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