Aptavani 1 is the first comprehensive book of Akram Vignan, the new direct short cut path to Self realization, given to the world by Gnani Purush Dadashri. The 'I' exists as a permanent presence within every living being as 'I am'. When asked, 'I am what?', comes the reply, 'I am this body', 'I am so and so', 'This is mine'. Akram Vignan means the stepless path of awakening to the reality of Who am I, what is my connection with this mind, body and words, and what is really happening within and to this body complex, who is running this world which is called 'my world' ,'my life' etc. The 'I' has always existed, as existence, but the awareness of the 'I' is confined and limited towards 'I am this'.
The Gnani Purush Dadashri opens up a new world of reality , an internal vision of exactness in which, the experience of the 'I' is that of the eternal. The eternal Knower of all that is happening to the one who claims, 'I am this body'. The awakening is the Self realization. The eternal One within is realized first; thus beginning the new correct spiritual progress towards liberation, which is defined as freedom from all pains of worldly life through the Light of the Self.
Apta means the One who can be absolutely trusted. Vani means speech. Aptavani therefore is the speech of the One who can be absolutely trusted. Such a One is the One who is permanently established as the Self only, without any agenda, design or desires for anything of the material world. The words of such a One liberates a human being. Such a human being is called a Gnani Purush.
Ambalal Muljibhai Patel, a gentleman, living in Vadodara, Gujarat, India, attained the spontaneous experience of the absolute Self, Paramatma, while waiting for a train, sitting on a railway platform bench, in 1958. The words of liberation began to flow profusely through the Dadashri, beginning 1962. Dadashri never wrote any words for a book. His phenomenal knowledge of the visible world and the invisible universe of human existence was captured in written form first, without any audio recordings, and was presented to the world in Gujarati as a book on July 15 1973. By the time of compilation of the book for publication the entire Science of Liberation had come out in the satsang where all questions of the seeker were answered.
The experience of the 'I' in who am I? begins the exact vision towards that which is not 'mine', the unfolding karma complex of this mind, this body and these words. That experience begins in the Gnan Vidhi of Gnani Purush Dadashri. A true seeker, one with the ardent desire to know the nature of reality, one who has been through and is wanting to be free from the pleasures and pains of life, will be graced as he begins to read these words of Aptavani 1; words that connect with the Eternal, words that connect directly, and thus are beyond man defined religions.
Deep reverence filled appreciation is due to Mahatma Dr. Niruben Amin and Mahatma Kanubhai Kantibhai Patel, the original architects of Aptavani 1; and Mahatma Natubhai Bhailalbhai Patel for his timely corrections and comments, and Mahatma Deepak Indubhai Desai and Mahatma Lalitaben Amin for helping Dr. Niruben in sharing this Vignan-Science with the world, through this first Aptavani. There are 14 Aptavanis that encompass the total body of the Science. Dr. Niruben also gives her profound reverence to Mahatma Chandrakantbhai Ranchhodbhai Patel, who was the first seeker of Liberation, instrumental in opening up the endless treasure of this Science from Gnani Purush Dadashri in 1962.
