From this perspective, the existence of the world and the body is mutable. And the existence of the Supreme Soul and the conscious element is self-evident. To mistake mutable existence for eternal existence is an error. To assume the mutable existence of the body as self-evident existence implies identifying one's true self with the body. Egoism and considering the body as one's own. Attachment, by identifying oneself with the body, the body always appears to be real. And by considering the body as one's own, a deep affection for the body develops. Mutable existence is so gross that even ignorant people perceive it. Whereas self-evident existence is subtle. It is not perceived by the seeker on its own. Therefore, it is said, 'achetasah' (unconscious). His consciousness has become deaf. So even if he tries, nothing comes into his hands. And 'yatanto yoginah' (striving yogis) means 'chetasah' (conscious). One who is conscious. One who is conscious thinks, 'Am I growing or am I declining?' 'Having become a sadhu, have I attained anything or not?' Then something must happen, right? Something must be gained, right? Then his consciousness is said to be awake. And if nothing is gained, then he is 'achetasah' (unconscious). He might be working harder than everyone else. But he is 'achetasah'. Which way are we going? Are we going east or are we going west? He has no such awareness. He only understands running in his efforts. Whereas self-evident existence is subtle. It is not perceived by the seeker on its own. It is not easily grasped, it is not easily felt. The existence of the soul is not felt that much. One's mood is felt every day, whether 'I am in the mood today or not.' What is that mood about? Of all this setting. So he feels that mood, but he does not feel the soul in that way, like 'some strength has increased in my soul,' 'whether satsang satsang 1) True company. The practice of associating with Bhagvãn’s sant, other satsangis, the ãtmã, and the sacred shãstras, and also observing vartmãns and niyams. 2) Also refers to the sampradãy, which is the presence of good company. Tap to open in glossary → When is that realized? It is realized in adverse situations. Even if adverse situations come, if we do not fall back, then it means that some strength has come into our soul, into our jiva. Otherwise, it wouldn't be there. Whereas self-evident existence is subtle. It is not perceived by the seeker on its own. For its perception, one has to perform sadhana or make an effort. When this world is dominant, the self-evident existence goes to sleep, it sits back, sits quietly. Then it is not visible. When things do not work out anywhere in this world, then the self-evident existence comes up, saying, 'Now take my help.' 'Now you follow me.' It should be decided. To everyone? To whom, as it is said, 'yatanto yoginah' and 'yatantah achetasah', there is a difference between the two. One who is 'yatantah achetasah' finds great comfort when things of this world are present. And when one is 'yatanto yoginah', then he feels even in that state that 'now it is fine.' For its perception, one has to perform sadhana or make an effort. In that, taking refuge in the Supreme Soul remains the main cause. By severing the connection with the mutable existence of the body and the world, meaning, by breaking affection and in the self-evident existence, strengthening the connection with the Supreme Soul and the soul element, meaning, strengthening affection, is described here by the words 'atmani avasthitam'. I was listening to a discourse, and there was a very nice point in it. An incident of Bhumanand Swami. Bhumanand Swami must have been traveling as a sadhu, and for three to four days, he did not get anything to eat. Then a farmer gave him some ponk (roasted green grains), about two handfuls. So Bhumanand Swami, after receiving that ponk, offered it to Maharaj. And so he sang sang Company. Association. (pronounced sung) Tap to open in glossary → Now, if someone has been hungry for five days, how could he offer himself like that? So he sang sang Company. Association. (pronounced sung) Tap to open in glossary → And it is then that a person realizes whether we have affection for God or we have affection for ourselves. One realizes only when hungry for five days, right? When we are full up to the throat, then we start singing 'Avinashi avo' (Come, O Imperishable Lord). What is 'Jamo thal'? 'Avinashi avo'. But when one has been hungry for four to five days and offers that ponk, so he offered that thal. Later, he went to Gadhada to Maharaj. So Maharaj said, 'Sing that thal which you sang sang Company. Association. (pronounced sung) Tap to open in glossary → was eating. 'Sing that.' He sang sang Company. Association. (pronounced sung) Tap to open in glossary → He sang sang Company. Association. (pronounced sung) Tap to open in glossary → Tell this. So at that time, his consciousness must have awakened to what affection for God truly means. And what it means to please God, when is that realized? When we are full up to the throat, we hardly know whether we have affection for God or not. When one has not received anything for three to four days and then gets it, then he realizes. King Rantidev had 49 fasts. And even then, he prayed to God, 'May my subjects be happy.' 'It doesn't matter if I didn't get anything.' 'May my subjects be happy.' 'May they not suffer from hunger.' So that is his consciousness. Consciousness, meaning not towards oneself. Often people say, 'Brother, so-and-so Swami is very emotional.' They say like that, right? Emotional. They say he is very emotional. But for whom? For himself. He doesn't care what happens to others. And here, it is about the devotee of God. That he feels empathy and consciousness towards the devotee of God, 'How can I help him?' 'How can I sacrifice myself for him?' And even in such adverse situations, affection for Maharaj should be visible, right? Maharaj says, 'When should affection be shown?' Yes? When one has been cast out, excommunicated, and is crying outside, and then someone comes and speaks supportively, at that time, affection should be shown. If everything is equal and fine, he won't show it. At that time, one should stay behind. If everything is fine and one shows affection, is that called affection? That is not affection. Affection is to be shown at the right time. Like, 'Here, let me prove whether I have affection or not.' When one has received something after three to four days, can a long mansi puja be performed after that? 'Jamo thal jivan javu vari.' Where have you actually offered yourself, brother? So at that time, his affection is tested. How our affection is for God. When we are alone and there is no one to watch, how our affection is for God is realized only then. A person's test always happens in adverse situations. A test does not happen when there is great prosperity and fame. Whether there is affection in our jiva or not, when is that realized? It is realized only during the time of testing. AI translation of the Gujarati transcript above, produced in the same pass that transcribed the audio, one English segment per Gujarati segment. Devotional and technical terms with no precise English equivalent (kirtan, satsang, vasana, samskara, and similar) are kept as their plain transliteration rather than force-translated. Not human-proofread., AI-translated, unverified · Source details