The Guru and the Disciple
129
is there to take from a shop, that is pure (without ulterior motives)
but has nothing in it? A pure person has nothing in his shop. In a
deceptive shop, they will give you goods but they will cheat you in
the process; they will give you adulterated goods.
It is a different matter if the guru has no need for anything,
where he does not need any money, he does not need to grow his
ashram or his following; such people are acceptable. People will
benefit there even if you call it a shop. It is fine if you do not get
any gnan (knowledge) there as long as he is pure. Nobody will
gain anything where there is impurity.
There is no need for an ashram
Questioner: In the Hindu and the Jain society there is the
custom of ashram (spiritual community). Is this appropriate?
Dadashri: That system was fine in the Satyug (era of the
time cycle characterized by oneness in thoughts, speech and acts),
in the third and fourth Ara (era). It is not appropriate in the fifth
Ara (the current time cycle of Kaliyug).
Questioner: Does the system of ashrams lead to divisions
and sects?
Dadashri: The system of ashram is a vehicle for creating
divisions and sects. Creators of these divisions are egotistic and
over wise. They create something new, something other than what
should be. There is no intention of going to moksha. They just
want to show their over-wise-ness. They continue to create new
divisions and then, when a Gnani arises, He unites them, stops all
the divisiveness. A hundred thousand Gnanis will have just one
opinion and one agnani (the one who is not Self-realized), has a
hundred thousand opinions.
Questioner: They call it an ‘ashram’ (a place for resting),
but one has to make efforts there.
Dadashri: No, no. I will tell you how people have made