Dada Bhagwan, born as Ambalal Muljibhai Patel in 1908 in India, was a revered spiritual leader and the founder of the Akram Vignan movement, a spiritual science focused on self-realization through grace rather than traditional practices. A humble and devout man, he experienced a profound spiritual awakening in 1958, which led him to share his insight into the nature of the Self and the path to liberation. Emphasizing non-violence, equanimity, and inner purity, his teachings have inspired thousands. He passed away in 1988, leaving behind a legacy of peace and practical spirituality.
"Only when there is dharmadhyan (auspicious contemplation; to not hurt anyone, to give happiness to others) in the body, then there is shukladhyan in the Self (contemplation as the Self, the Soul)."
"What is the discovery of the Vitarags, the fully enlightened Ones? It is: 'the slightest violence is the sign of losing. Even the slightest negative thought about someone is the sign of losing. God resides in every living being; how can this hidden fact be known? The Vitarags have called the elemental Self (the Soul), the most hidden element."
"Who is free from illusory attachment (nirmohi)? The Gnani Purush (the enlightened one). He can see flesh and bones, through and through."
"No one is a doer in this world. To claim, 'I am doing' is egoism. Illusion continues to prevail under the umbrella of egoism."
"These are all 'ghosts'. If you are afraid, the ghosts will possess you. If there is inner fear of 'what if they hang me?'; then one should say, 'yes, that is correct'. The Soul can never be hung; nothing [worldly] can touch the Soul. All the doings are that of the pudgal (matter; non-Self). The noose for hanging is pudgal and the one doing hanging (the hangman), is also pudgal. The Soul has never been hung. This [fact] does not fit one's vision and that is why he has fear. But once his vision becomes like the Gnani's [the enlightened one], then it's over! For that, one has to stay in touch with the Gnani [the enlightened one]."
"If you are right, no one will bother you in this world. If you do not hurt anyone in this world, or you have no intention of hurting anyone, then no one can hurt you."
"The one who can see all the viewpoints of the world is a savior (tarantaranhaar " one who has attained liberation and graces others with the same)."
"The worldly life just goes round and round; there is no end to it. If you want to bring an end to it, ask the Gnani Purush [The enlightened one], 'How long do I have to keep on wandering? I have been going round and round like the ox running the millwheel. Tell the Gnani Purush 'please bring about a resolution for me!"
"When anyone can still the minds of five, ten or hundred people, then work can be accomplished. Who can still the mind? It is the one whose own mind is still, he can still the minds of others."
"As long as the awareness of 'doer-ship' is there, till then, one keeps on 'charging' (karma). In the Akram-path, 'we' (the Gnani Purush) destroy your doer-ship. The awareness that 'I am the doer' goes away and we give the understanding of 'who the doer is'. Therefore, 'charging' (of karma) stops! What is left now? Only the 'discharge' is left."
"Bowing down in prayer to a body results in worldly life and bowing down in prayer to Soul results in attaining moksha (final liberation)."
"The world is like a mirror; it reflects (shows) everything exactly the way it is. If there is a defect, it will reflect (show) that defect."
"From the moment you realize, 'I am the most worthless person in this world'; you become valuable."
"In this world, there is no such thing as good or bad. If there is flower shop on one side and a butcher's shop on the other, why should we keep spitting? You have to leave away both the bad as well as the good."
"If one wants to go to Mumbai from Baroda, he will 'like' all the signs towards the south. And if he wants to go to Delhi, he will like all the signs towards the north. One can tell what path he is on from what he 'likes'. There are many paths, not just one. As many minds as there are, there are that many ways and they are all intellect-based opinions. Where one is guided by the intellectual opinions, there is nothing but aimless wandering there. Only the opinions of the Vitaraag Lords (the enlightened ones) is a "safe side!"
"The buddhi [intellect] is today's gain, it is today's experience! Whereas, akkal [insight, wisdom] is a nature's gift!"
"He who wants to go to moksha (Final Liberation), he will have to realize his own self. Otherwise no matter how much of anything else he does, he will not attain moksha (liberation)."
"We have to help the one who has fallen, we should not question 'why did you fall?"
"There are three types of talks: 1. Knowledge based talks. 2. Intellect-based talks 3. Talks void of intellect. The world is running as a result of these three types of talks. Intellectuals will find intellect-void-talks as being incorrect. Those void of intellect will find intellect based talks to be incorrect. And where there are talks with Knowledge (Gnan), there is no such thing as correct or incorrect."
"The business of imagined pleasure is associated with pain."
"If a person does five samayiks (introspective meditation) he will say, 'I did five'- and this is how he will taste the sweetness of the subtle-pride of doership. Actually what he should say is, 'it was due to God's grace that I was able to do five samayik'. He should not taste the sweetness of subtle pride of doership."
"If at all the energies of the Soul (Atmashakti) gets wasted, it is due to conflicts. Endless energy is lost due to conflicts! Even with slightest collision (conflict) it is all over! If we maintain equanimity with awareness and do not conflict with the other person, then work will go on."
"The one who has won over duality is adwait (non-duality; state of oneness, free from duality-state). With a transparent inner vision one can attain a state beyond duality."
"Every human being needs security. The one, who does not have security, will be in fear. So he will look for security outside if he does not get it at home. The Gnani Purush [the enlightened one] is the only one who does not need any security. The Gnani is considered to be free from all dependency (niralamb). Others will take support from Him, but He will not take any support. Only the Gnani Purush can remain free from dependency in this world."
"If you deal obstinacy with obstinacy in this world, resolution will not come. Simplicity against obstinacy will bring about resolution."
"A true swarthi (interested in the Self) will become the absolute Self! This is considered paraartha (for the non-Self). A swarthi will attain the 'Self'."
"Believing happiness to be in the eternal thing is called the enlightened vision (samkit)."
"For seventy years we have been brushing our teeth and yet they have not become clean, so is that thing for real or is it a falsity?"
"Awareness (of the Self) prevails in matters where one becomes attachment-free (vitrag), and where one has attachment-abhorrence, there his awareness will not prevail."