Aptavani-9
315
– a nest of a sparrow and pigeon. But here even if a person has
a one-room kitchen, they call it ‘diwan khanu’ (prime minister’s
living room).
The thermometer to measure pride
Questioner: Do people not have pride for things other
than material possessions? Saints and ascetics do not have any
material possessions and yet they have tremendous pride. What
kind of pride is that?
Dadashri: They have pride about knowing the scriptures.
But this too is a kind of a wealth, is it not? ‘I know all the
scriptures’, is that not wealth too? These are all considered
materials. It is all maan.
Questioner: It is also possible for a person to have pride
(maan) even when he knows nothing?
Dadashri: Yes, that happens because that is what he
believes. If a person does not accept the respect people give
him, even in his mind, he starts believing that he has overcome
his pride. He may think to himself that he has no maan left in
him because he is not affected by the respect people give him;
he does not accept it from within either. Furthermore, he
behaves in such a way that he does not offend anyone. He
knows in his mind that the level of the ‘mercury’ of the gauge
that measures his pride does not rise (i.e. he does not become
flattered from within) and therefore he has no pride left.
Otherwise would the level not rise, if someone were to give
him lot of importance? If people give him importance and he
accepts it (swells up with pride) is that not considered an
increase in the level?
So the level will not rise if he does not internally accept
the respect people give him. So then I ask him, ‘You do not
have any maan left, have you? Now check with that
‘thermometer’ (gauge) to see whether the fever goes up or