Questioner: What is the exact definition of saiyam?
Dadashri: There are two types of saiyam (self-discipline); external and internal. The Lord does not consider external (visible through mind, speech and body) saiyam as saiyam. That saiyam is dependent upon the unfolding of karma. To say: “I maintained saiyam”, when saiyam is dependent on unfolding karma, it is an illusion (bhranti). 

Questioner: What is saiyam parinam in the true sense?
Dadashri: Sampurna saiyam (complete discipline) is when par-parinati (state of the non-Self) does not arise at all. This begins when all the tendencies (vruttis) return home to the Self (Atma). The beginning of the ‘fractional change’ is called saiyam.

The state of saiyam parinam happens after one attains Self-realisation. Saiyam of sense pleasures (vishay) is not considered saiyam. Absence of anger, pride, deceit and greed is called saiyam parinam. Otherwise, the renunciation people do is just of worldly things; they renounce money, they renounce sex, and we are not negating it, but that is called tyaag (renunciation). It is not the saiyam the Lord has spoken of. The saiyam of the physical body is not called saiyam as that saiyam is dependent upon circumstances; it is an effect of previously-charged karmas. Whereas, the saiyamit mun (the disciplined mind) – the mind that does not react to ‘evidences’ of anger, pride, deceit and greed – is dependent on purusharth. Saiyam (absence of kashay: anger-pride-deceit-greed) should prevail amidst intense adverse situations.

One lady tells me: “Dada, my husband slapped me last night.” I asked her: “Then what did you tell him?” She replied: “I turned the other cheek for him.” I asked: “What was your inner state at that time?” She told me, “Completely peaceful. I did not have even a single negative thought. Your Gnan was present.”

This is called saiyam. Everyone in the world suffers pain and adversity with tears, and the Gnani suffers it with a smile. You will have to suffer (bhogavavoo) it, will you not?

 The Energy of the Self Will Manifest Only with Saiyam

If one remains in such a saiyam (absence of kashay) just once, it will give rise to enough energy within to practise saiyam twice. Then the power of two will generate four times, and four will generate sixteen times the energy. It is a rule of multiplication. In all that, the Self has infinite energy. That energy starts to manifest as one comes into saiyam.

What is swanubhav (experience of the Self) state? After attaining the Atma (Self), as much as one remains in saiyam, that much is the state of the experience of the Self (swanubhav). The one who has a fraction of that will attain the complete state. Even the Lord has praised the one with saiyam. Such a one is worthy of darshan, and he has conquered death.

Questioner: How has he conquered death?
Dadashri: When one does not have the fear of dying, one is considered to have conquered death.

To know more about Dadashri’s Spiritual Science, visit www.dadabhagwan.org