A prolific writer, orator, educationist, thinker, and above all, spiritual preceptor to millions, Dada Vaswani, the head of the Pune based Sadhu Vaswani mission, turns 90 this month. We pay tribute to a life lived in service to God, Guru and the world

Dada Answers

An example of Dada’s simple and clear wisdom, based on extracts from his book, Dada Answers, published by Gita Publishing House.
What is the root of anger?
Self-will. This is the root of anger. When we want something done in a particular way and it gets done in a different way, we get angry. If only we can curb self-will and surrender to the Divine will, we will not get angry. Once we realise that whatever happens is according to the will of God and in the will of God lies our highest good, we will conquer anger.

What is character? How can we develop better character through education?
The literal meaning of character is carving and engraving. In education, we need to sow the seeds of simplicity and service, purity and prayer in the minds of the pupils.

What are some simple practical instructions we may follow in daily life to keep our ego in check?
Some simple tips we could follow are:
• When in the midst of people, refrain from pushing yourself forward
• Refrain from too much talk. Don’t try to monopolise the conversation. It is better to remain silent and let others talk
• Even when you wish to be helpful, what helps is not your words but your vibrations. What has the potential to transform is not your lectures but silent prayer. Talk little to those you wish to help but pray for them, again and again.
• Always keep clear of the desire of telling others of your life and achievements
• Never forget that one’s real value lies not in the outer, empirical self but in the inner, imperishable self. This inner self cares not for the applause of others but is firmly rooted in itself. Cultivate friendship with this inner self

• Meditate with a focus on conquering the lower self of cravings and desire Can a positive attitude influence our health?

Of course, yes. Always be positive in your outlook upon life and expect the best. Plant beautiful thoughts in your mind. Control your anger, and animal appetites. Today, many doctors are drawing a correlation between an individual’s personality and nature of the disease.
In a paper recently published in America, it has been shown that cancer malignancy is caused by a great tendency to hold resentment and a marked inability to forgive. Give and forgive, and live a healthy life.

What is Vedanta? Can you explain it to us in simple terms?
Vedanta is the culmination of all Vedic knowledge. This knowledge can be summed up briefly in these words: there is the One in all. The vision of the One in all is Vedanta. When I see God not only in the good, but in those the world calls bad and evil, then I have attained true knowledge.I quote Swami Vivekananda, to who it was asked, “Tell us what is Vedanta, in a few simple words.” He replied, “In a few simple words, Vedanta is the knowledge that I and my brother are one.” My brother – the beggar, the cripple, the blind man and the criminal – and I are one. This is Vedanta – beholding the One in all.

What exactly is intuition or sixth sense, as we know it?
Intuition is the gift of knowing things, understanding things which the mind does not know or understand. Our knowledge is based on what the senses tell us, and on what the mind decides. But that may not be the whole truth. The senses very often betray us. The mind often jumps to the wrong conclusions. Then it is intuition that takes over. Intuition knows, intuition understands. It is here that women excel men. Men have tuition but they don’t have intuition. They have sight but they don’t have insight.



Sadhu Vaswani, the founder of the Mira movement in education, often said, “The woman- soul will lead us upward on!” Could you elaborate on it? The man-made world is already crumbling beneath the burden of its own weight. For, man has bungled and greatly blundered. Man has believed in physical force – in the atom bomb, nuclear weapons, star wars. A new world is in the making. Of this new world, the builder will not be man, but woman – the true woman, the authentic woman, who will be true to her purpose and being. The French author and politician, Joseph Marie de Maistre, said, “The great fault in women is their desire to be like men.” Woman is the symbol of shakti. Shakti is not physical force, but integration. The woman-soul will rebuild the shattered world through the strength of her intuition, her purity and faith in prayer, her simplicity and sympathy and service, her spiritual aspiration and silent sacrifice.

Quote:
gautam ghosh “The radiance and infectious nature of Dada’s smile engulfs you wholly.”