“If you praise the virtues of the person who is two degrees higher than you, if you worship him, if you serve him; this is known as aradhana (veneration; worship). If you say bad things about him, defame him; it is known as viradhana (despise). Viradhana (despise) results in your down fall and aradhana (worship) results in your rise upwards.”

Indian spiritual leader from Gujarat

Dada Bhagwan, also known as Dadashri, was an Indian spiritual leader from Gujarat. Born Ambalal Muljibhai Patel, he founded the Akram Vignan Movement and became known for his teachings after his self-realization in 1958. He worked as a contractor for a company that maintained dry docks in Bombay before stepping back from daily business to focus on spiritual aims. His movement grew in western India and beyond, and his teaching placed strong emphasis on ahimsa, or non-violence, and vegetarianism.