22 Pratikraman
the effects this ongoing contemplation of your inability to do things has on the relative self ? It will turn the soul ( relative self ) into a stone ( without feelings ). In spite of this , people carry on with their rituals and austerities , while griping about how difficult they are to perform .
I tell people that they should never say , “ I cannot do …,” because within them , they have infinite strength . I tell them to keep repeating the following : “ I have infinite strength .” Until now you kept saying , “ I can ’ t do it .” Did the infinite strength within abandon you ?
Man is not capable of ‘ doing ’ anything . It is not in his nature to do anything . The control of ‘ doership ’ is in the hands of another power . All these living beings are simply knowers ’. Therefore all that you must do is to be the knower . When you understand this , your false beliefs and opinions disappear . Your opinion about lying being harmless , will change . This is the real purusharth ( real knowledge based effort ); no other effort is needed . This is a profound message , which requires profound thinking .
Questioner : Yes , it is very acceptable .
Dadashri : Even the simple act of going to the bathroom ( emptying your bowels ) is not in your hands , so how is it possible for you to do anything ? No such man has yet been born , who has even the slightest power to do anything . You simply must Know and make a firm resolution to be the Knower . Once you understand my words , your work will be done . This is not a simple thing to grasp . Do you understand this ? Is it not better to know than to do something ? Is it easy to do and attain anything ?
Questioner : I understand what you mean to say , but surely some things will still need to be done having understood