The peace and spirituality one experiences in the various paths of yoga is transient. It allays the internal disturbance of the thoughts, speech and acts temporarily. There is never an experience of the bliss of liberation in it. Only the atmayogi experiences the bliss of liberation.

What is true samadhi - the state of the Self? The samadhi that is acquired through physical exertion and toil only works as long as the yogi is practicing it. It is like winding the handle of the engine; it lasts as long as effort is put in it. Permanent bliss is attained only when Nirvikalpa samadhi, the state of the Self, the state without ego is attained. It is a natural and effortless samadhi. It is present even when you are performing your daily activities. It remains with you even when you are fighting. Liberation is such a samadhi.

Vikalpi, a person with ego, ‘I am Chandulal’ can never be a nirvikalpi (ego-less, the Self). Those who have naturally become nirvikalpi can elevate others to this state. Nirvikalpa samadhi is one where the body and the Self remain completely separate, they never become one under any circumstances.

Upon the elimination of ‘I-ness’ and ‘my-ness’ (sankalp - ‘I’ in the wrong place. Vikalp- my or mine), the self becomes Self, nirvikalpa. This cannot happen without the knowledge of the Self. Many yogis have managed to get rid of all their sankalp-vikalp except the ‘I am’ – but there is no spiritual illumination there. Nevertheless such yogis rise to a high level and have spiritual luster, but they do not have Gnan – real knowledge. The Soul has its own intrinsic properties, it’s own dharma (its own function and duty) and it’s own phases. The Self is invisible and flawless. The Self expresses fully in a Avatar (self enlightened Being). Unless you become aware of the Self you cannot become That. Natural samadhi is such that it never leaves even amidst widespread destruction and annihilation. All other spiritual attempts are imaginary. The relative self is indirect light. The real Self is infinite, direct light - it remains only as the Knower and the Seer. Gnan is that which gives closure and peace to the mind from all aspects. Samadhi, which prevails despite full awareness of all the fives senses is real samadhi. Non-attachment in every circumstance and phase of life is absolute samadhi (perfect attunement with the Self).

How can one attain samadhi by pinching the nose (pranayam)? Try pinching a child’s nostril – he will immediately bite you. You can suffocate by doing that. Absence of adhi (mental suffering), vyadhi (physical suffering) and upadhi (suffering created by external forces) is called samadhi. At the time of death, one withdraws to the Self and remains absorbed in the Self, Nirvikalpa samadhi. My Mahatmas, endowed with the right belief, die a samadhi death. They leave their body with full awareness of the Pure Soul ‘Shuddhatma’.

Questioner : What makes one’s mental tendencies unsteady and wavering?
Dadashri : Are you able to sit still and steady? Then how can you expect your mental tendencies to remain steady? There are many spiritual practices or disciplines to steady the mind, but there are equal numbers of difficulties in life also. However, it is possible to remain in samadhi even in the midst of the three kinds of suffering of adhi, vyadhi and upadhi.