintained in worldly business or in daily interactions of the worldly life? Dadashri: Interaction in the worldly life (vyavahar) and pure awareness (shuddha upayog) have nothing to do with each other. One may be involved in his business or something else. Pure awareness (shuddha upayog) arises only after attaining Self-realization; it arises after he becomes the Self, a purush. No one can attain pure awareness before attaining Gnan. Now, You can have pure awareness. Questioner: So if we see the donkey as pure Soul (parmatma – supreme Self), we believe it to be a parmatma, then… Dadashri: No, no. You do not have to believe it to be a parmatma. The supreme Self is the one within, and the one that you see on the outside is a donkey. You have to put your sacks on the donkey’s back and you have to see the parmatma within him and get your work done. You should interact with your wife after seeing the supreme Self within her. Otherwise, is a married man going to become an ascetic (bavo)? Should these young married men who have taken Gnan become ascetics? No, no, they do not have to become ascetics. All they have to do is ‘see’ God within their wives. What does the God within, the Self, say? ‘Do my darshan; acknowledge Me, the Self. I do not have any other complaints or needs. The worldly dealings are verily worldly in nature, but in Your worldly dealings, ‘see’ Me, be mindful of Me, maintain pure awareness (shuddha upayog).’